Do the Twins Already have their Lefty Bullpen Arm?

[TopGunn#22]

Johan Santana began his Twins career as a Rule 5 pick out of the BP.  I think guys like Doc Gast and Lambchop and others who mention Prielipp and Canterino in the same breath are on the same wave-length as me.  

I see two young guys (Prielipp the younger) who have electric stuff but health hurdles.  Moving them to the BP is not a guarantee of health, but it IS a way to carefully manage their pitches/innings.  I also do not believe that either of them needs to spend a LOT more time in the minors polishing this, and refining that.  

Yes, they do need some time down there, neither of them will break camp with the Twins, but the idea of having Canterino up some time in May and Prielipp after the All Star Game (if healthy and doing well) is a plan I wholeheartedly endorse.

And the idea that if either of them starts in the BP with the Twins, they will never, ever be a SP is being proven wrong more and more with guys like Crochet, Lugo, Reynaldo Lopez, Hicks etc...Heck, the Twins even considered moving Griffin Jax.  Starting off in the BP is not a death sentence.  But it can be a quicker ticket to the Big Leagues.   

I remember a pitcher with the Twins when I was a kid named Tommy Hall.  He was REALLY slender, so they nicknamed him "The Blade."  In 1969 he made a couple of spot starts for the Twins when Dean Chance battled some injuries.  In 1970, he was set to be in the BP again (he really had swing and miss stuff).  Luis Tiant when down after 10 starts and 20-game winner Dave Boswell just couldn't reclaim his 1969 magic.  

So the Twins called up a very young Bert Blyleven to replace Boswell in the rotation and moved Hall in to replace Tiant.  Hall threw 155 innings, K'd 184 guys (184 !!) and won 11 games.  Once again, a guy who was brought up who had started in the minor leagues was fast tracked to the big leagues as a relief pitcher, but found himself in the rotation eventually.  Bringing a guy up and starting him out in the pen doesn't mean that is the only outcome.