Article: Can The Twins Have An Elite Bullpen In 2016?

[TheLeviathan]

As a general rule I hate to push a talented arm from the rotation to the bullpen until there is ample evidence he can't cut it as a starter.

 

He should be one of the five in the rotation. We shouldn't demote him in favor of Milone for any reason. (Or Nolasco for that matter)

[Brandon]

If healthy would AJ Griffin who was just released by the A's make a good lefty reliever. ..

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I agree it seems like the KC model of OK to mediocre starting pitching and excellent relief pitching with very good defense is the most likely way for the twins to assemble a playoff caliber roster in 2016. While I think the long view is May is best served for the Twins as a starter. Win now means he belongs in the pen for '16. May was very good in the pen last year and could be better yet in 2016.

To follow this model, Buxton, Rosario, and Kepler need to be in the outfield with all those fly ball starters, they'll need another top tier reliever from outside the org, and they'll need the young gun flame throwers like Burdi and Reed to step up and be the core of the bullpen.

[jimbo92107]

 

Do you think that a guy with a line in the majors like the following is an elite reliever?

 

44 G, 51.1 IP, 65 K, 13 BB, 0.857 WHIP, 1.40 ERA, 11.4 K/9

average 94 mph FB, 88 mph cutter (+ curve and change)

 

Phil Hughes' splits as a reliever when he set up for Rivera with the Yankees...

 

If healthy, I'd flip May with Hughes in the rotation and have Hughes close for the Twins, with Perkins as the LH setup, Jepsen the RH setup, another lefty with mid 90s velocity, another righty with the same (those 2 were non in the 2015 squad, unless Pressly can fill that role) and let the rest fight for a spot in ST...

 

Couple egos might get bruised, but it is about winning and not egos...

Bingisimo. When it comes to Glen Perkins regaining his dominance, nature says no. There is no fundamental flaw in his throwing mechanics; he's just getting too old to throw baseballs that hard that often. Same is true for Phil Hughes. Both guys are past their fire-baller prime. Hughes, Perkins and Jepsen are in a good position to form a musical chairs rotation for closer and setup. 

 

Meanwhile, Trevor May has improved in every role the Twins have put him into, so he should go right back into a rotation of Santana, Berrios, Duffey, Gibson and May. Each of those five guys is young enough, talented enough and healthy enough to approach 200 innings at an ERA around 4.

 

I'm assuming JR Graham will start the season in AAA as a starter. Got my doubts about Ryan O'Rourke making the squad with Taylor Rogers pushing for some kind of spot, maybe as LOOGY middle reliever with spot starts.

 

Spring training will be huge this coming year. Nothing ever turns out perfect. Guys falter or get hurt, while a few guys flash apparent talent that later reveals to be an illusion. Mainly tho, this team looks to be seriously on the rise. Not yet ready to take on the Royals, but they could be a disruptive influence. 

[GMinTraining]

Here is a funny thought - Let's bring back a guy who left us and had similar success elsewhere.  He throws 95+ and struck out 65 in 54 innings pitched.  Tyler Jones (former Twin) was an All Star in AA (Southern League) for Mississippi Braves (Atlanta) this past year.  They left him unprotected (haha).  Let's use what he learned from ATL and put him on roster like we did with Graham last year (another ATL product).  Only 26 years old.  294 SO in 249 career innings.  Only 2 HRs givien up in the last 2 years (104 innings) and none in 2015.  Just saying - We drafted him and let him go.  Why not bring him back if he can pitch?