Must ... resist ... the impluse to read too much into the Detroit series. Splitting with the Tigers isn't a disaster, but it wasn't what I expected either. It was a series in mid May, or perhaps a bit earlier than mid May, with a doubleheader, and Rocco Baldelli gave the reserves a good bit of run.
A few bullet points:
* The Twins got less-than-dominant starts Saturday and Sunday. This was not really a surprise from Michael Pineda and Kohl Stewart, even if the Tigers have a notably light-hitting lineup; it says a lot about how quickly Martin Perez has risen in my esteem that his outing surprised me.
*Deeper thoughts on Pineda and Stewart in the Monday print column.
* A good bit of roster shuffling this weekend connected to the makeup doubleheader Saturday. Stewart came up to start Saturday' second game; officially he was taking the place of Perez, who was on paternity leave for the birth of his son. Tyler Duffey was the 26th man for the doubleheader and pitched a strong inning to wrap up that one.
And La Tortuga is back from the injured list. The Twins cut back to 12 pitchers after Saturday and reactivated Willians Astudillo, who caught and led off Sunday. This makes him the fourth catcher to hit leadoff in Twins history -- John Roseboro, Butch Wynegar in the past and Mitch Garver and Astudillo this year.
* I had expected that, if the Twins were to cut back to 12 pitchers, that Mike Morin would be the loser, but it was Fernando Romero instead. Baldelli, on the radio pregame show Sunday, had an intriguing reason for that: Romero isn't getting enough regular work in the major league bullpen to develop. They want him to pitch two days in a row, to finish an inning and go back out ("up-and-down"), and those opportunities aren't there with the Twins. Or they're there, but it's the Big Four being asked to do them.
* One of those Big Four, Trevor Hildenberger, is definitely in a pitching slump, surrendering a pair of runs both Saturday and Sunday. Again, must resist the urge to overreact -- but Hildenberger has shown a tendency for bad streaks in the past.
* Miguel Sano's rehab tour of the minor leagues is near its end. He's at Triple A now and hammered a couple of doubles over the weekend (and struck out a few times too.) Meanwhile, Nelson Cruz came out of Sunday's game with a sore wrist, which is to be examined today. If Cruz has to sit a while, that probably gets Sano back on the roster without bouncing either Jake Cave or Ehire Adrianza, and opens up a lineup slot as well.
Showing posts with label Fernando Romero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fernando Romero. Show all posts
Monday, May 13, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
Fernando Romero and the search for bullpen depth
The Monday print column devoted about 475 words to pooh-poohing the notion that Craig Kimbrel is the solution to the Twins bullpen.
Which doesn't mean the Twins shouldn't be concerned about their bullpen depth. The Twins haven't blown leads with regularity, but they have certainly danced some uncomfortable tightropes. On Sunday both the eighth and ninth innings ended with Orioles on every base.
Blake Parker was reportedly ill and unavailable during the Baltimore sweep, so the Big Four was reduced to the Big Three. Trevor May, Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers all got the job done, if barely so. But even if Rogers can pitch today, I doubt he should after 45 pitches Saturday and Sunday.
The Twins could certainly use more stable outings from May. And they could certainly stand to have a fifth pitcher emerge as somebody manager Rocco Baldelli and pitching coach Wes Johnson can turn to with some confidence.
Which brings us to Fernando Romero, the hard-thrower who graduated from the prospect list last year as a starter and has been converted to relief work. Romero was tabbed Saturday to be the 26th man for the second game of the doubleheader. He pitched two innings and allowed three runs in an unimpressive outing.
The wildly high upside to Romero in the bullpen is what Josh Hader provides the Brewers -- dominating stuff for multiple innings a couple days a week. Romero isn't close to that right now. Guys like Hader aren't mass produced, of course, and they're easy to burn out when they do turn up. And Romero isn't to be discarded because he isn't a right-handed version of Hader. But right now, he doesn't appear to be a good answer to the bullpen depth issue.
Romero, returned to Rochester, will doubtless get another chance down the road. For now, the Twins have to try some other possibilities.
Ryne Harper -- and Tyler Duffey -- are different kinds of answers. They are curve ball specialists, not power arms. We may in the next couple of weeks see one of them get some valuable innings. What I call the Greg McMichael Rule has eternal application: If you get outs, they'll find a role for you.
Harper and Duffey (to a more limited extent) have gotten outs. A role awaits.
Which doesn't mean the Twins shouldn't be concerned about their bullpen depth. The Twins haven't blown leads with regularity, but they have certainly danced some uncomfortable tightropes. On Sunday both the eighth and ninth innings ended with Orioles on every base.
Blake Parker was reportedly ill and unavailable during the Baltimore sweep, so the Big Four was reduced to the Big Three. Trevor May, Trevor Hildenberger and Taylor Rogers all got the job done, if barely so. But even if Rogers can pitch today, I doubt he should after 45 pitches Saturday and Sunday.
The Twins could certainly use more stable outings from May. And they could certainly stand to have a fifth pitcher emerge as somebody manager Rocco Baldelli and pitching coach Wes Johnson can turn to with some confidence.
Which brings us to Fernando Romero, the hard-thrower who graduated from the prospect list last year as a starter and has been converted to relief work. Romero was tabbed Saturday to be the 26th man for the second game of the doubleheader. He pitched two innings and allowed three runs in an unimpressive outing.
The wildly high upside to Romero in the bullpen is what Josh Hader provides the Brewers -- dominating stuff for multiple innings a couple days a week. Romero isn't close to that right now. Guys like Hader aren't mass produced, of course, and they're easy to burn out when they do turn up. And Romero isn't to be discarded because he isn't a right-handed version of Hader. But right now, he doesn't appear to be a good answer to the bullpen depth issue.
Romero, returned to Rochester, will doubtless get another chance down the road. For now, the Twins have to try some other possibilities.
Ryne Harper -- and Tyler Duffey -- are different kinds of answers. They are curve ball specialists, not power arms. We may in the next couple of weeks see one of them get some valuable innings. What I call the Greg McMichael Rule has eternal application: If you get outs, they'll find a role for you.
Harper and Duffey (to a more limited extent) have gotten outs. A role awaits.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Some notable cuts
The Twins trimmed their major league camp roster a bit more Friday, and they narrowed their opening bullpen options significantly.
First they optioned out youngster Fernando Romero, once a prized starting prospect and now a prized relief prospect. I had put him in the "Is there room" category a while back. The answer, even as some injury issues arise among the bullpen candidates, is apparently "no." He'll be up at some point. But he hasn't been kicking the door down, and it makes sense to give him some minor league time as a reliever.
Then they released a pair of veteran non-roster invitees, infielder Adam Rosales and lefty reliever Tim Collins, both of whom presumably had opt-out clauses.
Rosales hit well in camp, with four homers. But the 35-year-old's chances of making the roster were more about other people than about himself. There weren't enough injuries to make him useful.
Collins is the more surprising release. His stuff has drawn positive reviews, even though his Grapefruit League ERA (4.91) isn't impressive, and in-house lefty Gabriel Moya hasn't pitched in more than a week with reported shoulder issues. I thought Collins had a chance.
But even if Moya can't go on March 28, the bullpen still figures to have Taylor Rogers and Aldaberto Mejia as lefties. Plus there is chatter that, with a bevy of offdays in the first few week, the Twins will open with 11 pitchers rather than their usual 12 or 13, with No. 5 starter Martin Perez shifting temporarily to the pen. He would be a third southpaw. Presumably the Twins hope/expect Moya to be ready by the time Perez returns to starting duties.
Collins had less opportunity than it appeared a few days ago.
First they optioned out youngster Fernando Romero, once a prized starting prospect and now a prized relief prospect. I had put him in the "Is there room" category a while back. The answer, even as some injury issues arise among the bullpen candidates, is apparently "no." He'll be up at some point. But he hasn't been kicking the door down, and it makes sense to give him some minor league time as a reliever.
Then they released a pair of veteran non-roster invitees, infielder Adam Rosales and lefty reliever Tim Collins, both of whom presumably had opt-out clauses.
Rosales hit well in camp, with four homers. But the 35-year-old's chances of making the roster were more about other people than about himself. There weren't enough injuries to make him useful.
Collins is the more surprising release. His stuff has drawn positive reviews, even though his Grapefruit League ERA (4.91) isn't impressive, and in-house lefty Gabriel Moya hasn't pitched in more than a week with reported shoulder issues. I thought Collins had a chance.
But even if Moya can't go on March 28, the bullpen still figures to have Taylor Rogers and Aldaberto Mejia as lefties. Plus there is chatter that, with a bevy of offdays in the first few week, the Twins will open with 11 pitchers rather than their usual 12 or 13, with No. 5 starter Martin Perez shifting temporarily to the pen. He would be a third southpaw. Presumably the Twins hope/expect Moya to be ready by the time Perez returns to starting duties.
Collins had less opportunity than it appeared a few days ago.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Contemplating Fernando Romero
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| Fernando Romero made 11 starts for the major league team in 2018. |
While this may be disappointing to those who hoped to see him emerge as a top-of-the-rotation starter, it seemed inevitable. Romero, 24, has never shown much durablity, either within games as a starter or over the course of the long season.
My expectation is that he will open 2019 in a minor league bullpen -- probably Triple A Rochester, perhaps Double A Pensacola if the Twins want to give him warmer weather to settle into the new role. But he will see the inside of the Target Field bullpen this year. No matter who makes the opening roster in the Twins 'pen, there will be relievers shuttling back and forth between Minneapolis, Rochester and probably Pensacola.
And if things go swimmingly, once Romero turns up in Target Field, he'll power his way into a late-inning role and stick. LaVelle Neal of the Strib suggested on Twitter that Romero might be the closer by season's end. I'm not eager to see that happen -- that would probably mean that Trevor May failed -- but that it's a realistic outcome indicates that even as a reliever, Romero is seen as a crucial piece of the Twins puzzle.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Notes, quotes and comment
At least Friday night's loss in Seattle was a quick one: 2:14, the fastest game in the majors this year.
The other day the Twins were 1-1 in the eighth inning, and the game was almost three hours in. Pace of play, man.
This just in: James Paxson is a pretty good pitcher. Fernando Romero ain't bad either, but the business of walking somebody with two outs, wild-pitching him to second and then giving up a hit against the shift -- that's emblematic of the 2018 Twins as we hit Memorial Day weekend. That's giving the Mariners a run, and that run gave them the game.
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Worth reading department: This story from USA Today about protective cups. Plenty of Twins (Eddie Rosario, Brian Dozier, Torii Hunter and Paul Molitor) quoted in it, but my favorite line is the explanation by former Giants and White Sox infielder Juan Uribe of why he didn't wear one.
This piece from Fangraphs' Jay Jaffe on Phil Hughes, DFA'ed earlier this week by the Twins, and thoractic outlet syndrome.
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The Red Sox on Friday DFA'd veteran slugger Hanley Ramirez to reactivate Dustin Pedroia from the disabled list, and there was immediate speculation from MLB Radio's Jim Bowden that the Twins might be a landing place for the first baseman-DH.
I assume that the Twins came to mind because the acquisition earlier this week of Chris Carter signaled an interest by Minnesota in that ilk of player. Ramirez still has a better hit tool than the swing-and-miss addicted Carter, but they are both right-right first basemen who are relatively inept in the field. Ramirez was hitting .330 through April and .163 this month.
I know this: The Twins aren't taking on Ramirez' contract. No team is. He will clear waivers, the Sawx will release him, and he'll get to pick from his suitors, who will pay the pro-rated minimum while Boston pays him the rest.
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Finally, relationship advice from veteran reliever John Axford via Twitter:
The other day the Twins were 1-1 in the eighth inning, and the game was almost three hours in. Pace of play, man.
This just in: James Paxson is a pretty good pitcher. Fernando Romero ain't bad either, but the business of walking somebody with two outs, wild-pitching him to second and then giving up a hit against the shift -- that's emblematic of the 2018 Twins as we hit Memorial Day weekend. That's giving the Mariners a run, and that run gave them the game.
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Worth reading department: This story from USA Today about protective cups. Plenty of Twins (Eddie Rosario, Brian Dozier, Torii Hunter and Paul Molitor) quoted in it, but my favorite line is the explanation by former Giants and White Sox infielder Juan Uribe of why he didn't wear one.
This piece from Fangraphs' Jay Jaffe on Phil Hughes, DFA'ed earlier this week by the Twins, and thoractic outlet syndrome.
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The Red Sox on Friday DFA'd veteran slugger Hanley Ramirez to reactivate Dustin Pedroia from the disabled list, and there was immediate speculation from MLB Radio's Jim Bowden that the Twins might be a landing place for the first baseman-DH.
I assume that the Twins came to mind because the acquisition earlier this week of Chris Carter signaled an interest by Minnesota in that ilk of player. Ramirez still has a better hit tool than the swing-and-miss addicted Carter, but they are both right-right first basemen who are relatively inept in the field. Ramirez was hitting .330 through April and .163 this month.
I know this: The Twins aren't taking on Ramirez' contract. No team is. He will clear waivers, the Sawx will release him, and he'll get to pick from his suitors, who will pay the pro-rated minimum while Boston pays him the rest.
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Finally, relationship advice from veteran reliever John Axford via Twitter:
Dear couple that clearly broke up while standing near our bullpen in the 5th inning today,— John Axford (@JohnAxford) May 26, 2018
Lovely entertainment for a few minutes, but we hope you’re ok. Feel free to come back tomorrow and discuss with us. We can provide the third party point of view!
Love,
The Jays bullpen!
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Bobby Wilson, RBI machine, and other thoughts
Bobby Wilson, who caught Sunday afternoon, caught again Monday night. Apparently the idea was:
So Dick Bremer said. I know I was at a spring training game in Port Charlotte in which Garver was in the lineup and Romero pitched, but Garver may have been subbed for the by the time Romero entered. Anyway, Wilson apparently caught Romero once during their joint time in Rochester; Willians Astudillo had the bulk of the work.
Wilson was solid back there. And the light hitter even drove in a pair of runs, with a sac fly and a softly hit but well-placed double. (And then he got thrown out at the plate, because somebody apparently forgot that he's a 35-year-old catcher.)
Which leads me to a third reason, this one unstated by Bremer, to start Wilson in Monday's game and Garver today: Carlos Martinez is a higher quality pitcher than John Gant. Garver is a higher quality hitter than Wilson. Paul Molitor may well have figured that they could score enough runs against Gant without Garver, but they would need Garver against Martinez.
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I switched back and forth between the FSN broadcast and the ESPN version, partly because I wanted to hear a non-local perspective on Fernando Romero. Executive summary: Rick Sutcliffe predicted Romero will finish the season as the Twins closer.
I wouldn't turn to Sutcliffe for insight in the Twins' thinking, but even if this was just an off-the-top-of-his-head comment, I get the idea:
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So the Twins have won four straight. Three of them came against the Chicago White Sox, who are not a good team. This one came against a team that played 14 innings (with two rain delays) Sunday night. At least the Cardinals didn't have to travel.
A win's a win, and the Twins have lost too many games they should have won already. I'm not declaring their problems solved.
- With another day game today, the two catchers were going to split the starts
- Wilson has caught Fernando Romero before, and Mitch Garver hasn't.
So Dick Bremer said. I know I was at a spring training game in Port Charlotte in which Garver was in the lineup and Romero pitched, but Garver may have been subbed for the by the time Romero entered. Anyway, Wilson apparently caught Romero once during their joint time in Rochester; Willians Astudillo had the bulk of the work.
Wilson was solid back there. And the light hitter even drove in a pair of runs, with a sac fly and a softly hit but well-placed double. (And then he got thrown out at the plate, because somebody apparently forgot that he's a 35-year-old catcher.)
Which leads me to a third reason, this one unstated by Bremer, to start Wilson in Monday's game and Garver today: Carlos Martinez is a higher quality pitcher than John Gant. Garver is a higher quality hitter than Wilson. Paul Molitor may well have figured that they could score enough runs against Gant without Garver, but they would need Garver against Martinez.
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I switched back and forth between the FSN broadcast and the ESPN version, partly because I wanted to hear a non-local perspective on Fernando Romero. Executive summary: Rick Sutcliffe predicted Romero will finish the season as the Twins closer.
I wouldn't turn to Sutcliffe for insight in the Twins' thinking, but even if this was just an off-the-top-of-his-head comment, I get the idea:
- Whenever Ervin Santana returns, the Twins will have four veteran starters in the rotation (Santana, Jake Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn) plus Jose Berrios.
- As I said after Romero's first start, the Twins almost certainly want to limit his innings to 150 or so. Left in the rotation he'll get there by season's end, and the Twins certainly aren't out of the playoff hunt.
- His power arm would play well in relief.
But we're some ways away from that decision. Santana, to my knowledge, has yet to officially begin a rehab assignment. I doubt he'll be back in the majors this month. This is the sort of issue -- oh, we have too many starters -- that tends to solve itself.
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So the Twins have won four straight. Three of them came against the Chicago White Sox, who are not a good team. This one came against a team that played 14 innings (with two rain delays) Sunday night. At least the Cardinals didn't have to travel.
A win's a win, and the Twins have lost too many games they should have won already. I'm not declaring their problems solved.
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Notes, quotes and comment
The lead to an obit in today's Free Press:
Which is good, because Thursday's walk-off loss probably would have killed her.
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No matter how the Fernando Rodney Experience plays out in Minnesota -- and the veteran closer did close out Friday's win in Chicago -- there appears to be one positive from having him around.
In spring training Rodney showed Romero his changeup. And the younger Fernando R. appears to have adopted it pretty well.
Romero has long had the fastball and slider. I don't know that he has mastered the change as well as Rodney has, but a Rodney-caliber change could genuinely make Romero an ace. Well, assuming he has the command and durability to pitch 200-plus innings a season.
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Brian Dozier hit second Friday. Last year he hit leadoff every time he was in the starting lineup. I don't know that dropping him a slot in the batting order is why he broke out of his slump, but it sure worked.
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Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit Friday. I don't believe he's really helping the Angels much, but I also view him as the greatest first baseman in baseball history. The milestone is just piling on.
Rose Anna Monson passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday, May 2, 2018 surrounded by her children - and after watching her beloved Minnesota Twins win one last time.So she got to see Fernando Romero's debut.
Which is good, because Thursday's walk-off loss probably would have killed her.
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No matter how the Fernando Rodney Experience plays out in Minnesota -- and the veteran closer did close out Friday's win in Chicago -- there appears to be one positive from having him around.
In spring training Rodney showed Romero his changeup. And the younger Fernando R. appears to have adopted it pretty well.
Romero has long had the fastball and slider. I don't know that he has mastered the change as well as Rodney has, but a Rodney-caliber change could genuinely make Romero an ace. Well, assuming he has the command and durability to pitch 200-plus innings a season.
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Brian Dozier hit second Friday. Last year he hit leadoff every time he was in the starting lineup. I don't know that dropping him a slot in the batting order is why he broke out of his slump, but it sure worked.
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Albert Pujols got his 3,000th hit Friday. I don't believe he's really helping the Angels much, but I also view him as the greatest first baseman in baseball history. The milestone is just piling on.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Contemplating Fernando Romero
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| A nice major league debut for Ferrnando Romero. |
He's not an efficient strike thrower. He walked three and hit one. He needed 97 pitches to get 17 outs. But the bottom line was no runs allowed, and the bullpen followed suit, and the Twins got a sorely needed W.
My "Greg McMichael Rule" applies: Get outs and they'll find a role for you. I think it's safe to expect Romero to remain in the rotation until he stops getting outs. What else should we expect?
A rough cap of about 150 total innings. He had 21 innings in four games (three starts) in Rochester, so he's at 26-plus now.
Romero had a career high of 125 innings last season in Chattanooga (Double A); his season really deteriorated in August (17 earned runs in his last three starts, none of which went more than five innings). He did not get a September callup as a result, even though he was already on the 40-man roster and even though he was widely regarded as Minnesota's best pitching prospect.
Romero's workloads have been limited in part because of his Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for all of 2015. He threw 90 innings in 2016, 125 last year, and I would expect that 150 is a reasonable target for this year. And I suspect the final 25 will be a challenge for him.
Five and fly. Those 97 pitches Wednesday were a season high for him. A perusal of his Baseball Reference game logs suggest that he's reached 100 pitches only once in his professional career. He did have a few upper-90s pitch logs last year with Chattanooga.
Even if he can consistently throw 95 pitches a game without breaking down physically -- more on that concern later -- Romero is not efficient enough to get into the seventh inning consistently. He's not going to get 20 outs in a game often.
Injury risk. His release point was obviously inconsistent Wednesday, and he clearly struggles to repeat his delivery. Romero's stuff is comperable to that of Jose Berrios, but Berrios repeats his mechanics.
Romero's had significant injuries already in his young career, and the biggest indicator for future pitching injuries is past pitching injuries. The Twins would love to get 25 more starts and 125 more innings from him. That's not guaranteed to any pitcher, much less one with Romero's risk factors.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
More roster moves (and another loss)
The Twins on Monday brought up John Curtiss to replace Tyler Duffey, who was demoted after Sunday's loss.
This is a level higher than most of the roster-shuffling transactions. While Duffey hasn't had a key bullpen role this year, he did last year -- and Curtiss has the velocity and talent to eventually emerge with a major late inning role. First he has to establish himself, though.
But there was another move of sorts Monday of immediate significance. The Twins are moving Phil Hughes to the bullpen and bringing up power-armed prospect Fernando Romero for Wednesday's start.
No roster move has been made yet; Romero is still, officially, a Rochester Red Wing. Something will be done today to make room for him.
Hughes' spot had been, in my mind, ticketed for Ervin Santana when he returns from his rehab work (finger surgery). I don't know that they have a specific timeline yet for him, however, and at this point they might well target Lance Lynn for replacement, assuming that Romero thrives in the major league rotation (which is not a given).
Lynn's ERA now stands at 8.37, which screams for replacement. He's walked 23 in 23.2 innings, including five on Monday. It has been an ugly, ugly April for the late-spring signing.
The Twins are sticking with him for now. But with their ambitions swirling around the drain a month into the season, the decision makers are being given reason to act sooner rather than later.
This is a level higher than most of the roster-shuffling transactions. While Duffey hasn't had a key bullpen role this year, he did last year -- and Curtiss has the velocity and talent to eventually emerge with a major late inning role. First he has to establish himself, though.
But there was another move of sorts Monday of immediate significance. The Twins are moving Phil Hughes to the bullpen and bringing up power-armed prospect Fernando Romero for Wednesday's start.
No roster move has been made yet; Romero is still, officially, a Rochester Red Wing. Something will be done today to make room for him.
Hughes' spot had been, in my mind, ticketed for Ervin Santana when he returns from his rehab work (finger surgery). I don't know that they have a specific timeline yet for him, however, and at this point they might well target Lance Lynn for replacement, assuming that Romero thrives in the major league rotation (which is not a given).
Lynn's ERA now stands at 8.37, which screams for replacement. He's walked 23 in 23.2 innings, including five on Monday. It has been an ugly, ugly April for the late-spring signing.
The Twins are sticking with him for now. But with their ambitions swirling around the drain a month into the season, the decision makers are being given reason to act sooner rather than later.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Notes, quotes and comment
Thumping on the White Sox -- possessors of the second-worst record in the majors -- is what a team with playoff aspirations should be doing.
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Joe Nathan is going to "retire as a Twin"today Friday. The former bullpen ace never found a new team after the Nationals cut him loose early in the season. He's pushing 43 now and has had two Tommy John surgeries.
I will always respect the stars who try to milk one more year out of their talent, who will play until nobody will give them a uniform even if they are no longer what they once were. That's Nathan right now. He was great a decade ago for the Twins, and I will remember him as one of the best relievers in the game long after I forget his late career wanderings from team to team looking for one more opportunity to pitch.
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If the season ended today, the Twins would be in the playoffs. (And so would each of their minor league affilates, from Triple A to Rookie ball.
There are pros and cons to having all the minor league teams continuing to play. The advantages would include the so-called "culture of winning," which is rather undefinable, and having the continued opportunity to send an injured player on a quick rehab assignment. Also, the owners and managements of minor league affilates like winning and appreciate being with a major league organization that frequently gets them into the playoffs.
But it also makes it a bit touchier to make mass callups for the Sept. 1 roster expansion.
The priority isn't getting Rochester the International League title; it's getting the major league team a wild card berth. But one doesn't want to undermine the affiliates unnecessarily.
Example: With Jason Castro sidelined still by his concussion, the Twins have no reason to feel guilty about having Mitch Garver on their active roster. Cory Provus, the radio play-by-play guy, speculated last night that Anthony Recker, the catcher acquired last month as a throw-in when the Twins traded for Jamie Garcia, might be called up as insurance behind Garver and Chris Gimenez.
Probably won't happen, in part because the Twins would have to open a 40-man roster spot for Recker, in part because they don't need to use him at the major league level at this point, and in part because that would create a roster issue for Rochester -- and promoting a catcher to take Recker's space would have the same effect down the chain.
It's a good problem to have.
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One guy who won't be called up or pitch in the minor league postseason is primo pitching prospect Fernando Romero. Romero has been shut down at Double A Chattanooga after a difficult August (8.38 ERA for the month). He's thrown 125 innings this season after working 102.1 the past two seaons combined because of injuries, including Tommy John surgery.
He's on the 40, so a call-up was to be expected. But he's pretty clearly gassed.
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The Twins this week named four prospects to the Arizona Fall League roster: pitchers Tyler Jay and Tom Hackimer (both relievers), outfielder LaMonte Wade and multi-position guy Chris Paul. Paul and Jay missed considerable time this year with injuries, so the AFL gives them a chance to catch up on innings and at-bats respectively.
They have two roster spots yet to fill. Who gets tabbed may depend on injury status.
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The Houston Astros have been cleared to play in their home city again this weekend, so presumably Minute Maid Park and its supporting services and infrastructure are good to go, or at least will be by Saturday. That's a good sign as the Houston area deals with the aftermath of Harvey.
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Joe Nathan is going to "retire as a Twin"
I will always respect the stars who try to milk one more year out of their talent, who will play until nobody will give them a uniform even if they are no longer what they once were. That's Nathan right now. He was great a decade ago for the Twins, and I will remember him as one of the best relievers in the game long after I forget his late career wanderings from team to team looking for one more opportunity to pitch.
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If the season ended today, the Twins would be in the playoffs. (And so would each of their minor league affilates, from Triple A to Rookie ball.
There are pros and cons to having all the minor league teams continuing to play. The advantages would include the so-called "culture of winning," which is rather undefinable, and having the continued opportunity to send an injured player on a quick rehab assignment. Also, the owners and managements of minor league affilates like winning and appreciate being with a major league organization that frequently gets them into the playoffs.
But it also makes it a bit touchier to make mass callups for the Sept. 1 roster expansion.
The priority isn't getting Rochester the International League title; it's getting the major league team a wild card berth. But one doesn't want to undermine the affiliates unnecessarily.
Example: With Jason Castro sidelined still by his concussion, the Twins have no reason to feel guilty about having Mitch Garver on their active roster. Cory Provus, the radio play-by-play guy, speculated last night that Anthony Recker, the catcher acquired last month as a throw-in when the Twins traded for Jamie Garcia, might be called up as insurance behind Garver and Chris Gimenez.
Probably won't happen, in part because the Twins would have to open a 40-man roster spot for Recker, in part because they don't need to use him at the major league level at this point, and in part because that would create a roster issue for Rochester -- and promoting a catcher to take Recker's space would have the same effect down the chain.
It's a good problem to have.
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One guy who won't be called up or pitch in the minor league postseason is primo pitching prospect Fernando Romero. Romero has been shut down at Double A Chattanooga after a difficult August (8.38 ERA for the month). He's thrown 125 innings this season after working 102.1 the past two seaons combined because of injuries, including Tommy John surgery.
He's on the 40, so a call-up was to be expected. But he's pretty clearly gassed.
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The Twins this week named four prospects to the Arizona Fall League roster: pitchers Tyler Jay and Tom Hackimer (both relievers), outfielder LaMonte Wade and multi-position guy Chris Paul. Paul and Jay missed considerable time this year with injuries, so the AFL gives them a chance to catch up on innings and at-bats respectively.
They have two roster spots yet to fill. Who gets tabbed may depend on injury status.
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The Houston Astros have been cleared to play in their home city again this weekend, so presumably Minute Maid Park and its supporting services and infrastructure are good to go, or at least will be by Saturday. That's a good sign as the Houston area deals with the aftermath of Harvey.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Guess Who, part two
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| Guess Who No. 2 |
Baseball America rates him as the Twins No. 4 prospect; the rankings at Twins Daily have him No. 1. He has big time velocity on his side -- in his spring debut on Sunday, Romero was reportedly sitting comfortably in the upper 90s -- and is said to have a plus slider as well.
Downside: He's had Tommy John surgery, which wiped out his 2014 and 2015 seasons. And he's short for a righty, listed at 6 feet even.
He split last year between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers -- low A and high A -- making 16 starts and pitching less than 90 innings. My guess is he'll start 2017 at Fort Myers again and move quickly to Double A Chattanooga. Command and the changeup are prominent on his work-on chart.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Plouffe, there he goes
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| Trevor Plouffe had a series of injuries that limited him to less than 350 plate appearances in 2016. |
In a related development, it was also the day the Twins released veteran third baseman Trevor Plouffe.
They also outrighted catcher Juan Centeno and lost slugging prospect Adam Brett Walker on waivers to the Milwaukee Brewers.
These moves opened three more slots on the 40-man roster, The Twins filled six of the seven vacancies with prospects: catcher Mitch Garver; outfielders Daniel Palka and Zack Granite; shortstop Engelb Vielma; and right-handed starters Fernando Romero and Felix Jorge.
Plouffe's departure is the biggest news, if only because manager Paul Molitor -- and Ron Gardenhire before him -- made the one-time first round draft pick a fixture in the middle of the lineup. He was always an ill fit in a key lineup role, with low on-base percentages and mediocre slugging percentages. He had made himself into a above-average defensive third baseman, but his varied injuries last year slowed his reaction to batted balls.
Presumably the new brain trust found little interest in Plouffe as trade bait, and the roster spot was deemed more valuable than the veteran. Certainly, with Miguel Sano's outfield venture deemed a failure last season, there wasn't an obvious role for Plouffe on the 2017 Twins. Sano's going to be the third baseman in Minnesota now.
Plouffe, who turned 30 in June, will land somewhere. I certainly don't wish him ill, but it was clearly time for him to move on.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Notes, quotes and comment
Eddie Robinson, the subject of Tuesday's post, was at Game Six that night; Fox showed him during its telecast.
As far as I know, Robinson wasn't involved in the pregame activities (Dennis Martinez, another member of the 1990s Indians, threw out the ceremonial first pitch). But he is, obviously, not persona non grata with the organization.
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Baseball America's J.J. Cooper compiled an extensive list of minor league pitchers who hit 100 mph in the past season. Two Twins are on that list: Pat Light, who was acquired from Boston for Fernando Abad and finished the season pitching (poorly) on the big league club; and Fernando Romero, a 21-year-old starting pitcher who split 2016 between low A Cedar Rapids and high A Fort Myers. It was his first season back from Tommy John surgery, and one would have to say it was a success: 90.1 innings, 1.89 ERA combined.
I wasn't impressed at all in September by Light. Romero is a genuine prospect, but years away from the majors.
There are 62 names on Cooper's list. and he expects more names to be added as people around the game see the list and say, hey, so-and-so hit 100.
There are other high velocity arms in the Twins system. Nick Burdi is one, but he barely pitched after spring training (three innings for Double A Chattanooga). There are several others who I'm a little surprised didn't hit triple digits at least once.
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One game left to the 2016 season. May it be a good one tonight.
As far as I know, Robinson wasn't involved in the pregame activities (Dennis Martinez, another member of the 1990s Indians, threw out the ceremonial first pitch). But he is, obviously, not persona non grata with the organization.
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Baseball America's J.J. Cooper compiled an extensive list of minor league pitchers who hit 100 mph in the past season. Two Twins are on that list: Pat Light, who was acquired from Boston for Fernando Abad and finished the season pitching (poorly) on the big league club; and Fernando Romero, a 21-year-old starting pitcher who split 2016 between low A Cedar Rapids and high A Fort Myers. It was his first season back from Tommy John surgery, and one would have to say it was a success: 90.1 innings, 1.89 ERA combined.
I wasn't impressed at all in September by Light. Romero is a genuine prospect, but years away from the majors.
There are 62 names on Cooper's list. and he expects more names to be added as people around the game see the list and say, hey, so-and-so hit 100.
There are other high velocity arms in the Twins system. Nick Burdi is one, but he barely pitched after spring training (three innings for Double A Chattanooga). There are several others who I'm a little surprised didn't hit triple digits at least once.
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One game left to the 2016 season. May it be a good one tonight.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Talking prospects
The Twins top three prospects as listed by Baseball America -- Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios and Max Kepler -- all graduated this year. So did Nos. 6 and 7 (Jorge Polanco and Byung Ho Park). So the prospect lists this offseason will look drastically different.
The dead-tree edition of BA that arrived in my mailbox over the weekend gives us a few hints of who might be pushing their way to the top of the Twins list.
Stephen Gonsalves, a left-handed pitcher who was No. 9 on the preseason list, was one of five starting pitchers named to BA's minor league all star team. Gonsalves split 2016 between High A Fort Myers and Double A Chattanooga and combined went 13-5, 2.06 with 155 strikeouts in 140 innings.
Some words of caution on the 6-foot-5 lefty from BA's writeup:
Gonsalves is scheduled to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, and it will be interesting to see how he fares there. My current guess is that he'll open 2017 in Chattanooga again, and if he continues to be too much for Southern League hitters to handle, he'll move up to Triple A by June.
Gonsalves was also named to BA's Double-A all-star team (as was Chih-Wei Hu, the Tawianese righty the Twins traded in 2015 for Kevin Jepsen).
Felix Jorge was named to the High-A team; he went 9-3, 1.55 in Fort Myers, then moved up to Chattanooga and struggled a bit (3-5, 4.12). I saw Jorge last year at Cedar Rapids and wrote about what I saw here. He was No. 24 on BA's preseason Twins list, and I wouldn't expect to see a big jump.
Nobody from the Cedar Rapids club was named to BA's Low-A all-stars. For the Rookie leagues honors, BA tabbed outfielder Alex Kirilloff, last June's first-rounder, who slashed .304/.341/.454 at Elizabethton. He will be in the Twins Top 10, maybe top 5, this winter, and a reason to make a relatively early trip to Iowa next year.
I was mildly disappointed to see that Nick Gordon, who slashed .291/.335/.386 at Fort Myers, didn't get the shortstop nod for High A. BA selected Gleyber Torres, who the Cubs traded to the Yankees in the Alrodis Chapman trade. But Gordon, No. 4 on the Twins preseason list, is likely to top the list this winter. Gordon's slugging percentage doesn't look like much, but the Florida State League depresses power; the league slugging percentage was only .356. Double A for Gordon next year.
Another name to take note of is Fernando Romero, who appears to have had a very good comeback from Tommy John surgery. He racked up 90 innings combined at Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers, with 90 strikeouts and ERAs below 2 at both levels. He's described as having three strikeout pitches. He's at least a level behind Gonsalves, but he might be a better starting prospect. Building his innings is the next project for him.
The dead-tree edition of BA that arrived in my mailbox over the weekend gives us a few hints of who might be pushing their way to the top of the Twins list.
Stephen Gonsalves, a left-handed pitcher who was No. 9 on the preseason list, was one of five starting pitchers named to BA's minor league all star team. Gonsalves split 2016 between High A Fort Myers and Double A Chattanooga and combined went 13-5, 2.06 with 155 strikeouts in 140 innings.
Some words of caution on the 6-foot-5 lefty from BA's writeup:
While scouts are unconvinced that Gonsalves possesses the current fastball command to dominate big league hitters, the 22-year-old lefthander does throw a changeup that improves each season. ... (He) must reduce his walk rate of 3.7 batters per nine innings, but he's clearly doing something right.
Gonsalves is scheduled to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, and it will be interesting to see how he fares there. My current guess is that he'll open 2017 in Chattanooga again, and if he continues to be too much for Southern League hitters to handle, he'll move up to Triple A by June.
Gonsalves was also named to BA's Double-A all-star team (as was Chih-Wei Hu, the Tawianese righty the Twins traded in 2015 for Kevin Jepsen).
Felix Jorge was named to the High-A team; he went 9-3, 1.55 in Fort Myers, then moved up to Chattanooga and struggled a bit (3-5, 4.12). I saw Jorge last year at Cedar Rapids and wrote about what I saw here. He was No. 24 on BA's preseason Twins list, and I wouldn't expect to see a big jump.
Nobody from the Cedar Rapids club was named to BA's Low-A all-stars. For the Rookie leagues honors, BA tabbed outfielder Alex Kirilloff, last June's first-rounder, who slashed .304/.341/.454 at Elizabethton. He will be in the Twins Top 10, maybe top 5, this winter, and a reason to make a relatively early trip to Iowa next year.
I was mildly disappointed to see that Nick Gordon, who slashed .291/.335/.386 at Fort Myers, didn't get the shortstop nod for High A. BA selected Gleyber Torres, who the Cubs traded to the Yankees in the Alrodis Chapman trade. But Gordon, No. 4 on the Twins preseason list, is likely to top the list this winter. Gordon's slugging percentage doesn't look like much, but the Florida State League depresses power; the league slugging percentage was only .356. Double A for Gordon next year.
Another name to take note of is Fernando Romero, who appears to have had a very good comeback from Tommy John surgery. He racked up 90 innings combined at Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers, with 90 strikeouts and ERAs below 2 at both levels. He's described as having three strikeout pitches. He's at least a level behind Gonsalves, but he might be a better starting prospect. Building his innings is the next project for him.
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