13 pitchers, why?

[Mike Sixel]

Any good theories on the 13 pitchers? They don't seem to need that many, given the quality of the starters. They have zero PH options at all......what will they do in NL parks, PH pitchers?

 

How many other teams are carrying 13 pitchers, are we all just confused, and most others are doing the same? I am boggled on the whole approach to the roster construction around the bullpen and bench this year.

 

Anyone?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

My best guess is that the Twins feel like the bench options on the 40 Man roster are either not ready for prime time, or prospects called up now would be wasted on the bench.

 

I'm really glad Vargas is back, even with the strikeouts vs. KC - he's a legitimate power threat. 

 

I would love the Twins to add Pinto to the MLB bench, though his season in AAA to this point has been mediocre.

 

Maybe they are just waiting for a better bench option to fall into their laps, like Sam Fuld did last year (even though they ended up starting him).

 

They could force the issue by removing Schafer, Robinson, Nunez, and Bernier from the 40 Man, but a this point in the season they are a bit stuck with the moves they made in the offseason. Not due to loyalty or favoring veteran players, but just because there is a lack of clearly better options.

 

Pitching on the other hand ... there are options in AAA more appealing than Duensing. Tonkin for Stauffer is a good start.   

[Linus]

No answer, especially since Molly has made it clear he wants 12.  Perhaps they are in the process of making some bullpen moves that will result in somebody going out.

 

I do agree that one possible reason is that nobody is appealing enough to forego the extra pitcher.

[Mike Sixel]

How can they be 4 years into a rebuild, and not have anyone to put on the bench by now?

[USMCTwin]

 

Any good theories on the 13 pitchers? They don't seem to need that many, given the quality of the starters. They have zero PH options at all......what will they do in NL parks, PH pitchers?

 

How many other teams are carrying 13 pitchers, are we all just confused, and most others are doing the same? I am boggled on the whole approach to the roster construction around the bullpen and bench this year.

 

Anyone?

 

Here is your research...

 

Bal is the only team at 11.

Teams at 13 include; KC, Hou, Min, NYM, Miami, St.L, ChC, Cin & Arizona. 

 

Not sure what the takeaway here is or if there even is one. However, it is interesting that 2/3rds of the teams at 13 are in the NL, including the only NL team we visit in the next 15 days. So I don't think the pinch hitting situation will put us in that much of a bind. I'm more concerned about the options to pinch hit, of course I guess Vargas/Mauer will be available. 

[Mike Sixel]

Thanks!

 

Nine teams with 13 pitchers, that's 2-3 more than I expected. It is interesting that 2/3 are in the NL, now, you need more pitchers if you have to PH, but you also need someone to PH, not sure how the balance works out.....

 

Four of the other 12 have SP WAR better than MN (I guess that means 8 have worse), if I did my quick glance correctly.....not sure what that means either.

[USAFChief]

My guess is Molitor would prefer 12, but

 

-carrying Graham effectively gives him, on most nights, a 7 man bullpen instead of 8.  Graham hasn't been used much if at all in any game still undecided, which isn't unusual for rule five guys and was probably the plan all along.  Until now, that problem was compounded by having Stauffer but not wanting to use him unless the game was effectively over, one way or another.

 

-they don't exactly have a whole bunch of relievers you'd feel comfortable putting out there for very long in a close game, so on most nights Molitor's going to play 'matchup' to the extreme, hoping to get an out from one of his LHers, an out or two from a RHer, another out from a LHer, and then hopefully look up and still have the lead in the ninth for Perkins.  I'm sure he'd rather just put one guy out there for the 7th, but if you don't have that guy, what's the alternative.

 

 

[mnfireman]

Molitor is playing the hand dealt to him. If he had 12 pitchers, everyone would have set roles, 13 allows him to play match-ups or face an extra batter or two.

 

The shallow bench is beginning to hurt the team, players are slumping and, with no decent alternatives, are being forced to play through it. For the most part Molitor's line-ups have worked out, but things are adjusting to normal and batters are facing more low-leverage situations with little to no success.

 

Get the bullpen to 12, get the right players on the bench and let's enjoy the next 10 years!

 

[Platoon]

How can they be 4 years into a rebuild, and not have anyone to put on the bench by now?

Mike makes a valid point, but should have extended past the bench, to include the entire roster construction. It's an unmitigated mess. Long term contracts to average pitchers. No viable 3 or 4 hitter, no SS, sub par catcher, little power, low SOPIP. The only thing I can say is this is farther from a consistent winner than anyone maybe thinks. While I want an aggressive rebuild, I also accept the fact it is not going to make us a post season team. But you HAVE to start somewhere. Btw, as for Graham! Pitch em, or make a trade and send him to Rochester. You cannot just blow off a roster spot.

[blairpaul715]

I dont know why Graham doesnt pitch more, he really hasnt done a poor job, i know he had one really bad outing, but other than that, i dont recall anything else major.................Here is my Im in lead relief pitchers, 7th Pressly, 8th Fien, 9th Perkins.............and my behind by 3 or more runs pitchers, 7th Graham, 8th Tonkin, 9th Boyer.......and then two lefties, one who is fallen back and the other who management is biding its time to see if he can turn it around, I give it till the all star break , then Duensing is gone if he hasnt improved significantly.

[SydneyTwinsFan]

Polanco is back with the Lookouts tonight, so looks like Rosario will come back off the paternity list and we are stuck with 13 pitchers for a while longer. Sigh.

[curt1965]

It absolutely drives me crazy to carry 13 pitchers, but when you think about it- with our lineup against RH pitchers, who do you want to pinch hit for? Who are you going to replace defensively? Now against LH pitching or when Herrman starts, there could be some options. But who would you want on your bench to pinch hit once or twice a week, and........that's it? It really sucks to be a bench player and succeed under those conditions.

Having a guy like Pinto would definitely help if he plays 3-4 times a week, though.

[stringer bell]

 

It absolutely drives me crazy to carry 13 pitchers, but when you think about it- with our lineup against RH pitchers, who do you want to pinch hit for? Who are you going to replace defensively? Now against LH pitching or when Herrman starts, there could be some options. But who would you want on your bench to pinch hit once or twice a week, and........that's it? It really sucks to be a bench player and succeed under those conditions.
Having a guy like Pinto would definitely help if he plays 3-4 times a week, though.

Not for the next week,  Pinto was put on the concussion DL.   I suspect he hasn't been 100% for most, if not all, of the Red Wing's season.