Guerrier Injury
In an injury that few Twins fans will have seen, due to it's taking place during an untelevised afternoon game. I was watching on my computer thanks to mlb.tv. Even my spendy subscription to MLB extra innings on Comcast Digital didn't carry it. Anyway, enough on that...
The injury itself looked like it could be bad from the start. A solid line drive right off what I thought was his wrist. Turns out it was the thumb, but I don't see that as all that much better on a right-handed pitchers right hand. So Guerrier, who has been solid if unremarkable, is now removed from the Twins bullpen for as much as 2 months.
The Twins website is reporting that the most likely scenario involves the call-up of Kyle Lohse from AAA. I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed, and hope that the Twins brass change/changes its collective mind before making the move. Pat Neshek has been phenomenal this season, and deserves a chance to be called up. Willie Eyre has been solid enough to earn a chance to fill in Guerrier's long-reliever-in-important-games role. That leaves the role of "extra reliever" that Eyre has filled so admirably this year open, and Neshek seems to be the perfect choice.
The advantage with Lohse is that he's capable of pitching longer than Neshek, since he's obviously used to being a starter. There are three reasons that I don't think it's worth bringing him up in this role. First, Lohse is unpredictable in temperment and abilities. He's been horrible at the major league level this year, and pitching well in AAA doesn't change that. How is he going to react to a new role in the bullpen? Second, I think that Lohse has had his chance. Neshek is an up-and-comer, while Lohse is, at this point, a re-tread. I prefer to give a youngster a shot rather than hopint that two weeks in the minors fixed Lohse. Third, I am hoping that Lohse is traded this season, and that the Twins can get something of a decent return on the deal. I think that Lohse is more valuable if as a starter, and I think he can be made to look best starting at AAA, rather than being used as, I fear, a mediocre reliever.
Hopefully Terry Ryan will agree with me. The last time the Twins called somebody up was when Baker was sent down. I didn't get Neshek then, as I'd hoped, but the Twins also didn't make the mistake of calling up Shawn Wooten. We'll see if I get what I want this time, or what I expressly don't want, or something in between like last time.
The injury itself looked like it could be bad from the start. A solid line drive right off what I thought was his wrist. Turns out it was the thumb, but I don't see that as all that much better on a right-handed pitchers right hand. So Guerrier, who has been solid if unremarkable, is now removed from the Twins bullpen for as much as 2 months.
The Twins website is reporting that the most likely scenario involves the call-up of Kyle Lohse from AAA. I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed, and hope that the Twins brass change/changes its collective mind before making the move. Pat Neshek has been phenomenal this season, and deserves a chance to be called up. Willie Eyre has been solid enough to earn a chance to fill in Guerrier's long-reliever-in-important-games role. That leaves the role of "extra reliever" that Eyre has filled so admirably this year open, and Neshek seems to be the perfect choice.
The advantage with Lohse is that he's capable of pitching longer than Neshek, since he's obviously used to being a starter. There are three reasons that I don't think it's worth bringing him up in this role. First, Lohse is unpredictable in temperment and abilities. He's been horrible at the major league level this year, and pitching well in AAA doesn't change that. How is he going to react to a new role in the bullpen? Second, I think that Lohse has had his chance. Neshek is an up-and-comer, while Lohse is, at this point, a re-tread. I prefer to give a youngster a shot rather than hopint that two weeks in the minors fixed Lohse. Third, I am hoping that Lohse is traded this season, and that the Twins can get something of a decent return on the deal. I think that Lohse is more valuable if as a starter, and I think he can be made to look best starting at AAA, rather than being used as, I fear, a mediocre reliever.
Hopefully Terry Ryan will agree with me. The last time the Twins called somebody up was when Baker was sent down. I didn't get Neshek then, as I'd hoped, but the Twins also didn't make the mistake of calling up Shawn Wooten. We'll see if I get what I want this time, or what I expressly don't want, or something in between like last time.
posted by JST @ Thursday, June 08, 2006
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