Twins' Pitching Staff Built to Beat the American League

[Nash Walker]

The Twins boast an extremely right-handed pitching staff. Taylor Rogers, Lewis Thorpe, Devin Smeltzer, and Rich Hill are the only four lefties among 21 pitchers on the 40-man roster.This could be looked at as a negative. The Twins may be strapped when Yordan Àlvarez comes up with bases loaded late, or when Didi Gregorius is entrenched in the heart of Philadelphia’s lineup in the 2020 World Series. But for right now, this is extremely favorable for the current construction of the American League.

 

Let’s take a look at the top 20 hitters in the AL (excluding Twins) based on their projected wRC+ via Steamer.

 

 

The lefty-lefty platoon advantage for a pitcher has been proven and exploited for many years. As a left-handed hitter myself, I can attest to the difficulty of hitting a same-side arm. In 2019, right-handed batters hit right-handed pitchers at a similar, lukewarm clip.

 

 

The Twins have built a staff and bullpen that reflects these numbers. With the AL providing an advantage to right-handed pitchers, Minnesota re-signed Sergio Romo, Jake Odorizzi, and Michael Pineda, picked up Matt Wisler, traded for Kenta Maeda (pending) and invited Jhoulys Chacín to compete for a spot in Fort Myers. Here are the 2019 platoon numbers from the projected rotation.

 

 

And the bullpen...

 

 

Righties were set to have trouble against the Twins before (potentially) adding Maeda, one of the best in the sport at getting them out.

 

 

A big reason for same-side pitchers having success is the slider. Yes, the frisbee. Here is a look at how Twins’ right-handed pitchers threw their sliders in 2019:

 

 

Here are a few examples:

 

 

I was frustrated when the Twins couldn’t land Marcus Stroman at the trade deadline in 2019 because of his prowess against righties. By bringing Maeda in (reportedly), Minnesota has gone above and beyond. Franmil Reyes, Eloy Jiménez, José Abreu, Jorge Soler, Tim Anderson, Edwin Encarnación, and Hunter Dozier, good luck overthrowing this staff (and offense) for the division crown.

 

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[twinsfaninsaudi]

But…wait a minute…they don’t have Maeda yet…just saying.

[Darius]

I don’t know about “nightmare.”

 

The Astros running out Verlander, Cole, Grienke was a nightmare. I think the Yankees running out Cole, Severino, Paxton is going to be a nightmare. The Nationals rotation of Sherzer, Strasburg, Corbin is a nightmare.

 

Nobody is losing sleep over the thought of facing Jake Odorizzi for 4 2/3 innings.

[miracleb]

Darius cracks me up!

[mikelink45]

Wow did you have a good night - dreams are nice, but this staff has not even been assembled - two players can't even start the season in the rotation, one player might or might not be on the team depending on trade talks.  One player did well for the A's and once did well for the Red's but has not sustained anything.  Another is a bargain bin player who was left after everything else was swept up.  

 

I am happy with our top three, not ecstatic and the rest are all fillers until they prove otherwise.  Remember how happy we were with Martin Perez?  So I am not saying we have a bad rotation, I just find myself amazed at how we can use the off season to bloat our expectations. 

[etwink]

Ok, I’ll bite and play the (uncommon for me) role of optimist.

Do the Twins have a single undeniable stud starter?  No.  Do they have a bunch of guys in the bullpen who have established themselves enough to be sure locks for 2020?  No.  Do they even have Maeda?  Not now.

 

Have the Twins assembled a reliable, and potentially dominant, bullpen and a starting staff that is competitive and competent, and with a nearly guaranteed to be dominant lineup might have the chance to make noise in the playoffs?

 

Yes.

[Bomba2026]

And the Twins are in the American Leauge....and they scare me because you never know what you will get from game to game.

[saviking]

I don't think nightmare is the right word to use. Maybe good or adequate. Or better than against left handers. I did enjoy the states however but refuse to think of Maeda as not to jink the trade. Although I would be fine if the trade did not go through. If I were the Twins I would only offer up a top 20 prospect if they really want to make the trade but I would simply say, take it or leave it .. 

 

[ewen21]

I sometimes don't see the point in what people refer to as "optimism" when it comes to talking about our favorite sports team because honesty and reality ultimately wins out.  How can we really feel this way in our heart of hearts if we are going to be completely honest about it?  I suppose it is nice to have an optimsitc view and hope for things that are very unlikely and I suppose it is also nice to line up all the positves in something and cast aside the negatives.

 

That being said, I think once again the front office has done a great job giving this team a chance to win.  It wouldn't be their fault if we don't get very far.  I think we can say that we are the favorite in the Central without being arrogant or overly optimistic.  Beyond that anything more is a bit much.  For me it all boils down to..."what is this group going to do when/if they get there?"

A playoff berth is honestly nothing more than a shot at what should be the goal.  With this franchise it seems to me the goal is reached once the division is won.  I remember a thread late last summer that basically said..."Bring on the Yankees"

 

Well....we got 'em and look at what happened again.  We can talk the talk in February about how we have a "nightmare" of a pitching staff for the rest of the league.  What matters to me is where the hell is this team's soul, brains and guts in October. I am so sick and tired of all the overly bold optimism.  After what transpired a few months ago it isn't warranted.  It is one thing to feel some optimism, but it quite another when optimism overrules honesty.  We had a decent pitching staff last year (contrary to popular belief).  It was not the pitching that disappointed me so much against the Yankees even though they weren't competitive.  It was the offense.  We were so bombastic and yet when everything on the line the offense went radio silent.  I really don't care who we have on the mound if we are going to fall flat like that again.  Couldn't we score more than seven runs in three games against a pretty average major league pitching staff?  What about that?

 

If we are going to honest about things we had a slightly better than average staff last year.  It was every bit as good as the Yankees staff.  A lot of people here were ready to compare our offense to the Yankees offense last year (and that was fair).  So why the deep gap between us in the post season?  It isn't because they are they THAT much better and if we lose to them in three straight again it won't be because we didn't sign Ryu or some other "stud" pitcher.  It runs way deeper than that.  It is about a mindset.  It is the mindset that dictates no matter what we are still good.  Eh.  I have had enough of that.  I had enough of it as soon as Michael Cuddyer pronounced 2010 a "successful season because we won the Central"

This mindset still exists in the person of Rocco Baldelli

 

I like Nash and have given him props for his articles, but after years and years of watching this team, I find it hard to be bombastic about what we have.  I would rather be conservative and temper my enthusiasm.  I give this team a chance to go all the way.  It's just the mindset of Baldelli really gives me doubts.  It is the same junk we heard in the past.  Proclaiming the season "successful" after being washed out in the first round. Had it been the very first time we got there in 25 years then I can accept that.  I cannot accept it as a fan who has seen virtually every single pitch and at bat in the 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2019 playoffs.  Six times in a row we are out in the first round and we are now talking about 15 playoff losses in a row.

 

If we are going to run articles that proclaim our pitching to be a "nightmare" for the rest of the league we should at least give space for a post like this when you consider the history. I am not quite over the latest October nightmare so please forgive my tone.

 

Sorry Nash.  I appreciate the enthusiasm, but it is hard for me to get behind that notion.  Not now (although I would love to be proven wrong) 

[oregontwin]

Maeda will be a nightmare wherever he ends up. I know it would scare the bejesus out of me as a hitter to see him on the mound about to let one go toward me with his eyes squeezed shut like that. :-)

[Nash Walker]

I fixed the title  

[ewen21]

 

I fixed the title

 

Thanks for the enthusiasm and for hearing me and some of the other fans out on the title.  I happen to think our pitching is not that bad.  The bullpen seems to have some pros and our starting staff is much better than what we have had over the last 10 seasons

[wabene]

The TF White Castle special takes the cake!

[Melissa]

I like how there are no hitters in the AL Central better than #16 (excluding the Twins).