Santana is back in two weeks. Who is the odd man out at this point?

who has pitched the worst?

who has pitched the worst?

Hughes. But you can't pull him.

 

May is next worse this year, but I don't see how you bump him either. Pelf and Gibson have earned their spots for sure so far, and Malone has thrown two very good games in a row now after destroying AAA

6 man rotation?

Trade Pelf?  Not that I'd really want to, but he's bound to turn into a pumpkin again right?

Hughes and Gibson are locks to stay in the rotation. It boils down to Milone, Pelfrey and May. None of whom has pitched themselves out of a spot.

 

Given the choice, I would move Pelfey to long man because he is only signed through the rest of the year and is the less attractive option going forward. The problem is outside of his last start he has provided results, whether they are sustainable is the question. I have trouble seeing the Twins making that move considering Milone and May have options. May has pitched too well to be optioned (4.41 K/BB and 3.17 FIP).

 

In the end, I would move Pelfrey to the pen but expect Milone to be optioned. If that is the result it would not be the worst thing in the world as neither are particularly great options and Santana should be an upgrade over either, despite good results from both so far this season.

Edited June 18, 201511 yr by Captain Hindsight

Thompson or Duensing are on the bubble.

Pelfrey to 8th inning guy would make sense, but the guy has pitched very well this far and you can't take him out.

 

Anyways, one of those "good" problems to have I suppose.

I'd move Santana to the pen before I moved Pelfrey. Mike earned his spot. Ervin got busted for PEDs.

If Pelf lays a couple more eggs before Santana is back and Milone keeps it up then I can see Pelf going to the pen. At least, that's what they should do.

Me, I'd wait to make a decision until Santana was both eligible to come back and had shown some success in rehab.

 

If both happen, and all current starters are both healthy and pitching well, I'd move Pelfrey to the pen and hope a shut down late inning reliever emerges.  

 

My guess is, though, we'll start hearing about mysterious injury concerns regarding Hughes before any of this becomes an issue.  

 

Pelfrey to 8th inning guy would make sense, but the guy has pitched very well this far and you can't take him out.

Anyways, one of those "good" problems to have I suppose.

Casey Fien?  Why would Plef ever pitch the 8th inning?  Boyer is probably next in line after Fien.  I see Malone moving to the pen again.  Plef. still hasn't done enough to get knocked out of the rotation yet.  Next 2 weeks should be interesting...if only our starters could miss a few more bats.

Edited June 18, 201511 yr by Yoshii

 

I'd move Santana to the pen before I moved Pelfrey. Mike earned his spot. Ervin got busted for PEDs.

Too much money invested to start him out in the pen.  He needs work/innings.

Fwiw Santana has to be called up after his 16 day "rehab"

 

You have to put him in the rotation, he has the best track record of the bunch. Maybe you go to a 6 man rotation until someone pitches their way out of it?

I could see a 6 man rotation, seems like the Twins way...

After the dust settles, I want Nolasco and Milone to be the odd men out. My hope is a rotation of Santana, Gibson, Hughes, Pelfrey, May.

 

Pelfrey could be the one sent to the bullpen since that idea was mentioned in spring training I suppose. He has to be the #1 player on the team's trading block, right? TR needs to be selling his abilities to any GM willing to listen before the deadline...

Six-man rotation?  It seems everybody has forgotten Nolasco.  He will return soon.  It's time to start making trades.

Roster issues always seem to work themselves out. Once Santana's rehab is finished we can revisit. Someone in the rotation will come up with an injury and open up a spot.

Twins have to trade someone.  Milone held St. Louis to 1 run tonight, and looked impressive doing it.  This is a good problem for a GM to have.  Too many starting pitchers, and they're all pitching pretty well except for Nolasco.  Somebody must need a starter.

Santana in the pen isn't the worst idea I have ever heard.  I mean he could go down there until needed up in the rotation.  He has the ability to miss bats, he could be overpowering in the pen, and then just tell him that he will be a starter again, it's just that we have this issue right now and he is the best option for the pen??

Six-man rotation?  It seems everybody has forgotten Nolasco.  He will return soon.  It's time to start making trades.

he suffered what sounded like a major setback with his current ankle injury.

 

he suffered what sounded like a major setback with his current ankle injury.

 

And maybe another one when his replacement shut down the best team in baseball tonight?

I'll make a call - the Twins will package May and/or Milone in July for a LH reliever.

 

I'll make a call - the Twins will package May and/or Milone in July for a LH reliever.

 

If they trade May for a LH reliever it better be Chapman.

 

Trade Pelf?  Not that I'd really want to, but he's bound to turn into a pumpkin again right?

 

This would be my choice.

I wish that someone would compile a list of the worst starters who are still starting for other teams that have a chance of contending, then look at their catching prospects. I would love to see the Twins trade a pitcher for a catching prospect who has a high ceiling.

Pelfrey COULD be tradebait if he continues to produce. We have 16 games to worry about this. And also, where does Nolasco go. I see May in the bullpen. I see Milone also going there when Nolasco returns. We have to get rid of one pitcher anyways, probably Duensing at some point. Thompson and Tonkin are on the bubble and Tonkin can be optioned out, as can Presley.

 

Its not the perfect solution for either guy. But I would think they would both, at this point, stay in the majors than go to the minors. Unless the Twins want Rogers in the bullpen and Milone in the minors just to keep getting the innings. See Berrios getting promoted to Red Wings once Santana comes to Target Field.

 

It will probably work itself out by the time Santana is ready but I would really like the current rotation to thrive and then simply put Santana and Nolasco in the pen until a spot opens up due to injury or ineffectiveness.    I disagree that Santana has the best track record.    Milone had a sub 4.00 career ERA before he got here and it is still below 4.00 after 89 big league starts.      

Trading Pelfrey would be my choice, but it would have to be someone who is desperate for a fill in to make a run. That's not that easy to find. But whomever we trade, it should be for a catcher or a catcher prospect. I know! Easier said than done.

Milone is the first man out, though this time he will go to the bullpen rather than AAA. 

 

When Nolasco comes back, it certainly gets tricky. Decent chance the problem solves itself before then. If not, who knows... the Twins do a lot of questionable things, so I wouldn't rule anything out.