Positional Battles: Who’s In The Pen For The Twins
Jul 9, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Caleb Thielbar (56) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Of the options, Thielbar brings the most relative track record to the bullpen. Having pitched out of the Twins bullpen each of the last two seasons, he took somewhat of a step back last season. Seeing his ERA rise from 1.76 in 2012 to 3.40 in 2014, Thielbar will need to get back to his former self.
The downturn can be attributed to a higher amount of walks, as well as a decreased amount of strikeouts per nine innings. Although he gave up less home runs in 2014, Thielbar was responsible for 18 earned runs, doubling his 2013 mark.
With organizational familiarity, Thielbar is in a good spot. He is going to need to make sure he cements himself amongst the Twins plans with a good spring.