Article: Expectations For New Pitching Coach Garvin Alston

[Cody Christie]

There were plenty of better known names on the market. Coaches like Jim Hickey, Chris Bosio, and Mike Maddux were all in the rumor mill but the Twins decided to go in a different direction. Garvin Alston will replace Neil Allen on manager Paul Molitor’s staff.

 

Here’s what you need to know about Alston:Background

Alston’s big league pitching career was limited to six innings with the 1996 Colorado Rockies. From 1992 through 2003 he played professional and independent baseball. For the last 13 years he has coached professionally. Within a couple years of retiring, he had joined the Athletics organization as a coach. He spent the next decade as a minor league pitching coach, minor league pitching coordinator, and a minor league rehab coordinator.

 

His time as a major league coach has been spent in the Diamondback and the Athletics organizations. During the 2016 season, he served as the major league bullpen coach in Arizona. Last season, he returned to the A’s organization and served as the major league bullpen coach.

 

Expectations

With many other big names on the market, Twins fans are wondering what to expect from a relative unknown. Alston doesn’t have one magical pitching philosophy but he wants every pitcher to identify his strength and execute it. “Not one philosophy,” he said. “It is the ability to adjust to the actual pitcher and knowing what their strengths are.”

 

Pitch development has been a forte for Alston in his previous organizations but there’s a bigger key to his success. “First,” he said, “one of the biggest things I teach is commanding the zone with the fastball.”Since Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have joined the front office, they have preached fastball location and getting ahead of hitters.

 

It sounds like Alston fits right in with the organizations direction.

 

What are your thoughts on the new hire? Should the Twins have gone with a more experienced coach? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

 

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[sorney]

I don't pretend to know more than these guys (Lavine and Falvey).

So, you trust they know what they are doing, identified their man, and hope it all works out.

[Deduno Abides]

Outstanding: “Not one philosophy” and “commanding the zone.”

[Old Twins Cap]

What you call a "below the radar" hire. 

 

What will be interesting is, what has this guy been doing, emphasizing, studying, that put him on the map?

 

That story hasn't been told yet, but, it will be very interesting to learn of his area of emphasis, and particularly, what data, bio-mechanics, saber-metrics he uses everyday to help him calibrate his advice to hurlers who have advanced where he could not.

 

I'm bullish.

[old nurse]

From SHipley

Guys that are able to extend and release up front tend to have the ability to throw the ball over the plate, where they want throw it," he said. "But there's a lot of other data that goes into the process."

[sftwinsfan]

Hopefully they saw something about him they thought would work, still probably needs talented pitchers to make things work.  I wouldn't expect miracles, A's bullpen didn't exactly light the world on fire last year.  Maybe they'll hit with him like it looks like they did with Rowson last year.

[Rosterman]

Interesting the say Molitor didn't have in choosing guys he will work with on the field staff.

 

Now have to see who the Twins add as minor league pitching coordinator.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Outstanding: “Not one philosophy” and “commanding the zone.”

 

Definitely a good starting point for me for any pitching coach...

 

I like fastball command. I like understanding the importance of a changeup. 

 

I also like that he has some experience as a rehab guy with pitchers. That could be really important too. 

[Danchat]

I'm glad they moved on Allen because this year's pitching was still pretty bad as it was mainly masked by the great defense.

 

I knew nothing about Rowson when he was hired and he did a great job getting our batters going. Let's hope the same can happen for this Alston guy.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Priority number 1... fix Kyle Gibson.

[mikelink45]

I would say I have nothing to say.  Hardly worth posting, right?  But it is the essence of judging coaches.  We can only know their value after the fact.  I can only hope.  Allen should have gone last year, so I am glad he is gone this year. 

 

I went on line to see who the greatest pitching coaches of all time were - there is no list.  Johnny Sain is the one name that has stood the test of time and there are some current coaches that get some love, but overall the best pitching coaches have the best staffs - so is it the coach or the talent. 

[Deduno Abides]

Hopefully, in connection with command, there is the ability to coordinate well with catchers to come up with strategies to attack every hitter’s weakness. If you watch Cleveland pitchers, these are two things they do well - on mlb.com, pitches are over the plate and in the blue zone.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Outstanding: “Not one philosophy” and “commanding the zone.”

 

sounded like one philosophy to me....Rich Hill and much of the Houston staff would disagree it's all about the fastball....just seemed like an odd juxtaposition to have those two lines above....

 

we literally have no idea who or how he'll coach.....let's just hope it works.

[gunnarthor]

Sounds like Rick Anderson, doesn't he?

 

But it makes sense, with that defense, don't walk guys. We'll see how he does. I think we're at a point where we have to grade the new FO on these moves but give them time to work out first.

[drjim]

sounded like one philosophy to me....Rich Hill and much of the Houston staff would disagree it's all about the fastball....just seemed like an odd juxtaposition to have those two lines above....

 

we literally have no idea who or how he'll coach.....let's just hope it works.

Rich Hill and the Houston staff don't think it's important to command the zone with the fastball?

[Mike Sixel]

 

Rich Hill and the Houston staff don't think it's important to command the zone with the fastball?

 

I don't think that's the exact reading if you read the full quote, and what the FO is saying about first pitches....it's clear some of those players command the curve ball first and foremost, because that's their best pitch. Much like we saw Duffey do his first year, then abandon, then come back to.....

[drjim]

I don't think that's the exact reading if you read the full quote, and what the FO is saying about first pitches....it's clear some of those players command the curve ball first and foremost, because that's their best pitch. Much like we saw Duffey do his first year, then abandon, then come back to.....

That may work in really small samples, but a lack of command of a fastball will allow hitters to sit offspeed. The reason Hill, McCullers, etc are effective is that they have credible fastballs.

 

I think the priority is commanding a fastball first as a skill, not always a first pitch.

 

I don't think a mlb pitcher can last longterm without doing this.

[Mike Sixel]

 

That may work in really small samples, but a lack of command of a fastball will allow hitters to sit offspeed. The reason Hill, McCullers, etc are effective is that they have credible fastballs.

I think the priority is commanding a fastball first as a skill, not always a first pitch.

I don't think a mlb pitcher can last longterm without doing this.

 

certainly.....I just found the two statements in the post to be an interesting juxtaposition, given that not every pitcher is primarily about FBs....even in the era of the fastball.

[BobAzar]

 

Interesting the say Molitor didn't have in choosing guys he will work with on the field staff.

 

Now have to see who the Twins add as minor league pitching coordinator.

 

 

I have a feeling part of Molitor's extension was the condition of "We have final say to pick your coaches". 

That way, he gets rewarded for a good season, but they get to bring "their guys"

 

 

[Parker Hageman]

This is almost exactly the type of hire I expected -- the non-name, guy-behind-the-guy. 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/921412255559929857

 

I am a bit surprised he wasn't someone from a more forward-thinking org (it sounds funny to say about the original Moneyball team but Oakland isn't at the forefront of pitching development). Frankly, I'm not sure what to expect out of him. 

 

There isn't a ton of information out there on his overall philosophy but we do have some clips of him talking about things like the implementation of weighted balls. For instance, in a BP article he said regarding weighted balls: “I’m not opposed to them, but I think there’s a time and place, and that’s in the off-season.”

 

The Twins have guys like Ryan O'Rourke who was using weighted balls this past spring. Part of Kyle Gibson's new routine from the Baseball Ranch involved throwing weighted balls (albeit in a sack attached at his wrist). Guys like Chapman and Rivera use weighted balls to warm-up in the bullpen. "Not being opposed" and using them "in the off-season" is an interesting philosophical statement. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. 

 

Then there is his comments on velocity. 

 

“Everyone wants velocity but we won’t put it over movement or command, things that make you a complete pitcher,” Alston told BP. Now, on the surface, I like that. You have to have a complete pitcher. Those are three pillars of what makes a great pitcher. On the other hand, the Twins have been really bad at developing hard-throwing pitchers. 

 

https://twitter.com/ParkerHageman/status/921475373468184580

 

Part of me wanted someone who prioritizes developing velocity. Then again, that doesn't have to necessarily be in a MLB pitching coach’s radar. A minor league pitching coordinator can have more influence over that product but an organization’s overall pitching philosophy can often stem from what the PC up top believes (such as Rick Anderson’s command and control emphasis).

 

“[A]t the core of a good pitching staff, there is the ability to command your fastball, throw it where you need to, when you need to. It’s your most used pitch for the vast majority of guys in the big leagues,” was Derek Falvey told me before the season started. Neil Allen echoed those comments as well. “What you gotta do is you gotta be able to work the four quadrants of the plate with your fastball,” Allen said. “You gotta be able to go up-and-in, down-and-away, up-and-in, down-and-away.”

 

Alston wants to continue down that path for improvement. “First,” he told reporters,  “one of the biggest things I teach is commanding the zone with the fastball.”

 

Truth is, opponents had success against the staff’s fastballs. According to BaseballSavant.com, teams posted a .363 wOBA against heaters. That was the 8^th highest in MLB. (Oakland, Alston’s team, was worst, by the way.) But the question that I have is, was the Twins’ lack of success with the fastball more a product of poor command or lower velo? On one hand, they averaged 91.7 – one of the lowest in the game – but on the other hand, the Cubs had the lowest average fastball velocity and were one of the more successful teams when they used their fastball (and the Cubs threw their fastball more than any teams outside of the Brewers). What’s more is that some teams are going away from being fastball-first teams.

 

In the end, the position is more about relationship building and communication over ideology. People can identify flaws, it’s being able to work with the pitchers to correct them that is important. 

 

[Reifelman]

 

Priority number 1... fix Kyle Gibson.

If you look at the last two months, Gibson was actually a solid number 3 or 4 starter.  If he can keep him on track, Gibson will help round out any rotation.

 

[Thrylos]

In this organization, a coach who says that will go with each pitcher's strengths, instead using a cookie cutter approach (be it cross organiationally teaching the sinker in the zone or the change up) is a breathe of fresh air and something the Twins have not had for a few decades.

 

On the other hand, about half of the job of the major league pitching coach is to not let stuff get into pitcher's heads and have them pitch instead of thinking about pitching out there.  Last season too many pitchers were thinking.  Let's see how different it will be this season.

Edited October 27, 2017 by Thrylos

[ashbury]

Priority number 1... fix Kyle Gibson.

Priority #1 for me is to get the maximum out of Berrios and his vaunted potential. A 3.89 ERA this season is nothing to brag about yet, with that defense behind him. He led the league in HBP - maybe someone with an emphasis on command will help with that as well. Sure, he's young, but next year needs to be when Berrios really emerges.

[jimmer]

Fix Kyle Gibson? People still holding out hope for that?

[jimmer]

 

Priority #1 for me is to get the maximum out of Berrios and his vaunted potential. A 3.89 ERA this season is nothing to brag about yet, with that defense behind him. He led the league in HBP - maybe someone with an emphasis on command will help with that as well. Sure, he's young, but next year needs to be when Berrios really emerges.

His FIP was even lower than his ERA. 2.8 WAR with 2/3 of a season.

Edited October 27, 2017 by jimmer

[Deduno Abides]

That may work in really small samples, but a lack of command of a fastball will allow hitters to sit offspeed. The reason Hill, McCullers, etc are effective is that they have credible fastballs.

I think the priority is commanding a fastball first as a skill, not always a first pitch.

I don't think a mlb pitcher can last longterm without doing this.

Dallas Kuechel and Cliff Lee are good examples. Not flame throwers, but they can (could) put the fastball exactly where they want it. Cleveland’s entire staff does it. If Mike meant that Houston’s bullpen has struggled with command, I’d agree, but they’re probably the weakest bullpen of the LCS teams.

 

As far as not having one philosophy, that means he works with whatever the pitchers have, and will be less likely to prescribe specific ways to pitch or pitches to throw. He recognizes that what works for one pitcher may not work for another.

[Deduno Abides]

Last year, Hughes, Santiago and Colon accounted for 200 IPs. Each was slow (as opposed to Gibson, for example, who averaged 92.7 with his fastball). Various others, such as Tepesch and Wilkening, threw a handful of slow FB innings each. Hopefully 2018 is the first year no scrap heap veterans pitch.

[caninatl04]

 

Priority number 1... fix Kyle Gibson.

You read my mind.  I wonder if this will be the infinite force (command the fastball) versus the immovable object (Gibson's "nibbling", especially on first pitches).

[h2oface]

Watching all the fine pitching coaches become available, and then not be signed by the Twins..... but Alston is.... well........ all one can do is "wait and see". Some were interviewed, but either passed on the Falvey pitch, or just had a better option. I can't really like it, because how do you like someone you have never heard of and don't know? I guess one can pretend, and convince themselves.... but all I can do is wait and see. That's all we all can do now.

Edited October 27, 2017 by h2oface

[ashbury]

His FIP was even lower than his ERA.

Ah, 3.84 instead of 3.89. I stand corrected. Brag away, Jose.