I like 100 IP if I'm going to draw a line in the sand for a starter.  There's no real reason to rush him to AA now.

After 100 IP he'll have nearly a 1/2 year lefty in AA... If he dominates there, you'll still be relatively sure you have a representative sample for AAA consideration for 2007.

I just don't think there's that much to accomplish by moving him any earlier. At A ball he can still be put in situations...  Let's throw inside corner for awhile...  let's throw some more curveballs, etc.

I would like to see Garza moved now.  If he can continue to rake at AA in 10 or so starts, move him up to AAA.  He could be the 3rd best starter for the Twins by next year, emphasis on the 3rd.

I would like to see Garza moved now.  If he can continue to rake at AA in 10 or so starts, move him up to AAA.  He could be the 3rd best starter for the Twins by next year, emphasis on the could.

Whether it's 10 starts or 100 IP it doesn't matter to me.  I like the concept of setting a standard for the organization on the minimum time at a level, announcing it to (at least) the promotable players, and standing by it barring extrordinary circumstances such as injury or trade.  

When a guy goes "Garza" on a league, use it as a opportunity to really refine another pitch and/or pitching sequences.  He obviously can shut the hitters down with what he has right now.  Make that the fall back approach, but focus on prepping him for the next level with better alternative pitches/sequences.

At what point do you rearrange the team's rotation?  Yes, the offense has been bad, putting up a line of .252/.307/.369, and scoring 4.1 runs per game.  But the starting rotation is what's really killing this team.  (Allowing 5.9 runs a game.)  Is it too early to shake things up, giving Boof Bonser some starts (terrific last year & even better now in the IL), and sending Silva & Lohse somewhere else?

I say trade Lohse and Silva right now.  That way Liriano and Garza can start right away.  I'm tired of  watching prospects being in a league for more than 3-4 weeks.  Boring!

Garza's young, shiny, new exciting.  Let's move him up now.  As long as we move him as fast as possible he will appease my short attention span.

At least until I can get excited about the next one.

Now, what about Slowey?

I see no reason to keep him at A ball if he's absolutely destroying the league.

Plus, Radke will be gone after this year most likely, Lohse stinks, and Silva can't get anyone out anymore, so it would be nice if we could have him in the mix for a starting job next year.

As I said in the diary thread, Garza's total innings pitched are  a bit of a concern. If that is caused by his not pitching deep into games, then he needs to work on that before they move him up.

The other issue is the Twins need to create a spot for him in New Britain. With the weather the way it has been in New England they are having a hard time keeping the five guys they have. Harben got hurt and they had to use him as a reliever when he cam back to get him in a game.

i can't believe people are clamoring for garza to be starting for the twins. he's in freaking A ball, and they have a flotilla of more advanced pitching prospects. if you want to kick both lohse and silva out of the rotation, that's okay, but the next guy to get the call (after liriano) should be boof bonzer. then durbin. then perkins, harben and jones, who are already in new britain.

it's not like matt garza is the greatest pitcher to ever pass through the FSL. he's a good prospect off to a hot start. a little perspective, people.

His innings pitched per start is a little low because he only went an inning or a little more in one start since he was hit in the back by a throw from an infielder.  Not exactly how it happened but they played it safe and removed him.

I'd say give him until the end of May then if he still is dominating send him up to AA to face more advanced hitters.  

Garza's 6 starts and 31 innings are a little skewed. He got drilled in the back by his own player on a play at home in the 2nd inning earlier this year. 

I had posted on another board the following

"I would let him pitch 2 games against the East teams (St Lucie, Daytona and Palm Beach are coming up). If he does well there move him up. That would be 8 starts and about 45 innings. Only problem is who is moving out,up or down to make room. I wouldn't put Kevin Slowey far behind Garza in moving up either." 

Also I have a comparison of 2005's first 10 pitchers taken in the draft.

Brian
Fort Myers Miracle Ramblings

As soon as he shaves his Taliban-like mustache, I would promote him. He's going to be a good one.

Garza did not have a very good college record. Good but not amazing at R and A. Now 22 years old at A+. I'd keep him down at A+ for another month. If he can dominate like he has, then its time to see what he can do against better hitting. Otherwise there is no hurry and he can play at A+ most of this season, AA most of 2007 as a 23 year old, AAA in 2008 at 24. MLB 2009 at age 25 at which point, if hes capable, he should be ready to dominate.

I'd generally keep a pitcher at a level long enough for him to face some of the teams at least twice.  That way you can judge if he's truly dominant, or doing well just because the hitters have never seen him before.  

I also think there's merit to telling a kid he's not moving up no matter what to take the pressure off and encourage him to work on additional pitches or different approaches.

The Twins might need him and/or Slowey to compete for a rotation spot next year. Time to give him a little nudge.

encourage him to work on additional pitches or different approaches.

Does it really work that way? I would think if a pitcher is dominating the league with the approach and stuff he has, the last thing you want is him starting to experiment out of boredom. It seems to me that is just teaching bad habits.

I had forgotten about him getting hit in the back. If you add four or five innings to his total the innings don't look like a problem.

Last I checked, Nick Blackburn and Errol Simonitsch are occupying two rotation spots.

I think Simonitsch is a legitimate prospect, which means Garza is the fifth starting prospect on a team which hasn't really needed five starters very often. Making sure all five stay on regular schedules might be tough. At this point, Simmonitsch is the only starter averaging over 5 IP per start.

The Twins need to bring up Kubel and Bartlett right now.  Put them in RF and SS respectively.  Wasting time with Ford/Cuddyer/Castro as everyday players only wastes Hunter/Stewart/Santana.  Seriously, when Santana's contract expires will he remain a Twin?  nope, not with all the pitchers coming up, even remembering TINSTAAPP.

So, for the organization, what is better, let Bartlett and Kubel hit well at AAA, while the big club struggles and eventually loses? or bring them up soon so they can get used to Major League pitching?  Even if you don't win this year with that strategy, you will be much better prepared for next year.  Certainly, the current strategy isn't working.  When you lose 1-0 at home TO THE FREAKIN' ROYALS, something is wrong.

Hello Terry Ryan.  Hello!  

Here's an interview with Matt Garza at http://www.sethspeaks.net/  
It sounds like Garza is a stand up guy and he seems to understand his craft.

They should move him to A-ball any time after the June draft. When guys are signed and assigned is the logical time to move him anyway. Keep Garza in AA for the rest of the year, unless he's just so dominating that they have to bring him up in September. But more realistically, he'll be up in Sept '07.