| 19 July 2011
In innings six through nine this year, the Twins have been outscored by 48 runs.
When the Twins have been tied in the last four innings of a game this year, they have gone on to lose more games than they've won.
Unquestionably, the greatest need for this Minnesota squad is bullpen relief. Ignoring the iconoclastic pitching of Glen Perkins, the four relief pitchers with the most innings pitched this year have a combined ERA of 5.29. Phil Dumatrait can't get anybody out, Jim Hoey has been worthless and Dusty Hughes allows over two base-runners per inning.
That's a problem.
These guys form the Minnesota bullpen, and are asked to protect leads or give the offense a chance to catch up. The starting pitching hasn't been atrocious this year -- the Twins' rotation is currently hanging just below the middle of the pack in OPS-against –- but the bullpen is awful. The second-worst unit in the league, opposing batters are averaging All-Star caliber performances against Minnesota's bunch of relief pitchers.
As we discussed yesterday, the Twins are too close (and the AL Central too flawed) to sit on their hands for these next two weeks. The team could get markedly better by adding a league-average reliever or two, and Bill Smith should jump at the opportunity.
The top few prospects in the system are untouchable, but the Twins could pry away a few bullpen arms by offering some mid-level minor-league talent.
Predicting the trade deadline maneuverings of any team is a daunting and often impossible task, especially when you're trying to guess the actions of the unpredictable Smith.
But if I were the GM of the Twins, here is my wish list:
Tyler Clippard, RH-RP, Washington Nationals
Washington's strike-throwing righty is young, but already has several years of effective work at the MLB level. The 26-year old is under team control through the 2015 season, and is one of baseball's best strikeout artists, averaging nearly 11 K's per nine innings since 2008. His walk tally is higher than most, but Clippard's sub-2.00 ERA shows that he gets the job done.
Imaging him in Minnesota's bullpen isn't at all difficult; convincing the Nationals to part ways with Clippard is the hard part.
Clippard is clearly on the trade block, but Washington wants a long-term solution in return. That may include either Denard Span or Ben Revere, but the Nationals would need to ship over another piece if they wanted either of our center fielders.
Trading away future value in order to make a run for the division title this year is exactly what the Twins shouldn't do, but a mutually-beneficial trade involving some young talent may not be out of the question. Denard Span should be an integral part of the team's future, but if he provides more value in a trade than he would in Target Field, Smith should at least explore some possibilities.
Perhaps the Twins could swing a deal involving both Clippard and shortstop Ian Desmond for Span's team-friendly contract?
Grant Balfour, RH-RP, Oakland Athletics
It seems Balfour has finally found his groove. The former Twin is working on his second outstanding season in a row, and the 33-year old could be an attractive bullpen solution for Minnesota. For a relief pitcher, Balfour has a hefty price tag, as he's owed nearly $8 million for this season and next. But if he continues to post sub-3.00 ERAs, he is worth the investment.
The Athletics no doubt appreciate Balfour's efforts in Oakland, but would be more than willing to move the righty if the right prospect were offered. Oakland wouldn't demand a high-caliber minor-leaguer as compensation in any trade for Balfour, they wouldn't even ask for an adequate major-leaguer. A mid-level prospect like Tom Stuifbergen or even Bruce Pugh may get the job done.
Randy Choate, LH-SP, Florida Marlins
A lefty-specialist, Choate has been nearly unhittable this season. His walk rate is higher than most would like, but he more than makes up for it with a gaudy 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Jose Mijares hasn't exactly been reliable for the Twins this season, and Minnesota would love to have an answer for Chicago's Adam Dunn and Cleveland's Travis Hafner.
I don't want to over-state the importance of the bullpen. In the grand scheme of things, relief pitchers are the most fungible and least valuable players in baseball. But their purpose – locking down leads and keeping scores close in the late innings – remains important.
And if the Twins can't stop teams from outscoring them in the late inning, they don't stand much of a chance competing in the AL Central.
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