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MN Twins Legend Thinks He Can Fix Bailey Ober
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- MN Twins Legend Thinks He Can Fix Bailey Ober
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If the Minnesota Twins are going to be competitive this year , it will be because Derek Shelton's rotation carries the club. Even with minor lineup additions , that portion of the roster still leaves plenty to be desired.
Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan are among the best starters in baseball right now. Minnesota has depth, but they saw last season that it can be tested. That's especially true when number three starter Bailey Ober puts up a clunker of a year.
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He needs to be healthy and effective this season for the Twins. Thankfully for all involved, Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven feels like he has the secret sauce.
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Bert Blyleven going all in on Minnesota Twins Bailey Ober
No longer a member of the broadcast booth , Bert Blyleven has remained engaged with the Minnesota Twins. This spring he'll spend time down in Fort Myers looking to impart wisdom on the current group. Charley Walters (Pioneer Press) revealed what his main focus will be.
Hall of fame pitcher Bert Blyleven will spend three weeks in spring training with the Twins in Fort Myers, Fla., beginning Feb. 12. He'll suggest a move for starter Bailey Ober's slider.
"He's over on the first base side of the pitching rubber," Blyleven told the Pioneer Press last week. "If he moved over to the third base side — 12 to 18 inches over — his slider's going to be more attractive to the hitter rather than missing down and away.
"To me, pitching's always geometry, planes and angles. Over the years, you talk to great hitters, what's the hardest pitch to hit? It's a good fastball down and away with something on it. And if you're over on the first base side (of the rubber), visualize it to a right-handed hitter down and away — it's straight.
"But what if we move over 18 inches; now that ball's coming at the hitter down and away at an angle."
Moving to different starting spots on the pitching rubber is something that is often seen and suggested for struggling pitchers. It has also been a move that has helped to revitalize many careers.
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After posting a 3.98 ERA (3.82 FIP) during the 2024 season, hope was present that another level could be achieved. Unfortunately Ober was often pitching through injury and finished with a 5.10 ERA (4.90 FIP) across 146 1/3 innings.
Ober has never been a velocity arm, and using his 6'9″ frame to get extension is part of a path to success. However, last year he averaged a career-low 90.2 mph on his fastball , and it's clear he's not effective in that range. If Blyleven can unlock something, then the Minnesota Twins may be back in business.
A legendary pitch from the MN Twins legend
Beyond just shifting positioning on the rubber, Blyleven sees an opportunity to expand Ober's arsenal. The former Twins great threw one of the most devastating 12-6 curveballs in major league history. If there's someone to learn that from, he's it.
75 Seconds of Bert Blyleven's Ridiculous Curveballs.
Arguably, the best RHP curveball of all time. 👑 pic.twitter.com/zhRubdbP7V— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) January 18, 2023
Planes and angles certainly help, but what would also help Ober is a Bert Blyleven curveball, considered the best in baseball history.
"You know what, if I were on the first base side, I could not visualize where I was starting my curve ball," Blyleven added. "Everybody has their different philosophies, but it's the art of pitching rather than throwing."
Last season Ober threw his fastball 35.7% of the time. That usage was the lowest of his career, and it's not shocking when it's lacking so much quality. He upped the slider rate to a career-high 28.2%.
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A curveball isn't new to Ober as he threw it more than 10% of the time during his first two seasons. Last year though he flipped benders just 3.8% of the time. If Blyleven can help tweak that offering, it's a whiff pitch that Ober could rely on.
With lower velocity, Ober will never blow fastballs by opposing hitters. The closer more he can sit in the 14-15% whiff range that he has in previous season (as opposed to 11.7% in 2025), the better off he'll be. Getting there is a mix of deception, extension, and changing speeds.
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