Hi everyone,

 

I was feeling bitter about Swarzak's non-changing, too-defined role, so I wrote about it a bit.

 

Kevin Slowey was Framed!: Would it be cool if we talked about Anthony Swarzak's role for a bit?

 

Summary: I don't think reliever roles are cool, but relief pitchers are cool.

Question: Has Swarzak turned some kind of corner? Has he added another pitch or figured something out?

 

As I see it, there are two reasons we don't need to entertain the Swarzak as starter idea. First, we already have 146 innings to draw from. Not a huge sample, but he was not any better than what we have going already. And I would rather have a good long man than another one of those guys.

 

Second, as a reliever Swarzak is outperforming his peripherals by nearly a full run. Then there is the Rule of 17 to think about, which predicts on average, another full run penalty. That puts him at around a 5.00 ERA "true" talent starter, which is not too far off from what he put up in those 146 innings in 2009-2012 as a spot starter.

Swarzak has found his niche as the Twins long-man. Even the thought of giving him a spot start now is ridiculous. He has had a great 2013 on a really bad team The next hurdle is...is he worth the cost.

 

Like his counterpart, Brian Duensing, who started (badly) and was a long lefty reliever, Duensing slipped this year, but was basically a shortman (again, I don't know why).

 

Can Swarzak be replaced by the cheaper Cole DeVries. Or maybe Hendriks. Can Duensing be replaced by Hernandez. Does it really matter. Is there always someone around for positions like these (Pressly, after some more time adjusting in winter ball or the minors, tking Swarzak's place).

 

Is NOW the time to move Swarzak, thnking even if he repeats in 20134, does it matter. Would some other team find him worthwhile to add to their bullpen.

 

I don't see him ever being a closer. I don't see him ever being a starter.

I would love to see the Twins abandon the 5 man rotation though, in these last few weeks, since the jury is pretty much in on Hendriks. There is no one else to really look at. No call ups, not Meyer and May. Maybe the scrubs that are here can figure out some kind of pecking order as a bullpen-by-committee

I would either trade him or move him into 7th inning action after trading Burton and letting Fien walk.

I would either trade him or move him into 7th inning action after trading Burton and letting Fien walk.

 

This post looks better and better.

I would either trade him or move him into 7th inning action after trading Burton and letting Fien walk.

 

Why let Fien walk?

I would either trade him or move him into 7th inning action after trading Burton and letting Fien walk.

 

Letting Fien walk?! Why would you let him walk when he has an appreciable amount (receiving trade buzz) of value and won't even be arbitration eligible? So his ERA is 3.98. Big deal when your K/9 is 10.5, WHIP is 1.033, and K/BB is 5.92. I disagree with you often, but I don't see any sense in letting the only strikeout pitcher besides Perkins leave for diddly squat.

 

On topic, I think Swarzak has been our best pitcher this year. Even more so than Perkins (through no fault of his own). I don't think he should get paid much more than 2.5 m/y when the time comes. I agree that his role is strange, but I think he should be kept in it. What I would like to change, however, is possibly bringing him in earlier when the starting pitching fails so the game is actually winnable. If say Diamond went 2/3IP while yielding 4ER, maybe send Anthony in to keep the game within reach before it gets out of it.

I like Swarzak a lot. He's been very good in his role. As far as how much he should get paid? I'm not sure, but I'd probably give him 3-4 million to continue his duties. He is a long man that has an ERA of 2.91. He has been significantly better in every category this season than the past. Hopefully it is a trend. There aren't many failed starters out there (or even starters at all) that could do as well as he has done.

here is my prediction: Liam Hendriks to 'long man', Swarzak to a 6/7 inning role. Swarzak is following in the step of Matty Guerrier

Swarzak is 1st year Arb eligible in 2014. Duensing, who was similarly Arb eligible in 2013, made $1.3MM. Swarzak shouldn't receive more than $2MM this offseason.

here is my prediction: Liam Hendriks to 'long man', Swarzak to a 6/7 inning role. Swarzak is following in the step of Matty Guerrier

I like your idea and I would bring Hendriks along slowly, not unlike Pressly this year.

Edited September 30, 201313 yr by howieramone