The Deterioration of Kevin Jepsen

To be fair, both Jepsen and May have been horrible this season. May gave up 5 home runs already. He has allowed quite a few inherited runners to score. I really think May is way overrated. Jepsen might be gone after this season. May is still going to be around though.

Not sure what to make of May. He has been getting pounded lately. I would like to think that he doesn't truly know his status out of the bullpen...setuo, long man, future starter, whatever.

But Jepsen. Unless we have someone better in the wings, at least let him pitch in games that we are down, or have a big lead. Not sure what he needs to do to increase his value (which he wants to do, entering free agency himself). At least he didn't give up a home run against K.C.

But it has been a strange 40+ games. Thought Pressley was a find, but NOT. Tonkin ahs been a surprise, although he isn't really a special arm out of the bullpen. Abad makes you want to look at a longterm contract, but the Twins WOULD BE BETTER if they sold high when they can on this guy. We will probably see at least a trio of minor league free agents before the season is done and maybe the Twins can flip them too. But until we get to see Burdi, Reed, Chargolis, Hildenberger, Bard and any number of other guys NOT on the 40-man, we won't be excited when the call goes to the bullpen.

May.work him up as long relief with the potential to start if you aren't going to groom him as a closer. I have hopes for May, but we continue to hear the rally cry that people are being misued. This guy may be that poster child for the organization in 2016.

Jepsen gave us a career year and the Twins thought they struck gold.  How many times has that happened (think Suzuki).  But more bothersome to me is May.  I think we have taken a live arm and may have ruined his future.  Taking a starting pitcher and then pushing him to twice as many games a year as a reliever reminds me of taking a third baseman and putting him in right field. 

Abad will likely end up like Suzuki, Perkins, Willingham, even Nunez. And there are times and teams where the "you can't trade all your good players away" guys are correct. But this isn't one of them.

Jepsen gave us a career year and the Twins thought they struck gold.  How many times has that happened (think Suzuki).  But more bothersome to me is May.  I think we have taken a live arm and may have ruined his future.  Taking a starting pitcher and then pushing him to twice as many games a year as a reliever reminds me of taking a third baseman and putting him in right field. 

Moving a starting pitcher to relief is a pretty common.  I don't see how that would ruin May.  Hopefully like many relief pitchers, he just going through a bad stretch.  If that not the case, than it's more likely he been overrated not ruined by the move.

Jepsen looks scared out there this year.

If we need two outs... he is our guy... after that... wow... it is scary!!! 

put ABAD as the closer

I just don't get how Jepsen, May, and Pressly have all been terrible. Is their water poisoned or something? 

I confess to not following all the teams and players the way I used to. I just don't have time any longer. I used to be able to recite almost any starting lineup and most rotations and a plethora of relievers that weren't closers. But alas, my knowledge of players in the league A-Z is not what it used to be. But it's still good enough that when we traded for Jepsen I had a "who?" moment.

But his career seemed solid, and I thought, OK, him and another guy yet to come who is even better and we could be in business. That, and Pelfrey to the pen, and we got a shot! Of course, Ryan had other plans. Or rather...he didnt. Except, of course, to move May to the pen when he was one of our better starters, keep starting Pelfrey.....Oh forget it. Just not going down this road again.

Maybe we really did just get lucky with Jepsen last year. I still think it was smart to bring him back this year, but ONE MORE TIME, along with SOMEONE ELSE. I believe Thrylos is correct, he's a solid, experienced middle guy who can pitch some setup once in a while. But full time setup and occassional closer is just not his role. What's wrong? Probably his role, for one. But I don't know, maybe losing really is a disease that you can catch.

Tonkin is by no means great, but he's actually surprised me this year. Pressly has surprised in a negative fashion similar to Jepsen. At this point, what I hope for, and what I'd do, is move Hughes to the pen. I'd be promoting Chargois soon. Jepsen would be a middle man with Pressly. And I'd send May to Rochester to relax, and stretch him out. I'm not anxious to move Abad. He's pitching well, has at least some history of success, may be worth bringing back, is inexpensive, and I'm unconvinced yet, despite all this, that a return would be better than keeping him. I think Rogers has potential.

Pen: Hughes, Chargois, Jepsen, Tonkin, Pressly and Tonkin. Abad and Rogers from the left side.

To be fair, both Jepsen and May have been horrible this season. May gave up 5 home runs already. He has allowed quite a few inherited runners to score. I really think May is way overrated. Jepsen might be gone after this season. May is still going to be around though.

Despite his struggles this year, I am not down on May. I think, like a lot of guys, he's just not performing up to his potential. It's the "why" that is the question. He did really well last year when given his shot in the pen. Not every pitcher is meant to be a starter, and not every pitcher is meant to be a reliever. Some can even do both, though they are usually better at one vs the other.

In either role, it is a learning and adapting process. And either role can take time to get a grip on. I think we often simply assume the pen is easier to succeed in vs starting, but your sequence is different than being a starter, if that is what you are used to. Often, you come in with runners on you didn't place there. And day to day, you don't always know if or when you will pitch.

My theory? In addition to learning how to adapt to being a RP, I think May was pitching well, in a groove, and was happy to help the team. This year, I think he was disappointed, and rather mislead about his chances to earn a SP spot. Further, through failings of the current rotation or poor planning by Molitor, or both, I think his role has been undetermined and the pressure to perform has been immense.

As a SP prospect, he was a big strapping kid who could make a bunch of starts and give a lot of innings. While not a probable #1...and let me state again you just can't easily say or predict who will develop in to a true #1...he had the stuff and potential to be anywhere from a quality #2, at worse, a quality #4. The biggest issue was pure, consistent control.

And that is where the real "crime" and disappointment of the handling of May comes back in to play again. Dead horse abuse aside, he was pitching well in 2015 as a member of the rotation, and getting better, with much better control, when he was moved to the pen. And for a team that has struggled developing quality young SP for several years, to take one you actually have and mess with him by bouncing around, is almost unforgivable. Especially for the sake of a poor performing veteran pending FA like Pelfrey?!

Send him down. Stretch him out. Get his confidence built back up, get him in a nice groove, then bring him back up.