The Long Shot to Watch
When people discuss who will be part of the
Twins bullpen, a lot of names are mentioned. A lot depends on the health of Joe
Nathan. How many left-handers will be on the pitching staff? Which
of the six starters will be part of the bullpen. There are a lot of
names, and a lot of good options.
If I had to project today who I think
will be in the Twins bullpen on Opening Day, I would say: Joe
Nathan, Matt Capps, Jose Mijares, Dusty Hughes,
Nick Blackburn, Scott Diamond and one of Pat Neshek,
Anthony Slama or James Hoey.
If that is the case, two good arms will not be on the roster, and neither would
the likes of left-handers Glen Perkins, Phil Dumatrait,
and Chuck James, It also does not include Erik Hacker, Jeff Manship, or Kyle Waldrop.
Non-roster invitees Kyle Gibson and Carlos
Gutierrez are getting some attention this spring. In my mind, those are
the two Twins minor leaguers who could come up in late June or
July and make a large impact on the AL Central race.
Alex Burnett is hardly even mentioned as an
option for the Twins bullpen, and I'm not sure why. Consider that one year ago,
he was participating in his first big league spring training camp.
One year after converting from a starting pitcher to a reliever, Burnett put up
impressive numbers and was an easy add to the Twins 40
man roster. He was sent to minor league camp early in spring, but
when Clay Condrey officially could not make
the Twins Opening Day roster, it was Burnett that was promoted to the big
leagues. He looked terrific early in the Twins season before really
struggling following the All-Star break. He was sent back to Rochester (his
first AAA experience), and still just 23 years old, he has an
opportunity to be a major contributor to the Twins bullpen in the near future
and for years to come.
That same scenario could happen
in 2011 with the Twins' David Bromberg. I am referring to the Twins
right-handed pitcher, not the folk
music, Grammy-nominated guitar player. I believe that the
right-hander is definitely worth watching in 2011.
Last fall, the Twins added four players to
their 40 man roster. Three of those decisions were easy decisions, and
likely none was easier than the decision to add Bromberg. The Twins selected
him with their 32nd round pick in 2005 out of Santa Ana Junior College. He did
not sign right away. In fact, he didn't sign with the Twins until
just before the 2006 draft. Upon signing, he went to the GCL Twins
where he went 3-3 with a 2.66 ERA in ten starts.
In 2007, he went 9-0 with a 2.78 ERA. In 58.1
innings, he had an Appalachian League leading 81 strikeouts.
In 2008, he led all of minor league baseball
with 177 strikeouts (in 150 innings) for the Beloit Snappers. That year, he
went 9-10 with a 4.44 ERA.
In 2009, he moved up to Ft. Myers where he
was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year (and the Jim Rantz Award winner for Twins Minor League Pitcher of the
Year). He went 13-4 with a 2.70 ERA. He led the league with 148 strikeouts in
153.1 innings.
Interestingly, despite leading his league in
strikeouts three consecutive seasons, scouting reports indicated that he was
not a strikeout pitcher. Despite being a frontline starter for his team at
least level, he is most frequently viewed as a back-of-the-rotation starter or
long-reliever.
He began the 2010 season in Double-A New
Britain. He made 17 starts and went 5-5 with a 3.62 ERA. However, he struck out
just 65 in 99.1 innings. The 5.9 strikeouts per nine innings was
noteworthy as it was nearly two below his previous season-low.
In mid-July, he was promoted to Triple-A
Rochester where he held his own. Despite a 1-4 record, he posted a 3.98
ERA. And, in 52 innings, he struck out 47 (8.1 per nine).
Like Alex Burnett, Bromberg has put up really
good numbers as a starting pitcher. Burnett was not a strikeout pitcher as a
starter, but once he moved to the bullpen, he recorded a lot of strikeouts.
What could Bromberg do as a reliever, if he would be able to go all-out for one
inning at a time? That's where we need to look at his
"stuff."
Bromberg throws a three-quarter angle
fastball between 88 and 91 mph. In previous years, he had touched 93 mph. He
has a very good curveball and a changeup too. With Burnett, it meant a 3-4 mph
increase on his fastball. Bromberg has had control problems in the past, and
although it is something that he has improved through his career. It is
something he will continue to work on. Another positive trait is that Bromberg
is not afraid to pitch inside.
Bromberg worked very hard this past
offseason. The 6-5 right-hander pitched at 265 in 2010, but he is now down to a
slim 243 as he enters spring training. Having talked to him at Twins Fest, he's
excited for the season, and he would love to move to the bullpen if it meant
getting him to the big leagues.
Will Bromberg get a shot at making the 2011
Opening Day roster? I would doubt it. In fact, my guess is that he will be
among the first group of players sent to minor league camp (as Burnett was in
2010). Why?
Reason #1 is because 40-man roster players
injured in major league camp, in major league games, would need to be put
on the Major League disabled list. That means they would be paid
major league salary for that time. So, the team sends them down
quickly. Of course, that means they can't play/pitch in big league spring
training games, but since the Twins minor league camp is in the same facility,
the appropriate people will still see him pitch.
The second reason is that if the team
believes he can be a back-of-the-rotation starter, then he should continue to
be a starting pitcher in Rochester, at least to start the 2011 season. It is
much more difficult to find starting pitchers than relievers. Having reliever
depth isn't as difficult because starters can transition quickly to the
bullpen, but having options who can start and pitch
well over six or seven innings is much more difficult. As long as the Twins
feel Bromberg is a starting pitching option, they should leave that door open.
Kyle Gibson is the name that Twins fans are watching for, but if the Twins have
a need in the starting rotation and Bromberg is pitching better, they wouldn't
hesitate to promote Bromberg.
So, will Bromberg be an opening day bullpen
guy? Probably not. But is he a name that Twins
fans should get to know? Absolutely. he could be a mid-season call-up, either as a starting
pitcher or as a reliever. Of course, since he is a very good prospect, the
Twins are going to be smart with him. They will be patient. Like Gibson, and
like Gutierrez, Twins fans should know the name of David Bromberg because he
could play an important role for the team in 2011.
What are your thoughts on Bromberg, or other
long shots to watch this spring? Leave
comments here.