The Twins reportedly added their third new starter from the National League, in sinkerball righthander, Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey, 28, has been the Mets’ unsung hero over the past half decade, providing over 30 starts each year from 2008-2011, before undergoing Tommy John surgery early last season.
The former 1st round pick is not overpowering, but has an impressive career ratio of one home run per 12.8 innings, along with a respectable 1.26 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning).
Twins General Manager, Terry Ryan, has put great efforts into acquiring players that can thrive at Target Field, a ballpark that theoretically plays well to righthanded sinkerball pitchers that can limit fly balls going to left field.
In 2012, the Twins were tied with the Colorado Rockies for the second most home runs allowed in Major League Baseball, with a ratio of one home run per 7.3 innings. Most of the homers were hit to left field, as Target Field is said to favor right-hander hitters. Left field also happens to be the position of Josh Willingham, the Twins’ poorest defensive player.
Terry Ryan has also preached the need to add “numbers” in regards to starting pitchers, and Pelfrey comes at a fairly low-risk gamble at a one-year $4 million contract with a possible $1.5 million in incentives. Although he had Tommy John surgery last May, and will be watched carefully, the Twins now appear to have some depth to allow him to return to form. Although not unreasonable, the contract is likely $1-2 million more than he was offered by other teams, and the Twins’ financial flexibility played a huge role in the signing.
It’s interesting to note that all three new pitchers, Pelfrey, Vance Worley and Kevin Correia, are sinkerball righthanders that have spent their entire careers in the National League. Typically pitchers have an advantage when facing hitters for the first time, so hopefully this will benefit the new trio of pitchers.
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