Why do the Minnesota Twins Hate Jorge Alcalá?

[Dman]

I don't think the Twins hate him.  They signed him for this year and next I believe so they obviously like his potential.  It is a combination of options and mindset IMO.  He failed to cover home in one of the games he pitched and he has allowed umps to get in his head on occasion as well.  Can't do that at the pro level.  You need to be dialed in 99.9% of the time. Don't want to lose games over things you can control.

I still think it is mainly options though.  I believe he had\has three left? So he is the easiest to send down as well.

[blindeke]

3 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I don't know but I'm not afraid to post a theory. 

1. Duran and Jax are not going to be sent down.

2. Thielbar, Okert and Jackson can't be sent down and are not going to be released at this point of the season.  

3. Alcala, Funderburk and Sands are the only other bullpen arms with options.

4. Of those three choices... If they send down Cole Sands they will burn his last option and he has been pitching well. Leaving Alcala and Funderburk as the cleanest choices if they need to make a move. 

 

That's my theory

Worrying about burning Sands' last option is very silly.

[Riverbrian]

8 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

So you're saying it's not a conspiracy?  /s

Agree with many -- option availability and timing are key. 

You can never be sure. 

Lavine: "You don't understand... Jorge Alcala never gets that part... that part is perfect for him... It'll make him a big star and I'm gonna run him out of the business". 

[Riverbrian]

14 minutes ago, blindeke said:

Worrying about burning Sands' last option is very silly.

Maybe... but you may need it next year and if things are going well this year you don't need to burn it. So... why put yourself in that position.  

If I had the job... it would at least be a consideration.  

[DocBauer]

I understand the whole option issue. I really do. And it's definitely a factor. And I'm pretty sure Alcala's options have a lot more with him being sent down than failure to cover a base. You don't send down a quality arm with a 0.00 ERA due to a brain cramp.

Another factor...and the one that confounds me the most...is that SOMEONE has to throw more than 1 inning at times. This is all the more true when you're on a streak of winning so many games and closing out those wins. And winning is a GOOD thing, but it can change how you are forced to use the pen at times. But Alcala has had injury issues in the past. So why is he tossing more than 1 inning at a time? (almost 3 another time). Alcala has a history of throwing hard and well for a 1 inning, often not so favorable results for a second inning. So why is he the guy pitching 2 innings at a time so often? With Duran out at the beginning of the season, and Stewart out now, Alcala's pure stuff makes him probably the next best filler option for a 7th inning role. But instead, he's been regulated to 2 innings and farm outs to St Paul after he throws 30+ pitches in a game for someone else.

MEANWHILE, Cole Sands has been a SP his entire career up until 2023. I get that he got off to a really nice start to begin this season...but so did Alcala. If anyone's arm is built for and used to throwing multiple innings it should be Sands, and not Alcala.

Now, I appreciate @Riverbriancommenting on the Twins possibly not wanting to use Sands' remaining option this season, holding it in reserve for 2025 if needed. I can see a logic in that. But....

A} 2025 is a whole season away yet. Why are we so worried about the 7th or 8th man in the pen who hasn't exactly established himself as a bona-fide stud? Why are we swapping roles between Alcala and Sands...seemingly creating a poor usage conundrum between the two...for the sole reason of MAYBE not having someone better than Sands available in 2025?

B} If 8th man Jackson is performing this disappointingly...and I'm not saying he was a bad sign...and there is nobody better to replace him, that's a FO issue. I understand we've had a virtual epidemic of injuries to the bullpen going all the way back to ST. Duarte is out for the season, Topa might not be far from him, Winder has been out, Canterino has been out, signee Weiss has been out, and Duran, Thielbar and now Stewart have spent at least a little time on the IL. That doesn't make things easy, that's for sure! But should an older, poor performing 36yo veteran arm with no options have that much sway over how the pen is being used when he's supposed to be a multi-inning arm?

For the most part, I'm really not complaining. The moves for the pen were all smart, despite the injuries. We'd be a lot worse off if we didn't have the depth we have now, even though it's depleted. And for the most part, the pen has gotten the job done and contributed greatly to the win total, despite a handful of really bad days. But it's hard to ignore what appears to be poor usage of the available arm-assets on hand, and the resistance to remove the weakest link that doesn't appear to have a future with the club. 

[Linus]

I think people are overreacting to this. The guy has no real track record. Back of the bullpen arms are going to pitch more than one inning - somebody has too. Guys with options are going to ride the shuttle. We are not talking about Durán here. 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

4 hours ago, Gold15 said:

I think he is in the Twins "dog house"

Dan Hayes of The Athletic has mentioned this a few times like in the Seattle series when Alcala did not cover home base on a wild pitch.

He also forgot to cover 1st base in a game vs. the Tigers earlier which was a huge play.  IIRC, it was extra innings and his failure to cover probably cost them a shot at turning a double play.  Ironically, he pitched out of it and probably won the the game for the good guys.  I do remember the radio guy (Gladden?) being very critical of his lack of awareness.

[Jim wyllie]

The problem is  baldelli needs to have the starters throw more innings, it's constantly 3 or more bullpen innings every game, the bullpen is getting over used, but not necessarily over worked.    And baldelli doesn't want to admit it.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Jim wyllie said:

The problem is  baldelli needs to have the starters throw more innings, it's constantly 3 or more bullpen innings every game, the bullpen is getting over used, but not necessarily over worked.    And baldelli doesn't want to admit it.

Twins bullpen is in the bottom third in innings pitched....

[Reptevia]

7 hours ago, Gold15 said:

I think he is in the Twins "dog house"

Dan Hayes of The Athletic has mentioned this a few times like in the Seattle series when Alcala did not cover home base on a wild pitch.

From what I’ve seen, there is no “dog house”. If there were, there would be consequences for making the same mistakes over and over. How many Twins actually run out a ground ball?

[USAFChief]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Twins bullpen is in the bottom third in innings pitched....

that's slighly misleading since the Twins have played fewer games than all but 2 teams. Going into tonight's game the Twins had the 26th most innings pitched. Over 30 innings behind San Diego, who leads MLB. It would follow then that the Twins would have fewer relief IP.

But I agree Baldelli generally follows current orthodoxy regarding starter innings.

[DocBauer]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Twins bullpen is in the bottom third in innings pitched....

Since Varland was sent down and SWR took over, roughly 20 games, I believe the Twins are 2nd in innings thrown by starters. Can't recall if that was all of MLB or just the AL. But important to note nonetheless. 

[miller761]

Once again the Twins decision makers are afraid to put together their best bullpen. The are afraid to cut bait with their off season acquistions and instead will try to hide Jackson and Okert in low leverage situations. The more close games we play the more we will use our 5 high leverage guys wearing them down. Nobody can tell me Alcala is not head and shoulders above the above mentioned 2 pitchers especially when he pitches just 1 inning. Shame on the Twins if they are punishing Alcala. Just put the best team on the field.

[wabene]

7 hours ago, USAFChief said:

that's slighly misleading since the Twins have played fewer games than all but 2 teams. Going into tonight's game the Twins had the 26th most innings pitched. Over 30 innings behind San Diego, who leads MLB. It would follow then that the Twins would have fewer relief IP.

But I agree Baldelli generally follows current orthodoxy regarding starter innings.

Since the turn around the Twins are second or third in most innings pitched by the starting staff.

[rv78]

All of the comments about not covering bases and having options doesn't explain nor have anything to do with the multiple innings usage. As analytical as the FO and Rocco are, it doesn't take special glasses to see Alcala is a really good pitcher, probably another 7th or 8th inning guy when he is used as a 1 inning guy. Add in the fact that Rocco is known for "protecting" his players by not over-using them. One thing I will never understand, is the over-use of analytics for some things and the complete ignorance of it for others.

[Riverbrian]

14 hours ago, DocBauer said:

A} 2025 is a whole season away yet. Why are we so worried about the 7th or 8th man in the pen who hasn't exactly established himself as a bona-fide stud? Why are we swapping roles between Alcala and Sands...seemingly creating a poor usage conundrum between the two...for the sole reason of MAYBE not having someone better than Sands available in 2025?

I'd wait until he actually struggles. Burn the last option on an earned demotion. 

I'm not burning the last option on a pitcher that is PITCHING GOOD for a routine almost clerical... fresh arm needed... roster shuffle type move. 

I'm in no rush to turn him into Jay Jackson status. No rush to reduce your options down to absorb struggles or lose him entirely with years of control dripping out of his ears. 

He's pitching good. Let him continue. 

 

 

 

 

[Riverbrian]

18 minutes ago, rv78 said:

it doesn't take special glasses to see Alcala is a really good pitcher, probably another 7th or 8th inning guy when he is used as a 1 inning guy

There are probably stats that will show how Alcala has done in the 2nd inning of work compared to the 1st inning of work. 

I don't know what those metrics say because I need my bifocals to read them. 

 

[LambchoP]

I've been infuriated with Baldelli's managing of not just the bullpen but the lineups this year as well. Way to dependant on "platoon advantage". We shouldn't ever be sitting out best and hottest hitters in order to start our worst and coldest hitters just because of what side they hit from. Pitching wise, Alcala should be used like they used Stewart. One inning guy, few times per week.