Twins Claim Lefty Starter Cole Irvin for Stretch Run

[mikelink45]

I really feel like it has to be Varland. He has really looked terrible the last two times out

[chpettit19]

Who had Alcala as the guy having his season ended to bring in Mr Irvin? Being pretty widely reported he's the one being optioned. Didn't see that coming.

[DocBauer]

14 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Who had Alcala as the guy having his season ended to bring in Mr Irvin? Being pretty widely reported he's the one being optioned. Didn't see that coming.

If that's true, I have a hard time following the logic.

Alcala has been struggling some lately to be sure. I might be wrong, but unless he's hurt, I'd say he's hitting a wall after throwing too many double innings earlier in the season when he was not only coming back from missing so much time due to injury, but has always seemed to look better as a 1 IP pen arm.

It's not often I blast Rocco, but I never understood the way he was used early in this season. The guy was just coming in to his own a couple of years ago, and then barely pitches the next 2 seasons. He's got one of the best arms in the pen. But instead of using him the way he SHOULD have been used...again, 1 inning at a time...suddenly he's a long or middle man?

Makes no sense at all!

I'd rest him as much as I could over the next week or so, and like Varland, keep one/two of my most talented arms on hand.

I do wonder though, if he's sent down, could he still be added to the playoff roster? Is there time to bring him back? If so, perhaps this is a respite for him. If not, big mistake in my opinion.  Do we really want Henriquez in crunch time in the playoffs? Or do we want a semi-rested Alcala?

[mark sills]

8 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

Go get Irvin (or any of the million versions of him available) in the offseason if the 2 arb years are so important. Justifying years of depressed pay for a poor performing 30 year old who was just jettisoned off the roster of another playoff contender is insanity. Unless Matthews is so injured he can't pitch over the next two weeks, there's no chance any of the young arms offer this club less of a chance to win games than Irvin. 

 I would of rather see them have Andrew Morris pitch Thursday as the sixth man and see how he does to decide who stays in the five man rotation

 

[jud6312]

8 hours ago, MMMordabito said:

[Althebum82]

Yup, it is Alcala. 

Not Thielbar or Varland, guess we gotta hang on to the local boys no matter what they do?

I was actually surprised to see that he has appeared in 51 big league games already.

It is not too crazy to expect that he has reached his max contribution, especially given where he was at this time last year.

Still, it sure seems like we have at least two other options.

By the way Dobnak......needed to seize his opportunity but did not even come close.  That was an  easy choice.

[KirbyDome89]

12 hours ago, DJL44 said:

A 4.86 ERA is better than a 7.11 ERA.

In 6 career starts? I mean c'mon....

 

[LambchoP]

I'm guessing they use him as a biggy back starter and bring him in after Festa, Zebby and Sim pitch their three innings, or once through the order. Irvin doesn't inspire much confidence looking at his numbers, even if we are desperate for lefties. This is what happens when you don't fortify the pitching staff at the deadline. Everyone is worn out, pitching on fumes and getting rocked with no depth or help to bring in except other teams cast offs. I really hope they take a lesson from this year and don't try to budget win their way to a winning season again next year too. We're going to need a legit SP and a few bullpen additions including at least one good reliable lefty. After that we need a first baseman and maybe a RH outfielder. Maybe go ahead and trade from our stock of minor league infielders to get pitching help if we can't afford anything in free agency, (which is total BS). With Farmer, Margot, Theilbar and Santana coming off the books, we should have the money we need to make the improvements we need. Pitching and depth will get you to the playoffs like in 23. Learn from this years mistakes, building a team for as cheap as possible is not a plan, it's a slap in the face to the very fans ownership is trying to grow....

[gregens]

21 hours ago, KirbyDome89 said:

A SP who gives up hard contact frequently and doesn't strike anybody out seems like a terrible fit with a team that is struggling defensively. 

One of the issues plaguing this club is short starts giving way to ample opportunity for bullpen implosions. I don't see how adding a Keuchel clone alleviates pressure on any front. 

So we'll put you down as somewhat excited about the signing.

[TwinsDr2021]

17 hours ago, DocBauer said:

It's not often I blast Rocco, but I never understood the way he was used early in this season

At the beginning of the season they had Jax, Thielbar, Stewart and Jackson, with Duran and Topa coming soon.

At the beginning of the season the pen was the best in the majors, right?

[RpR]

8 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I'm guessing they use him as a biggy back starter and bring him in after Festa, Zebby and Sim pitch their three innings, or once through the order. Irvin doesn't inspire much confidence looking at his numbers, even if we are desperate for lefties. This is what happens when you don't fortify the pitching staff at the deadline. Everyone is worn out, pitching on fumes and getting rocked with no depth or help to bring in except other teams cast offs. I really hope they take a lesson from this year and don't try to budget win their way to a winning season again next year too. We're going to need a legit SP and a few bullpen additions including at least one good reliable lefty. After that we need a first baseman and maybe a RH outfielder. Maybe go ahead and trade from our stock of minor league infielders to get pitching help if we can't afford anything in free agency, (which is total BS). With Farmer, Margot, Theilbar and Santana coming off the books, we should have the money we need to make the improvements we need. Pitching and depth will get you to the playoffs like in 23. Learn from this years mistakes, building a team for as cheap as possible is not a plan, it's a slap in the face to the very fans ownership is trying to grow....

I love your sarcasm!

[stringer bell]

Rocco used Irvin in a LOOGy role yesterday. I don't know what the rest of the season holds, but given his low salary and ability to start games, I would expect the Twins offer his arbitration and have a spot for him either in the rotation or bullpen.

His resume and stuff bring me back the Dylan Bundy type, but having a cheap experienced left hander who might yet adapt to the bullpen isn't a bad idea.