Article: Reliever Ryan Pressly leaves an early impression

[Parker Hageman]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1398-Reliever-Ryan-Pressly-leaves-an-early-impression

[twinsfaninsaudi]

Swarzak will not be ready to start the season. Will he? Burnett is no good. Here's your pen: Perkins, Burton, Duensing, Fien, Perez, Wood, Pressley (someone will be replaced by Harden later in the year). Don't ignore the fact that Wood is awesome and is going to kill it this year. Best pen in baseball.

[josecordoba]

I can't comment on Ryan Pressly's ability going forward. I'm a bit unsure why Burnett, or Swarzak would be golden calfs heading into 2013. Harden and Perez are far from sure bets. If you really like this kid's arm they're should be no reason not to find a spot for him on the 25.

[twinsnorth49]

I can't comment on Ryan Pressly's ability going forward. I'm a bit unsure why Burnett, or Swarzak would be golden calfs heading into 2013. Harden and Perez are far from sure bets. If you really like this kid's arm they're should be no reason not to find a spot for him on the 25.

 

I agree, the potential upside is worth more than what we already know we have in Burnett and Swarzak.

[Seth Stohs]

Swarzak is only missing like 2 weeks of spring training, so he won't be eligible for the DL and he is out of options. So are Fien and Wood and some other 'pen guys. Burnett's pretty much a given, I would say. Only reason he might not be is because he has an option remaining.

[ashbury]

> Twins director of scouting Vern Followell

 

Follow Well? I don't know if I had ever heard of him (a quick TD search didn't turn up a prior mention), but it's a great name for a scout. I had to check that this wasn't an Onion parody article tripping me up.

[Jack Torse]

Pressly works with a three pitch repertoire that is comprised of a mid-90s two-seam fastball, exquisite tilt on his curve and a good changeup

 

Did this guy add velo?

[Twins Twerp]

Is SlaMa up for this open bullpen spot? I heard he is good?

[Thrylos]

I think Josh Roenicke should be in the conversation there as well. Arguably he was Colorado's best 'pen guy last season and was a large outcry in Denver when the Twins picked him up. Casey Fien did OK last season but only in 30some innings of .229 BABIP and lots of them during the expanded roster time; he is about to return to his average self. Tim Wood would have had a hard time making the team if his first name was Kerry or Travis as well. Did ok with the Pirates AAA last season, but Slama has done better consistently. I just think that all the 'pen positions after Perkins, Burton and Duensing (now that Swarzak is hurt - and I don't believe that he will be back that soon; bruised ribs are not an easy thing) are wide open. Throw in De Vries (who was a lights out closer in AA for a while btw), Deduno, Perdomo, etc and the competition for those pen spots will be fun.

[Nick Nelson]

I don't know what reason there is to think Tim Wood is going to be any good. I get that the Twins like him, but the Twins also liked Dusty Hughes and Jim Gray and Matt Maloney.

[LastOnePicked]

> Twins director of scouting Vern Followell

 

Follow Well? I don't know if I had ever heard of him (a quick TD search didn't turn up a prior mention), but it's a great name for a scout. I had to check that this wasn't an Onion parody article tripping me up.

 

Yup. I think Vern was hired about the same time as Shurcan Pickum.

[old nurse]

Followell is the pro scouting director. Responsible for assessing the Scott Diamonds of the world, as well as that 5th starter they signed

[cmathewson]

Swarzak is only missing like 2 weeks of spring training, so he won't be eligible for the DL and he is out of options. So are Fien and Wood and some other 'pen guys. Burnett's pretty much a given, I would say. Only reason he might not be is because he has an option remaining.

 

This year, that's a big reason. In my eyes, this much is set:

 

Perkins

Burton

Duensing

Fien

 

Leaving three spots for:

 

Burnett

Swarzak

Robertson

Roenicke

Pressly

Wood

Perez

Harden

 

These guys are gone if we don't keep them

Roenicke

Wood

Pressly

Swarzak

 

I can see them them trying to make a trade with Pressly. But I can't see them giving up on Roenicke, Wood or Swarzak if they can avoid it. If they keep those three, that means Burnett, Robertson, Perez and Harden go down. If they want to keep any of those guys, Swarzak has to pass through waivers. Even if they risk that, I can see Gardy wanting two situational lefties. The more I think of it, the more I think they option Burnett out to start the season.

[cmathewson]

I don't know what reason there is to think Tim Wood is going to be any good. I get that the Twins like him, but the Twins also liked Dusty Hughes and Jim Gray and Matt Maloney.

 

Wood was the best reliever in the IL the last two years. I don't think he compares to Hughes or Gray. I could be wrong, but early reports say he is highly regarded because he throws VERY HARD.

[Thrylos]

Wood was the best reliever in the IL the last two years..

 

Better than Slama? (other than the injury part)

Methinks not.

 

Slama:

 

2012: 1.24 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 13.9 K/9, 3.11 K/BB

2011: 1.28 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 13.6 K/9, 2.63 K/BB

 

Wood:

 

2012: 2.19 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 2.91 K/BB

2011: 3.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, 2.27 K/BB

 

(and these include Slama's injury)

[cmathewson]

Better than Slama? (other than the injury part)

Methinks not.

 

Slama:

 

2012: 1.24 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 13.9 K/9, 3.11 K/BB

2011: 1.28 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 13.6 K/9, 2.63 K/BB

 

Wood:

 

2012: 2.19 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 2.91 K/BB

2011: 3.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, 2.27 K/BB

 

(and these include Slama's injury)

 

I was just going off of the annual IL awards, including top reliever, which he has received two years in a row. I think the coaches vote on this. Slama has better numbers, I will grant you. But for whatever reason, the coaches have preferred Wood. And that is reflected in their respective contracts. Slama was available to the highest bidder as a sixth-year guy and had to sign a minor league deal with the Twins for the minor league minimum. Wood signed a one-way major league contract for more than the major league minimum. If they try to pass him through waivers, he'll get claimed.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

Leaving three spots for:

 

Burnett

Swarzak

Robertson

Roenicke

Pressly

Wood

Perez

Harden

 

These guys are gone if we don't keep them

Roenicke

Wood

Pressly

Swarzak

 

Give me 2 of Swarzak, Pressley, and Harden (all pending ST performance). Then add Robertson as long as he doesn't lay an egg. What I'd most like to see:

RHP Pressley

RHP Harden

RHP Fien

RHP Burton

LHP Duensing

LHP Robertson

LHP Perkins

[Nick Nelson]

Wood was the best reliever in the IL the last two years. I don't think he compares to Hughes or Gray. I could be wrong, but early reports say he is highly regarded because he throws VERY HARD.

 

Well, he was (arguably) the best reliever in the IL who didn't get an extended big-league promotion at any point, so that's a pretty significant caveat. He was also 28 and 29 years old. He may throw hard, but it hasn't resulted in especially great K-rates. Gray and Hoey threw hard too...

[cmathewson]

Well, he was (arguably) the best reliever in the IL who didn't get an extended big-league promotion at any point, so that's a pretty significant caveat. He was also 28 and 29 years old. He may throw hard, but it hasn't resulted in especially great K-rates. Gray and Hoey threw hard too...

 

Good points. According to Gardy, he is glacial to home plate (1.8 seconds). So he's got some work to do.

[LewFordLives]

If Pressley impresses this spring, and they can't make a trade with the Red Sox, then the Twins would have to come up with a pretty good reason not to keep him on the roster. This team needs a miracle to make the playoffs, so they can afford to use a spot on the 25-man roster to stash away a rule 5 pick. Swarzak would probably clear waivers, and even if he doesn't, so what. Hopefully the Twins have seen enough to convince them there isn't much upside with him. Burnett is close to that point as well. Is Burnett better than the other options available to the Twins? I don't think so.

[ashbury]

Pressly has to demonstrate he has upside beyond just a career middle reliever, because you can acquire those more easily than having to babysit a player before he's ready to contribute. He's tagged as a washout as a starter, so that means he needs to be able to close after a year or two of major league experience; I'm not sure an upside of setup man is enough. I think that's what the Twins have in mind - the quotes in the article speak of "late in the game" - but he still needs to show it in Florida, and that won't be easy for him.

[nicksaviking]

I agree that he doesn't have much value as an expendable middle reliever, but even if he doesn't quite show what the front office is looking for this spring, but hints that there is still a possiblity of him being able to perform as a late game arm, I think you take that chance. After all, Swarzak, Roenicke, Burnett or whoever else that may take the spot clearly don't have 9th inning stuff, those kind of guys have already proven to be expendable.

[ashbury]

I agree that he doesn't have much value as an expendable middle reliever, but even if he doesn't quite show what the front office is looking for this spring, but hints that there is still a possiblity of him being able to perform as a late game arm, I think you take that chance. After all, Swarzak, Roenicke, Burnett or whoever else that may take the spot clearly don't have 9th inning stuff, those kind of guys have already proven to be expendable.

 

If his upside is "closer" and he only achieves setup-man (think: Ron Davis for the Yankees, before the Peter Principle took effect), that will be a fine outcome. And I think scout Followell explicitly was talking about closing, although the actual use of the term in the article was a paraphrase and not in quotes. So that's all good. What I don't want is for expectations to get scaled back in March, and we keep him because his upside is only setup-man someday. Drafting a reliever in rule-5 is somewhat safe but also a low upside pick unless you have the discipline to not let it be. As with most transactions, it can't be judged for a year or two or three.