Sean Henn down, Brian Duensing up
Posted on July 2nd, 2009 – 12:37 PMBy La Velle
KANSAS CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MO - The Twins have just announced that lefthander Brian Duensing has been called up from Class AAA Rochester and that lefthander Sean Henn has been outrighted to Rochester to make room for him.
Duensing, 26, made the team out of spring training but was sent to Rochester on Apr. 13 after giving up two runs on two hits in his only appearance. He was 4-6 with a 4.66 ERA with Rochester in 13 starts. He allowed one run over eight innings in his last start on Friday but posted a 5.46 ERA in June.
It looks like they really weren’t happy with Henn, who had a 7.15 ERA in 14 games with the Twins. He got off to a decent start but just didn’t throw enough strikes.
Having that flight cancelled actually worked out for me….
74 Responses to "Sean Henn down, Brian Duensing up"
Does Henn have to accept the assignment?
how many relievers have we had this season? It’s like LoveBus over here.
Wondered when this would happen, now how do we jump start our 2nd base issue. You must be on the rochester update link too. Thanx LEN3
Looks like Billy Smith saw something in Rochester that he liked in Duensing & I hope this works out for the Twins. It just didn’t seem like Henn could get anyone out in a pressure situation - not good for a reliever. Anything else on the 2nd base problem that you’re hearing about?
that looks like a real improvement (not)
I’m gonna miss the Surfin’ Bird. Maybe Dunce-ing can do something.
Henn couldn’t find the plate, Duensing finds too much of the plate.
“Looks like Billy Smith saw something in Rochester that he liked in Duensing”
Or saw something in Minnesota that he didn’t like (in Henn) and thought “Oh, what the hell!”
Duensing may be getting “showcased” for a possible trade?
Keppel to set up, Duensing to long relief? Give Kep a quick shot to see if he can perform, if not move on. I hope that’s the plan.
Another low-risk, low-reward, make it seem like I’m trying to help the team move by Smith. Who knows though, maybe Duensing will catch fire up here……I can dream right.
Looks like Henn cleared waivers… Wonder who the 5th starter in Rochester will be? I hope Matthew Fox gets his chance.
JC,
“Well since the Twins do have a focus on the Netherlands, maybe they’ll pick up this guy:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/07/aroldis-chapman-defects.html#comments
Sure, he’s Cuban but he defected in the Netherlands… so that makes him eligible to be signed by the Twins, right?”
Is this just another 7′ 1″ Dutch-Cuban pitcher that throws 100 mph.
I guess we just keep stockpiling these guys.
Seems like kind of an odd decision to me to bring up Duensing again. I hope he’s actually pitching better than his numbers would indicate. Good L/R splits that show promise as a LOOGY maybe?
Meanwhile, Craig Breslow has a 2.30 ERA and .957 WHIP for Oakland.
Hopefully it works. Duensing can’t possibly be as bad as Henn had become.
OB,
I agree I hope that is the plan too. If Keppel can continue to throw that sinker with as much sink as we have seen thus far he might get the job done as a 7th inning setup guy.
It isn’t like Duensing was tearing it up in Rochester, so I see him as the long man in the pen, but I still don’t like Dickey as a setup guy, I like him as the long man with that knuckler, I know he has bee somewhat effective lately in that role, but he is only there cuz there isn’t many other options, especially since Mijares can’t get righties out.
How’s that Breslow guy doing in Oakland?
JC, I’d bet Duensing serves Keppel’s current role and Keppel gets a shot deeper in games. If it works, great. If not, clear out the kennel for a trade. One can hope.
That’s right, sane. Rumor has it that Loek van Mil is actually a Cuban defecter named Luis V. Morillo.
I hear that about Dickey, fiend. A knuckler is too inconsistent for a one run lead. Maybe situationally, but that’s it.
JC,
Is it legal to be laundrying Cuban pitchers and reissuing them as 7′1″ Dutch pitchers?
Is that identity theft and then fencing the stolen identities?
That PBS documentary gets more interesting everyday.
On a different note: the Mariners need a 3B. What would they part with for Buscher?
sane, I don’t know if it’s illegal, but I bet it can be a Loekrative business.
Outrighting Henn clears another space on the 40-man roster, which is now at 38. Perhaps this is in preparation for a trade?
On a different note: the Mariners need a 3B. What would they part with for Buscher?
Jamie Burke
Wow, this is something to get the fan base fired up about!
I’m sure that Duensing will match-up quite well against the Tiggers and Yanks…
At least we won’t be watching A-Rod pound Henn.
“On a different note: the Mariners need a 3B. What would they part with for Buscher?”
Can we convince them that Buscher can play 3B?
“On a different note: the Mariners need a 3B. What would they part with for Buscher?”
This sounds like two statements that have nothing in common
The M’s would give us their moose mascot for Buscher.
Thrylos,
Any word on the numbers that the Cards will be paying for signing Wagner Mateo?
Now getting him would have gotten the fans fired up!
Of course, I’m sure that he really is 16…
I wanna see if Pujols can hit 62 or more HR’s in the first 154 games his team plays.
Has anyone ever done that? I think it happened at least once, but I’m not sure.
This sounds like two statements that have nothing in common
LOL, well played fcm, well played.
PoD.
Nothing like a little Buscher bashing to warm the blog up. But seriously, the M’s version of LNP is the current solution to Beltre’s injury.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1329&position=SS
“”"”"Shaun in Chicago says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
The M’s would give us their moose mascot for Buscher.”"”"”
Don’t bet on it.
Thrylos,
Any word on the numbers that the Cards will be paying for signing Wagner Mateo?
$3.1 M
chinmusic,
Mateo’s bonus is believed to be $3.1 million. BA expected him to receive the highest bonus besides Sano.
Or maybe they’ll give this guy a chance. He of the .883 minor league fielding% and 1 ML game of experience at 3B. That’s AAA.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1329&position=SS
“The M’s would give us their moose mascot for Buscher.”
We’d have to send Seattle at least a high-A prospect to complete that deal.
Well it’s change. So that’s something while they hopefully look for help from outside the org.
In the meantime, I’ll refrain from deeper comment, mostly because Keppel came up to the same lack of fanfair and has *knockwood* done fairly well.
“Has anyone ever done that? I think it happened at least once, but I’m not sure.”
No one that any of us would consider juice free.
This guy. My bad.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1891&position=1B#fielding
That’s alot of ca$h for a kid, but ya gotta love a slugger name Wagner…
I don’t know what makes a knuckler any less consistent than any other pitcher. 2 wild pitches so far. He seems to get a lot of ground outs and weak pop flies as well as strike outs. Hits seem to be of the bloop variety. He mixes in well placed fastballs and thorws the knuckler harder than most to keep runners guessing. I understand your reasoning but if he were really that unpredictable he wouldn’t be able to fill any role. I just like all the zeroes he throws out there and would like them to be meaningfull. Maybe it won’t last but all the more reason to ride him while he is hot.
Good point, the Twins would need to send more with Buscher.
I guess the Twins will have to settle for a Starbucks venti Mocha for Buscher.
I’m just saying: Buscher out, minor league pitcher in, Huber up. Take a chance with a bat.
Benny W says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Meanwhile, Craig Breslow has a 2.30 ERA and .957 WHIP for Oakland.
Yes he’s good for a while but he was with the Twins before he basically could’nt get anyone out. And let’s not forget that the Indins cut him. If you can’t stick with that pen something is wrong.
OB, Buscher out, warm body in, Huber up will work for me.
Well the M’s need somebody and Buscher may be expendible. It’s foolish to think Buscher is worthless though.
OB,
I think you just called 99.9% of this blogdom foolish.
Duensing isn’t any better than Henn. Lavelle, when is Smith going to make a move for a power bullpen arm?
Paul:
Cannot people distinguish between worthless and subpar? Buscher clearly struggles as a bench player and would get immediate PT in Seattle. The man hit .294 in more PAs last year, he’s most definately not worthless.
OB I don’t think Buscher is worthless as a ballplayer and certainly not as a human being. But in the context of this discussion, I do have significant doubts that he has much, if any, value (or “worth”) as a potential trade chip. Thus, for trade purposes, “worthless” might unfortunately be accurate.
The Twinkies need to askk themselves why their two best AAA pitching prospects tanked it once they were up in Minnesota. First Swarzak goes up and down, then Henn. They’ve pitched best of all the Rochester pitchers so far (not counting the new guys from AA who just got here). That should worry them a little. What’s happening once these guys get to Minneapolis?
Think you dumbies…..Morneau is one injury away from playing. Who to play 1st? Buscher! 98 wants Morales, but we already know he can’t play the infield. You can’t just stick someone over there in mid stream. Cuddy, I don’t think so. He’s like a fish out of water.]
Crede, one injury away from not playing. Who to play 3rd. Buscher! Tolbert, I don’t think so….He hitting even less than Buscher.
Buscher is what he is. A bench player to spell occasion relief. That’s all.
You dumb asses think just anybody can play any position.
You don’t even know Tolleson and think he’s the next coming of 2nd basemen….
He needs additional grooming.
Just don’t be so, so critical of bench players. Buscher certainly won’t make or break the team’s record. It the regulars who have to do the job.
Buscher will improve after the all-star break. Its difficult to come off of the bench after not playing 5 - 6 days and expect to get a hit in the top of the ninth…….At least he’s patient at the plate and can draw a Walk every now and then. More than Gomez can do…..
Tis possible JC. The guys the Seattle media are discussing though are awfully similar to Buscher. Here’s an example (Note he hits in the Phillies’ bandbox).
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=2158&position=3B
OB,
I really don’t think Buscher is worthless. Bad joke on my part. But, JC may very well be right on his trade value. Your use of the term subpar is apt. Realisticly we can only expect something subpar in return. He’d be a hellofa softball player though. Joe Carter’s (of Blue Jays fame) brother Larry plays for one of the top teams in the country. He crushes the ball. Maybe a swap there?
Did he really say “Think you dumbies”?
Yes, BC, but I believe he later corrected himself to make clear that it’s our asses that are dumb.
Thanks JC or perhaps he was rehearsing for the annual 4th of july speech he gives to his stable of mules.
I don’t anticipate that the Twins would get much for Buscher. My 1:29 post (which started this whole mess) simply asked what could be got for him. I think a decent minor league relief prospect is apropos.
Oh!? So he was calling us dumb mules?
Well.
That’s really not very nice, is it?
yeah he did BC. than he said You dumb asses think
oops, sorry jimmy, delay here
I don’t see the Twins trading Buscher at this point unless he’s part of a package for a RP or MI.
Keep in mind, Crede is still one wrenched back away from the DL. If that happens, you’re back to the old Plan B with Punto, Tolbert, Harris and Buscher in some kind of platoon. Maybe if Valencia keeps tearing up AAA, he gets a call, but just trading Buscher to get him out of the organization isn’t likely to happen, imo.
I’ll be shocked if he’s still in the Twins organization on Opening Day 2010, though.
Well, it’s starting to look like LaVelle’s tease about “interesting news” on Sano was just that… a tease… intended to keep our attention and interest from wandering without any real follow up with the goods.
Isn’t that just like a woma… I mean, a sportswriter?
Your ideas on Buscher mirror my own JC. Although, a Buscher/Valencia training camp battle isn’t out of the question. Anyway, when the gnashing of teeth about his .198 BA stops, perhaps his limited 2009 value is apparent.
Sure the Twins could use a power arm in the bullpen, but where do you find this arm AND at a reasonable price? With the wild card berth almost every team stays in contention longer. There are fewer sellers and even the sellers wait longer. Making a deal isn’t as “simple” as it once was.
Hmmm Duensing instead of Swarzak? Interesting
New post is up
teams are waiting for mlb’s investigation on Sano’s age to finish before anybody will sign him, rumors have it that the Pirates are in the parimeters of 2.5 million… (though nobody is confirming), Orioles are believed to be able to go up to 3.1 million though they have came in late and have no relation with Sano or his followers… The Twins nobody really knows, they don’t make there budget public and recruit Austraillia and Europe a little more heavily then other clubs so its a wait and see type of deal..
I really think this move was made more to remove Henn from the 25 man roster than to call up Duensing. Waiving Breslow is looking worse and worse every day.
Van Mil a Cuban defector named Luis V. Morillo??? I hope you’re joking. There’s nothing even remotely Cuban about him, and his Spanish does not go any further than some profanity. He’s a Dutch guy all the way!
