I say to hell with promoting him to AA, bring him to Target Field!

I'm well aware of how things were done in the old days with pitchers. My reference was to the modern era of highly specialized roles for pitchers. The Cardinals and others have taken a different approach, and have pushed their most talented, and obviously future starter prospects, into short-term major league relief roles, and gained some success with it, and importantly, without creating huge injury issues.

 

On the issue of old pitchers. The Twins now have a bevy of pitchers in AAA and AA knocking on the door. The FO did have a choice, and still have a choice. How is it even possible that the Yankees have one-third of the 30+ veterans that the Twins are currently rostering?

 

As we saw in 2011, an aging staff can suddenly collapse due to age and injury. Have the Twins forgotten what that was like already? There are clearly now multiple pitchers in AA and AA who are being blocked by nine, count them, nine 30+ year old guys, most of whom won't be around the next time the Twins are serious contenders. Valuable developmental innings are being lost to the likes of Jarod Burton, who should have been dealt after 2012- because that's what a rebuilding team does with aging vets.

 

That leads into "craft perfection", while Meyer appears to now have significant shoulder issues, he didn't in May, and it's arguable that he would have benefited more from getting 10 innings in a relief role with the Twins. If anything, he might have staved off the shoulder issues that appear to have set in again as a full-time starter in Rochester. Meanwhile, May has taken a back seat to 3 other lesser prospects in terms of getting a major league look-see. What was it that merited Darnell, Johnson and Pino- three guys with clearly a much lesser chance of being part of the long-term solution- of getting a shot before May and Meyer?

I believe Mr. Jokin is SPOT on. Meyer has another questionable start tonight:3.2 innings, 75 pitches-7 hits. Not bad, but not the type of outing that prompts a call-up.

The real question that I have been asking also, is why are these 30+year old "vets" drawing a major league salary and roster spot? The FO must believe that they are vastly superior to younger players, or........do they believe......that the way to build a contender is to consistently draft higher in the spring draft (Buxton, Stewart, Gordon)? That seems a little crazy. I'm trying to find a rational explanation for this, but have no clue.

The real question that I have been asking also, is why are these 30+year old "vets" drawing a major league salary and roster spot?

 

My guess is that most people have unrealistic expectations for most of the young players and Ryan is trying to create a competitive team now while still having flexibility for the Buxton/Sano foundation coming along.

Berrios needs to move up. It will happen soon. He might struggle a game or two to a higher league, settling to a new club, etc. But I'd be surprised if he didn't prove himself early and often.

 

Im not concerned with Meyer long term. Not at this point. His 2013 was interrupted. Then he showed some real stuff in the AFL. He had some great results at AAA until recently. With some starts and stops to his seasons, along with normal growing pains, I feel the best thing that the Twins could do now is just let him skip a turn or two in the rotations. Throw his bullpens, maybe toss a couple innings from the pen, rest a little as a result, get back to basics, and then slide back in the rotation again.