http://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/blogs/diamonds-and-ice-by-jeff-johnson/burdi-blows-it-by-them-20140719

 

Jeff Johnson from The Gazette (in Cedar Rapids) wrote a good article on Nick Burdi, talking about him hitting 101 on the radar last night, but also hitting 91 with a slider.

 

After his first outing (which I witnessed) when he walked all four batters he faced, he has been very good.

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/blogs/diamonds-and-ice-by-jeff-johnson/burdi-blows-it-by-them-20140719

 

Jeff Johnson from The Gazette (in Cedar Rapids) wrote a good article on Nick Burdi, talking about him hitting 101 on the radar last night, but also hitting 91 with a slider.

 

After his first outing (which I witnessed) when he walked all four batters he faced, he has been very good.

 

I should say so (19.5 K/9...... .190 BA...... 2.71 FIP), even with the first nightmare outing). To paraphrase a famous sage, "the early reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated."

He control has been spotty (10.5 BB/9), but 19.5 K/9…

 

*emits a guttural sound*

 

 

He control has been spotty (10.5 BB/9), but 19.5 K/9…

 

*emits a guttural sound*

 

He's only pitched 6 innings. I'm willing to attribute the wildness to a small sample size anomaly from the 4 walks in his first appearance- seemingly pure adrenaline overkill on Burdi's part- and the conscious coaching adjustments that are being implemented as to his approach and mechanics for professional baseball. The fact that he has finally appeared in two consecutive high leverage situations tells me that management believes he's now on the right track and probably gets moved to a higher level before season-end.

yes, I suspect he goes up to FTM in the near future. They are going to be in the playoffs as well. They'd have need for Mr. Burdi.

The whole peaked/peeked thing really threw me off.

 

I sure hope he hasn't peaked at Cedar Rapids...

Edited July 23, 201412 yr by 70charger

I should say so (19.5 K/9...... .190 BA...... 2.71 FIP), even with the first nightmare outing). To paraphrase a famous sage, "the early reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated."

 

In fairness, I don't remember reports of his demise so much as posters such as myself saying expectations for Burdi were ridiculous when he signed.

In fairness, I don't remember reports of his demise so much as posters such as myself saying expectations for Burdi were ridiculous when he signed.

 

Not singling anyone out, but there were a few on TD, and many elsewhere throughout the social media universe assuming the worst case scenario. I'm not a big fan of drafting relievers as relievers, but Burdi was frequently projected as a mid-first round pick. If he can make some adjustments and then quickly ascend to the majors and find success, it will have been a good, quick return on investment, hopefully right as the Twins return to relevancy.

Burdi was nasty last night. It was unfair.

 

Talked to a Twins guy on Friday and we talked about Burdi briefly. He gushed about the 91 mph slider and said it sounded like Burdi's debut was him trying to make the Major Leagues in one outing.

 

By the way, he throws the slider both in the zone (watch knees buckle) and as a chase pitch (good luck).

 

Filthy.

 

I don't think he'll be with the Kernels by this time next week. And I think he'll be an NRI (at the minimum) coming into 2015.

Burdi was nasty last night. It was unfair.

 

Talked to a Twins guy on Friday and we talked about Burdi briefly. He gushed about the 91 mph slider and said it sounded like Burdi's debut was him trying to make the Major Leagues in one outing.

 

By the way, he throws the slider both in the zone (watch knees buckle) and as a chase pitch (good luck).

 

Filthy.

 

I don't think he'll be with the Kernels by this time next week. And I think he'll be an NRI (at the minimum) coming into 2015.

 

Love the eyewitness reports, Jeremy. And love getting some good news, check that, great news, for a change amidst the major league season on the brink of yet another collapse.

 

Yep, 19.5 K/9 definitely seems unfair. Did the Twins guy share any insight on anything specific Burdi might be working on? In watching him in the CWS, the FB seemed a little flat and I noticed the slider, not the heater, was actually his out pitch, I think he hit 91 at least a couple times with Louisville on the slider there, as well.

Yeah, that he needs to adjust to pro hitters. Guys are gonna be more selective as he climbs the ladder.

 

His slider is absolutely gonna be his out-pitch.

I'm not a big fan of drafting relievers as relievers, but Burdi was frequently projected as a mid-first round pick.

 

I totally agree with the sentiment, but I feel like the bullpen is constantly overlooked in todays game. The old belief of "you can just go find guys to stack your bullpen" is fast becoming a falacy. just ask the tigers. With pitchers throwing fewer and fewer innings and the massive uptick in season ending injuries I think its very important to have a few a** kickers out there in the pen. This guy seems to have chapman/kimbrel quality junk and i hope he can bring that to the twins next year so we might have innings 8 and 9 already figured out like the braves do now.

This kid has "wow" written all over him: 100+ heat and a wipeout slider. Twins were lucky to get him in the 2nd.

I wonder how it is possible to rate an arm like Burdi's. If he knows how to make the defensive plays a pitcher must make and he knows how to hold on base runners, what is the reason to have him pitch anywhere except with the Twins? Assuming he can cover first base on a bunt or infield hit and knows enough to back up home plate, lets find out about his mental makeup with the big club. With 2 + pitches he should be learning at the big league level. 95+ mph pitches should not be wasted on minor league hitters.

Earlier this year (before the draft) BA had a depressing article looking at college relievers drafted in the 1st round (which at the time Burdi was expected to go). Of the 10 or so that have been drafted in the last 15ish years only 1 has pitched in the majors after the age of 25. That kind of blew my mind a bit. It is right up there with the lack of pitchers 6'7" and taller that have had successful careers as starters.

I totally agree with the sentiment, but I feel like the bullpen is constantly overlooked in todays game. The old belief of "you can just go find guys to stack your bullpen" is fast becoming a falacy. just ask the tigers. With pitchers throwing fewer and fewer innings and the massive uptick in season ending injuries I think its very important to have a few a** kickers out there in the pen. This guy seems to have chapman/kimbrel quality junk and i hope he can bring that to the twins next year so we might have innings 8 and 9 already figured out like the braves do now.

 

Only brilliant manager/pitching coaches in the mold of Gardy/Anderson can consistently put together effective bullpens out of scrap heap players.

Burdi was nasty last night. It was unfair.

 

Talked to a Twins guy on Friday and we talked about Burdi briefly. He gushed about the 91 mph slider and said it sounded like Burdi's debut was him trying to make the Major Leagues in one outing.

 

By the way, he throws the slider both in the zone (watch knees buckle) and as a chase pitch (good luck).

 

Filthy.

 

I don't think he'll be with the Kernels by this time next week. And I think he'll be an NRI (at the minimum) coming into 2015.

 

Jeremy,

 

Just out of curiosity. Do you have a sense if the Twins intend to keep Burdi as a reliever or work with him to develop a third pitch and convert him to a starter?

He's going to be a reliever. They won't mess with him.

Not singling anyone out, but there were a few on TD, and many elsewhere throughout the social media universe assuming the worst case scenario.

 

 

I like Burdi, so I'm guessing it wasn't me.

 

I'm sure you're correct about the comments, but I don't remember them. Did they happen to compare Burdi's (1 day) control implosion to one Mr. Wimmers? If so, I'm guessing the commentors may have just been looking for an excuse to toss the old Wimmers "I told you so" out there.

 

I know I've used that one a time or two

I totally agree with the sentiment, but I feel like the bullpen is constantly overlooked in todays game. The old belief of "you can just go find guys to stack your bullpen" is fast becoming a falacy.

 

The Twins do seem to have a knack for building a pretty decent, even if underwhelming bullpen. However there has been a lot of luck involved. Afterall, the only reason Perkins, Duensing, Swarzak, Deduno and even Guerrier are in the pen is because they were failed starters who were out of options. It's not like these guys were put there by design.

The Twins do seem to have a knack for building a pretty decent, even if underwhelming bullpen. However there has been a lot of luck involved. Afterall, the only reason Perkins, Duensing, Swarzak, Deduno and even Guerrier are in the pen is because they were failed starters who were out of options. It's not like these guys were put there by design.

 

Aren't the vast majority of mlb relievers failed starters?

I like Burdi, so I'm guessing it wasn't me.

 

I'm sure you're correct about the comments, but I don't remember them. Did they happen to compare Burdi's (1 day) control implosion to one Mr. Wimmers? If so, I'm guessing the commentors may have just been looking for an excuse to toss the old Wimmers "I told you so" out there.

 

I know I've used that one a time or two

 

LOL, ....but yep, Wimmers and Shooter Hunt's names were bandied around in relationship to Burdi's debut.

Regarding Wimmers and such. Why was he drafted in the first place? Was it to match the previous year's draft of Gibson who immediately had TJ surgery. Why would any franchise do such a foolish thing as that to go back-to-back with such picks. You cannot make stuff like this up.

Regarding Wimmers and such. Why was he drafted in the first place? Was it to match the previous year's draft of Gibson who immediately had TJ surgery. Why would any franchise do such a foolish thing as that to go back-to-back with such picks. You cannot make stuff like this up.

 

College starters are safe, the HS arms drafted immediately after him (and I actually mean the next 6 HS pitchers, with no convenient omitions) Jesse Biddle, Zach Lee, Cam Bedrosian, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard and Tijuan Walker were not safe. I guess.

 

Vent over. Yes, I'm still upset they went floor over upside, but I readily acknowledge they seem to have changed philosophy recently.

College starters are safe, the HS arms drafted immediately after him (and I actually mean the next 6 HS pitchers, with no convenient omitions) Jesse Biddle, Zach Lee, Cam Bedrosian, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard and Tijuan Walker were not safe. I guess.

 

Vent over.

 

Wow Nick, that might be the most depressing thing I read today.

College starters are safe, the HS arms drafted immediately after him (and I actually mean the next 6 HS pitchers, with no convenient omitions) Jesse Biddle, Zach Lee, Cam Bedrosian, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard and Tijuan Walker were not safe. I guess.

 

Vent over. Yes, I'm still upset they went floor over upside, but I readily acknowledge they seem to have changed philosophy recently.

 

Yeah...command and control was all you heard out of Wimmers on draft day. It was a bummer then and it still is now. No logic really. If the upside is a #4 or #5 starter......you can sign a guy like Corriea for nothing. Give me thet upside of any of those other guys.

Almost sounds as if Wimmers = Eades. in terms of stuff.

 

Also I can't help but wonder if the Twins did take advantage and sign Drew at SS and we missed out on Burdi as a result. Playing arm chair GM in retrospect which move would you rather us have made. I was all in the sign Drew camp over the winter. I didn't think we would get someone who could potentially help out next year.

Yeah...command and control was all you heard out of Wimmers on draft day. It was a bummer then and it still is now. No logic really. If the upside is a #4 or #5 starter......you can sign a guy like Corriea for nothing. Give me thet upside of any of those other guys.

So then it made no sense to draft Wimmers even without the knowledge of TJ surgery, that just compounded the whole idea of drafting him in the first place, didn't it? And a great point in addition when you bring a pitcher such as Correia into the equation.

Man those strikeout numbers are sexy.

Man those strikeout numbers are sexy.

 

No kidding, I can't wait to see him in the majors. When I (rarely) see someone throw that hard it just makes me laugh to think about hitting it. Any day now is fine with me.