Duffey, by the way, pitched Tuesday, so he'll be on short rest Saturday.  Goodee!  Pretty much guarantees a short start, even if he pitches well.

Good catch.  I guess he only threw 69 pitches Tuesday, but he also (mercifully) only threw 60 in his MLB debut and 36 (?) in his previous AAA start.  5-6 innings is probably his max on Saturday.

 

And these are now the probable starters listed at the Twins official site too...

Edited August 13, 201511 yr by spycake

It took until today for this bungling to hurt the Twins...Fien is the first RHer out of the pen late in a tie game instead of May, and to nobody's great surprise, the game is no longer tied.

 

Duffey, by the way, pitched Tuesday, so he'll be on short rest Saturday. Goodee! Pretty much guarantees a short start, even if he pitches well.

 

Berrios, by the way, last pitched on Saturday. He'd be available on normal rest Friday, or on extra rest Saturday.

 

But no. Bullpen game Friday, using up your most reliable RH bullpen arm in the process, followed by a guaranteed short start Saturday, followed up by a likely short start Sunday.

I'm not especially offended by the moves if May permanently moves to the ROTATION (EDIT) and Duffey is here for a short time and replaced by Milone.

 

What I don't understand is why the Twins willingly play short on the roster for a couple of days.

 

Once Hughes went to the dl it would have made sense to call yp another arm to protect against overuse today or for the short game tomorrow and then send someone down or (finally) dfa Boyer to recall Duffey on Saturday.

 

Or, if you don't want another reliever, how about giving Arcia a brief couple of games and give him some run while two guys get a day.

 

I never understand why they don't take more advantage of roster opportunities.

Edited August 13, 201511 yr by drjim

The Twins appear to have a compulsion for using only 22 or 23 of their 25 man roster spots.  The "It's only the 25th man" logic has become far too pervasive in this organization.  (And the media reporting on them)

 

I'm not especially offended by the moves if May permanently moves to the bullpen and Duffey is here for a short time and replaced by Milone.

What I don't understand is why the Twins willingly play short on the roster for a couple of days.

Once Hughes went to the dl it would have made sense to call yp another arm to protect against overuse today or for the short game tomorrow and then send someone down or (finally) dfa Boyer to recall Duffey on Saturday.

Or, if you don't want another reliever, how about giving Arcia a brief couple of games and give him some run while two guys get a day.

I never understand why they don't take more advantage of roster opportunities.

Well, I disagree on May.

 

2016?  Perhaps a return to the rotation makes sense, particularly if the Twins make an actual attempt at assembling a BP over the winter.

 

But for THIS team?  Right now?  May needs to be in the pen, pitching one high leverage inning in every game needed.  

 

If you need a starter...well, by gosh, there just happens to be one--a sort of highly rated one at that!--just sitting there in AAA.  On regular rest.  An open spot on the 40 man roster.  It's almost like the baseball gods took pity on the Twins and lined up events so as to minimize the damage from the Hughes DL stint.

 

And the Twins declined their help.

 

 

Well, I disagree on May.

 

 

 

But for THIS team? Right now? May needs to be in the pen, pitching one high leverage inning in every game needed.

Except this inexplicably wasn't happening anyway.

 

Except this inexplicably wasn't happening anyway.

Well, it seemed to take a while, but that's pretty much exactly how May had been used recently.  He pitched in the blowout last Sunday in Cleveland, but after that debacle of a series a 9 man bullpen wasn't even enough, so that's understandable.

 

Before that was Friday night, enters and pitches the 8th in a tie game, Twins win in the 9th.

 

Threw an inning in Toronto, but again...there weren't enough arms to get through that series as it was.

 

Before that, pitched the 10th in an eventual 11 inning loss to Seattle.

 

His previous 4 outings before that, all in the 8th inning or later, all in high or relatively high leverage situations.

 

He had already become the most trusted RHer in the pen, IMO.

 

Except this inexplicably wasn't happening anyway.

 

It might be moot now, but as Chief pointed out it very explicably was happening. Though a 3-12 stretch of terrible baseball tends to mask high leverage innings.

Twins know whoever they start will get shelled. Recent history against the Indians says the starter gives up seven and the long reliever four. So Twins are just cutting out the starter, putting in May as long reliever, he gives up four runs and keeps us at least in the game for the first few innings. This is genius next-level stuff from the Twins. 

I see this as the end of the May to the bullpen experiment. He should get stretched out pretty quickly and the finish line is September 1, because then the rosters can be expanded and if the Twins want to take Pelfrey or Milone out of the rotation, they don't have to make room. It hurts the bullpen a bit, because May is the best arm out there, outside of the closer. It probably ends the idea of somehow getting hot and contending, especially with the road trip coming up after playing the (yes) red-hot Cleveland Indians.

It might be moot now, but as Chief pointed out it very explicably was happening. Though a 3-12 stretch of terrible baseball tends to mask high leverage innings.

Yeah, I guess trying to expunge the memory of that horrible stretch erased that from my memory as well. Also I think some of it was spoiled by the fact he only pitched the one inning, I was at the Seattle 11 inning loss and he should have been back out for the top of the 11th.

 

I agree be is the best RH option out there,never questioned that

 

Well I'll be jiggered!

 

I'm down with this. Actually glad Duffey is getting another shot after being thrown to the Lions in TO.

Yeah!  That just wasn't right. 

 

Jepsen is the best RH relief option.  

 

Figuring out who is the best RH relief option other than May, is akin to figuring out which slow and painful death you prefer...

 

Phil Miller ‏@MillerStrib  · 16m16 minutes ago 
May starts Friday, Tyler Duffey Sat, Milone Sunday

 

Woooooo!

Just come out and say it, your protecting the service clock with Berrios and your not expecting much from Duffey on Saturday.

 

Patrick Reusse ‏@1500ESPN_Reusse  Ryan on Berrios, there are some things we need to see out of him in Rochester. Reusse that is complete horse manure. 

Reusse:

Duffey called up; Berrios stays in Rochester. I sympathize with hardcore fans. It's tough not to hate this team's decision-making.

That and the fact that they play short when players are hurt and dink around putting people on the DL. I don't think anyone believes the Twins are putting forth there honest best 25 man roster right now. They should be but they are not.

 

Nice, Reusse hits the nail on the head. I know these are tweets, but did Reusse have TR on his radio show or interview him and call him out on said horse manure?

How about Duffey just goes to the pen after his spot start? If he sticks with the team, that's his likely destination anyway. It's not new to him, it's how he spent his college years and with much success and velocity.

 

Just come out and say it, your protecting the service clock with Berrios and your not expecting much from Duffey on Saturday.

 

Patrick Reusse ‏@1500ESPN_Reusse  Ryan on Berrios, there are some things we need to see out of him in Rochester. Reusse that is complete horse manure. 
Reusse:

Duffey called up; Berrios stays in Rochester. I sympathize with hardcore fans. It's tough not to hate this team's decision-making.

That and the fact that they play short when players are hurt and dink around putting people on the DL. I don't think anyone believes the Twins are putting forth there honest best 25 man roster right now. They should be but they are not. 

I usually agree with Patrick's takes, but if it is only one start, I wouldn't disrupt Berrios. To be perfectly honest, it wouldn't disappoint me to see JO start 2016 in Rochester to get one more prime year under control for the Twins.

I have no problem with Duffey getting a second start and see it as a huge plus that May is coming back the rotation. Berrios will get a shot, quit stressing.

Just come out and say it, your protecting the service clock with Berrios and your not expecting much from Duffey on Saturday.

 

Patrick Reusse ‏@1500ESPN_Reusse Ryan on Berrios, there are some things we need to see out of him in Rochester. Reusse that is complete horse manure.

Reusse:

Duffey called up; Berrios stays in Rochester. I sympathize with hardcore fans. It's tough not to hate this team's decision-making.

That and the fact that they play short when players are hurt and dink around putting people on the DL. I don't think anyone believes the Twins are putting forth there honest best 25 man roster right now. They should be but they are not.

There is absolutely no reason to protect Berrios' service time. It's mid August. For it to matter, the Twins would have to keep Berrios in the minors for roughly 40% of next season, too.

There is absolutely no reason to protect Berrios' service time. It's mid August. For it to matter, the Twins would have to keep Berrios in the minors for roughly 40% of next season, too.

I agree, although they could get an extra year of control by keeping him down for ~3 weeks into next season (aka the Kris Bryant plan).

 

I don't think they are doing that, but I am not sure what they are doing instead...

I agree, although they could get an extra year of control by keeping him down for ~3 weeks into next season (aka the Kris Bryant plan).

 

I don't think they are doing that, but I am not sure what they are doing instead...

Yeah, they could do that but I remained unconvinced the Twins put much thought into service time. They certainly didn't care with Hicks.

Every team cares at some level. It could be that they were sure that Hicks would be supplanted by Buxton before he would even be eligible for arbitration. I would rather have Berrios for a seventh season than see him walk after six just because we wanted to see our best pitching prospect in the minors try his luck against Cleveland or Baltimore.

Every team cares at some level. It could be that they were sure that Hicks would be supplanted by Buxton before he would even be eligible for arbitration. I would rather have Berrios for a seventh season than see him walk after six just because we wanted to see our best pitching prospect in the minors try his luck against Cleveland or Baltimore.

Oh, sure. I'm not trying to imply the Twins ignore service time entirely, I'm just skeptical it's the driving force behind a decision.

 

Francona: "Alright boys, big divisional road series we got here this weekend."

http://cdn.hark.com/images/000/319/832/319832/original.jpg

 

 

"Okay, let's take a look at who they got on the bump..." 

 

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kL4cEH2JdQQ/maxresdefault.jpg

May is going to be limited to 50 pitches. So bullpen game.

good! That plays right into our strength!

I don't mind them going with Duffman on Saturday, he deserves another shot after being lead to the gallows against that Blue Jays lineup at home.