I read an article on mlb.com with one sentence buried in it stating that Molitor was considering using a four man rotation. My thoughts:

 

- This would warrant a full article on mlb.com, not one small sentence buried in an article about something else with no explanation or source.

 

- The idea of the Twins using a four man rotation is so preposterous I'm amazed anyone would type such a sentence in an article. I'm also surprised an editor would let it go through.

 

The Twins are so afraid of breaking current MLB mores that they won't make Sano a full time DH because he's not a geriatric like most DHs are. If young DHs existed, you can bet the Twins would want one (or they'd just say they "can't compete due to pricey DHs" -- take your pick). Sewing up the DH role for the next 5+ years with someone of Sano's caliber would be a genius move. Geniuses win championships. Followers finish at .500.

 

There is zero chance this team does anything but field a plain vanilla five man starting rotation unless half the other teams change first. My theory: mlb.com only knew of four pitchers they could write about since the last slot is a question mark so they threw this out there.......

Edited February 22, 20188 yr by Doomtints

It is a non-issue.  They have lots of open days and will need a fifth starter for only a couple of starts if everyone goes on his regular rest...  

That's what Molitor meant.  Not a back to the future situation.

 

It is a non-issue.  They have lots of open days and will need a fifth starter for only a couple of starts if everyone goes on his regular rest...  

That's what Molitor meant.  Not a back to the future situation.

 

Yes, and mlb.com should have been able to parse this properly.

With the recent trend of 5 inning starters, having a 4 man rotation makes sense.  

- Using only your best starters will give the Twins more quality innings at the start of games.

- Pitching only 5 or 6 innings, on average, would not put undo stress on their arms.

- The current trend of 100 pitch counts for starters also helps to limit arm stress (& innings).

- The 3rd time through the order usually occurs in the 5th innings, in a well pitched start, it only makes sense to prepare to remove the starter when he starts getting hit.

- If a starter is pitching well, they do not have to be removed until they are getting hits or he reaches his pitch limit.

- Each starter could have a backup reliever capable of pitching another 2 or 3 innings, which would leave 4 pitchers ready to close out the game.

- The backup relievers would be relieving once every 4 days and could easily show which pitchers deserve to be starters. They could easily pitch 100+ innings in a season.

- Each starter would start about 40 in a season, and if they average 5 innings per start they would accumulate 200 innings.  Imagine if the starters pitch 800 innings, that would leave only 650 innings available to be pitched by the 12 relievers.

- 4 starters means 1 more reliever, this would make it easier to only carry 12 relievers and gives the lineup an extra hitter/position player.

 

I love the idea of only using the four best starters in a 4 man rotation.  

 

Edited February 22, 20188 yr by Thegrin

I don't think you can have 4 starters and 12 relief pitchers on a 25 man roster. You must mean 8 or 9 relief guys.Or 12 pitchers in total

Based on what I've seen, the Twins haven't had more than a three man rotation in years.

 

...

 

Snark aside, a four man rotation is an interesting idea for teams that have four good starting pitchers, a decent swing man, and a good (and DEEP) back of the bullpen.

 

Yeah, that's not the Twins. You can't just take away a bad starter from a kinda bad rotation with an acceptable bullpen and just expect things to work out.

 

Who picks up the slack in that situation? Because you can't ask Hildenberger and Reed to throw 90 innings apiece.

You need to reinvent Mike Marshall.     This is more of training or finding a pitcher who has a rubber arm and can pitch 2 - 3 innings at a major league level every 2 - 3 days. 

Scott Shields is another name who come to mind.  They are out there, find them. 

Edited February 22, 20188 yr by beckmt

 

I read an article on mlb.com with one sentence buried in it stating that Molitor was considering using a four man rotation. My thoughts:

 

- This would warrant a full article on mlb.com, not one small sentence buried in an article about something else with no explanation or source.

 

- The idea of the Twins using a four man rotation is so preposterous I'm amazed anyone would type such a sentence in an article. I'm also surprised an editor would let it go through.

 

The Twins are so afraid of breaking current MLB mores that they won't make Sano a full time DH because he's not a geriatric like most DHs are. If young DHs existed, you can bet the Twins would want one (or they'd just say they "can't compete due to pricey DHs" -- take your pick). Sewing up the DH role for the next 5+ years with someone of Sano's caliber would be a genius move. Geniuses win championships. Followers finish at .500.

 

There is zero chance this team does anything but field a plain vanilla five man starting rotation unless half the other teams change first. My theory: mlb.com only knew of four pitchers they could write about since the last slot is a question mark so they threw this out there.......

 

Why would they do this anyways?  There are more than enough internal candidates that badly need experience such as Slegers, Gonsalves (when he gets called up), Enns and eventually Romero and Littell.  There is simply no need to do this.

Edited February 22, 20188 yr by laloesch

 

 

 

I love the idea of only using the four best starters in a 4 man rotation.  

 

I don't hate the idea. My main point is the Twins would never do it. It's too unconventional.

 

Based on what I've seen, the Twins haven't had more than a three man rotation in years.

 

 

 

POTD

 

I don't hate the idea. My main point is the Twins would never do it. It's too unconventional.

 

I think there's probably some merit to getting rid of this idea of 1 reliever per inning. I would think that a team with a reasonably deep pen could pull this off with a starter expected to go 5 most nights and a reliever expected to go 3. Said reliever could probably pitch every 3rd day, meaning you would need 3 long men, 4 starters, and 4 firemen. Only real down side is that the long men go on rotation with one guy potentially needing to step in for extra innings moving everyone up a spot. It could be done, and you'd need relievers that don't have extreme splits, especially for the long men. It might even prove an effective means to reduce injuries. 

 

You're right, it's unconventional. I also think that this front office might be willing to do that. 

Tom Kelly used 4-man rotations for parts of seasons, even the 87 season. But as time went on he stopped doing it, even when it may have helped (in the 90s).

It really is a no brainer for teams with no good pitchers (like the Twins of a few years ago).

 

Cycle a lot of guys between MN and Rochestor, have them throw harder out of the bullpen, avoid the 3rd time through the order penalty.....

 

But, they, like most teams, passed on the idea so far. Coaches, managers, front offices....in most pro sports....are pretty conservative.