By: Alex Berger
During Spring Training, we'll be breaking down each position. This includes a look at the players set to make the rosters, any notable position battles, and any other notable non-roster invitees or minor leaguers in big league camp.
The Twins starting pitching was the story of 2013...in the worst kind of way. The Twins starters were near the bottom of the league in ERA, innings pitched, and strikeouts, and they helped doom the team to another 90 loss season.
In the offseason the Twins clearly made starting pitching a priority instead of just relying on their young but unproven prospects. While the Twins didn't break the bank by any means, they got a starter who has been known for his consistency, as well as two higher upside starters who have the potential to have great seasons for the Twins.
Going into training camp, the battle for the last rotation spot will be one to keep an eye on. Complicating things for the Twins is the fact that three contenders for their last spot are all out of minor league options, meaning that if they don't crack the rotation they may be leaving the organization.
The Twins younger pitchers will also be fascinating to watch this offseason. While none of the Twins top prospects are expected to make the rotation straight out of camp, it would not be surprising at all to see at least two of them make a start in Target Field before the season is through.
The 25-Man Roster Locks: Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes, Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey
Ricky Nolasco is the closest thing the Twins have to an ace after signing a 4-year, $49 million contract with Minnesota in December. Nolasco brings a stable arm to a rotation that was ranked at the bottom of the league last season. In 33 starts between the Marlins and Dodgers last season, Nolasco posted a respectable 3.70 earned run average while helping the Dodgers make a playoff run at the end of the season. Although he might not be an ace by the league's standards, Nolasco brings the ability to get outs and eat up innings, something Minnesota desperately needs after last season.
The second new addition to the Twins' rotation came in Phil Hughes, who came over from the Yankees to sign a 3-year, $24 million contract. Hughes struggled in his 2013 campaign, going 4-14 with a 5.19 ERA in hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium. However, Hughes has been effective in the past and received All-Star accolades during his 18-8 2010 season. With strong pitches in his arsenal, the move to the extremely pitcher-friendly Target Field should help Hughes bounce back.
Kevin Correia, who played his first season with the Twins in 2013 was the most reliable pitcher in the rotation last season. In 31 starts, Correia posted a respectable 4.18 ERA in 185.1 innings pitched. Correia, truly a number three or four starter, does not do anything flashy on the mound but he does get the job done and last season went deeper into ball games than any other starter, averaging 6 innings per start.
Mike Pelfrey posted a 5.19 ERA for the Twins last season in his return from Tommy John Surgery. Pelfrey struggled mightily at times and could not make it far into games. That said, he did settle in towards the end of the season and post some solid outings giving the Twins reason to resign him this past offseason.
Position Battlers: Samuel Deduno, Scott Diamond, Vance Worley, Kyle Gibson
Samuel Deduno, considered the favorite to be the club's fifth starter in 2014, is coming off a decent 2013 campaign. Deduno made 18 starts for the Twins in 2013, posting a 3.83 in those starts. Deduno was the most dependable of the Twins starters after the All Star break, but an injury later in the year cut his season short. Deduno needs to show that his increased control in 2013 was not a fluke and that he can stay healthy if he wants to crack this year's rotation. Deduno is also out of club options this year, meaning that if he does not make the club, another team could scoop him up.
Scott Diamond had a terribly disappointing 2013 season after a very solid 2012 season with the Twins. Diamond saw his ERA increase nearly two full runs while allowing hitters to beat him at a .306 clip. He also struggled to get deep into ball games, averaging less than 5.5 innings per start. Diamond needs to focus his control to lock up a starting spot, and he needs to show that this spring. If he does not make the rotation, Diamond is a potential option as a bullpen pitcher as he is out of minor league options like Deduno.
Vance Worley also had a disappointed 2013 season after coming over to Minnesota in the Ben Revere trade before the season. Worley had shown great potential in Philedelphia going 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA in his 2011 rookie campaign. Like Diamond and Deduno, Worley is out of options and looks to also be a candidate for a long-relief role in the bullpen, if he can show some of his velocity is back.
Kyle Gibson, a top pitching prospect for the Twins for many seasons, made his major league debut in 2013. He struggled during his time in the majors, posting a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts. Of the four players vying for the fifth rotation spot, Gibson is considered the longest shot as he is not out of options and can be sent back down to the minor leagues to continue to develop and build up some confidence. Gibson is still shortly removed from Tommy John surgery, and his arm should feel a lot better this year.
Notable Non-Roster Invitees: Alex Meyer, Trevor May
Alex Meyer, ranked as the 28th best overall prospect in baseball, will not make the Twins' opening day roster although he is eyeing a 2014 major league debut. The Twins' top pitching prospect has had nothing but success in the minors. His power arm and 6'9" frame look to be team's ace of the future.
Trevor May came over with Vance Worley from the Phillies after the 2012 season. May is not expected to be on the Twins' roster at all during the 2014 season. May projects to be a middle to back of the rotation starter. In his first season in the Twins' organization, he posted a 4.51 ERA in 27 starts at AA New Britain while striking out 9.5 batters per nine innings.
Grade: C
The Twins rotation last season would've received an F. With some quality additions in the offseason, the Twins took a terrible rotation and made it average. There could be some surprises, but for now they'll receive an average grade.
Tips for Terry -
From Alex:
Any changes to the rotation this offseason would've been welcomed and I think the Twins did a nice job adding some talent to the group. However, I believe that they overpaid for Hughes, although he has done well in the past, someone who posts a 5.19 ERA should not be rewarded with a multi-year, $24 million deal. I believe that he has the potential to bounce back and be looked back on as a great signing, but I feel like, given the risk, the large contract was a bit of an overreaction to the team's desperate need for quality starters. In my ideal world, the Twins enter the season with the rotation consisting of Nolasco, Correia, Hughes, Pelfrey, and Deduno. I believe that Diamond and Worley could both work effectively out of the bullpen and I would hate to see the team release them as I do not envision them clearing waivers. As for Gibson, it was apparent to me that he still wasn't quite major league ready coming off of Tommy John surgery. If he is successful in AAA to begin the season, I feel a mid-summer call-up would be a good decision. In Meyer's case, as much as I love the hype surrounding top prospects (and I'll be saying the same thing for Buxton), I do NOT believe he should be called up in 2014 (unless he is absolutely lights out in AAA). Although he set himself the lofty goal of a 2014 debut, the difference between pitching in AA and the MLB is large. I firmly believe that taking it slow with prospects is the right decision as disrupting their development could hurt their potential.
From Ben:
The Twins did a very nice job addressing this position in the offseason, though there is still plenty of work to do here if the Twins want to achieve a winning season for the first time in four years. While the battle between Deduno, Worley and Diamond will get a lot of publicity in camp, the Twins shouldn't be married to any of those guys for the long term. If Gibson lights it up in spring training or early in AAA, the Twins shouldn't hesitate to move him back into the rotation, and the same goes for Alex Meyer. The Twins should not hesitate to part with their fifth starter to make room for one of those two, or trade Correia before the deadline if the Twins feel both prospects are ready.
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