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Otto von Ballpark

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Everything posted by Otto von Ballpark

  1. Otto von Ballpark
    Yeah, who really needs 40-man protection this winter? Here's the list of new 2015 40-man eligibles from Jeremy's org chart (hasn't been updated since the winter, but probably pretty good for this purpose): Bard, Luke Baxendale, D.J. Duffey, Tyler Haar, Bryan Harrison, Travis Hicks, Dalton Jones, Zack Melotakis, Mason Muren, Alexander Polanco, Joel Rogers, Taylor Valera, Rafael Vielma, Engelb Wade, Logan Walker, Adam J.T. Chargois wasn't on the list, I guess he was injured so long. Duffey's already been added, but otherwise, I think only Rogers, Chargois, Baxendale, Walker, and Vielma are doing much of anything at their current levels, and Rogers might be the only one who'd be a likely Rule 5 pick. Not a lot of holdovers distinguishing themselves either (Levi Michael, Alex Wimmers, etc.). Given the FA and chaff currently on the 40-man, there shouldn't be a roster crunch this winter.
  2. Otto von Ballpark
    John, Duffey would have been ineligible to start Saturday until Hughes went on the DL. He wasn't optioned out until August 6-7, and he couldn't be recalled before 10 days unless someone went to the DL. So the original plan for Saturday was probably May / bullpen game. Which they then had to move up to Friday to accommodate Duffey (who will still be one day short of normal rest on Saturday). Funny you bring up Pino and Walters as examples of more disappointing past patches, when both were called up ahead of more promising pitchers in May and Gibson (Walters in 2013, at least). Hopefully Duffey does not become that footnote to Berrios, although the wild card race we are in will magnify this decision more than the Pino/Walters ones.
  3. Otto von Ballpark
    Invoking Revere and Sano sure seems like a reference to height.
  4. Otto von Ballpark
    That would be changing the very definition of the strike zone, which would be a much bigger deal than the umpire effects of pitch framing, IMHO.
  5. Otto von Ballpark
    Not my intent. Just disputing the notion that pitch framing implies bad calls. I'll delete the offending paragraph(s).
  6. Otto von Ballpark
    That's not the "idea" at all. It's that pitches are fast, the strike zone is small, and there are a lot of borderline pitches, whether called by man or machine. And around any margin, there are different ways to interpret what is observed, and different factors that contribute to that interpretation. Nothing inherently bad about it.
  7. Otto von Ballpark
    Agreed. Hypothetically, if we had better set-up options, maybe we're more likely to move Pelfrey or Milone to a bullpen role, for non-setup work, rather than May. (In fact, we did briefly plan to move Pelfrey to the pen this spring, when we presumably thought our set-up options would be better than they turned out to be.)
  8. Otto von Ballpark
    I'm not sure an emergency 5th outfielder is the best use of a roster spot in that scenario, especially if Molitor continued to give him at least a start a week to "keep him fresh".
  9. Otto von Ballpark
    Hurts nothing? What's more useful? A) Hunter, Hicks, Rosario, or Buxton available to start, pinch hit, pinch run, or be defensive replacements (all but Hunter on the latter two) or B ) Hunter, Hicks, Rosario, and Robinson available to start (preferably not Robinson), pinch hit (all but Robinson), pinch run, or be defensive replacements (again, all but Hunter on the latter two) Keep enough guys around on the bench or in the bullpen who "hurt nothing" by themselves, can, in fact, hurt. I don't mind Buxton getting a few more reps in AAA at the moment but there's no question he would make the team better.
  10. Otto von Ballpark
    I think it could have been for both reasons. Initially they didn't use him as a leverage guy, but the past few weeks he has been in the mix for those appearances (although we've had so many blowout losses, those appearances are few and far between). Might have still happened with a better pen, although it could have happened a little differently -- maybe they keep him stretched out better for return(s) to starting in 2015.
  11. Otto von Ballpark
    True, his initial numbers in AAA look pretty good so far. Still would be nice to get him a little further on his MLB acclimation path this year, but it's shaping up that we'll have to choose between that and another Arcia MLB evaluation this September, barring injury.
  12. Otto von Ballpark
    I think that might be giving Perkins a little too much credit here. He was openly skeptical of Pinto already in the offseason when we first signed Suzuki, when he had barely even thrown to Pinto. I think he latched on to the framing thing as a numerical justification of his preconceived beliefs (which he sort of admitted in a quote here). Not that Pinto is any great shakes, but I don't think pitch framing was ever really in the top 3 reasons Perkins didn't like throwing to Pinto.
  13. Otto von Ballpark
    It's not so much development. I obviously don't think a few weeks in MLB is going to fix Arcia or fully acclimate Buxton. But both could/should be parts of the 2016 opening day roster, and both have a TON of question marks about them in that regard. I'd rather try to answer some of those questions now, rather than kick that can down the road, which could throw off our offseason priorities (do we sign a FA OF starter, or risk going without one?) and in Arcia's case, could make for a very uncomfortable roster crunch next spring since he is out of options.
  14. Otto von Ballpark
    Really? That's how you read this? Doesn't sound like he'd be terribly OK with that. Sounds more like the inn is full to me.
  15. Otto von Ballpark
    Many would be shocked because it didn't happen -- Hicks did get a MLB call up last September. He didn't in 2013, but he wasn't sent down until August then either, so he already had 4 months of MLB time that season. Arcia had a month this year, and Buxton had 2 weeks. If the Twins can't get either of them more than a token MLB appearance yet in 2015, and Hunter "going out the right way" was a big reason why, that would be a pretty bad decision.
  16. Otto von Ballpark
    Well, I doubt that more than 1 or 2 odd posters actually suggested a full benching or cutting of Hunter, and Bonnes seemed to be directing his statements towards the community at large. If you want to leave out the "unhinged" statement, fine. But Bonnes has also explicitly argued there isn't room for Buxton right now. THAT is not a extreme minority viewpoint around here at all.
  17. Otto von Ballpark
    Well, the thread starter and site founder has repeatedly asserted that a reduction in Hunter's playing time is "bordering on unhinged". Between that and Sano, Hicks, and Rosario, it certainly sounds like the OF/DH inn is full at the moment. And we're very near the point where Arcia and Buxton should be getting MLB reps regardless of their AAA performance (and actually, AAA will not be a 2015 option for either of them anymore in less than a month).
  18. Otto von Ballpark
    If May stays in the pen the rest of 2015, and his pen usage is consistent with the last couple weeks, he will finish with around 120 IP total for the year. This after 144 IP in 2014, and a pro high of 165. Are we going to hear next year about how we have to control *his* innings? Or look for him tiring down the stretch in 2016? May in the pen is a win now move for 2015, but I wish we were prepared to move him back yet this year once "win now" is no longer a concern.
  19. Otto von Ballpark
    We're pretty close if some are arguing there aren't enough opportunities for Buxton and Arcia right now...
  20. Otto von Ballpark
    Like Buxton, Berrios will only burn an option if he's sent back down for 20 or more days in 2015. So if he started Saturday, was optioned out Sunday, we could recall him on or before September 4th and not burn an option. (Not perfect, as the Rochester season goes through Sep. 8, but we could keep him around for a few more days before optioning him too -- I notice Achter is still on the active roster...) For guys who figure to be in the mix for next year's opening day roster anyway, it's a great idea to get them MLB experience when opportunities are available beginning in August.
  21. Otto von Ballpark
    Sure, if they do that it doesn't matter much. But they could have left him on rehab until August 27th. And either way, barring injury they would have to demote someone for 3 days to get Buxton back here before roster expansion. (And I wonder if that person could be recalled again before the 10 day period? Not sure it applies in September...)
  22. Otto von Ballpark
    Well, a September 1st recall would unnecessarily burn an option year, when they could have left him on rehab and optioned him August 13th and kept the option year at the cost of 3 service time days. So my teeth-gnashing would remain totally on point.
  23. Otto von Ballpark
    In fairness, Buxton's initial call-up was timed with a Hicks injury. It's possible that the team thought he was close to ready so they called him up for a few weeks MLB action, and planned to send him back down to AAA when Hicks returned. They didn't really have that option until now.
  24. Otto von Ballpark
    Fair enough. My fear is that by optioning him rather than letting his rehab play out, they may have longer-term "protection" of Buxton in mind...
  25. Otto von Ballpark
    He can't be protected on a longer rehab assignment in AAA? He has to be optioned to AAA to be protected?
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