Bollinger on Deduno, Suzuki and Hughes

[Seth Stohs]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140216&content_id=67836874&notebook_id=67836636&vkey=notebook_min&c_id=min

 

TwinsBaseball.com's Rhett Bollinger wrote some notes on:

 

The return/recovery of Samuel Deduno

Kurt Suzuki taking over for Joe Mauer

Phil Hughes looking forward to pitching in Target Field

 

Read Rhett daily at twinsbaseball.com.

[drock2190]

Here's to hoping Pinto will be the starting catcher not Suzuki.

[Mike Sixel]

Let's hope it is pinto more often than Suzuki.

[oldguy10]

Is not Suzuki a much better glove man? Thus someone the older pitchers would rather have behind the plate? Just asking.

[Seth Stohs]

Is not Suzuki a much better glove man? Thus someone the older pitchers would rather have behind the plate? Just asking.

 

Probably a lot of truth to this comment, in my opinion.

[B Richard]

Perhaps Suzuki is better defensively, but I am far more interested in evaluating young talent that is part of the future. I would hope Pinto would get to work on defense behind the plate in the majors, but if Suzuki is commanding the lion's share of playing time, I'd rather Pinto get consistent PT in AAA to work on his defense and develop.

[johnnydakota]

dont see Kurt as a long term solution, Maybe a long term backup.... Heres hoping Pinto makes it a non issue by riping the cover off the ball, and playing a tighter D

[twinsfan34]

Pinto has a great arm and pop-time according to a few sources. Saw that in his CS% last season.

 

His game calling (like any minor league catching prospect) is in question as is his 'framing' (which is still something to be worked out metrically).

 

Suzuki is what he is.

 

I'm in the play Pinto as often as you can and days off as needed. Probably a 120-40 split (Pinto-Suzuki) in starts.

[Riverbrian]

I'm pulling for Pinto... But the catcher position is more than Offensive stats and passed ball percentage and CS percentage.

 

The catcher is your QB. He goes over the opposing team... He gets to know the pitchers and he calls the game.

 

That stuff doesn't show up in the stats. We just invested millions in starting pitching. A Veteren backstop who can get the most out of them means more than batting stats.

 

Is Suzuki that guy... I don't know. The pitching staffs that he has been working with lately have done pretty good.

 

With Deduno... I have high hopes for him. I'm a fan... I hope that shoulder is solid and with Hughes... I hope he loves Target Field.

[PseudoSABR]

Doesn't Pinto have a hurt throwing shoulder? I read that somewhere. Pinto will get his chance, but it won't come in April.

[Blackjack]

Make Pinto earn the starting job, if he can't outplay a journeyman catcher, then too bad so sad, here is your ticket to AAA son.

[Mike Sixel]

Um, how do we know from ST if he can beat out a journeyman? That's the whole point of bad teams in losing seasons, playing the youth and seeng what you have. That's why the last few years have been such a wasteland, they haven't even had youthful options. Now they do. Those guys should be playing to be ready (or finding out they likely won't be) when Sano, Buxtion, Rosario and Meyer are up here.

[cmathewson]

Make Pinto earn the starting job, if he can't outplay a journeyman catcher, then too bad so sad, here is your ticket to AAA son.

 

Are you saying Suzuki is a journeyman? That would be weird because he has spent most of his career as the starter for the same organization. If you mean Fryer as a journeyman, I agree. Make Pinto beat him, which should be no problem for the kid.

[Boom Boom]

Are you saying Suzuki is a journeyman? That would be weird because he has spent most of his career as the starter for the same organization. If you mean Fryer as a journeyman, I agree. Make Pinto beat him, which should be no problem for the kid.

 

Whether Pinto beats out Fryer and Herrmann in spring training is irrelevant. Pinto's too important a prospect to the Twins to have him as a backup catcher.

 

I know that they keep talking about having Pinto learn under Suzuki and Steinbach and Mauer, but I don't believe it. They'll have him as the #1 catcher in AAA before they have him as the backup in the majors.

[beckmt]

Also hoping that Pinto wins the starting catchers job. Else he should be in AAA playing full time. Hopes he hits a ton and forces the Twins to give him the starting job.

[cmathewson]

Whether Pinto beats out Fryer and Herrmann in spring training is irrelevant. Pinto's too important a prospect to the Twins to have him as a backup catcher.

 

I know that they keep talking about having Pinto learn under Suzuki and Steinbach and Mauer, but I don't believe it. They'll have him as the #1 catcher in AAA before they have him as the backup in the majors.

 

I don't know. A platoon seems plausible to me. He wouldn't languish on the bench if he plays three or four games a week and otherwise helps out in the bullpen. But Ryan has made a point of mentioning Fryer several times this offseason. So perhaps they want to give Pinto more starts at AAA than he could get up here.

[Badsmerf]

Why is anyone worried about this? Pinto will get the opportunity to earn the job. I'm glad we have Suzuki. It seems JR is learning his lessons by handing starting jobs to questionable guys with no legit back-up. Suzuki and Pinto is one of the least interesting topics regarding this team IMO. To me, it is a clear situation where the Twins brought in a Veteran while a rookie is getting adjusted.