Twins 3, Tigers 5: Big Day Ends in Loss to Tigers

11 hours ago, USAFChief said:

If we had someone capable of routinely giving us 4 or 5 clean innings once a week he'd be a starter.

You remember Chief those days when a work horse SP normally completed their games and team would have only 4 of them. We also had a closer to finish some games  and a long RP they had in rare case of emergency.  I'd love to have 5 work horses but as you know those days are regrettably long  gone. Because of a few added teams and the stress from durability to velo/ spin rate.

To begin this season we had 8 pitchers that fell into that category of someone capable of routinely give us 4-5 innings plus Cotton who could give us 3. And we had a very weak and unproven short relief. So who do you want to put your trust, on the weak short relief (which they have) or the 5 best SPs to pitch mainly 5 innings & 4 capable long relief to complete the game or hand the ball over to Duran?

Short relief couldn't take that burden so it was transferred to the rotation to regularly pitch 6 innings, All 8 SPs have spent time on the IL and 4 have spent extensive time and are still there.

We got a new pitcher that IMO can regularly go 6 innings and 2 new capable RPs which will help immensely. But to arrive at the postseason healthy & rested, we need to reincorporate long relief. Right now we have Smeltzer, Sanchez and maybe Cotton. Later Ober and Winder will become available to rotate in and out of long relief. But I'm afraid that might not happen,

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

I do remember the old days, including when bullpens featured a "long man" or 2. For that matter, I remember before Tony LaRussa invented the 1 inning closer.

Those days are gone. 

I don't think it makes sense to dedicate a spot, and even if it did, I don't think we have any likely candidates. If a guy can routinely go 5 innings and routinely limit runs, he's a starter. If he can't, he's a 1 or 2 inning guy. 

"Long relief" just isn't a thing any more.

I'm glad Chief that we agree that the old days are over and I can agree with you it is better to have 4 capable short RPs to complete a game than 1 capable long RPs for that game. But over the long run or even the short run it will wear down the BP. A team that can develop their pitching where they have 8 capable long RPs on the roster and a bunch in the minors will go far. 

We don't have the pitching developement to crank out those pitchers to compete & vie to advance in the post season. Just because nobody have "long relief" doesn't mean we shouldn't. To compete we have to be innovative, that means when you see a constant problem you strive to resolve that problem. To change our mindset & think outside the box. 

As I stated before we have had many capable candidates who are SPs who are wasted in AAA that should be in the "long relief" role on the MLB Twins.