MIN 6, CLE 3: Anything is Possible

I get the love for Magill -- I've been impressed too, but I think that going to Hildenberger and Rogers was the right move.

 

Think of the bullpen in tiers and roles:

• Rodney is the closer, and the hope was not to use him.
• Reed and Pressley are the guys he's had confidence in in tight games, but we're all complaining that they are overused, and it was a five-run lead. It was right not to use them.
• Duke is the Loogy and threw 13 pitches on Tuesday and 15 on Thursday. It was right not to use him.

That leaves Hildenberger, Pressley, Magill, and Belisle. Magill has been impressive, and threw 3.1 and 3 innings in his last two outings. It would have been easy to give him two innings. Last Tuesday, he threw 3 innings and kept the team in the game -- you need a guy who can go multiple innings when a starter gets blown out early, and it appears that there is reason to have confidence in him in this role. Molitor also has his least-experienced pitcher starting today and "5-inning Odorizzi" tomorrow, so it's not a bad thing to have the multiple-inning guy fresh.

 

By contrast, Hildenberger and Rogers are both primarily one-inning guys. Since April 30, Hildy had thrown 22.2 innings with a 1.19 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP. In the same time period, Rogers had thrown 15 innings with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Both were also well-rested. Hildy had thrown twice in the last eight days, including only 23 pitches since last Saturday. Rogers had thrown once in the last eight days, 10 pitches on Sunday.

 

So to me, it was better to give Hildy and Rogers an inning each and continue building them into guys that he can go to in higher-leverage situations in the 7th and 8th. With their history, they are probably the next options to use in the Reed/Pressley roles. Hildy pitched fine and Rogers just happened to have his first clunker in more than a month. It happens.

 

And by going just one inning each, Hildy and Rogers are both are likely still available for today or tomorrow. Plus Magill is still ready for a longer outing today or tomorrow if needed -- had he gone two innings, he probably wouldn't be available today and probably not tomorrow.

Great post

Yeah, it seems like Motter is just a placeholder until Polanco gets here. He has a little upside and it doesn't seem like the team is willing to give any of the younger guys an opportunity, so it's back to the scrap heap.

 

The Twins position players just can't stay healthy... and now Polanco's cutting his hand on a car door... bleh.

 

Rogers just hasn't been the same since facing the Dodgers in July of last year. Here's his stats:

 

2016: 3.96 ERA, 2.3 BB/9, 9.4 K/9

2017 before Dodgers series: 2.15 ERA, 2.4 BB/9, 6.45 K/9

2017 after Dodgers series: 5.00 ERA, 5.5 BB/9, 11 K/9

2018: 5.13 ERA, 2.1 BB/9, 8.5 K/9

Great information - thanks.  I think they need to get one of the minor league relievers to take Rogers place.  If Polanco is not getting ready for the season it is beyond time that the team looked for the next step.

I get the love for Magill -- I've been impressed too, but I think that going to Hildenberger and Rogers was the right move. 

 

Think of the bullpen in tiers and roles:

 

• Rodney is the closer, and the hope was not to use him.
• Reed and Pressley are the guys he's had confidence in in tight games, but we're all complaining that they are overused, and it was a five-run lead. It was right not to use them.
• Duke is the Loogy and threw 13 pitches on Tuesday and 15 on Thursday. It was right not to use him.

That leaves Hildenberger, Pressley, Magill, and Belisle. Magill has been impressive, and threw 3.1 and 3 innings in his last two outings. It would have been easy to give him two innings. Last Tuesday, he threw 3 innings and kept the team in the game -- you need a guy who can go multiple innings when a starter gets blown out early, and it appears that there is reason to have confidence in him in this role. Molitor also has his least-experienced pitcher starting today and "5-inning Odorizzi" tomorrow, so it's not a bad thing to have the multiple-inning guy fresh.

 

By contrast, Hildenberger and Rogers are both primarily one-inning guys. Since April 30, Hildy had thrown 22.2 innings with a 1.19 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP. In the same time period, Rogers had thrown 15 innings with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Both were also well-rested. Hildy had thrown twice in the last eight days, including only 23 pitches since last Saturday. Rogers had thrown once in the last eight days, 10 pitches on Sunday. 

 

So to me, it was better to give Hildy and Rogers an inning each and continue building them into guys that he can go to in higher-leverage situations in the 7th and 8th. With their history, they are probably the next options to use in the Reed/Pressley roles. Hildy pitched fine and Rogers just happened to have his first clunker in more than a month. It happens.

 

And by going just one inning each, Hildy and Rogers are both are likely still available for today or tomorrow. Plus Magill is still ready for a longer outing today or tomorrow if needed -- had he gone two innings, he probably wouldn't be available today and probably not tomorrow.

I echo "great post", though a game late now. My only argument is Duke as a LOOGY. For his career, he's been equally effective against both sides of the plate.