Melville DFAd, John Curtiss to be promoted

[Seth Stohs]

According to several Twins media (and FSN showing the Molitor post-game presser), Tim Melville has been DFAd.

 

According to Rhett Bollinger, RH RP John Curtiss will be promoted to the big league club.

 

 

 

Curtiss started 2016 in Cedar Rapids. After a month, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he spent the remainder of the year. He went to the AFL and pitched well. He began this year in Chattanooga, but at the end of June he was promoted to Rochester, where he has continued to pitch well.

 

He's got a big fastball and strong secondary pitches from his time as a starter.

 

In college at Texas, he was the team's closer in the College World Series. He had been a starter, but in college, he had both Thoracic Outlet surgery and Tommy John surgery. 

 

he's definitely one to watch! 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I guess I'm surprised Melville was still on the team as of tonight

 

Congrats to Curtiss! He's also a guy with quite the personality.

[Vanimal46]

I really like the fast promotion of Curtiss this season. Looking forward to watching him pitch.

[curt1965]

Great news! Glad to see the Twins using all their bullets!

[Danchat]

Yes, I like this move! I've been waiting to see what this kid has to offer ever since he went on a tear in AA early this year. I wasn't expecting him to get the call up, so let's hope he can deliver!

[Rosterman]

What this means is that Gibson has kept his spot in the rotation (he is not considered worse than Melville) and that Dee will more than likely start for his turn. 

 

We know Slegers will be back at some point.

 

And, of course, Mejia and Santiago are in the September wings. So the Twins are go now on starters.

 

Be interesting to see if anyone claims Melville. He could be a valuable pickup assignment for an AAA team in the playoff hunt if someone has 40-man roster space for the moment!

[USAFChief]

Good news.

[John Kelsey]

This is exciting. 

[drjim]

Definitely approve. See what the kid has.

[drjim]

What this means is that Gibson has kept his spot in the rotation (he is not considered worse than Melville) and that Dee will more than likely start for his turn.

 

We know Slegers will be back at some point.

 

And, of course, Mejia and Santiago are in the September wings. So the Twins are go now on starters.

 

Be interesting to see if anyone claims Melville. He could be a valuable pickup assignment for an AAA team in the playoff hunt if someone has 40-man roster space for the moment!

Slegers might not be back, at least not as a starter.

[ashbury]

Slegers might not be back, at least not as a starter.

Two separate concepts there. He's a lead-pipe cinch to be back at some point in September, the exact return date dependent on how the FO decides to handle AAA playoffs. Whether or not he starts any games, the poster's point is that come September the Twins will be well stocked with starting candidates so Melville will not be missed.

[birddog]

It looks as if the bullpen, a liability almost all season, is maybe starting to become a real asset as Hildenberger, Busenitz, and other young arms have been coming through. Of course getting 6+ runs a game can make the whole staff look good. Let's hope Curtiss can continue to put up great numbers.

 

Mixed emotions about Gibson's win last night as I'm guessing this keeps him in the rotation for the rest of the year? And signed in the off season? Can anyone tell me why guys with his numbers keep their rotation spots while Slegers gets one great start against Cleveland and is done?

[gunnarthor]

Sure hope Curtiss can be a big part of the pen up here. His fastball is supposed to be something but he struggles with control, at least coming into the season. Maybe he ends being who we thought Burdi would be.

[nicksaviking]

I'm excited for Curtiss. He's one of those guys who's putting up great minor league numbers and actually has the stuff and velocity to support them. 

 

It always seemed likely that the team's future closer would be coming from the draft class of 2012 or 2014. Curtiss would have been toward the bottom of the list of likely candidates a couple years ago, but he might be the guy now. Fingers crossed!

 

Also, he still wears the glasses doesn't he? He really should be rocking some Ricky Vaughn specs at the MLB level.

[drjim]

 

Two separate concepts there. He's a lead-pipe cinch to be back at some point in September, the exact return date dependent on how the FO decides to handle AAA playoffs. Whether or not he starts any games, the poster's point is that come September the Twins will be well stocked with starting candidates so Melville will not be missed.

 

I agree that Melville won't be missed.

 

But I don't think Slegers is any kind of a lock to be back. I doubt one spot start did much to change their thoughts on him, and he was on pace to not be added to the 40 man. There are arms that could and will be added before him.

[drjim]

 

Agreed. I hope that Molitor doesn't get enamored with Gibson based upon one start against a very bad team. A good team wouldn't have swung at as many breaking balls out of the zone, forced Gibson to come into the strike zone with his fastball, and probably knocked him out by the second inning.Maybe this gets Gibson gong. Toronto isn't that good a team either so a good outing and he can build confidence.  Much more likely, I expect him to get knocked out early Sunday and that might open a spot for Slegers.     

 

Considering they waited an extra day to make a move to shake out the rotation, I don't think anyone is enamored with Gibson at this point.

[birddog]

I understand that Slegers is not a strikeout guy and is not one of the Twins top pitching prospects, but after one dominating start against the team we are chasing maybe you have to find out what you have. He's been very good at AAA going 13-4 with a 3.18 ERA. His ERA will probably go up in the majors, but it shows he's got the savy to win. At worst he is Bartolo Colon, but with 15 more years of future. With all the question marks at SP--and all the renovation that needs to be done in the off season--don't we need to see what we have? 

[Doomtints]

I would like the Twins to explain why Melville was called up in the first place. He performed as well as anyone could have expected. 

 

They then cut him for performing as expected right after the game?

 

Why not use a prospect they actually think highly enough of to give a chance? Use a pitcher who they *really* want to evaluate?

Seems like Molitor (or maybe the Twins in general) overthought/panicked over the whole "5 game series" thing. The team did not need 2 extra starters to make it through the series. Sure this was a "day off" on the original schedule, but so what? These games were scheduled months ago. The team conceded a loss by having a "bullpen game" to start a series when right now they only have 1 game to burn in the WC race.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

But I don't think Slegers is any kind of a lock to be back. I doubt one spot start did much to change their thoughts on him, and he was on pace to not be added to the 40 man. There are arms that could and will be added before him.

I'm guessing they didn't add Slegers to the 40-man just to expose him to waivers by taking him off in October.  He's actually probably safe for the offseason too, as a "draft excluded player" (added to the 40-man between August 15th and the Rule 5 draft), there are restrictions on outrighting him from November until March:

 

http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3517

 

 

A Draft-Excluded Player can be sent outright to the minors only if Outright Assignment Waivers are requested no later than 2 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the final game of the World Series, and if a Draft-Excluded Player is not outrighted to the minors prior to the Rule 5 Draft, the player cannot be Designated for Assignment or sent outright to the minors any earlier than 20 days prior to the start of the MLB regular season.

 

Will be interesting to see if they burn an option on him for 2017, though.  He will have to be back by September 6 to avoid that.  With Gee shifting to the rotation, perhaps they see Slegers as the long man come September 1st?  Rochester should still have enough starters left to make a playoff push.

[birddog]

Thanks, spycake, for the info which shows it makes sense.

 

[drjim]

 

I'm guessing they didn't add Slegers to the 40-man just to expose him to waivers by taking him off in October.  He's actually probably safe for the offseason too, as a "draft excluded player" (added to the 40-man between August 15th and the Rule 5 draft), there are restrictions on outrighting him from November until March:

 

http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3517

 

 

Will be interesting to see if they burn an option on him for 2017, though.  He will have to be back by September 6 to avoid that.  With Gee shifting to the rotation, perhaps they see Slegers as the long man come September 1st?  Rochester should still have enough starters left to make a playoff push.

 

Draft Excluded Player, what a rule. I think it hurts him here. He's the kind of guy that would be kept but dfa'ed when they signed a free agent.

 

Will be interesting to see if he make it through. I don't think burning an option is much of a concern. Unless he is needed, he probably stays at Rochester through their season. Boshers and Turley would be up before him.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Draft Excluded Player, what a rule. I think it hurts him here. He's the kind of guy that would be kept but dfa'ed when they signed a free agent.

You'd think that, but then again, this is the organization that added Pat Dean in November a couple years ago.  (That's the primary reason I am familiar with that rule, because everyone assumed Dean could be outrighted when we signed a FA.)

 

I'm guessing they don't have very ambitious FA plans, and they feel like there won't be much of a 40-man crunch when all is said and done either.

[drjim]

 

You'd think that, but then again, this is the organization that added Pat Dean in November a couple years ago.  (That's the primary reason I am familiar with that rule, because everyone assumed Dean could be outrighted when we signed a FA.)

 

I'm guessing they don't have very ambitious FA plans, and they feel like there won't be much of a 40-man crunch when all is said and done either.

 

I knew about the rule of adding a player after the season not being eligible for a dfa, didn't realize the cutoff was August 15.

 

You may be right about the lack of the 40 man roster crunch. I tend to agree, but that is a pretty big loss of flexibility for a marginal 40 man arm.

[jimbo92107]

They should have called up Curtiss a month ago. Good for the young man. Let's see some flaming fastballs!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

we can't send him to AAA between November and March if we bring him up without exposing him on waivers?

Not quite.

 

First of all, nobody gets "sent to AAA" between November and March -- the only real distinction in the offseason is 40-man roster or not on the 40-man roster.

 

But because of when he was added, Slegers can't be freely outrighted off the 40-man roster between November and March, even if he clears waivers.  (More accurately, he could be outrighted before the Rule 5 draft in early December, but only if we request waivers on him and he clears in early November. After the Rule 5 draft, he can't be outrighted at all until March.)

 

He could get waived and outrighted between now and early November, though.  Seems unlikely, but it is possible.

 

Primarily, it all means that Slegers is unlikely to be the "40th guy" who gets dropped when we sign a FA or make a trade because in most cases this winter, we'd have to trade or release him, and thus lose him, instead of simply outrighting him but retaining control.

[bluechipper]

Good luck to John Curtiss. This year is finally the year we get to see some of these relief prospects get a chance.

[Captain Hindsight]

Be interesting to see if anyone claims Melville. He could be a valuable pickup assignment for an AAA team in the playoff hunt if someone has 40-man roster space for the moment!

I'd be surprised if the Dodgers didn't put a claim on him. They seem to claim every pitcher with the tiniest bit of upside that hits waivers in hopes of sneaking them through waivers a second time. He seems to fit what they tend to look for plus they might need a spot starter/long reliever with all the injuries they have had to the rotation lately.

[Dantes929]

 

Sure hope Curtiss can be a big part of the pen up here. His fastball is supposed to be something but he struggles with control, at least coming into the season. Maybe he ends being who we thought Burdi would be.

Well if Curtiss ends up being who we thought Burdi would be and Burdi ends up being who we thought Burdi would be, next year we will have Curtiss, Burdi, Rogers, Duffey, Belisle, Hildenberger,  and Busenitz.   Possibly, Perkins, Chargois, May and Pressley.    Like Rosario, Polanco and Buxton maybe the plan for relief was simply to have patience.    If we want a free agent relief pitcher should we get Kintzler back?

[Tecmo]

Curtiss hasn't given up a home run since 2015 and, unless I'm mistaken, has never given up a home run in the minors as a reliever.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Curtiss hasn't given up a home run since 2015 and, unless I'm mistaken, has never given up a home run in the minors as a reliever.

And you almost certainly jinxed him now.