Shipley: Gardenhire would welcome six-man rotation

[Parker Hageman]

According to the PiPress's John Shipley, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire would welcome the idea of a six-man rotation come September.

 

Said Gardy:

 

"If I have six people that can pitch, that would be wonderful, but right now we have five," he said. "If that's the case, I wouldn't be afraid to do that at all, if we want to take a look at six guys."

 

Given that the Twins will be holding some auditions for the rotation, I say the more the merrier.

[Guest USAFChief]

I would welcome having more than one MLB caliber pitcher in the rotation, myself. Where the #$*$)# are they going to find six?

[greengoblinrulz]

oh oh, that smells of Gardy wanting to get Blackburn back!!!

[Kobs]

What many people don't realize is that every time the Twins get to the end of the rotation, it takes Gardy an hour and forty-five minutes to figure out who comes next.

[Nick Nelson]

Two things to keep in mind here: a) There are a several guys who the MLB coaching staff should be getting a look at (in many cases to dismiss the idea that they should be pitching in the majors next April); and At this point the Twins benefit from losing more games.

 

Adding in the fact that pitching less frequently reduces the risk of injury for everyone (last thing they need is Diamond coming up lame), I think a six-man rotation makes a ton of sense.

[greengoblinrulz]

Two things to keep in mind here: a) There are a several guys who the MLB coaching staff should be getting a look at (in many cases to dismiss the idea that they should be pitching in the majors next April); and At this point the Twins benefit from losing more games.

 

Adding in the fact that pitching less frequently reduces the risk of injury for everyone (last thing they need is Diamond coming up lame), I think a six-man rotation makes a ton of sense.

Hate it passionately

Pitchers go on 4 days rest....if you let them go on 5 days rest now when you are 'judging them', you still dont know if they can do it in a normal situation.

Why cant Gardy come to grips that Duensing is FAR more valuable as a reliever/spot starter, than as a full time guy?? Put him back in the pen.

If Diamond comes up lame from a 5 man rotation.....he was gonna come up lame regardless of using a 5/6/7/8 man rotation. These guys need to pitch MORE than less....take a cue from Nolan I say & quit babyin em cause that hasnt worked.

[Nick Nelson]

Hate it passionately

Pitchers go on 4 days rest....if you let them go on 5 days rest now when you are 'judging them', you still dont know if they can do it in a normal situation.

Why cant Gardy come to grips that Duensing is FAR more valuable as a reliever/spot starter, than as a full time guy?? Put him back in the pen.

If Diamond comes up lame from a 5 man rotation.....he was gonna come up lame regardless of using a 5/6/7/8 man rotation. These guys need to pitch MORE than less....take a cue from Nolan I say & quit babyin em cause that hasnt worked.

 

Considering that Diamond has already surpassed his previous career high for innings pitched, I would think that lightening his load from this point forward would actually benefit him greatly. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but pitching ain't the same as it was in Nolan's day.

[jokin]

Hate it passionately

Pitchers go on 4 days rest....if you let them go on 5 days rest now when you are 'judging them', you still dont know if they can do it in a normal situation.

Why cant Gardy come to grips that Duensing is FAR more valuable as a reliever/spot starter, than as a full time guy?? Put him back in the pen.

If Diamond comes up lame from a 5 man rotation.....he was gonna come up lame regardless of using a 5/6/7/8 man rotation. These guys need to pitch MORE than less....take a cue from Nolan I say & quit babyin em cause that hasnt worked.

 

Considering that Diamond has already surpassed his previous career high for innings pitched, I would think that lightening his load from this point forward would actually benefit him greatly. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but pitching ain't the same as it was in Nolan's day.

 

Huh? I think that's just the problem that Nolan, Jack and Bert are pointing out.

[Top Gun]

I would shut him down soon, let the kids pitch.

[Seth Stohs]

What a great idea... a six man rotation to allow the coaching staff to see a bunch of guys...

[IdahoPilgrim]

Two things to keep in mind here: a) There are a several guys who the MLB coaching staff should be getting a look at (in many cases to dismiss the idea that they should be pitching in the majors next April); and At this point the Twins benefit from losing more games.

 

Adding in the fact that pitching less frequently reduces the risk of injury for everyone (last thing they need is Diamond coming up lame), I think a six-man rotation makes a ton of sense.

 

I'm not opposed to this as long as it's for reason a and not reason b - the idea of losing on purpose, for any reason, just strikes me as wrong. It's dishonest for the fans who still pay money to show up at the ballpark this year. When you pay out the amount it cost to go to a big-league game, the very least you can expect is that they try to win.

[spideyo]

This would make it easier to deal with Walters coming back from his injury. a 6-man of Diamond, Deduno, Duensing, DeVries, Hendricks, and Walters wouldn't be bad at this point (on paper)

[DaveW]

This would make it easier to deal with Walters coming back from his injury. a 6-man of Diamond, Deduno, Duensing, DeVries, Hendricks, and Walters wouldn't be bad at this point (on paper)

 

I'd replace Duensing with Vasquez, but yeah that is a good plan.

 

People need to just stop with the "derp, players need to pitch like Bert and Nolan, derp" talk. It would be one thing if the Twins were the only team keeping an eye on pitchers innings, but last time I checked the best team in the NL is getting ready to shut down their ace due to an innings cap. Every team does it.

 

The ones that don't end up witha DL featuring Kerry Wood and Mark Prior

[JB_Iowa]

I really don't care if they go with a 5 man or 6 man rotation. I can see greengoblinzrulz' point about it not being a "real" test but I'm not sure if it matters. They will still be facing MLB-caliber hitting (at least when they are playing a team with playoff aspirations). And I fully understand wanting to limit Diamond's innings.

 

BUT I am tremendously bothered by the idea that they may lose on purpose. I can hear it now as the next argument by the apologists that this team isn't as bad as some of us think they are. First it was having to start on the road and with tough teams in April. Then it was that the team played .500 ball "since May" -- ignoring both this team's record in August and the 2011 team's June and July record. I can hear it now -- the Twins lost in August and September because they knew that losing would benefit them.

 

No, it doesn't necessarily benefit them. It gives them a higher draft position. It also continues a culture of losing and lack of determination that already seems to permeate this club. I want to see some young kids come up and play with enthusiasm and try their d*mndest to win.

[IdahoPilgrim]

This would make it easier to deal with Walters coming back from his injury. a 6-man of Diamond, Deduno, Duensing, DeVries, Hendricks, and Walters wouldn't be bad at this point (on paper)

 

I know what you're saying, but ... could you have possibly imagined, before the season started, any circumstances under which you would be writing this?

 

Heard an interesting point on the radio yesterday - all five of the intended starters going into ST (Baker, Liriano, Blackburn, Marquis, Pavano) are now off the 40-man roster (2 to injury, 3 otherwise). Who woulda thunk?

[John Bonnes]

It sounds to me like Gardy wants to see Vazquez up here. So do I. I'd love to know the inside story here. I wonder if Walters is definitely coming up and they're worried about finding a spot for Vazquez (assuming Duensing goes to the bullpen). Or if Duensing's last outing gave them hope that he's a starter. Or whether the front office is suggesting a six man rotation or Gardy is.

 

I'll say that I'd love to see Walters and Vasquez get some starts in Sept. I'm down with putting Duensing back in the bullpen. Give me the other 3 Ds, Hendriks and the callups every 6th day. I'm fine with that.

[Brock Beauchamp]

As I've said earlier, I'd rather see them slowly phase Diamond out of the rotation than to add a sixth man. But if they feel the need to keep Scott in the rotation, I'm definitely not against a sixth man in an audition role.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I find it mildy amusing that the team with the worst rotation in baseball is talking about a 6 man rotation. I guess I have no issue if they are simply looking at reducing Diamond's work load and potentially getting a look at Vasquez, but my fear is that Gardy woudl do something stupid like fall in love with the filler Ds and ask for a rotation of them, blackburn, and Vasquez.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I find it mildy amusing that the team with the worst rotation in baseball is talking about a 6 man rotation. I guess I have no issue if they are simply looking at reducing Diamond's work load and potentially getting a look at Vasquez, but my fear is that Gardy woudl do something stupid like fall in love with the filler Ds and ask for a rotation of them, blackburn, and Vasquez.

 

One of the best nicknames I've seen in awhile. Hilarious.

[Mr. Ed]

According to the Twins' site, PJ Walters is still on the 60-day DL. So if they activate him, that's one roster spot on the 40-man

[Rosterman]

The Twins have spent $29 millio on starters that went 11-29, and now have a bunch of guys they need to see.

 

1) Put Duensing back in the bullpen. We know what he can do.

 

2) Look at Hernandez and Valesquez, for sure.

 

3) If you stay with a five-man rotation, piggy-back and have other potential starters throw the next four innings (Manship, Hernandez, Walters, DeVries, Swarzak et al) on the same four-days of rest.

 

4) You can never have enough pitching. The bullpen is worn down. Bring up Geurra and have a look. Perdumo should be recalled, too. Add Slama to the roster and have him pitch back-to-back, two innings at a time, whatever...take a great great look at the guy and work with him.

 

5) Watch the waiver wire closely this week and grab anyone that breathes that is cut when a contending team adds a last minute free agent. Claim them. You can always cut them...especially if they are that teams 10th-12th pitching prospect.

 

6) Figure out what happened this year! Don't let it ever happen again. Has any other team in the history of baseball totally re-did their rotation before season's end?

[Nick Nelson]

I'm not opposed to this as long as it's for reason a and not reason b - the idea of losing on purpose, for any reason, just strikes me as wrong. It's dishonest for the fans who still pay money to show up at the ballpark this year. When you pay out the amount it cost to go to a big-league game, the very least you can expect is that they try to win.

To be clear, I'm not saying they should actively try to lose. I'm saying the fact that a move might decrease their chances of winning (e.g. adding another sub-MLB starter who might take starts from Diamond) shouldn't really be a factor in their decision.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I find it mildy amusing that the team with the worst rotation in baseball is talking about a 6 man rotation. I guess I have no issue if they are simply looking at reducing Diamond's work load and potentially getting a look at Vasquez, but my fear is that Gardy woudl do something stupid like fall in love with the filler Ds and ask for a rotation of them, blackburn, and Vasquez.

 

One of the best nicknames I've seen in awhile. Hilarious.

 

 

wasn't mine..

[John Bonnes]

I find it mildy amusing that the team with the worst rotation in baseball is talking about a 6 man rotation. I guess I have no issue if they are simply looking at reducing Diamond's work load and potentially getting a look at Vasquez, but my fear is that Gardy woudl do something stupid like fall in love with the filler Ds and ask for a rotation of them, blackburn, and Vasquez.

 

One of the best nicknames I've seen in awhile. Hilarious.

 

Credit Howard Sinker with that one.