This weekend, the Minnesota Twins wrapped up another successful Twins Fest. Many topics were discussed, including the timeline of Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton reaching the majors. Out of all the stories however, an interview from Alex Meyer may have brought the most questions.
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After dealing Denard Span to the Washington Nationals in return for Alex Meyer, the Twins believed they had gotten a top of the rotation arm in return. Now at 25 years old, and yet to pitch above Triple-A, Meyer wants his chance. According to Meyer, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to the majors, including coming out of the bullpen.
Alex Meyer on possible pen role: "Whatever it takes to help the Minnesota Twins. If it’s me being a left-on-left guy, I really don’t care."
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) January 25, 2015
Terry Ryan has mentioned that Alex Meyer will compete for a rotation spot this spring, and that still remains his long-term destination, but heading to the bullpen provides more questions than it does answers.
In the rotation, it is likely between Tommy Milone and Alex Meyer for the final spot. Trevor May, Mike Pelfrey, and others will be in the mix, but those two appear to be the frontrunners. Meyer is seeing his biggest knock be a lack of command. Last season he walked to many batters, despite having a K/9 ratio rest above ten. The fear is that will translate to bad outings that could shake his confidence at the major league level.
Should Meyer go to the bullpen, the Twins would seemingly have even less clarity. Tim Stauffer was brought in this offseason and should be the long reliever in the role previously filled by Anthony Swarzak. Putting Meyer into a position where he is a situational pitcher would make a transition back to the rotation take more time. He would need to be stretched back out as a starter, and to change his entire preparation.
Although being 25 and still in the minors isn’t ideal, it may be the best course of action when it comes to Meyer. If he doesn’t win the rotation spot, having him start alongside May and others in Rochester allows him to immediately contribute when called upon by the Twins. Sure, a bullpen appearance may be fun, and it would alleviate a 25 year-old top prospect slow-playing through the minors, but it looks like it would make things trickier in the long run.
In all reality, Alex Meyer knows that he can still accomplish plenty, even if his call up doesn’t happen until later this season.
Twinsights: Alex Meyer points out Randy Johnson didn't reach the majors until he was 25. #MNTwins http://t.co/iVRZKQkjg6
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) January 25, 2015
For Twins fans, whenever Meyer does crack the rotation, you can be sure he will be ready. A strikeout pitcher the Twins have been longing for, Meyer should continue to be a fixture for years to come.
Next: Positional Battles: Who's Fighting For The Twins Rotation?