Can Randy Dobnak Resurrect His Career in 2024?

Randy Dobnak lives rent free at Twins Daily. He gets way more attention here than he deserves.

I think Dobnak will get another chance this season, just because they're going to need starts from 8-10 pitchers this year in MLB. But he's behind Festa, SWR, and probably Headrick at this point until he shows he can be less hittable and give up fewer free passes. I'll be watching his WHIP this season; if he's sitting up near 1.5, then he's not going to be a real option, even if he manages to somehow limit the runs. You simply can't allow that many baserunners, especially since Dobnak is never going to be a champion hunter of Ks.

He did a nice job in his first outing, and I liked seeing him be effective piggybacking for another starter; it opens options for him to be a long man and not just a starter.

Him not being on the 40-man will definitely keep him from being one of the early options to start, but depending on how injuries go, there's usually room to add someone to the 40-man during the season. If he doesn't get added back, it'll mean one of three things: 1) Twins didn't have enough significant injuries to really need him, 2) guys like Festa/SWR/Headrick got the job done and he wasn't needed, or 3) he didn't show enough in AAA to be considered an option. I don't think the 40-man issue will be a real barrier if he pitches well, but others will likely get a shot first. 

Lets just say, hope it doesn’t come down to Dobnak being needed on the 40 man. He may not be done yet but lets hope he isn't actually needed.

I agree with several previous comments where Randy needs to develop an out pitch that take him up a notch as a pitcher,  In addition, I think he would best help the club in the role as a long reliever/ spot starter because he is a different type of pitcher and has major league experience.  

As previously mentioned if he can have a good stretch at AAA where is controlling his walks and being  effective as the ground ball inducing pitcher that he is he might also be a trade candidate to another club in need if the Twins brass decide that they want to go in another direction.  

Either way it would be nice to see him be successful in the majors again after all the work he has put in over the last year.

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Randy Dobnak lives rent free at Twins Daily. He gets way more attention here than he deserves.

If the Dobber makes it back to MLB, he’s a Mr. Everyman type we all cheer for, like Caleb Thielbar making it back after dropping down to the independent leagues or Jay Jackson making his first opening day roster at age 36.  These stories are much more fun than reading about Bobby Witt Jr. getting gazillions over the next 11 years. 

Since Dobnak screwed up his finger, and lost his bowling ball sinker & that out-pitch slider, IMO there's really no hope for Dobnak. Dobnak was a great GB pitcher and with his new slider which created SOs & limit his pitches. Instead of slowly incorporating his new slider only when he occasionally needed it, the Twins wanted to transform him into a SO pitcher, throwing that new slider regularly. His finger couldn't take it & quickly lost control of the pitch & screwed up his finger. Unfortunately we lost a perfectly good SP.

20 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

If the Dobber makes it back to MLB, he’s a Mr. Everyman type we all cheer for, like Caleb Thielbar making it back after dropping down to the independent leagues or Jay Jackson making his first opening day roster at age 36.  These stories are much more fun than reading about Bobby Witt Jr. getting gazillions over the next 11 years. 

I am much more entertained watching Bobby Witt Jr play baseball than I am watching Randy Dobnak. I would love a team full of players as talented and exciting as Witt Jr.

On 3/31/2024 at 11:06 AM, bean5302 said:

Dobnak not being on the 40 man is a bit of a hurdle for him getting selected. Given his recent year performances, he's got a pretty narrow margin of opportunity, and the ankle injury really wiped a lot of his chance out already. Despite people knowing his name, Dobnak has never pitched more than 50 innings in a season at the MLB level, and he's 4 years removed from his last good season.

It'd be really nice news for Dobnak to put it together and find a way to be effective, but I'm not holding my breath. 

I think his contract actually makes his presence on the 40 irrelevant. He's the perfect candidate to call up for a single game and then waive, as nobody is going to pick him up. They could pass him through waivers all year.

(I say this assuming there is always a "flex" spot on the 40 or a 60 day IL candidate, as the team is rarely that stacked.)

But as others have said, he has to earn his way back first, and he's probably 3rd on the depth chart, at best. I think if they needed an emergency start and he was rested right now that they'd go with a bullpen game or waiver wire one-time start instead.

On 3/31/2024 at 12:51 PM, strumdatjag said:

If the Dobber makes it back to MLB, he’s a Mr. Everyman type we all cheer for, like Caleb Thielbar making it back after dropping down to the independent leagues or Jay Jackson making his first opening day roster at age 36.  These stories are much more fun than reading about Bobby Witt Jr. getting gazillions over the next 11 years. 

It appears Bobby Witt Jr. is going to be a great player and make KC a better team for the next 11 years. Winning. That's a great baseball story.

From Uber to Target Field, a lefty reliever making a comeback, and an aging player making his first Opening Day roster is feel good stuff that gets wedged into the news between the anchors signing off and the credits rolling ... they're basically Twiggy, the waterskiing squirrel from "Anchorman."

If Dobnak takes the mound in a meaningful game for the Twins this year, things have gone horribly, horribly wrong. And if he gets an extended run in meaningless games, it likely means things went even worse.

He's a "fun" story, and good on him for securing financial security, but he caught lightning in a bottle for a brief stretch 5 years ago, and the results since then have ranged from a floor of "awful" to a ceiling of "meh."

28 minutes ago, jud6312 said:

It appears Bobby Witt Jr. is going to be a great player and make KC a better team for the next 11 years. Winning. That's a great baseball story.

 

From Uber to Target Field, a lefty reliever making a comeback, and an aging player making his first Opening Day roster is feel good stuff that gets wedged into the news between the anchors signing off and the credits rolling ... they're basically Twiggy, the waterskiing squirrel from "Anchorman."

If Dobber does get called back, he better not get released at Target Field.   There want be any Uber job to fall back on in Minneapolis.