Notebook: Dobnak and Donaldson Thrive Against Old Friend

Man I just don't see how you can keep Dobnak out of the starting 5.  One mistake pitch away from a near perfect Spring.  If I would have known he was going to be this good I would've wished the Twins didn't add one more pitcher at the end.  Like the Twins I had my concerns but seeing him this spring it seems like a waste to not have him start.  Once again I doubted you Randy and once again you proved me wrong.

We asked for hits and the team produced 13 of them tonight.  Lot's of good battles at the plate and good results tonight.

Robles left a straight inside fastball that got crushed for a home run and gave up hard contact to the next batter but he managed his way through the inning.  I still don't trust him or his stuff but I hope he is better than I think he is.

When Rogers decides to live on the edge and not throw strikes something bad usually happens and it did tonight as he too, left a nice fat straight pitch that got blasted for 2 run HR.  Man he struggled against the righties tonight.  I thought he was back to dominant but he brought back my doubting side.

I think this bullpen is going to have us squirming this season.  Maybe things will straighten out yet who knows.  Alcala looks to be the most dominant of the bunch right now.  It was the replacements but he was throwing it by guys tonight.

Fun game to watch for the most part can't wait for the season to start.

Dobnak has to be winning everyone over. He just takes the ball and does what he needs to. It's just a wonderful story and excellent talent. I really want him in the starting rotation.

I'll admit there were times in 2019 (only fifty years ago, sigh) when I thought it would be nice if Randy Dobnak added just one more squirrelly pitch to befuddle hitters. 

Now he has added that pitch, and his ERA is sub-1. What else need this man do? Do they want an upper 90's fastball? Ain't gonna happen. Like Maeda, Dobs exists with cleverness and guile, not pure power. Like Maeda, Dobs has found a formula to get guys out. Will it last? Insufficient data. However, physically he looks like a big, human diesel engine that will chug along for years with little more than a new pair of shoes now and then.

After a slight delay, I think Dobnak will be a starting pitcher for the Twins for a long, long time.

Nice to see Dobnak continue his great pitching and the offense role a bit. Haven’t seen or heard an update on Garver hopefully just a stinger and no serious damage to his shoulder.

Dobnak is a nice problem to have - very few teams have his caliber of starting pitcher in waiting. If Thorpe also does well at AAA, and with some of their young guns pushing forward, the rotation could start looking like Cleveland's in a year or two.

Dobnak was one of the Twins best pitchers last year, prior to that disaster in St. Louis after which he couldn't throw strikes. No reason to be surprised that he is having a good spring, with a new pitch making it a great spring.

Will be a bloody shame if he isn't among the Twins starting 5 come opening week considering he is one of their three best starters. The Twins are a better team and will win more games if he takes the ball every fifth day. Maybe the answer is to stack him with Happ and give the rest of the bullpen the day off. That would mean they would be rested when overworked the other four days.

Dobnak has performed as well as any pitcher this spring, too bad they don't count. His ground ball ability together with acquisition of Simmons spells success. Now with his new found slider will cut down on his pitches and transformed him into a SO pitcher. In my book he's a starter, too bad ST games don't make a difference.

Too bad Thorpe was sent down, still think he would be greatly used as a long reliever and spot starter starting this spring.

Dobnak has to be winning everyone over. He just takes the ball and does what he needs to. It's just a wonderful story and excellent talent. I really want him in the starting rotation.

This is the power of The Dobnak.

Love the video--keepin' the clubhouse fun. Vamonos! Juega!

I do not see how Twins can justify not starting Dobnak over Shoemaker.  What in Shoemaker history says he just gets the 5th spot?  If Dobnak does not get shot in rotation out the gate it means he never had a chance for one and the rotation was set before spring started.  Dobnak will be first starter up when someone misses a start for injury if he is not in rotation.  

I also cannot get over the story Dobnak had.  How many pitchers in his drafts signed, and failed in baseball?  It just shows that not every guy can be found right away.  Even if he is just an average pen pitcher the rest of his career I still see him spending many years in majors.  To go from undrafted and seen on a youtube video to making majors just a couple years later, to even start post-season game.  I will be rooting for him no matter where he ends up the rest of his career.  

I do not see how Twins can justify not starting Dobnak over Shoemaker.  What in Shoemaker history says he just gets the 5th spot?  If Dobnak does not get shot in rotation out the gate it means he never had a chance for one and the rotation was set before spring started.  Dobnak will be first starter up when someone misses a start for injury if he is not in rotation.  

 

I also cannot get over the story Dobnak had.  How many pitchers in his drafts signed, and failed in baseball?  It just shows that not every guy can be found right away.  Even if he is just an average pen pitcher the rest of his career I still see him spending many years in majors.  To go from undrafted and seen on a youtube video to making majors just a couple years later, to even start post-season game.  I will be rooting for him no matter where he ends up the rest of his career.  

I would rather use a pitcher who has a future with us than one that is a one year fill in.

physically he looks like a big, human diesel engine that will chug along for years with little more than a new pair of shoes now and then.

 

Maybe a new pair of glasses on occasion, too.

Maybe a new pair of glasses on occasion, too.

I thought about that, too. But his glasses are so classic, I say polish 'em up and keep sending them out there.

Long live Dobnak!!!

Shoe-marker-Shoe

I would rather use a pitcher who has a future with us than one that is a one year fill in.

Fully agree.  Dobnak is still young and room to grow.  Dobnak had great stretch last year then fell off.  I would love to see if his new slider can carry over into regular season and pile up some good numbers again.  Without Dobnak first half last season we would not have won the central most likely.  I am not saying you owe him anything for it, but if it was a true battle for 5th spot Dobnak won that battle. 

Shoemaker is a veteran who was promised a starting spot in the rotation to sign here. You can’t send him to the minors. He’s good when healthy. When he or anyone else in the rotation gets hurt, Dobnak will be there. Relax. Unless he himself gets hurt, he’ll end up starting more games than someone that is currently in the rotation. 
 

They could have not signed Shoemaker but then they have less SP depth. I don’t understand how people are confused or upset about this.