Alcantara aims even higher after winning Cy Young
JUPITER, Fla. — How does arguably the very best pitcher in baseball comply with up a record-breaking, award-winning season?
By doing all of it once more, however higher. And, maybe, by successful the World Baseball Classic.
That’s what Miami ace and 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara is planning on doing. The righty made his first of two begins of the spring on Wednesday within the Marlins’ 8-4 loss to the Mets at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Three days prior, the membership stunned Alcantara with his NL Cy Young plaque earlier than its Grapefruit League residence opener on Sunday.
“The great ones aren’t satisfied with even the best seasons, right?” Marlins supervisor Skip Schumaker mentioned. “I’ve been lucky to play with quite a lot of MVPs [during their] MVP seasons … and so they adopted it up with nearly a very good [an] MVP season proper after — with the Albert’s [Pujols] and the [Clayton] Kershaw’s.
“Even nearly as good of a season as [Sandy] had, he nonetheless seems like he can do higher. Which is, for me, it is like, ‘No, go ahead. Go for it.’ Right? That’s it. That’s simple for a supervisor, so we are able to sit again and simply watch your finest participant be your hardest employee.”
Alcantara earned that workhorse fame the arduous method. The ace began working on the starting of November as a way to be at 100% at this level within the spring. For Alcantara, 2 1/2 hours within the gymnasium is nothing. Neither is 26 pitches (19 strikes) over two innings — even when it’s, as he put it Wednesday afternoon, “hot.”
“I don’t have to worry about my preparation because I’ve been following my routine since I got the opportunity [to be on the Dominican team] since Nov. 1,” Alcantara mentioned. “I’m ready. And I can’t wait to get out there.”
Alcantara utilized all 4 of his pitches nicely, permitting simply two hits over his two innings. Both the righty and his skipper favored how his changeup labored — a pitch Alcantara has put quite a lot of work into this offseason. And, Alcantara did what he does finest: throw first-pitch strikes. He did so towards 4 of the six batters he confronted who noticed multiple pitch. (Two batters hit into outs on the primary pitch they noticed.)
“He wants to get better,” Schumaker mentioned. “When you have got that type of progress mindset — I’ve been round guys like that earlier than, that they are simply by no means glad. No matter what. And regardless that he has one Cy Young, he nonetheless desires to get higher. And he isn’t glad.”
On Monday, Alcantara will begin in Lake Buena Vista vs. the Rays earlier than he, together with Jean Segura and Johnny Cueto, experiences to the Dominican crew for the World Baseball Classic. Alcantara is about to begin the Dominican Republic’s first recreation on March 11 vs. Team Venezuela.
“I can’t wait,” Alcantara mentioned. “Can’t wait to be out there on the 11th, first game against Venezuela. … It’s going to be fun. … They want to represent their country. I want to represent my country and I want to do my best to win the game.”
Schumaker will see Alcantara in recreation motion as soon as extra this spring, when the ace will get the ball for 2 to 3 innings towards Tampa Bay on Monday. Prior to Grapefruit League play, the final time Schumaker noticed Alcantara pitch was on the finish of June in St. Louis. Schumaker was teaching for the Cardinals on the time, and he watched as Alcantara satisfied then-Miami supervisor Don Mattingly to maintain the ace within the recreation. Alcantara completed that recreation with three strikeouts over 9 innings, his second of six full video games in 2022.
“It’s great to be on this side of things with Sandy,” Schumaker mentioned. “ I used to be going [to] go inform him about his subsequent begin and journey plans in the present day, and I used to be informed, ‘Don’t go near him.’ So yeah, that is type of what I’m used to with these ace guys, not [wanting you] to the touch or speak [to them] throughout their begin days. … I believe all people’s excited to observe among the finest pitchers within the recreation pitch.”
