Spring Training Audio Diary: Six-Man Rotation Discussions

Thanks John. It keeps snowing here, so you’re in a good spot.

With only 2 days off in April, I don’t hate the idea of starting with a 6 man rotation. For me, it’s more important as to who is available in September than who’s starting in April. Maeda may still have something in the tank during a playoff run if we’re not asking him to make 10 starts in the first couple of months.

How has Alcala looked? I thought he was going to be the closer last year after they traded Taylor Rogers. He was hurt before he got a chance

9 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

I'd like Ober on the opening roster but I'm usually against a 6 man rotation. Especially in the beginning where teams can get by with a 4 man rotation. IMO there'd be too much time between turns & lose their rhythm. I'd prefer piggy-back Ober & save more the BP.

You really think they can get by with a 4 man rotation in the beginning?  Between opening day and the end of May, the Twins play 56 games and have 7 days off.  To me, that doesn't sound ideal for a 4 man rotation.  Plus the pitchers are still building up arm strength.  A 5 man rotation is probably the best, but I would have no problem if they use a 6 man rotation.

Only reason is Ober is too good and they can't have one of the others drop out. But I'm a 4 man rotation kind of guy so 6 does not do it for me. 

I’m generally not a fan of a six man rotation, but this might be a team where that makes sense. All of the starters except Ryan have had injury problems. Moreover, I think it’s very unlikely that either Maeda or Ober will pitch more than 120 innings or so this year with each coming off of a major Injury and the few innings Ober threw last year. We only have two days off in April, but we do have five off in May. My thought is to start out with a six man rotation, and by roughly May 1, I suspect either one will have pitched their way out of that rotation or have some kind of injury issue. If the baseball gods are smiling down upon us, and all are healthy and pitching well, I say stick with it.

Pagan seems pretty straightforward to me. He is not pitching well at all. Either put him on waivers with the idea of sending him to AAA or, if he has an option left, option him down. He needs to work his kinks out in the minor leagues if he can, not on the MLB roster. Getting rid of him also allows us to have a seven man bullpen that includes both Moran and Cole Sands, the latter as a Long reliever. 
 

I’m a big believer in performance dictating use. It would be different if Pagán was having a poor ST after a couple of strong years. That’s not where we are. He hasn’t performed since 2019 and should be sent down to AAA to try to find his groove. I think he gets AAA instead of being released because of his $4 million contract.

15 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

I didn't say almost half the season, I said in "the beginning" which means the 1st couple of weeks. And I said "some teams" not specifying MN. I did not say I was in favor for a 4-man rotation for MN, actually I'm not. I also said that IMO a 6-man rotation is not beneficial and that I'm more in favor of a 5-man rotation with a type of piggy-back system. Please stop reading into stuff that I did not write. 

Nice back track, doctor.