Seth Stohs

It's interesting though. When he was told he was going to the AFL, he was told he would be pitching out of the bullpen. In part due to where he was already at innings-wise. Now he's at 199 innings and could pitch in tomorrow's championship game.

What should the Twins strategy be for their bullpen in 2016? All offseason, the Twins have made it clear that they find “The Bullpen” to be a huge priority for improvement this offseason. While the Twins starting staff did improve its numbers significantly in 2015, the bullpen had its ups and downs. When Parker asked Terry Ryan if the bullpen was his highest priority this offseason (for the Offseason Handbook), the Twins GM said, “It’s pretty close up there. Pitching is always the most prioritized area of any team.”But how big of a priority should adding arms be this offseason? I think it is important to look at the current state of the Twins bullpen. Do the Twins need one arm? Two arms? Should they go after someone who will cost three years and $20+ million, or should they strategically add a veteran on a one-year deal? THE CLOSERS The last couple of seasons, Glen Perkins has been unbeatable in the first half and struggled in the second half. He is a three-time All Star and has closed out the midsummer classic for the American League the last two years. Despite his second half struggles, he is the closer, and he will need to find a way to be better throug the entire season. He’s signed through 2017 with an option for 2018. Kevin Jepsen hadn’t been a closer with the Angels or with the Rays, but with Perkins' injury situation in thesecond half, he did a tremendous job in the role. He is in his final year of arbitration and showed he is very capable of being a closer. It’s a nice “problem” to have two guys capable of the role. FOR STARTERS… Ervin Santana. Phil Hughes. Kyle Gibson. Tyler Duffey. Tommy Milone. Trevor May. Ricky Nolasco. JO Berrios. Five of those eight pitchers will be starters for the Twins on Opening Day. Of course, a couple could be trade candidates this offseason as well. Milone’s name is likely to be heard heavily in the rumor mills, and Nolasco is a name that the Twins would likely prefer to trade. Trevor May was told when he moved to the bullpen halfway through the 2015 season that he would be given a shot to return to the starting rotation in 2016. We shall see. In my opinion, the first four on the list (Santana, Hughes, Gibson, Duffey) should be written in ink. If Milone is still around, he will likely be in the rotation. Berrios will not be brought up to pitch out of the bullpen, but Milone and Nolasco could be bullpen guys. I fully expect that Trevor May will pitch in the bullpen all season and Nolasco could be the long man. BEEN THERE Casey Fien is arbitration eligible and could make up to $2.25 million in 2016 if the Twins choose to tender him a contract. Though he was quite solid in 2013 and 2014, he fought injuries in 2015 and wasn’t able to consistently get batters out in the seventh or eighth innings. Michael Tonkin is out of options. For the last three years, he has become a frequent flyer between Rochester and Minneapolis. He has pretty well dominated the International League with a 94 mph fastball. However, he has not been able to get into a groove in the big leagues. Frankly, he hasn’t been given consistent enough work with the Twins to really know what they have. So, what should the Twins do with Tonkin in 2016? Twinkie Town’s Andrew Bryzgornia writes that it’s time to give Tonkin a shot. Ryan Pressly was pitching pretty well when he got hurt. The former Rule 5 pick has an option remaining, but he showed great improvement after being given some time in AAA. 2014’s Rule 5 pick JR Graham is likely headed to Rochester to start the 2016 season. He showed the fastball, but showed he has much room for improvement and consistency. The Twins got through 2015 with him and can now let him get some final development in at AAA. Alex Meyer had a frustrating 2015 season in AAA. He was moved to the bullpen and struggled there. He got into two games with the Twins and that didn’t go so well. But the talent is still there and at some point, he could be ready. And, when he is ready, he could be a dominant reliever. While Meyer struggled, AJ Achter continued his domination of AAA. Though he had two or three clunkers in the big leagues, he showed that he can pitch at the level. Each pitcher has two options remaining. Lefty Ryan O’Rourke came to the Twins after the All-Star break and showed that he can get left-handed big league hitters out as well, as he proved in the minor leagues. He also showed that he could struggle against right-handers. Logan Darnell had a tremendous August in Rochester, pitching as well as he ever has. He earned his promotion in September and could have really helped the team in long-relief if not for coming down with pneumonia. Pat Dean’s surprising and impressive 2015 season in Rochester makes him a candidate as a lefty reliever as well. SOON AND VERY SOON And then there are the power arms that the team has been drafting the last two or three seasons. Many, myself included, believed that we would see a couple of them in 2015. Instead, a couple of them got humbled in 2015. However, it is possible that several of these pitchers will surface with the Twins in 2016. Nick Burdi and JT Chargois can touch 100 mph with their fastballs and each has a very good slider. Chargois also has a good changeup at times. Jake Reed, like Burdi, was drafted in 2014. He and Burdi have combined to give up 0 runs in about 20 innings in the Arizona Fall League. Reed sits 94-95 and can touch 97. Despite his second-half struggles, hard-throwing Zack Jones may not be all that far from big league ready too. From the left side, the Twins could push Taylor Rogers to the bullpen. He dominated left-handed bats at AAA in 2015 and is a more-consistent change up from being a capable big league starter. He is very close. Meanwhile, high-upside lefty relievers Corey Williams and Mason Melotakis are coming back from Tommy John surgery. Williams pitched half of the 2015 season and got to AA. Melotakis missed the entire 2015 season and should get back on the mound before midseason. As much as this group has the potential to dominate out of the bullpen, they haven’t done it yet, and there is no guarantee that they will. There is a belief that several of them will be big-time relievers, but time will tell. Patience will be necessary. HOW COULD THE BULLPEN LOOK? For this exercise, I’ll assume that the Twins non-tender Casey Fien and trade Tommy Milone for minor leaguers. I’ll assume that Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, Kyle Gibson and Tyler Duffey will be in the rotation. I will assume that JO Berrios begins the season in the AAA rotation (though he could be up soon). In fact, for this purpose, I’ll say that Ricky Nolasco gets to start the season as the fifth starter and will get 4-6 weeks of time before Berrios takes a spot. Let’s also say that the Twins would much prefer to start the season with a 12-man pitching staff, meaning seven pitchers in the bullpen. Closer: Glen Perkins RH Set-up: Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May, Michael Tonkin, Ryan Pressly LH Set-up: Logan Darnell OR Ryan O’Rourke Long-Relief: Logan Darnell OR Taylor Rogers OR AJ Achter OR JR Graham Though there are some moving parts and there will be some position battles in spring training, there are three or four names that can probably be placed in ink. That means there are four spots open in spring training for any number of pitchers. Waiting in the (Rochester Red) Wings: Logan Darnell, Ryan O’Rourke, Ryan Pressly, Taylor Rogers, AJ Achter, JR Graham, Alex Meyer, Nick Burdi, JT Chargois, Jake Reed, Corey Williams, Zack Jones, Mason Melotakis. These are all guys who could surface by the end of 2016. RECOMMENDATION Because there are so many options, many with potentially big upsides, coming up in the near future, I wouldn’t recommend signing anyone to more than a two-year contract. And frankly, tw- year contracts should only be on the table if it’s at a discount of some sort. In other words, Darren O’Day is expected to sign for four years and $32-36 million. If he were willing to sign with the Twins for two years and $12 million, that’s just fine. The volatility of relievers is such that anything more than a one-year contract is quite risky. I would look for one left-handed, veteran reliever to replace Brian Duensing. That could be Neal Cotts, or another reliever willing to sign for one year (or available in a trade). In the Offseason Handbook, we suggested a Matt Thornton for about $4 million. Other names include Randy Choate or Manny Parra. With Perkins and Thornton (or similar), they could go with a less experienced lefty like O’Rourke or Darnell or Rogers working a role in the bullpen as well. Who knows? Maybe Dan Runzler, signed as a minor league free agent recently, could surprise and be an option. If the Twins had any confidence that Blaine Boyer could pitch as well as he did in 2015, which is unlikely but you never know, he would make sense to bring back. I think adding one right-handed veteran to a one-year contract would also be good. Again, a trade for such a player wouldn’t be bad either. Maybe guys like Mark Lowe or Matt Albers could fit that mold as well. How does this look? Closer: Glen Perkins RH Relievers: Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May, Michael Tonkin LH Relievers: Matt Thornton, (Ryan O’Rourke or Logan Darnell or Taylor Rogers) Long relief: Logan Darnell or Taylor Rogers or AJ Achter or Ryan Pressly or JR Graham or Alex Meyer or Ricky Nolasco The Twins could also chose to go with eight bullpen arms, making room for one more from the long relief category. As we should expect, the Twins should also add a few minor league free agent relievers. They have had good luck with that route in the past as well. Sure, it would be more of a splash to go out and sign Tyler Clippard, Darren O’Day, Antonio Bastardo and Tony Sipp, but that isn’t likely to happen, and it would be far more risky to sign one of them than to sign the one-year types. So, what do you think? What would your strategy be for helping out the Twins bullpen in 2016 and beyond? Click here to view the article

I was recently told that this year, there were times he would sit 89-91, but other days, he would be hitting 93-94. That's not unusual coming back from Tommy John. Like you said though, a heavy, sinking fastball. He also is touted for a great slider.

Polanco and Kepler were added after Low A ball. I remember Deibinson Romero and Rene Tosoni were added after playing in Beloit. It definitely happens. Of course, notice all of those guys were hitters.

The moment you've all been waiting for... OK, maybe not... however, here are the results of my Twitter polls from yesterday. The question, Would you add Player X to the 40 man roster? Player - Yes/No (percent) - Sample Size of vote Taylor Rogers - Yes (74%) - 144 AB Walker - Yes (94%) - 178 JT Chargois - Yes (79%) - 148 Pat Dean - No (63%) - 141 Zack Jones - Yes (63%) - 131 Levi Michael - No (61%) - 147 Felix Jorge - Yes (52%) - 140 Corey Williams - No (82%) - 131 Travis Harrison - No (64%) - 129 Yorman Landa - No (79%) - 126 Luke Bard - No (64%) - 132 Mason Melotakis - No (63%) - 133 DJ Baxendale - No (73%) - 128 Alex Wimmers - No (70%) - 153

I wouldn't think so. I remember hearing there was some talk of that after the draft, but that never happened. Doesn't make much sense now.

As we continue to get to know several Minnesota Twins minor leaguers, today learn more about lefty reliever Corey Williams. Corey Williams was the Twins 3rd round draft pick in 2011 out of Vanderbilt. The southpaw reliever throws hard, and his stuff is often described as nasty. Unfortunately, he began to feel something in his elbow in spring training of 2014 and on April 1, he underwent Tommy John surgery. He missed the 2014 season, but in early June, he returned to the mound for the Fort Myers Miracle. He ended his season with the Southern League champion Chattanooga Lookouts.Most important, Williams got through the season healthy and ready for a “normal” baseball offseason. Today, Williams takes us through an eventful last couple of seasons. Continue below to read his answers to our questions. Feel free to leave comments and questions below. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Alabama, who was your favorite team and who were some of your favorite players? Corey Williams (CW): I cheered for the Braves since they were the closest team to my hometown of Huntsville, AL. As for my favorite players, I would have to say Greg Maddox, and John Smoltz SS: You went to Vanderbilt, which has been a baseball powerhouse for a long time. What are your top memories of playing there under that tradition and playing in the same uniform as guys who had great MLB success? CW: My favorite memory by far was making it to the College World Series in 2011 for the first time in school history. What Coach Corbin instills in us is not only about being successful on the baseball field, but being successful in life. He wanted us to be contributing members of today's society, which has stuck with me into my professional baseball career. SS: Looking back to 2013, were you healthy the full year or did you start feeling any pain in your elbow? CW: During the second half, I went on the DL with elbow soreness. I came back after that seven days, but looking at my stats, I was not the same pitcher from the first half of the season to the second half of the season. SS: At spring training 2014, what happened? You were pitching and something happened. Did you feel a pop in your elbow or how did you know something was wrong? CW: I never felt a pop, I was continuing to feel elbow pain, and it took me a lot longer to bounce back after throwing with intensity, whether that was on the mound or long tossing. I let the team doctor and trainers know, and I had the MRI a few days later. SS: What was the most difficult thing about missing the 2014 season after surgery? CW: 2014 was the first year that I had not played an inning of baseball, which was one of the most difficult things I have been through in my baseball career. The most difficult part for me was not being able to compete for my team. Standing on the mound, looking down at the catcher and hitter was something I needed and wanted to feel again. Also, I missed the camaraderie with all the guys on the team. Although it was a tough year without pitching, I was able to finish my degree at Vanderbilt, and graduate with a degree in Human Organizational Development. SS: How would you describe the rehab process from Tommy John in your words? CW: The rehab process is extremely long and slow. The first four months, you are letting the scar heal and the new ligament heal while in a full arm brace. The next 4 months you start a throwing program, which starts off very slow but gradually builds up. After 10 months, you are able to start throwing on the mound. Once you are on the mound, you have great days and very bad days. I felt I was ready after I threw my first eight bullpens, but little did I know that I still had live hitter vs. pitcher and rehab innings. It was a tough year, but allowed me to continue to build on my mental and physical strength as a pitcher. SS: You returned to the Ft. Myers Miracle in early June, what did you feel like to get back on the mound in a regular season? CW: It was a great feeling being back with the guys and on a team. Pitching late at night and under the lights was an amazing feeling, I definitely had a different perspective and outlook on the game. SS: How would you describe yourself as a pitcher? What pitches do you throw, and what do you consider your strikeout pitch? Has or does anything change in that approach following surgery? CW: I would say I am a sinker ball pitcher. I throw a 2 seam fastball, slider, and curve ball. My strikeout pitch this past year was my slider. As for my approach to pitching following surgery, I am still an aggressive pitcher, and that has not changed. SS: What was the goal for 2015 for you? It seemed like, more than advancing, the goal was completely about getting you through the year healthy. From that perspective, how did you feel physically throughout the season? CW: My goal was definitely to stay healthy all year long, and compete each time I was called upon to pitch. I felt like each time I got to get on the mound, I got better! SS: You finished the season with Chattanooga and helped them to the Southern League championship. What was it like being on that team with the group and winning? CW: It was a great experience. All the guys were pulling for each other, and we knew that we could compete with anyone. Doug did a great job with us, He helped us with our approach during the game and also to enjoy the playoffs and the experience. SS: What are your plans for the offseason, regarding preparation for the 2016 season? When do you start throwing, and what are your hopes to accomplish before reporting to spring training in March? CW: Relax for the first couple of weeks, then get in the weight room. Also, going to hang out with the wife. We have a couple trips planned for this offseason. I will start throwing around the first of December! We would like to thank LHP Corey Williams for taking the time to answer our questions today. Please feel free to ask questions and comment. Click here to view the article

Yes and no. We'll certainly learn some about him... but Duffey started that first full season in Cedar Rapids and got to Ft. Myers. He spent a bunch of the 2nd half of the year in the bullpen. I fully expect Jay to do the same, just starting in Ft. Myers. I think he'll start with the Miracle and about halfway through I think he will move up to Chattanooga and move to the bullpen. Innings.

Good, fair questions... I hadn't given it much thought, but I think Hu would have been in that 13-16 range. Tapia was further away, but without knowing how he would have done, I probably would have him in that low 30s.

Ridiculous considering how poorly he (and he admits he) pitched last year, and the fact that he wasn't even supposed to be in the Red Wings rotation to start the season. Like I said, I don't think I would protect him, but I don't think it's crazy based on his improvements of the breaking pitches.

Friend of Twins Daily, Hans Van Slooten will take care of it. he's good.

That's my opinion. I think he's got a ton of talent though. I think he's someone they have to consider protecting. I don't think I would.

By the way, those on Twitter will be able to Vote on whether or not you would add these guys to the 40 man roster. Go to www.twitter.com/sethtweets for the polls. I mean, you can follow me too, if you want... When you vote, you can see the sample size and the results. Should be interesting. The vote goes for 24 hours and I"ll be sure to post the results here.

I don't know if that's fair. Maybe, but he put up ridiculous numbers in 2015 in AAA. I've heard that he has really improved his curveball and slider. I'm not saying they should protect him, but I don't think we should talk about him like he has no value. Like I wrote about, he pitched better than Gilmartin when he was taken. I'm not even saying I would protect him, but it's not a bad thing if they do.

And then he would have to stay in the big leagues longer into 2017 or be offered back. It's possible. That's a case I've argued in the past. But it hasn't happened.

Things the Twins need to consider in this decision: 1.) Would that player be selected? 2.) Could that player stick with another team through the year? 3.) If lost, would it be devastating or would it be fine?

He will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not added to the 40 man roster next year at this time... I have a sneaky suspicion that he'll be added before then.

Yup, he has been eligible for the Rule 5 the last two years and hasn't been taken.I thought it was crazy last week when Jeremy Nygaard, on twitter, said that some were more worried about losing Dean than Gilmartin last year. I've talked to a couple of other people this week, prepping for the Prospect Handbook, and that has been pointed out to me as true.

I don't disagree with that. However, when it comes to likelihood of a player being selected, something that has to be considered is the likelihood that a player will make the roster. Melotakis won't likely pitch for a couple of months into the season, and even then he would need to be monitored very closely. Bard and Melotakis both have great stuff. Both have been hurt. Bard got through this season, starting in early June. He'll start in Ft. Myers and I think he could move up a level pretty quickly, but that's a long ways to go. I just can't see either being selected...

By the end of this week, the Minnesota Twins will have to add some players to their 40-man roster. The Twins currently have 33 players on their 40-man roster. That number does not include Byung-Ho Kim. So, the Twins could add as many as six players to the roster. Most likely, they will add three to four players. In the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook, I went into more detail on several of the players that the Twins will likely consider for adding to the 40-man roster. Today, I’ll post the most likely players for the Twins to add with some more information. We’ll start at #1 with the player most likely to be added, and get through the top 10. Of course, these are just my opinion, so I’d encourage your thoughts below.Let’s get started… but first, who is eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not protected on a 40 man roster? Players signed at the age of 18 or less in 2011 (signed before end of minor league season)Players signed at the age of 19 or more in 2012Players signed under the first two categories in previous years.#1 – LHP Taylor Rogers The 25-year-old southpaw has moved up a level each year since being the Twins 11th round pick in 2012 out of the University of Kentucky. He has done well as a starter, though many believe that he could be tremendous out of the bullpen. With the Twins depth of starting pitchers, Rogers could be a guy who gets to the Twins quickly out of the bullpen. Consider left-handers hit just .177/.209/.193 (.402) off him in 2015 in AAA. Rogers has a good fastball with a really, really good slider that is devastating to lefties. He needs a better changeup if he wants to be a starter, specifically to help get right-handers out. After throwing 174 innings during the regular season, he has thrown another 25 innings, so far, in the AFL. Rogers will pitch in the big leagues for a long time. #2 – OF Adam Brett Walker Yes, he strikes out too much. Yes, there are concerns about his pitch recognition. However, he’s just 24, and is a legitimate 8 power on the scout’s 2-8 chart. He led minor league baseball in strikeouts (195) this year, but he also hit 31 home runs and ended with 65 extra base hits. He has led his league in home runs each of the last three seasons. Walker is adequate in the outfield, with an arm for left field. The Twins third-round pick in 2012 out of Jacksonville University has done well in the Arizona Fall League as well, with five home runs. #3 – RH RP JT Chargois It may sound strange to say that a guy who didn’t pitch in 2013 and 2014 is a given to be added to the 4- man roster, but I believe he is. Why? He is capable and frequently hit 100 mph with his fastball. He was consistently at 98 and 99 mph. He was the Twins second round pick in 2012 out of Rice University where he was co-closer with Tyler Duffey. He pitched 16 innings in Elizabethton that year and then missed the next two years with elbow problems that culminated in Tommy John surgery. He’s not a finished project. He can throw more strikes and his slider, while a terrific pitch, can be inconsistent. Two big league pitches and he can be a dominant late-inning reliever, soon. #4 – LHP Pat Dean After a 2014 season in AA that he described as remarkably disappointing, Dean responded with a terrific 2015 season in Rochester. The lefty, who was the Twins third-round pick in 2010 out of Boston College. In 2015, he went 12-11 with a 2.82 over a minor league-leading 179 innings pitched. If he isn’t protected, there is a good chance that he is selected in the Rule 5 draft. #5 – 2B Levi Michael Michael was the Twins first-round pick in 2011 out of the University of North Carolina. His biggest issue through his professional career has been the injury bug. However, the last two years when he has been healthy, he has been good. In 2014 he played in just 65 games but he hit a combined .313/.389/.387 (.776). He spent 2015 in Chattanooga and played just 63 games. He hit .267/.369/.434 (.804) with 12 doubles, five triples and five home runs. Michael may not have any tools that jump out of the roof, but he is a solid player all around. He’s got good speed, puts together good at-bats, has doubles power, and plays solid defense. He is primarily a second baseman, but he could probably make a team as a 25th man who can play all three infield positions. Still just 24, he is a guy who could stick with a big league team. #6 – RHP Zack Jones A year ago, Zack Jones was on path to be an easy add to the roster at this time. However, after being a Southern League All-Star following a strong first half in AA, he really struggled and ended his season back in Ft. Myers. However, that doesn’t negate his upside. It also doesn’t negate his upper-90s fastball. He also has a very good slider. However, he can struggle with control of each. There may be a team out there willing to give him an opportunity in some low-level situations throughout 2016. He was the Twins fourth-round pick in 2012. #7 – RHP Felix Jorge Jorge is just 22. He signed out of Venezuela in 2010. He struggled mightily in Cedar Rapids in 2014. He returned to the Kernels and was remarkably consistent all year. In fact, he completed six innings in 19 of his 22 starts and never went less than five innings. I think he’s a longer-shot to be added because he is still quite far from being big league ready. #8 – LHP Corey Williams Williams came back from Tommy John surgery in early June after having the surgery on April 1, 2014, and missing that season. He split his time between Fort Myers and Chattanooga and pitched well. He is definitely one to watch following a regular offseason. Left-handed. Throws hard. Stuff described as nasty. I feel like he should be higher up on this list. The same might be said of another power lefty. Mason Melotakis had Tommy John surgery late in 2014 and will return to action in 2016. When healthy, his 97 mph fastball and three-pitch mix make him intriguing. However, he is behind Williams in the return schedule which makes him unlikely to be taken. #9 – OF Travis Harrison Twins supplemental first-round pick in 2011 (50th overall) out of high school in California, Harrison has worked his way up one level at a time each year. To this point, his best tool has been his patience and approach at the plate. Still just 23, he has very good power potential despite not hitting home runs the last couple of years. Defensively, he is adequate in right field and has a strong arm. I think it might serve him best to get another half-season in Chattanooga, but there’s still enough upside and talent that a team might be willing to have him take up a roster spot. #10 – RHP Yorman Landa Signed by the Twins out of Venezuela in 2010, Landa has fought some shoulder injuries the last couple of seasons. When healthy, he is another guy who is capable of reaching into the upper-90s and has a good slider as well. Over time, he could develop into a late-inning power arm. However, having just finished a season in Cedar Rapids, he is likely too far away from the big leagues to be selected in the Rule 5. OTHER ELIGIBLES: RHP Jose Abreu, RHP Jason Adam, RHP Nick Anderson, RHP Luke Bard, RHP Omar Bencomo, OF Edgar Corcino, RHP DJ Baxendale, RHP Sam Gibbons, RHP Miguel Gonzalez, IF/OF Niko Goodrum, 1B/3B Bryan Haar, 1B Dalton Hicks, LHP David Hurlbut, RHP Cole Johnson, LHP Brett Lee, RHP Kuo-Hua Lo, IF Aderlin Mejia, RHP Alex Muren, C Carlos Paulino, RHP Greg Peavey, C Michael Quesada, RHP Dereck Rodriguez, C Jairo Rodriguez, OF/1B Reynaldo Rodriguez, LHP Randy Rosario, RHP Tim Shibuya, RHP Matt Summers, RHP Loek Van Mil, RHP Todd Van Steensel, IF/OF Logan Wade, LHP Jason Wheeler, IF/OF Stephen Wickens, RHP Alex Wimmers. Click here to view the article

I promise, he throws left-handed. UPDATE - I added a photo of Lachlan Wells pitching from this year... just to prove it.

6-0, 185.