After two years of stockpilling pitching depth, the Twins face an usual position of having a talented array of AAA and AA pitchers roadblocked by mediocre, yet durable, veterans at the big league league.
The Rochester Red Wings lead the AAA International League with a staggering 3.12 ERA and a league-low 360 hits in 412.2 innings pitched. Former Twins’ ace, Scott Diamond, owns the only ERA over 4.00, pitching to a 6.70 ERA due to a rough start.
Scanning through the Red Wings’ starting staff and bullpen, it could be argued that any pitcher on the team could compete respectably at the big league level.
Alex Meyer and Trevor May are righthanded power pitchers matching wits, with almost identical stats to start the season. Meyer has a 3.55 ERA over 45.2 innings, 37 hits and 54 strikeouts. May has a 3.00 ERA in 48 innings, 35 hits and 50 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, lefthanders, Kris Johnson and Logan Darnell, consistently throw in the low-90s, which is great for southpaws. They are striking out almost as many batters as Meyer/May with even better overall results. Johnson has a 2.11 ERA over 47 innings, 38 hits and 45 strikeouts. Remarkable, swingman righthander, Yohan Pino, sports the teams' best ERA at 1.42 over 38 innings, 24 hits and 38 strikeouts, including two shutouts.
A solid case could be made that a rotation of Meyer, May, Johnson, Darnell and Pino could produce better major league numbers than the Twins’ current veteran staff. At the very least, it could be very competitive.
Currently, the Red Wings’ staff is so solid that Sean Gilmartin, Pat Dean and Virgil Vasquez, who have all seen some success at AAA, are stashed away at AA New Britain, and Mike Pelfrey is currently in a DL limbo, without a spot for him in the majors or even AAA.
Pelfrey posted a 7.99 ERA over five starts, and was put on the DL in order to regain his velocity. However, Sam Deduno, his replacement, has pitched his way into the rotation to stay, with a 3.48 ERA in 41.1 innings. Pelfrey is in the first year of a 2-year, $11 million contract, so it is highly unlikely that he would be released, and he hasn’t thrown well enough to be traded.
Of the Twins' starting five, only Kevin Correia is not be under team control in 2015, and he also sports the league’s worst ERA for a starter at 6.34 over ten starts and 55.1 innings. Historically, the Twins have given veterans about ten starts before a possible release, but Corriea was the Twins top starter in 2013, and has a respectable track record and durability.
It would normally make sense to send Correia or Pelfrey to the bullpen, but there isn’t really a spot there either. Jared Burton has a 6.20 ERA in 20.1 innings, but has a solid track record. Matt Guerrier might be the bullpen’s weakest link, but again is a veteran with a track record. None of these pitchers would draw any value through trade.
Something has to give, and the Twins may listen to trades if teams come calling. With a deep bullpen in AAA, the team may trade a setup man like Brian Duensing, Casey Fien, Jared Burton, or long reliever, Anthony Swarzak. All are valued relievers, but these four may be the only veteran pitchers with trade value. This would than allow one of the team's lesser starters to move into long relief, and open the door for at least one of Rochesters' overpowering starts to enter the rotation.
