The return of pitching prospect Alex Meyer, the bounty received in the Denard Span trade this past offseason, is still an unknown.According to Twins assistant GM Rob Antony, Meyer will likely return to the mound in the "next week or two" tweets the Pioneer Press's Mike Berardino.

 

Meyer, who had a 3-3 record with a 3.69 ERA and a decent 71-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 61 innings in New Britain, has not thrown a pitch since June 1. The Twins had Meyer undergo a precautionary MRI on his shoulder which reveal nothing of significance.

 

The Twins are understandably overcautious with this top pitching prospect. GM Terry Ryan said that they will be "very conservative" in their approach to bringing Meyer back around to avoid any setbacks in his development. At the same time, with just over two months remaining in the Eastern League season, the Twins would like to get Meyer above the 129 inning-mark he threw a year ago.

I was just wondering about that... Glad to know it's caution and not setbacks...

A one or two week return seems far better than unknown to me.

Ambiguity + Twins Medical Staff = Disaster

 

I am worried

Ambiguity + Twins Medical Staff = Disaster

 

I am worried

 

+1. the lack of anything showing up on the mri would be more comforting if we knew for sure that our medical staff knew how to read one.

That sounds good to me. He's only missed 3 weeks yet only has 61 IP? He has only gone over 6 innings twice in 11 starts. Just seems crazy to me. A month to let his shoulder heal a little should be alright, I'd be sending that MRI to different places and get some different opinions on it though.

This is why you can never have too many pitchers in your org......

If he comes back healthy and still needs innings, I imagine they'll send him to the AFL. I'm ok with a cautious approach in bringing him back.

This is getting kind of scary now huh?

This is getting kind of scary now huh?

 

No need to worry, he is the very able hands of the Twins medical staff.

This is getting kind of scary now huh?

Scary? He is still a few months from learning he actually needs surgery. No need to be scared yet; we are still in the rest + rehab phase.

I still think Meyer will be fine (maybe I'm overly optimistic), but no matter how cautious you are (look at Dylan Bundy and the Orioles), there's very little you can do to ensure the health of young pitchers.

I still think Meyer will be fine (maybe I'm overly optimistic), but no matter how cautious you are (look at Dylan Bundy and the Orioles), there's very little you can do to ensure the health of young pitchers.

So true. I didn't want Stewart because I thought it was too high to take a pitcher. Ryan likes pitchers with 1-2+ years of pro experience and I think that may help, but no one is immune.

So true. I didn't want Stewart because I thought it was too high to take a pitcher. Ryan likes pitchers with 1-2+ years of pro experience and I think that may help, but no one is immune.

Too high? Where do you think elite pitchers come from? College is harder on arms than professional baseball by far. Plus, you get to clean up mechanics before they begin to do serious damage.

Too high? Where do you think elite pitchers come from? College is harder on arms than professional baseball by far. Plus, you get to clean up mechanics before they begin to do serious damage.

 

IMHO I would not take a pitcher with a top five pick. I believe the Twins will have only 3 shots for the gold, and I would be more comfortable taking position players. Once again, this is only my opinion. By the way, I wanted the college catcher over Buxton, so I try to keep a low profile on draft matters.

OK, here's my take. While pitching is infinitely riskier than picking position players, the payoff for getting an ace (Verlander, Strassberg, Clemens) is worth the risk. The Twins look like they will have an excellent crop of young positions players in the next 2-3 years. If they don't get much improved pitching, they still are a long way from contending.

OK, here's my take. While pitching is infinitely riskier than picking position players, the payoff for getting an ace (Verlander, Strassberg, Clemens) is worth the risk. The Twins look like they will have an excellent crop of young positions players in the next 2-3 years. If they don't get much improved pitching, they still are a long way from contending.

 

This. The position players coming through the system make this as exciting a time in expectation of the "turn" as 2000-02 and 1984-86. But even if the Twins get above median performance from 100% of their position players (including filling the gaping hole at SS), pitching is still 70% of the game. So until the starting pitching staff looks more like the Pirates, Tigers, Braves, hec, even the Marlins, who are ranked 11th overall in SP ERA, there is no reason to throw around any guarantees that "the turn" (ie, assured contention status) is right around the corner. To their credit, the Twins have recognized this glaring hole in the long-term plan, now they need to redouble their efforts.

I think people need to realize that TJ is a bump in the road and not a death sentence.

I think people need to realize that TJ is a bump in the road and not a death sentence.

I would say the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Meyer had shoulder problems, TJ is not the issue here...

 

That said, I vaguely remember reading somewhere that he's throwing again.

I have also heard he was on a throwing program.

I have also heard he was on a throwing program.

 

Confirmed on Twitter. I hope they are just being extra cautious.

Confirmed on Twitter. I hope they are just being extra cautious.

 

On this one, double-secret, extra-cautious works for me.

I have also heard he was on a throwing program.

 

Lets hope, we've had enough of these things mismanaged to have reason to be worried. A major surgery to Meyer may effect our timeline to contend more than people think.

Lets hope, we've had enough of these things mismanaged to have reason to be worried. A major surgery to Meyer may effect our timeline to contend more than people think.

The parade won't stop due to one starting pitching prospect. Effecting our timeline is reserved for Buxton and Sano.

On this one, double-secret, extra-cautious works for me.

 

Yeah, I really want to make a joke about the Twins and being cautious, but I can't do it here. At least not unless we later hear his sore shoulder was due to getting a new tattoo.

The parade won't stop due to one starting pitching prospect. Effecting our timeline is reserved for Buxton and Sano.

 

You don't need ace quality pitchers to win the WS?

The parade won't stop due to one starting pitching prospect. Effecting our timeline is reserved for Buxton and Sano.

 

I would say our highest ranked, highest level pitching prospect is going to be critical. Mostly because he is just about the only pitcher likely to impact next year.

I would say our highest ranked, highest level pitching prospect is going to be critical. Mostly because he is just about the only pitcher likely to impact next year.

To get to where we want to go, we need 10-12 top starting pitching prospects. We have somewhere around 7 or 8. The Twins have a tremendous margin for error having Buxton and Sano. What happens to Meyer is an inconvenience, nothing more.

To get to where we want to go, we need 10-12 top starting pitching prospects. We have somewhere around 7 or 8. The Twins have a tremendous margin for error having Buxton and Sano. What happens to Meyer is an inconvenience, nothing more.

 

Terry Ryan said to get true quality pitching prospects at a reasonable rate of return, you have to reach down to "A" level minor league ball, but then it's still pretty costly when you pull the trigger. OK, since you say we only need 3-5 more "top starting pitching prospects" to overcome any of these "nothing more" than "inconveniences", where are the 3-5 more Denard Span's to get those deals done?