There are two ways to look at this, and a comment. One is that playoff contenders do not have pitchers like Jepsen as a closer. So if your team makes pronouncements about having a legitimate chance to contend, his presence negates that contention. If you are in rebuild mode, a Chargois/Burdi type should already be on a flight to Mpls. As far as Molly's options, his current choices would have to be May or Tonkin. May has a lack of relief experience, and Tonkin seems to get frustrated. That said, I would take a shot at Tonkin and see if he can get his emotions in check. I do like his arm. As to his endorsement of Jepsen, what else can he say?

There are two ways to look at this, and a comment. One is that playoff contenders do not have pitchers like Jepsen as a closer. So if your team makes pronouncements about having a legitimate chance to contend, his presence negates that contention. If you are in rebuild mode, a Chargois/Burdi type should already be on a flight to Mpls. As far as Molly's options, his current choices would have to be May or Tonkin. May has a lack of relief experience, and Tonkin seems to get frustrated. That said, I would take a shot at Tonkin and see if he can get his emotions in check. I do like his arm. As to his endorsement of Jepsen, what else can he say?

I'm bullish on Tonkin, but I'd be closer to DFA'ing him for the next arm than making him the closer. I'd love to see Burdi/Chargois up sooner rather than later, but they can't immediately take over the closer role.

Jepsen is essentially a 7th inning guy. Working as Perkins' setup man was a fine gig, but Glen put the Twins in a bind and got them to this point.

I agree that Jepsen is a 7th inning guy and a pretty average one at that. That's all he ever really was with the Angels and Rays until his career year last year.  It may be heresy to say this but Molitor is part the problem. He sees to have trouble taking risks with young pitchers out of the pen. It's more likely that he would use Chargois in low leverage circumstances until "he gets his feet wet" rather than giving him a chance to close even if we called him up. In a sense, we got lucky with injuries so the young starters will get a chance (same with Arcia). It may require something similar before someone else gets a chance to try the closer role.

You lost me after wanting Chargois to come up and close. I think he can help this pen, but putting him immediately in that role I think might be a bit much.

If the Twins keep playing as they are, losing a series instead of winning, say...then they have to look closely at the longterm needs of any of the vets, be it Fien or Jepsen or even Abad. If you are playing sub-.500 ball, you really DON'T need a named closer, as you can go days without having a save situation, which does nothing for the closer who MIGHT have to pitch back-to-back-to-back if you do have a winning situation.

It does give you an opportunity to try multiple YOUNG arms out in the role. Not ALL the young arms, but the ones with the best chance of success.

Now the question comes is that someone currently on the roster like May, who SHOULD be a fixture in the rotation more or less (or is he the next Rick Aguilera). Do you advance Chargolis and let him get his feet wet in major league ball, skipping AAA. Are names like Dean and Graham really in the future mix?

Of course, the Twins have two weeks to run Meyer, Berrios and Duffey thru the mill...two weeks that can temper decisions made down the road.

Of course, a couple of the arms you MIGHT like to see in the bullpen are still toughing it out in AA (Reed, Burdi) and even A+ (Bard). 

They cant put May there, because he is basically the entire bullpen and needed available when the **** is going down not just the 9th.  I think it will be Chargois or Meyer by the end of the year but its going to get interesting before they hand one of them the job.

I was glad to hear that despite Jepsens travails, Molly has assured him that the job is his. Now if he was the long time successful closer struggling, yes, a vote of confidence would be normally in order. But he isn't. He's a fill in. And while no one knows how May, or Tonkin would do in the role, two things are apparent. One, they couldn't be worse, and two, it would be a great time to find out!