After dominating at Triple-A, Milone hopes to stay up with Twins
MINNEAPOLIS -- Tommy Milone was pitching as well as he had in a long time, but he seemingly couldn't catch a break.
The Twins left-hander was down in Triple-A Rochester as the odd man out of Minnesota's rotation. Once he went down there, all Milone did was strike batters out and win games. In five starts for the Red Wings, the veteran Milone was 4-0 with a 0.70 ERA. He also struck out 47 batters in 38 2/3 innings.
Yet for as impressive as Milone's numbers were in the minors, there was "no room in the inn" for him in the big league rotation, as general manager Terry Ryan said. The five starters the Twins had were all holding their own, leaving Milone no other choice but to continue to dominate in the minors.
"It's one of those things where the five guys here, they were pitching great every single day, it seemed like," Milone said. "I know it's obviously a tough situation. I was throwing well, but there wasn't really a spot for me to jump in. It was more of a waiting game."
Milone's patience was rewarded when he was recalled from Rochester on Thursday after right-hander Ricky Nolasco landed on the 15-day disabled list with an ankle injury. Milone's first start in his return was a mixed bag. He allowed four runs, although just two were earned, in a no-decision against Boston at Fenway Park on Thursday. However, Milone did not strike out any of the 25 batters he's faced.
During his minor-league career -- including this season with Rochester -- Milone has averaged nearly a strikeout an inning (8.3 K/9). In 2013 with Triple-A Sacramento as a member of the Athletics organization, Milone struck out 13.9 batters per nine innings. This year with the Red Wings that number was down but still an impressive 10.9.
For whatever reason, Milone hasn't been able to translate that strikeout magic to the majors. In five big-league seasons, he's fanned just 6.4 batters per nine.
"Obviously it's a lot different from being up here. I think it's just a matter of guys in the big leagues, they know how to put the ball in play," Milone said. "They fight off pitches. I think that's the biggest thing is if you get into a count where guys in the minor leagues might swing and miss for strike three, guys up here are fouling pitches off, fouling pitches off until they get a better pitch they can put in play. I think that's the biggest difference."
Milone said he found success in the minors by getting ahead early in the count, which was one reason for the spike in strikeouts. His curveball was a plus pitch for him with an 0-2 or 1-2 count, and his changeup was also responsible for getting batters out, he said.
Whether or not Milone strikes batters out in the majors won't necessarily matter to his overall success. He didn't need to strike many people out with Oakland last year when he was 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA; his strikeout per nine inning ratio was just 5.7.
Yet the Twins hope they see plenty of the pitcher Milone was in Rochester as he makes his next several starts in the majors.
"Everything we asked him to do, he's done," Ryan said.
Milone can do the math. When Nolasco -- who is in the second year of a four-year, $49 million contract -- comes back from the disabled list, he'll slide right back into the rotation. The way Mike Pelfrey, Trevor May and Kyle Gibson are throwing, it's hard to take either of them out. And Phil Hughes still hasn't hit his stride, but he was Minnesota's best starter by a long shot last season.
For now, Milone won't concern himself too much with how the other pitchers are doing. That won't do him any good when he takes the ball every fifth day.
"Obviously it's tough to keep that kind of stuff out of your mind, but you've got to do the best you can to eliminate that kind of stuff," Milone said. "Now I'm just focused on my next start. I'm just hoping I make their decision a little bit tougher."
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