Bullpen

I know this was a long time ago, but remember back when the snow was on the ground and we were wearing winter coats up here in Minnesota? No? Um, well, anyway, six months ago, we were discussing the Twins starting rotation. Back on February 21 I wrote that I didn’t see Bass being a starting pitcher, but if he made it to the majors, it would be in long relief. And so that happened. However, he didn’t seem to make it as a long reliever, either, but was recently optioned to the Twins AAA team. Because he’s out of options--and obviously cleared waivers--he has 72 hours to decide whether or not to accept the assignment. Last reports had him unsure of what he was going to choose.

Now, on one hand, it did seem odd to many people that Bass was the one optioned. The bullpen has been struggling a bit--Guerrier can’t seem to get people out at the rate he’s shown the last year and a half--so getting rid of one bullpen member before a long road trip (14 games in 15 days, all on the road) seems crazier. Even crazier than my run-on sentence there. But it does make sense. Lately, it takes a dire situation for Bass to appear on the mound. The team has to be losing by a great number of runs, or literally have no other bullpen pitchers left. (Last week, towards the end of the game, starter Scott Baker ran down to the bullpen when there was only Bass left. I would not have been surprised to see Baker brought in before Bass. Bass did pitch, incidentally, and did fine.) Granted, his overall stats were not significantly worse than any of the other relievers, Joe Nathan and Jesse Crain excepting, there’s less of a history. The Twins have seen Boof Bonser do very well at the major league level. Matt Guerrier has been a solid bullpen arm for two years now. Dennys Reyes, while both have some very nerve-wrecking outings, have two advantages: some very good innings, and they’re left-handed. Bass clearly was the odd-man out.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see another bullpen pitcher called to the Twins during the road trip--even before the September 1st roster expansion. It’s possible the starting pitching can hold their own and keep the bullpen load manageable, but that’s a very optimistic view--a bit too much for my optimism, too. Sure, two of the teams the Twins face on the road trip aren’t very good (Seattle and Oakland), but we’ve seen Seattle beat us up. It won’t be a cakewalk. (Why do we still use the term cakewalk? Has anyone taken part in a cakewalk in the last century?)

At any rate, I expect the disappearance of Bass from the bullpen to be transparent. He was so rarely used that his inning could easily be eaten by another pitcher, or shared. (He’s pitched 7 2/3 innings since the all-star break.)

This isn’t to say I don’t feel bad for the man. He was given opportunities, and had plenty of good outings, but because his bad ones were so much more memorable than the good, he sadly needed to go. If the Twins were in a rebuilding year, like they were supposed to be, he would’ve been given more opportunities to play, and possibly would’ve been doing better. But in a playoff race, a team can’t afford to put an unproven pitcher out there often as he needs to be.

It’s my little sister’s 23rd birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Wee Sister! I feel old.