Alex Muren: Master Of The Ground(ball) Attack

Alex Muren was the Twins 12^th round draft pick in 2012 out of Cal State-Northridge. Despite a 5-8 record and a 5.30 ERA, and just 47 strikeouts in 91.2 innings for the Matadors, the Twins obviously saw something that they liked.

After signing, he was assigned to the GCL Twins where he worked out of the bullpen and posted a 1.46 ERA. In 2013, he pitched in relief at Cedar Rapids most of the season. He went 6-1 and posted a 2.85 ERA in 60 innings. He returned to the Kernels to start the 2014 season. In 33 games, he went 3-1 with a 2.85 ERA. He earned a promotion to the Ft. Myers Miracle for the final months and had a 2.45 ERA in 18.1 innings.

In his professional career, he has a strikeout rate of just 4.8 K/9. However, he hasn’t posted an ERA above 2.89 at any level.

Why?

In 2014, Alex Muren posted an incredible 2.8 groundouts to flyouts. Coupled with dropping his walk rate in half, to a miniscule 1.5 BB/9 in 2014, and you can understand why Muren posted the kinds of numbers that he has.

In Cedar Rapids, Manager Jake Mauer would often go to Muren in tight situations with runners on, knowing there was a good chance that he would coax a ground ball and maybe they could get a double play. Most often, that’s exactly what happened.

I caught up with the right-hander on Saturday, and he said he was much more comfortable now that he is in his third spring training. “The more you’re here, the more you know the guys and the routines. It makes it easier.”

He is a ground ball pitcher for a couple of reasons. First, he works with a low-90s, four-seam fastball. “I get a little bit of late run on it which helps.”

He has also, as mentioned above, worked to gain better control. He credits his pitching coaches with a great plan of attack. He understands what makes him so successful. “I think just working with the pitching coaches and focusing on staying at the knees and below the knees. And hopefully they’ll hit it on the ground.”

Muren reported to Twins minor league spring training earlier this week. He threw a bullpen a couple of days ago and, on Friday, threw his first live batting practice of the year.

Asked if there are certain statistics that he looks at and finds most important, he had an interesting response. “I try not to look at stats at all throughout the year, for superstition reasons. I just go based on the outing, how the outing went. I’ll look at the game chart to look at ground balls, strikes to balls ratio. Those are the ones I care about.”

Muren took a couple of months off after the season before starting his throwing program again. He worked during the day as a middle school substitute teacher. It was an ideal situation for him as he could earn money, but he also has another reason that he does it. “I just do that because it helps scheduling-wise. I can pick which days I work.”

Do the kids that he teaches know that he plays professional baseball? “I try not to bring it up at all, but if they ask what I do, I’ll tell them.”

Muren is married, and his wife is currently finishing up her student teaching. If her schedule permits, she may come and visit him in Ft. Myers during spring training.

So, as he looks to 2015, what are his goals? Will he be able to back up his terrific 2014 season in which he finished sixth in the Twins Daily Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year balloting?

“Just keep building off of last year. Go out there and do better, get more groundballs. Throw more strikes. Getting the velo up higher earlier.”

Of course, if as he moves up he continues to post the kinds of numbers he did in 2014, more and more people will know his name.