Offseason Handbook Preview: Should Griffin Jax Get Another Shot to Start?

[NYCTK]

41 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I don't think the Twins organization stinks in reputation league-wide. their ownership may be viewed with some derision around the league, at least by players, for not spending on FA but otherwise the twins are in a respectable place with everybody except their own fans.

And it's not ignoring Jax's input to disagree with it. They can consider his request without having to do it. Players are notorious bad at knowing where their own limits are. If you asked a pitcher, they'd almost never think they needed to come out of a game. A hitter always thinks he can get a base knock against the next pitcher, no matter who it is. You can't expect objective opinions from them. 

I don't like it one bit when my boss ignores my input. But I also don't expect my boss to substitute my opinion for theirs all the time either, especially on major issues that they have expertise on. I expect to be consulted on areas I have expertise and on duties I'm expect to perform. I expect to have an opportunity to air my opinion and have it taken seriously. I don't expect to always get my way.

If you had a particular skill, were arguably the best in the organization at doing it and thought you should have more responsibilities, how do you think you'd feel if they told you to stfu. 

If they refuse to even try, I hope Jax enjoys his next team. And hopefully soon. 

As for the Twins reputation, I can assure you no one thinks of the twins as a good organization. We're not the Pirates but they are that next tier. Rightfully so. There are only two teams that have won fewer LCS games than the Twins this century. 

Quite seriously, if the Twins refuse to even entertain the idea, they deserve to lose 100 games next season. 

[joefish]

Yes. Ask Jax. If he wants to do it then let him do it. If it worked out, and it could, (thinking positively), give him the ball. Let him start.

[jmlease1]

14 hours ago, NYCTK said:

If you had a particular skill, were arguably the best in the organization at doing it and thought you should have more responsibilities, how do you think you'd feel if they told you to stfu. 

If they refuse to even try, I hope Jax enjoys his next team. And hopefully soon. 

As for the Twins reputation, I can assure you no one thinks of the twins as a good organization. We're not the Pirates but they are that next tier. Rightfully so. There are only two teams that have won fewer LCS games than the Twins this century. 

Quite seriously, if the Twins refuse to even entertain the idea, they deserve to lose 100 games next season. 

I don't understand this at all. 

A failed starter becomes a good reliever, has one elite season, and if the team doesn't move him back to starting because he'd like to try it again they're a trash organization, deserve to lose the player and lose 100 games?

They're obviously not going to blow Jax off, tell him to eff off, sit in the bullpen and stop whining. But I cannot understand how it's crazy for the Twins (who have a fair amount of starting pitching depth available to them) to prefer to keep Jax in the bullpen, where he has had far and away his most success...and the team has the greatest need.

It's an out of the box idea to move Jax back into the rotation, but the odds are pretty good that it won't actually be a successful one. He simply did not have the fastball velocity as a starter to be effective in that role, but in the bullpen he's been able to add it. 

Which is more likely:

• Jax maintains his velocity as a starter with a fastball around 97mph, or loses some velocity when pitching 5+ innings to 94 mph?
• Jax's fastball remains as effective when he's throwing it 93-95mph as it is when he's throwing it 96-98mph?
• Jax is able to be successful throwing his fastball 30% of the time as a starter, or needs to throw it 40% or more?
• Jax's pitches remains as a effective when hitters get to see them more than once per game, or become less effective?

Moving Jax back to the rotation might work. I'm not saying it's impossible. (it seems unlikely; how many pitchers who struggled as a starter, moved to the bullpen, and then went back to starting in the last 30 years? And were successful?) But the idea that not doing it, that not giving Jax an opportunity in Spring Training to start again, and keeping him in the bullpen where he was excellent is some kind of terminal malpractice is just bizarre to me.

[chpettit19]

17 hours ago, NYCTK said:

If you had a particular skill, were arguably the best in the organization at doing it and thought you should have more responsibilities, how do you think you'd feel if they told you to stfu. 

If they refuse to even try, I hope Jax enjoys his next team. And hopefully soon. 

As for the Twins reputation, I can assure you no one thinks of the twins as a good organization. We're not the Pirates but they are that next tier. Rightfully so. There are only two teams that have won fewer LCS games than the Twins this century. 

Quite seriously, if the Twins refuse to even entertain the idea, they deserve to lose 100 games next season. 

Very limited sample size here, but the Twins weren't listed among the teams with a bad reputation amongst players in this players poll. Where are your assurances coming from that "no one thinks of the twins as a good organization?" Josh Donaldson signed here. Carlos Correa signed here (twice). Arraez had great things to say this summer when he was back here. Gray had wonderful things to say when he was back here. Cruz can't stop saying terrific stuff. Former players say a lot of good things about the Twins as an organization (except Shoemaker, he wasn't a fan). What are your statements based on?

There are a lot of really good relief pitchers in baseball. Do you think they all want to be relievers instead of starters or do you think some of them have been told by their teams it isn't a good idea because their stuff wouldn't play well in the rotation so they're sticking in the pen? Do you think they've all demanded trades? There's a difference between having an adult conversation about why the organization may not feel Jax would succeed in the pen and them telling him "to stfu." They can entertain the idea without actually giving him a shot in spring. They can discuss it internally and with him. They can come to an educated decision that him, and you, may disagree with that isn't some crazy disrespectful act.

[Mike Sixel]

I didn't know the right answer. I think I'd prefer he stay a RP.....

If they give him a shot, they'll give him at least five starts. At least. It also means they didn't bring someone else in.

They don't have enough RP as it is, and people want to move on from their best or second best?

I just don't love the idea.... But I bet it happens. I'm not sure I hate the idea.