Mike Pelfrey

[SweetOne69]

How much longer do we have to endure Pelfrey before he is asked to work on some things in AAA?

 

It looks like he has 1 option left, but due to his veteran status he can refuse the assignment.

 

It is torture watching the games that he pitches. His pace is slow and he has a WHIP of 2 which means that on average he faces 5 batters/inning. He has pitched 5 innings or less in every outing. And the game time has been at least 3:30 for 3 of his 4 starts (the game that he last 2 innings went 2:51).

[StormJH1]

I agree on the game pace thing, but I seriously doubt that it can be mentioned as a reason they would demote him. Vance Worley is another offender in this regard, so there could be some long, miserable summer games when those guys pitch.

 

What worries me about Pelfrey is that that even though he's coming back from TJ surgery, his velocity is basically there already:

 

Mike Pelfrey » PitchFx » Overview | FanGraphs Baseball

 

I was expecting a lot of 89-91 mpg on his fastball, at least early on, but he's actually pretty consistently in the low 90's, and touching 94/95. Compare that to Liriano, who was 96-98 in '08, and basically never got back to that after TF. But that's pretty much always been the case with Pelfrey, and yet he's never been a strikeout pitcher. His two "best" seasons, he had K-rates of 4.9 and 5.0.

 

So I don't know how much more you can expect from him this year, if hitters aren't at all fooled by his stuff. This guy, when healthy, still had season where his ERA was around 4.70 to 5.20, and that was in the NL in a decent pitcher's park.

[Boom Boom]

Marquis got seven starts before the Twins gave him the boot.

[Mike Sixel]

As soon as Gibson is ready, at the earliest......

[stringer bell]

If Pelfrey is a "horse", he's a Percheron, or Clydesdale, or Belgian. Big and slow and not that fun to watch. The recovery year for Tommy John patients varies a bit but the CW is that their numbers won't be pretty. Pelfrey is competing, but it hasn't been pretty. I would hope that he would go to Rochester if he continues to be ineffective--he isn't a relief pitcher. He needs to be starting to be on the club.

[ThePuck]

If Pelfrey is a "horse", he's a Percheron, or Clydesdale, or Belgian. Big and slow and not that fun to watch. The recovery year for Tommy John patients varies a bit but the CW is that their numbers won't be pretty. Pelfrey is competing, but it hasn't been pretty. I would hope that he would go to Rochester if he continues to be ineffective--he isn't a relief pitcher. He needs to be starting to be on the club.

 

I love watching the Clydesdales on the Budweiser commercials....

[Mike Sixel]

Why is he "not a reliever"? He does not appear to be a starter right now.....

[ashbury]

His fastball is fast enough, but maybe he's still not 100% healthy and it reflects in command and/or the off-speed pitches being hittable? Maybe a stint on DL would be best for all concerned.

[drivlikejehu]

He was never that great to begin with. He's been a little unlucky - BABIP of .397 - but guys like him will always have stretches where they give up a ton of base hits. The Twins will keep sending him out there for the time being, particularly in light of the fact no better options are available (even if he was ready Gibson could be the #5 starter).

[Riverbrian]

His fastball is fast enough, but maybe he's still not 100% healthy and it reflects in command and/or the off-speed pitches being hittable? Maybe a stint on DL would be best for all concerned.

 

If he continues to struggle... The Twins may have to inform him that he is hurt.

 

Pelfrey: do you have any Tums??? I Had a little too much to eat at Murray's.

Gardy: Stomach Ache

Pelfey: Yeah a little...

Gardy: (on cell phone) Terry... Gardy here... Pelf has a stomach problem.

Terry: Stomach problem... How did you know... We already placed him on the DL.

Gardy: yeah... Better safe than sorry... This could be serious.

Terry: the trainer was going to talk with him today and let him know he has an ulcer.

Gardy: (To Pelfrey)... Terry talked with the trainer... You have an Ulcer.

Pelfrey: I haven't even seen the trainer. I just ate a little too much... Just forget it I don't need the tums.

Gardy: we gotta be careful with these things... We are putting you on the D.L.

Pelfrey: I don't have an ulcer

Gardy: I'm sorry Pelf but you are not a medical professional. (Gardy starts walking away)

Pelfrey: I haven't seen a medical professional... How would he know???

[big dog]

No sense using him as a reliever- his first inning is his worst inning. He has got to be on a short leash right now. I'm not a fan of Deduno's "crazy fastball" but I'd rather see that than Pelfrey's "here hit me hard" fastball.

[ThePuck]

Seems Pelfrey goes inside way too much...he doesn't have the stuff to do that...

[Badsmerf]

It is pretty telling when DickBert start criticizing. It is going to be between Hendriks and Gibson IMO. It doesn't look like Pelfrey has much. I could him still getting starts into late May if he can even perform how he has been, but not much later. And if he's worse... the writing is on the wall.

[greengoblinrulz]

Ive said since he was signed....it was for 4 months until Kyle Gibson/Alex Meyer/Trevor May take over Aug 1ish. Timetable may have moved up as he has absolutely no value

[ashbury]

No sense using him as a reliever- his first inning is his worst inning.

 

Maybe. Pitchers change their approach when they are gearing toward relieving versus starting.

 

I took a look at Glen Perkins's innings split for 2009, his last year as a starter; his ERA was 11.34 in the first inning, 7.80 in the second, 5.40 in the third, and by the fourth (which he actually made it to, in most games) he settled down to a 2.40 ERA.

 

Glen's worked out OK in relief.

 

If instead the comp is Kevin Slowey, then it's pretty bleak sending him to the bullpen, I'll admit.

 

Anyway, Pelf may be no good in the bullpen, but I wouldn't look at innings splits as a guide.