jtkoupal

Parmelee has a .421 BIBIP and a .361 OBP against lefties. Not so good against righties, though. His 99 OPS+ is basically league average. His K rate was 24.3% last year and is down to 21.2% this year. He has much improved from last year.

I don't have a problem with the coaches trying to figure out the problem, I have a problem with the fact that our coaching staff can't seem to get anything out of some of these young players. In my opinion, the culture in the dugout needs to change. I think Gardy and crew has a problem with motivating some of these young players, which tells me that a culture change is needed.

The day has finally arrived. It was announced that Trevor May will start Saturday night for the Twins against Jeff Samardzija and the Oakland Athletics at the Overstock.com Colosseum. When the move was announced Friday afternoon, fans in the Upper Midwest rejoiced in anticipation of seeing n important piece of the future take the field for the Twins. So with that being said, what can we realistically expect from May? What would satisfy us as fans? Of course, we would all like to see him burst onto the scene and become an ace right out of the gate. Unfortunately, that rarely happens to young pitchers who have just gotten called up to make their debuts. Of course it will probably not be smooth sailing for the rest of the year. What we can hope is that he is more successful in his first tastes of the show than Kyle Gibson was last year. In 10 starts last year, Gibson had an ERA of 6.53, a FIP of 5.17, a 1.75 WHIP, and a -0.8 pitchers WAR. Barring a demotion, which Gibson got last August, May should be in line to get about 8-10 starts himself. In 17 starts in Rochester this year, May owns a 2.93 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. What I like, though, is the 8.6 K/9, which is likely to be lower in the bigs, though, possibly about 7-7.5. In terms of how he will fare this year, it is never predictable. Some young pitchers burst onto the scene and blow away hitters like their in Double-A and others can't get anybody out. Add in the fact that FIP and xFIP, two of the best stats to predict future performance, are not calculated in the minor leagues and the ability to predict is even lower. What we have to do, though, is stay patient through his ups and downs the next couple of years. Calling up May is the right move. He needs to take the ball every fifth day for the remainder of the season. There is nothing to lose. This season is probably going to end in a last place finish and the way things are going, possibly another 90+ loss season. Even if he struggles, he needs to be with the big club along with a few of our other prospects. Houston is playing their future, even some players who aren't 100% ready, because they realize that there is nothing to lose and that they are a couple of years away from being serious contenders. We need to do the same. One concern I have with this move though is that I worry about exposing more top prospects to the culture in our dugout. We have seen so many prospects get called up and never live up to their potential, which after seeing so much of that, tells me that it's a problem with motivation, which comes from the coaching staff and management. I worry that May will be the next victim of that culture. However, in terms of what I project Trevor May to become in the future, I expect his 2015 to be similar to Kyle Gibson's 2014. I expect some hot and cold streaks. Maybe not as extreme as Gibson's, but they will happen. I would expect something along the lines of an ERA around 3.80, a WHIP around 1.30, and a FIP around 3.70 in 2015. Down the road, he has a very high ceiling. I project him to be a number 2 or 3 starter and hopefully participating in a few All-Star Games. To conclude, Go Twins, good luck to Trevor May, and have a great weekend to all of you users here at Twins Daily.

Is this confirmed? I hope so

I don't mind them keeping those two in AAA in order to prolong starting their service clocks. However, I think one of them, probably May, should get the call in September. Get his feet wet in games that don't really matter for us. If he blows up in a start, it's not a big deal. However, I really don't love the idea of more pitching prospects learning under Gardy and possibly Andy. I think a culture change is needed in the dugout that is more conducive to the development of young players, a skill that I think Gardy has lost over the years with times changing.

Chris Parmelee exceeded expectations in 2011 when he was called up in September. Clearly, that wasn't sustainable.

It's unlikely that everyone you mentioned will be released, especially the relievers. It's rare for that many effective players to be flat out cut

The day has to be coming, doesn't it? This is the 4th year in a row that could be heading toward 90+ losses. For most managers or coaches in any sport, 1 or 2 poor seasons spells the end of their days with that team. Ron Gardenhire, however, has managed to keep his job during a dark time when a change is necessary. To make matters worse, much of the coaching staff has stuck around as well. One of these days, a change has to happen. The root of the problem is a front office that is tethered to Gardy. If not sooner, Gardy should have been out the door when his contract was up after 2013. Of course, pathetic Pohlad's, St. Pete, and Terrry Ryan thought Gardy was "the right man to turn things around". The Front Office has almost a seemingly unhealthy relationship with Gardenhire. A relationship that, all things considered, comes across as a "friendship" and not a working relationship. As expected, the plan failed miserably and we are left with another coin toss on whether Gardy returns. How many former Twins need to make the All-Star Game to wake people up and make them realize that much of that falls back on the culture that Gardy creates. As with any business, from Professional a Baseball to Fast Food, the manager sets the tone. A lackadaisical manager like Gardy is going to produce a lackadaisical team like the Twins have been recently. Another problem with Gardy is is in-game decisions. He always leaves pitchers in the game a few batters too long. I could only imagine how many wins he would have if he were a more intelligent manager. We've given him new players, we've shaken up the coaching staff a little bit, and things have gotten worse instead of better. The managerial ineptitude is the only explanation for what we've seen the past 3 years. In my opinion, Gardy isn't a horrible manager. His problem is that he doesn't know how to get through to the young players. In his earlier years, he made the playoffs often with players developed under Tom Kelly (Morneau, Mauer, Cuddyer, etc.), but no that most of them are gone, he's left with a bunch of guys that are his responsibility. He hasn't found a way to motivate the young players. In my opinion, his problem is that he's too far in the Stone Age. He's too old-fashioned. The game has changed and he needs to realize that. You can't manage 25 year olds in 2014 like you could manage older veterans back in the day. The game is different and people are different. Gardy's loosing culture in the dugout is a reason why I support the Twins' decision to keep Meyer and May in Rochester. Calling them up now is setting these kids up for failure. Putting guys like Pino, Johnson and a few veterans in the rotation is fine by me until Gardy is gone. I quiver at the thought of our young pitching prospects being part of Gardy's unmotivating culture that has led to so many flops for our guys and success for everyone who leaves. Get Gardy out of there and call these kids up to play for Paul Molitor (or the 6-0 Terry Steinbach...just kidding). Paul Molitor has more leadership potential than Gardy. Gardy has his buddies (Matt Lecroy, his bowling buddy, who we kept over Big Papi) and often doesn't recognize the talent that's there. If there is one thing clear, it's that changes need to be made. These kids can't possibly amount to a World Series contender under a manager who boasts a career 6-21 record in the postseason, including being swept in the first round 3 times and only advancing past the ALDS once, in 2002 when we lost to the Angels 4-1 in the series, and never really so much as threatening a World Series appearance. He couldn't find a way to go deep into the postseason with 2 MVP's, a Cy Young, and a Gold Glove center fielder who could hit pretty darn well, too. Maybe Gardy will leave and be a World Series manager somewhere else, it would fit the ex-Twin mold, but there is no use for him in Minnesota. I've thought it's been time to move on for 6 years, but now, I know that we're well passed due. I'm not from Minnesota, but many of you are, and you all deserve better than this. If winning is of any interest to the Front Office, then Gardy's a Goner. If he stays, then it shows that this is not about winning, it's about some secret agenda that we will never figure out.

Don't get me wrong, I do really like Suzuki. I think he is a good defensive catcher, a good guy, and as we have seen this year, he can be a good hitter. That being said, I see no future for him here. He is 30 years old and is a free agent after this year. I understand that our catching prospects are still at the lower levels, but I think Pinto needs the reps over Suzuki because Pinto is part of the future and Suzuki isn't. Not to mention that Suzuki will want more money than he deserves. Most likely, he will revert to his old form next year and will not warrant whatever he gets paid this offseason.

No need for a shortstop. Escobar has played well there and Santana is the future.

My guess: C Suzuki (Will be overpaid in an extension) 1B Mauer 2B Dozier SS Santana/Escobar 3B Plouffe LF Parmelee CF Fuld/Santana RF Arcia Bench: Colabello, Herrman (UTIL), Pinto (C/DH), whoever is not playing between Fuld and Escobar. Rotation (in any order): Hughes Gibson Pino Nolasco (if healthy, otherwise Kris Johnson) May Bullpen: Perkins (CL) Burton Fien Duensing Thielbar Swarzak Deduno Sano will not play in a game this year. Meyer is almost guaranteed not to get called up. Those have been said by the organization.

He's not walking people because he gets behind everyone and then throws a meatball in the wheelhouse. Don't be fooled by lack of walks, control is his biggest problem.

Who are you? Gardy? Terry Ryan? Please tell me you're being sarcastic. The last 3 years have ended miserably. Based on what I'm seeing, this year will be no different. I don't have to use my imagination to see another 90 loss season.

I think it's convenient that Nolasco admitted injury AFTER Gardy thought about sending him to the bullpen. Gardy should have sent him to the pen long ago, in my opinion. Had he done that, I'll bet we know about this "injury" long ago.

It starts with his fastball. His fastball sets up everything. He hasn't been able to control it. To make it worse, he can't control his breaking pitch either. He gets behind hitters and then throws a meatball over the plate that gets crushed. If Ricky has any chance of turning things around, he MUST control his fastball. I think some bullpen time is what he needs.

I don't want him to fail. I don't want any of our guys to fail. However, I know that Deduno is not meant to be a full time starter. The role he is in now, a long reliever, is the correct role for him. I was at the game Saturday when he pitched 4.2 shutout innings out of the pen. That outing confirmed to me that he belongs in the bullpen.

Thanks for the article. I wouldn't read too much into putting Parmelee in center. It was for offensive purposes only. Clearly, Parm has no future in center except for a rare appearance there to get his bat in the lineup or to take Sam Fuld's bat out of the lineup. As for the next couple of weeks, I don't see them being pretty. We face some tough teams such as Kansas City, the Yanks, and Justin Morneau's Rockies (who are tough to contain at Coors Field). With the Twins likely to fall out (not to sound pessimistic or trolling), they need to look to shop guys like Willingham, Morales (if anyone wants him, would be selling low), Suzuki (several teams would want him), Correia (also selling low, but need to give prospects that spot) and possibly even Burton (also selling low), Duensing, or Anthony Swarzak. In addition, I think the Twins need to bring up some of next year's prospects and get their feet wet.

I like Mauer and all, but I don't see him getting much better. He's stepped it up a bit lately, but clearly his best days are behind him. I don't care either what he has done in the past, I care about what he can do now. Clearly, he does not have it like he used to. If they cut Mauer and Put Parmelee and eventually Vargas at 1st, you would hear no objection from me.

I like Polanco as a prospect. I know that he's not ready for the big leagues. I know that Hrbek skipped AA and AAA and did just fine, but this will not be the case for Polanco. He will be optioned back soon, possibly even when Plouffe is activated, as he needs at-bats and Florimon, who has no future, does not. I don't like this move because this is service time. They are wasting his service time, a valuable thing for small-mid market teams. The sooner he runs though his service time, the sooner he will leave. It would not have taken much to add Bernier to the active roster. For all I care, Pino could have been DFA'd. I don't think that this was the right move.

I remember in 2011 when we put Mauer in right for 1 game in an emergent situation. Outside of that, I have not seen him take reps in the outfield, so I couldn't tell you what he's like out there. I wouldn't expect him to be particularly good, but I could be wrong. Clearly, Willingham is not returning, he may not even be on our team 5 weeks from now, opening a vacancy in left. By next year, Sano will be up most likely, which could displace Plouffe. I don't mind Plouffe as a LF option or a 1B option, but I don't see Gardy moving Mauer around again. Sano and Vargas are 2 players, though, that I see as DH's. They are not destined for greatness in the field, but they may be at the plate, meaning that one must have a position. I like Plouffe as an OF option over Mauer, though. By this time next year, we will have a jam of infielders with Mauer, Vargas, Plouffe, and Sano. We could move one to the outfield, but then what happens to Rosario? This logjam of INF's could spell a trade of Plouffe, though I think he is one of the more valuable pieces of our lineup.

Every pitcher, especially young pitchers, go through their slumps. This is one of those slumps for Mr. Meyer. He has not pitched well recently, but for most of this year, he has pitched very well. If this continues for a long period of time, then I'll be worried. But I think he'll get it figured out soon. At this point, I'm not worried. This is an indication that he is not quite ready for the big leagues just yet.

I too have gotten over Burton. He is much too inconsistent. He has good stuff, but he is too hit-or-miss. I agree that there are a handful of guys in AAA Rochester who deserve a roster spot more than Jared does.

Arcia needs at bats. If sending him to the minors to get them is necessary, then they should do it. However, I also don't believe that sending him down is the right thing. He needs to work out his problems at the big league level if he wants (and the Twins want him) to be a big league hitter. From watching several of his at-bats, I have seen a few things. I have seen him, like usual, fish for those breaking balls well below the knees and also go after the high fastball. However, there have been some signs of life. During the series with Chicago, he scolded 2 line drives right into Abreu's glove, he scorched one that Viciedo was able to reach down and grab in right, and he blasted one to center that Eaton was able to track down in front of the wall (deepest part of the park). Once he becomes more disciplined at the plate, I think he will be fine. But until then, we will see some struggles. Keep in mind that he only has 493 MLB at-bats. Many players need 1200-2000 at bats to blossom. He may need 1000 more at bats to blossom himself.

I believe Perkins will represent us. Hughes might depending on when he makes his last start before the break. Dozier will not make it, as the 2B competition is too stiff and he is not as good as Cano, Pedroia, Kinsler, or Altuve. Suzuki could make it with Wieters out for the year, but it's real tough to say. Mauer will not be an all star this year, he has no purpose in the game despite the fact that it's in Minnesota.