Spring Training: Results Versus Process

We all understand that established, veteran players use spring training to get prepared for the start of the regular season. A starting pitcher may choose to go with nothing but fastballs the first time out, wanting to work on mechanics, work in and out, up and down, whatever it may be. The next outing, which will be more pitches, he may choose to use a pattern of fastball, changeup, curveball. That way, in 45 pitches, he is throwing 15 of each of his pitches. In the third start, They may try to see how going back-to-back changeups work by throwing three in a row. Each veteran pitcher kind of has a plan and works with the pitching coach and the catchers to establish how they can accomplish that in a spring start. Again, the goal is to ramp up so that by Opening Day, he is full go, ready to throw 100 pitches and use his pitches effectively.

Veteran hitters like Joe Mauer or Trevor Plouffe or Brian Dozier also work on aspects of their games in preparation for the season. Joe Mauer likes to see a lot of pitches, and that’s worked for him. Brian Dozier may work on staying inside pitches and using the whole field. Whether they hit .100 or .400, they’ll be in the lineup Opening Day and again it’s most important that they be ready then.

For the veterans, it is almost completely about process. Doing what they need to do to prepare for the season.

The same isn’t necessarily true for the minor league free agents or the minor leaguers who are in big league camp. That is especially true this spring with the Twins. They had fewer position battles and question marks heading into this season than previous seasons. There are only a select few positions and spots on the roster that are even available.

While the process is still the same, the urgency changes. For guys like Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Michael Tonkin (who are all out of options), spring is very important.

Danny Santana has to show that he can play defense around the infield and outfield while showing that he can hit better than he did in 2015. Oswaldo Arcia has to show that 2014 was just a bad year, one to forget and move forward from. He has to take better at-bats and show he can have some value in the outfield. Michael Tonkin has shown that he can dominate hitters in AAA but this is yet to translate in the big leagues. The Twins have a lot of quality arms competing for the last couple of spots in the bullpen, so Tonkin will have to show something on the mound.

Brandon Kintzler was signed as a minor league free agent after missing most of the 2015 season with a knee injury. He has to show that he’s healthy and able to jump right back into a bullpen with success.

Guys like Buddy Boshers and Dan Runzler have plenty to show as well. Not only are they minor league signings but both pitched in independent baseball in 2015 which (right or wrong) may be something they will have to overcome.

Then you’ve got the young players who are very close, trying to establish themselves as big leaguers. For Byron Buxton, it is about the process. It’s about showing that he can work a count, lay off those tough two-strike pitches and put together quality at- bats so that his athleticism can take over.

Following Sunday’s game, Paul Molitor said of Buxton, “I think he’s seeing the ball better. Recognition is getting better. That’s going to be a huge part of how quickly he’s going to be able to develop offensively. Bat speed and those types of things. Trying to keep the ball in the zone with two strikes.”

All part of the process.

For guys like Ryan Pressly, JR Graham, Ryan O’Rourke and the like, it is about results. The Twins have to decide whether to have two lefties in the bullpen or three. If they have just one lefty available to set up for Glen Perkins, another right-hander (obviously) would fill that spot. These guys have some experience and varying levels of success. All certainly could fill a role if asked. But something is going to have to differentiate the eventual “winners” of the final bullpen spots. For them, results are going to matter, especially over the next couple of weeks.

For younger players, guys like Yorman Landa, Randy Rosario, Adam Brett Walker, Alex Swim, JT Chargois, Mason Melotakis, Engelb Vielma, it’s back to fully being about process. Sure, if they perform well, it can make a strong impression on coaches. That said, they are there to learn from veterans, to work on their games, and to prepare to be better in 2016. They knew they weren’t going to be on the opening day roster, so they needed to use the time to soak up as much information as they could from coaches and veterans to incorporate into their games in 2016 and beyond.

To summarize, my response to everyone has been the same. The results in games on the field are much more important to Joe Benson than Joe Mauer. Stats and performance are much more important to Taylor Rogers than it is to Glen Perkins.

I ended with that example intentionally. Taylor Rogers was in big league camp last year as a non-roster invite. Last year, he was there solely to soak up information. His situation is different in 2016. Not only is he there to learn as much as he can from veterans and coaches, but he is also one of the guys who is still competing for a spot in the Twins bullpen. So for a guy like that, results and process are both important.

Now, that is all my thinking, and it is based on following spring training for years. Listen, there’s a reason that Luke Hughes put up great spring training numbers for a few years. At the time, he was competing for the 24th or 25th spot on the big league roster. Because of that, he was a guy who played a lot, made the road trips and started frequently. The team needed to decide if he should make the roster. He performed. Of course, once the regular season starts, he no longer played much, got very inconsistent playing time and struggled when called upon in that role.

That’s probably a good example of the whole Results versus Process conversation as it relates to spring training. It’s why all spring training stats have to be looked at with a bit of context.

So while in Ft. Myers, I asked Terry Ryan the same question that I get often at this time of year. I wanted to test my beliefs and thoughts on the subject with the Twins General Manager. “Terry, is there a point in spring training when results becomes more important than process?”

We were specifically talking about the bullpen, and Ryan responded by saying, “There are certain guys where the results have been very important to this point. There are other guys where you let the process take place. There are guys that had to perform early and often because of where they are and who they are, and there are guys that you know you don’t have to worry about. One of them is Perkins. Another one is Jepsen. And Fien. Those types of guys that have been here and done it. They might be doing some things that you wouldn’t be get terribly concerned about if they had a horrible outing or two. That’s just the way it is.”

That’s not to say that as camp goes along you don’t want to put up the numbers. The numbers should be fine because the process is working.

Ryan continued, “You’re always looking for guys to be crisp, and sharp, and throw with some sort of command, but that doesn’t happen all the time. So when you get deeper into the camp and you start approaching the month of April, you’d like to see firm things up. But still, you’re going to take those guys regardless of what they do here, assuming they’re healthy.”

When guys get to spring training, they have a good idea of where they are on the roster outlook, and based on that what might be expected of them during the spring.

“I’ve said this before. Most of those guys know where they stand as prospects or guys that are on an invite, or guys that have four or five years. For the most part, I don’t think any of those guys are bewildered about who they are and where they’re at in their career.”

To give one example of the situation, Ryan mentioned two left-handed relief pitchers who are looking to win a spot on the Opening Day roster, Fernando Abad and Taylor Rogers.

“Abad is different than Rogers. Abad’s got three or four years of major league service. Rogers has zero. One’s on the roster (Rogers), the other isn’t (Abad). But they know where they’re at. I don’t have to worry about explaining too much to Taylor Rogers. I talk to him obviously. I know him. Abad’s in here because he’s a free agent who we had interest in. He knows where he’s at. If there’s a guy where it’s a mystery, that’s not good”

Despite three left-handed pitchers being sent to minor league camp there are still ten more lefties in search of one, and maybe two, Opening Day jobs with the Twins. Each has his own unique situation and circumstance.

And then the regular season starts, and it’s a long haul, a long process, in which results take on a new meaning.