Samuel Deduno

[minn55441]

1) Mauer did not catch last night because he deserved a rest. AND Drew "the pitcher whisperer" Butera has proven that he can handle guys with control issues very well. Look at what he did to help Liriano come back after his terrible start to the season.

 

2) Deduno is a joy to watch pitch right now. His emotion and competitive spirit is a huge refresher from what we are used to and I love it! As Gardy said last night in his post game interview, who cares about how many balls to strikes he threw last night. His performance was fantastic, and he shut out the Red Sox at Fenway, for the first time in 16 years for the Twins. No way should we second guess what he did or did not do.

 

2.1) Moving forward he will have to bring in the control just a bit on his fastball. But really only enough to keep the hitters off his breaking stuff as they get used to it. His recipe for success is to stay outside of the strike zone to keep hitters chasing the ball and either making terrible contact or striking out.

Deduno is a joy to watch!!! Lets leave it at that. I too look forward to his next start. It's not like he is going to cost us a chance at a playoff spot with a poor showing in his next start. He is the kind of guy we should all be rooting for.

[daan4786]

I like Deduno.. I think he can still be effective with the wild fastball. He doesnt really know where the balls gonna go when he throws a fastball, so it must be hard for hitters to sit on his fastball, and generally the best hitters are fastball hitters. Plus, his curveball is his best pitch. Yeah, its easy for hitters to lay off the fastballs three feet out of the zone, but if half of Dedunos fastballs are out there it seems like it would be a bad approach for hitters to look for a nice fastball to hit, and they aren't going to hit his curveball hard very often. I also think that Deduno's fastballs are so off sometimes because he's scared of grooving one down the middle, and thats why he hasnt really been hit hard. He's been effective with 3 ball counts and runners on (as far as I know) which might be luck, but i think its just hard to make good contact off of him, and thats why he's been so successful so far. He is walking a fine line though, because a bad pitch will hurt him worse when he walks so many guys.

[bird]

What's not to love about Deduno right now? Great story, and so fun to watch....for now. The 2013 rotation? I seriously hope Deduno is about our 8th best option, just ahead of DeVries and Blackburn. He won't be much fun anymore when players learn to tape their bat to their shoulder for three innings. I'd love to see him as a 30-year old injury call-up in 2013. Just like he is in 2012. But as a fifth starter, he has a chance to wreak havoc on a bullpen with short starts.

[Riverbrian]

I know it's over-optimistic-night, but those 10 Revere dingers in HS are intriguing....Ben Revere has a strong football background, as well, starring in high school (supposedly averaged 3 TDs/game his senior year) and genetic lineage with both his grandfather and father playing and coaching the sport at Eastern Kentucky University. Is there a chance he might develop a more powerful football physique of a body that might yet yield more power to his batting stroke? Remember when Kirby Puckett first came up and went homerless early on in his career, we know how that turned out. I know they aren't the same player, but they are both high contact rate free swingers and a hard-working kid like Revere could easily work some off-season strength training into his workout routine. Here's hoping.

I have to be careful how much I post about Ben. I'm a huge fan. He's my favorite Twin right now and I think you can win baseball games with players like him. However, I've posted enough on Ben in defense of him. He doesn't need my defense he's doing it on the field. However, I think I've posted enough that my view point seems one sided. I'm not confusing him with Ryan Braun. I'm really not... I just don't think he's as bad or worrisome as others make him out to be and I come across one sided in defense.

 

Let me just say... The Twins scouting department didn't look at a kid in Kentucky... With no arm and no power and say... Oh Yeah... 1st round baby.

 

They were looking at a kid who was stroking the ball... taking the ball deep and running at lightning speed. That's why they reached into the 1st round for him. The kid was stroking it. It wouldn't make sense otherwise. What the future brings... Who knows... Power hitter... Probably not... but can he reach the fence... I think so...

 

Back to Deduno... It's all about getting a chance and making the most of it. So many players get one chance and one chance only and if they aren't ready for it or slump at the wrong time. That chance never comes again.

 

Some players get that chance and do the job and they get to stick around and get to keep doing it.

 

It's why the worst thing that could have happened to the Twins is that Pavano and Blackburn would have stayed healthy and continued to pitch poorly. Not only would they pitch poorly and pull money out the teams pockets but they would have blocked Diamond and Deduno from getting that chance.

 

Sometimes there is good in the bad. It should be audition time for the starting rotation. Deduno has been a treat.

[cr9617]

I like what the Twins have now, and what's also coming very soon.

 

Possible Starting Pitchers for 2013:

1. Scott Diamond - thinking he's a lock

2. Kyle Gibson - probably not till end of may or june

3. PJ Walters

4. Cole Devries

5. Sam Deduno

6. Liam Hendricks

7. Free Agent/s

 

Please let Nick Blackburn go!!!

What's to like about this list? Add it all up and it's still the worst starting rotation in the AL.

[Riverbrian]

What's not to love about Deduno right now? Great story, and so fun to watch....for now. The 2013 rotation? I seriously hope Deduno is about our 8th best option, just ahead of DeVries and Blackburn. He won't be much fun anymore when players learn to tape their bat to their shoulder for three innings. I'd love to see him as a 30-year old injury call-up in 2013. Just like he is in 2012. But as a fifth starter, he has a chance to wreak havoc on a bullpen with short starts.

Let's get Deduno into mechanics mode. Consistent foot strike. Consistent release point. No Ball... Just show up at the park everyday early. Head out to a corner of the field. Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and Reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat...

 

If you can control your spinner... You should be able to Control the #1. It's mechanics. I'm gonna stay optimistic.

[Brock Beauchamp]

What's to like about this list? Add it all up and it's still the worst starting rotation in the AL.

It might be but it has the potential to be a lot better than this season.

 

The Twins aren't going to fix their pitching woes in one year. The best they can hope for is respectability and there's a chance Diamond/Hendriks/Gibson/Free Agent/Scrub can do that by this point next season.

[TheLeviathan]

If the rotation doesn't work out, he could be an intresting guy in the pen. Have him just focus on 2 pitches and hopefully that would help his walks.

Yeah but if he can't spot his fastball....does cutting down on his repertoire really help?

[DaveW]

Blackburn has just as good of a shot to stick as a #5 as DeDuno does have at this point.

 

Hopefully one can stick but the odds aren't in eithers favor.

[diehardtwinsfan]

The Twins have 5 million reasons for Blackburn to stick as a number 5... and performance isn't one of them.

[snepp]

Maybe being in the big leagues will inspire him to make the transition from good to great.

From good to great? Are we talking about the same guy?

 

I would settle for a transition from borderline major leaguer to serviceable.

[jareddejong42]

Let's get Deduno into mechanics mode. Consistent foot strike. Consistent release point. No Ball... Just show up at the park everyday early. Head out to a corner of the field. Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and Reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat...

 

If you can control your spinner... You should be able to Control the #1. It's mechanics. I'm gonna stay optimistic.

 

What I have read about Deduno, is that his erratic fastball is not due as much to his mechanics as it is to the incredible movement that he gets on the fastball. Red Sox hitters were amazed by how much the fastball moves. Butera commented that he is simply setting up in the middle of the zone for Deduno and letting the fastball movement do the work. Unfortunately this is causing his BB rate to be higher.

[jokin]

Let's get Deduno into mechanics mode. Consistent foot strike. Consistent release point. No Ball... Just show up at the park everyday early. Head out to a corner of the field. Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and Reach... Repeat... Stride, Plant and reach... Repeat...

 

If you can control your spinner... You should be able to Control the #1. It's mechanics. I'm gonna stay optimistic.

With all that movement on his fastball, I would immediately schedule Deduno and Capps together for daily dual mechanics workouts. Working together at opposite ends of the spectrum and they might solve both sets of problems!

[jokin]

As an aside, did anyone else notice at least 4 different announcers with at least four different ways to pronounce his first and last names. Bert's attempt was the most cartoonish on the surname, while Dick was insistent that his first name is most definitely: Sam-WELLLLL.

[TheLeviathan]

As an aside, did anyone else notice at least 4 different announcers with at least four different ways to pronounce his first and last names. Bert's attempt was the most cartoonish on the surname, while Dick was insistent that his first name is most definitely: Sam-WELLLLL.

I heard a DeDoumit.

[drjim]

I know it's over-optimistic-night, but those 10 Revere dingers in HS are intriguing....Ben Revere has a strong football background, as well, starring in high school (supposedly averaged 3 TDs/game his senior year) and genetic lineage with both his grandfather and father playing and coaching the sport at Eastern Kentucky University. Is there a chance he might develop a more powerful football physique of a body that might yet yield more power to his batting stroke? Remember when Kirby Puckett first came up and went homerless early on in his career, we know how that turned out. I know they aren't the same player, but they are both high contact rate free swingers and a hard-working kid like Revere could easily work some off-season strength training into his workout routine. Here's hoping.

I went to batting practice in Pittsburgh and Revere was hitting bombs into the right field stands. I think he eventually hits 5-10 a year.

[drjim]

Yea, I don't know how anyone could seriously plan on Deduno doing anything going forward. Nice little story but he is 29 with more bbs than ks. This won't last.

[John Bonnes]

I have no idea what to do with this guy, other than keep trotting him out there and see what happens. I can't think of a comparative guy historically. My gut tells me this can't last, but I don't see any reason why the Twins shouldn't keep running him out there until it doesn't work.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I have no idea what to do with this guy, other than keep trotting him out there and see what happens. I can't think of a comparative guy historically. My gut tells me this can't last, but I don't see any reason why the Twins shouldn't keep running him out there until it doesn't work.

That's how I feel about it. I don't know of a past situation like this one. The guy has so much life on his fb that he can't control it.

 

I'm skeptical of continued success but there's no reason not to run him out there.

[Thrylos]

Yeah. He is not the second coming of anything. I think it is ok to be wild, if you are recording something like 10+ K/9 and still your K/BB is 2+. His numbers predict huge regression ahead. If you mix a 1.45 WHIP produced in a time of .238 BABIP, get ready for bad things ahead. Some of those ground balls (mostly in his case) and line drives right at fielders will start getting in between fielders...

[DaveW]

I went to batting practice in Pittsburgh and Revere was hitting bombs into the right field stands. I think he eventually hits 5-10 a year.

5-10 a year? Let's try for 1 in a career and go from there.

 

I like Revere, but let's be honest, the guy has zero HR power.

[whatever54]

Yeah. He is not the second coming of anything. I think it is ok to be wild, if you are recording something like 10+ K/9 and still your K/BB is 2+. His numbers predict huge regression ahead. If you mix a 1.45 WHIP produced in a time of .238 BABIP, get ready for bad things ahead. Some of those ground balls (mostly in his case) and line drives right at fielders will start getting in between fielders...

I understand that the metrics all suggest a coming fall, it'll likely happen, till then enjoy the ride. And ya never know he might be the one to beat the odds and continue to be effective long term. If so, good for him.

[Jim H]

Deduno has been fun to watch. Like most of you, I don't expect that much going forward. Control is a skill/talent just like throwing hard, or making a ball move. I doubt if his control problems are solely related to his fastball moving too much. There must be mechanial issues mixed in there. If you are still trying to resolve those issues at age 29, well that is not really a good sign.

 

It is possible that he could make an effective reliever, though I believe other organizations have tried him there. Many relievers are a bit like Deduno, good stuff, throws hard, control issues. He certainly is not unique in haviing his fastball move a lot with no real idea how it is going to move from pitch to pitch. LaTroy Hawkins was like that when he came to the majors. But, Hawkins was a lot younger and clearly figured that out very quickly.

[old nurse]

I understand that the metrics all suggest a coming fall, it'll likely happen, till then enjoy the ride. And ya never know he might be the one to beat the odds and continue to be effective long term. If so, good for him.

It looks like Deduno does not give up a lot of home runs nor doubles. I haven't watched him pich but if I would think if the hits he gives up have been on the ground he would be more effective as the defense behind him is better. The walks then become double plays. In another month we will have an idea. Pitching Deduno is better than a retread.

[greengoblinrulz]

Think I heard that Deduno is out of options & that will hurt him massively. A guy like him who doesnt have the chance to optioned out has to be near perfect OR established. He is neither. Cant see under any situation where MN will see him as one of the 5 starters next yr. Possibly in the pen, but that walk rate REALLY cries out in the pen. Think he's just been a good story & seriously doubt if he will do enough the last 11 starts to merit anything.

[ALessKosherScott]

IMO, the best backhanded compliment you can give Dedundo is he's the most exciting pitcher in a rotation stocked with AAAA players. Is he headed for a crash? Probably. But who knows, maybe Rick Anderson can live up to his old Anne Sullivan word filter and shave a walk or two/9 from him and make him a little more interesting.

[whatever54]

Think I heard that Deduno is out of options & that will hurt him massively. A guy like him who doesnt have the chance to optioned out has to be near perfect OR established. He is neither. Cant see under any situation where MN will see him as one of the 5 starters next yr. Possibly in the pen, but that walk rate REALLY cries out in the pen. Think he's just been a good story & seriously doubt if he will do enough the last 11 starts to merit anything.

You doubt that the Twins will give him the opportunity to claim a starters position even if he continues to be as effective through the rest of this season? I didn't realize they had so many really good pitchers!

[jimbo92107]

Sam Deduno has a chance to be an extremely good pitcher. His curve ball is as good as anything I've seen from a Twins pitcher in many years. His fastball is indeed unpredictable, but he is learning to reduce the variation just enough to stay close to the zone. Result: batters swing at his stuff, but rarely know where it's going to be. His heater is just close enough to induce whiff swings from average batters, but disciplined ones will continue to draw walks.

 

Free-swinging teams like the Rangers will suffer when Deduno's on the mound; disciplined teams like the Yankees are likely to take him apart. This could still leave Deduno with a winning record, as few teams have discipline like the Yankees.

[greengoblinrulz]

You doubt that the Twins will give him the opportunity to claim a starters position even if he continues to be as effective through the rest of this season? I didn't realize they had so many really good pitchers!

Right huh??.....they will give him a 'chance', but he's absolutely has to run away with the chance IMO

My thoughts are....

Scot Diamond is in.

They will acquire 1 legit (???) starter in FA/trade

Possibility of resigning/reworking deal for either Pavano/Baker for a spot is high IMO

Nick Blackburn ONLY because of his contract.

They could possibly acquire 2 starters in offseason if possiblity 2 or 3 doesnt happen, but one will IMO.

That leaves Deduno, DeVries, Gibson, Hendriks, Duensing (bullpen guy IMO in 2013) goin for 5th spot.

Still think Deduno will be hurt badly by the fact he doesnt have any options remaining/Blackburns contract.

[Brock Beauchamp]

IMO, the best backhanded compliment you can give Dedundo is he's the most exciting pitcher in a rotation stocked with AAAA players. Is he headed for a crash? Probably. But who knows, maybe Rick Anderson can live up to his old Anne Sullivan word filter and shave a walk or two/9 from him and make him a little more interesting.

That's pretty much how I feel. If there's a way to shave even 1 BB/9 from Deduno's line, he's an intriguing pitcher.

 

But given that part of his "unhittable-ness" is based around his shotgun-blast of a fastball that he can't control, I'm skeptical of that happening.

 

Still, Sam makes for an entertaining player in a lost season.