Jay Jackson, Nick Wittgren, and the Predictable (But Not Reliable) Twins Bullpen Pipeline

I also do not understand the treatment or usage of Alcala. He could be a real good one inning high octane guy, but Rocco uses him to throw 50 pitches in multi inning mop up roles? Wtf? Also, Theilbar does looked cooked at this point and Okert doesn't inspire confidence either. Funderburk might be the best lefty on the team. I think it's time to call up Varland and stick him in the pen like last year. Varland Alcala and Stewart seems like a solid set up group.

Why the focus on Wittgren and not Blewett?

Best bullpen in baseball.

Something is odd about how the Twins have treated Jorge Alcala. It could be legit but I sure don't know or understand anything about the dynamics concerning Alcala.

Wittgren is a nothing burger. Quit fooling around & bring up Varland & Alcala.

This can't be true! I read on here 2 months ago that we have a top bullpen in all of baseball. I for one am shocked that is not the case because Falvine are geniuses!

Many, many things have gone wrong this year.  Injuries, poor hitting, odd playing time decisions.  But for me the top of the list is a disappointing bullpen.  I knew there would be injuries, because that's what the Twins always seem to have.  I suspected the hitting would be middle of the pack at best, especially once Lewis was injured.  Odd lineups?  Well, yeah, Rocco's gonna Rocco, and the front office brought in a bunch of very marginal vet bats (Santana, Margot).  But the bullpen...yeah, like many I thought they would finally be pretty solid.  Nope, even Duran has had issues.

On the positive side, the starting pitching at least has exceeded my expectations, at least at the back of the rotation (Pablo has regressed, obviously).

50 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

I also do not understand the treatment or usage of Alcala. He could be a real good one inning high octane guy, but Rocco uses him to throw 50 pitches in multi inning mop up roles? Wtf? Also, Theilbar does looked cooked at this point and Okert doesn't inspire confidence either. Funderburk might be the best lefty on the team. I think it's time to call up Varland and stick him in the pen like last year. Varland Alcala and Stewart seems like a solid set up group.

Varland isn't that much of a surprise only because the rotation is razor thin and there's a good chance we'll see him starting again.

Alcala is a mystery. Not sure if there's some issues with him and the coaching staff, or the performance isn't meeting expectations. I'm extremely skeptical that is the latter because if performance was a motivating factor for this team, there's a handful (if not more) of players that I'd call out before Alcala.

6 minutes ago, Karbo said:

I'm on the record for doubting all the hype about the pen at the beginning of the season. Too many guys were being banked on with very little history of being quality arms.

Yeah, pretty much. I did drink the Kool-Aid but I shouldn't have. Other than Duran, Jax, Stewart and Sands (maybe), would any of these bullpen arms find a ML job outside of the Twins?

1 minute ago, USAFChief said:

That bit of nonsense originated at Fangraphs, I believe.

Heh.

Yup. It was probably music to Rocco's ears. Analytics! 

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Why the focus on Wittgren and not Blewett?

Wittgren was signed after the season had started and accelerated through the system. Think he's being prioritized a bit.

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Wittgren is a nothing burger. Quit fooling around & bring up Varland & Alcala.

Alcala yes, but Varland has been pretty awful.

I would add the question of who is telling pitchers what pitch to throw and when? I’m concerned about Durans comment after giving up Sundays walkoff home run that he was just an employee following orders (I’m paraphrasing). Who called for a curve when he had just given up a game losing home run on Friday night on a curve? From his comment, it sounds like he didn’t agree with the call. You want your best relief arm confident in the pitch call with the game on the line. I thought pitchers had final say on pitches. It sounds as if calls are being made outside of the catcher or pitcher. That is extremely concerning to me. Even I know that Duran should be throwing his best pitch in do or die situations and it seemed obvious from the previous home run that Cleveland was sitting on his curve. If he’s still hurt and can’t throw his fastball at his normal velocity, then why is not on the DL? If Vasquez called for the curve, that is another question as to why he’s in the lineup. If he can’t hit and is making dumb calls, then why is Rocco playing him? 

I find it strange that the Twins continually short change the bullpen each year.  If you are using your bullpen to finish up the last 30 or 40% of each ball game.  They better be good.  Bullpen have become increasingly important in recent years as "modern analytics" dictates that 6 or 7 innings for a starting pitcher is now the norm.  That it's meant to be such a good thing to go 6 innings.  It used to be a starting pitcher wasn't doing his job if he didn't pitch a complete game or at least have that as his realistic goal each game.  Then the bullpen was clearly secondary and you could afford to cut costs there.  It's funny how we demand less and less of our starting pitchers inbtodays game.  Yet we pay them more than ever.  Being paid amongst the highest players on the team.  And yet they get injured at a record pace.  We place so much more importance on today's  game for the bullpen but teams use and abuse them and pay them poorly compared to other players.

1 hour ago, Ted Schwerzler said:

Alcala yes, but Varland has been pretty awful.

I know but IMO Varland's problem is more esteem than anything else. If brought to the MLB BP, he'd settle right in.