Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account
  • entries
    891
  • comments
    3,675
  • views
    1,591,111

Twins Sending A Message With New Arm


Ted Schwerzler

4,331 views

 Share

Twins Video

After the debacle that was the Minnesota Twins series with the Houston Astros, it was apparent that a lackluster bullpen needed and overhaul. The club had shuffled deck chairs too often this season, and there wasn't much room for error to begin with. In one of the moves that was made, we might be able to get a better understanding for what could be to come in regards to roster construction.

 

When the dust settled as Houston left town, the Twins bullpen had given up 28 runs (27 earned) on 29 hits in just nine innings. They struck out only three opposing hitters and issued 10 free passes. Any way you cut it, that's an implosion. Jason Wheeler was DFA'd, and Ryan Pressly was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. With two open spots, the Twins needed some revamping.

 

The brain trust turned to Alex Wimmers, and a surprise, Randy Rosario.

 

To be fair, Wimmers represents the same deck chair philosophy that I referenced above. Not meant as a shot at him whatsoever, he's a feel good story to be sure, he's just not going to move the needle in a big league pen. Wimmers is a failed starter, and a bust of a former first round pick. He threw 17.1 IP for the Twins in 2016, and posted a 4.15 ERA combined with a 7.3 K/9 and 5.7 BB/9. Expecting him to come into the pen and provide much of a boost is probably a stretch.

 

It's in the second transaction, the promotion of Randy Rosario, that is one of serious intrigue. Rosario was added to the 40 man roster prior to the 2016 season. He's a 23 year old lefty, and can push his fastball into the mid-90s. Over the course of seven minor league seasons, he's worked at least as a part-time starter all but this year. To his name however, he has thrown just 29.2 IP above Single-A, with 23.2 IP of that coming in 2017.

 

At Double-A Chattanooga this year, Rosario has posted a 1.90 ERA. He's limited damage by walking batters at just a 2.3 BB/9 clip, and he's tallied strikeouts at a 7.6 K/9 rate. Hits have been hard to come by off of him as well, regardless of the batter's handedness, given he's allowed just a .486 OPS to righties and a .490 OPS to lefties. In short, he's among the most promising arms the Twins have had in relief this season.

 

When Mariana Guzman of Twins Latinos broke the Rosario call up news, it came as a surprise. Sure, he's on the 40 man roster, but for a guy with such limited experience in higher levels of the minors, it could be classified as an aggressive move. Given the pairing with Wimmers however, it's worth speculating if Derek Falvey and Thad Levine gave Molitor one of his guys (Wimmers) and one of their choosing (Rosario).

 

There was a few reports out of Fort Myers that Molitor had campaigned for Wimmers to make the 25 man roster. He had a nice spring, and Molitor apparently preferred him over Michael Tonkin. Making the move at the same time, it's certainly worth wondering if Falvey and Levine are picking their spots with this group.

 

It probably could be argued that the expectation for extra arms would include one of Trevor Hildenberger or Alan Busenitz. Both have been very good at Triple-A, and seemingly could provide an upgrade at the big league level. Dipping down to Double-A though, maybe John Curtiss enters the picture sooner rather than later, and there's plenty of big name starters to keep an eye on now. Fernando Romero and Stephen Gonsalves could be inserted in the rotation sooner rather than later, and if the Rosario move is any indication, when Falvey and Levine deem they're ready, it won't matter what level they are at.

 

Coming into 2017, Molitor is under a lame-duck contract. He's being felt out by the front office, and it's much less about the results, than it is the process, that will eventually determine his future. As he continues to champion for certain players, make in game decisions, and interact with his new bosses, his fate going forward will be etched out. For now, that's too far off to be thinking about. What's in front of us though, is a GM that's not unwilling to get help from talent at whatever rung oif the organization it may reside.

 

Randy Rosario could be just the start, and the move is a linchpin into a narrative that's worth dissecting as the summer draws on.

 

For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

 Share

7 Comments


Recommended Comments

So if your reports on Tonkin/Wimmers are correct, Molitor again dissed the FO choice, Tonkin, with playing time. I don't think that's a good way to promote job security. There may be happy feel good reports about metrics emanating out of One Twins Way, but the on field goings on often seem to go differently.

Link to comment

Down the road, can you tell me one FA pitcher, especially BP arms, who would want to come here, given Molly's misuse of the current crop?  If I had a mid-90's fastball, instead of the mid-60's one I possess, I would sure think twice about coming to Minny.

Link to comment

Wimmers is that first rounder that suffered injury, and even as he aged and switched to the bullpen, you ALMOST don't want to totally give up on the guy - although the Twins did drop him from the 40-man and he could've gone elsewhere, but stayed with the Twins in the off-season. 

 

You can do stuff like this to one OR two guys, at most, in the bullpen, but at some point you do have to see WHY you are protecting a guy on the 40-man, especially early in his career and only in the low minors - especially at the expense of more "ready" arms.

 

But if the Twins have showed anything, they are more than happy to make their bullpen the home of arms from the slush pile, hoping for a diamond that can give them some production and maybe, maybe a prospect from somewhere else. Especially since their own prospects are languishing in disabled list land. Wimmers could be an example the Twins may face down-the-road, with Burdi, and that they faced (and parted ways) with Neshek and Balfour, both cut loose sooner rather than later and finding success elsewhere.

 

That dang disabled list and how it makes roster decisions hard...not just for one season, but sometimes two or three. And you just can't cut someone like Burdi, because someone might grab him themselves, carry him for a moment, and try and stash in their own minors.

 

 

Link to comment
I see it more as the FO is trying to give Molitor some arms to work with while also looking for ways to clean up the 40 man.

 

Tough to see it that way though when Molitor has campaigned for guys that don't fit. Wimmers, Santana, etc

Link to comment

I thought the Twins were sending a message with their finger

 

Seriously Wimmers is best suited for a long relief role.  With this staff, you need them. Mejia, Santiago, Hughes, Gibson have been 5 innings or less pitchers.  A team needs a long reliever.  Molitor might know a thing or two

 

Link to comment
Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...