sign in sign up
<<
Home , Chad Allen (baseball), Don Werner, Doug Mientkiewicz, Einar Diaz, Gene Glynn, Jacque Jones

Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Monday, October 6, 2014

➢ Experience no longer the most important factor in finding the right . Star Tribune (Miller) pg. 1 ➢ Chart: No management experience necessary. Star Tribune pg. 2 ➢ Twins aim to talk to Orioles’ Russell. Star Tribune (Neal) pg. 3 ➢ O’s bench expected to interview for Twins’ opening. MLB.com (Ghiroli) pg. 4 ➢ New manager can’t afford for Mauer to be an ordinary Joe. 1500 ESPN (Zulgad) pg. 5 ➢ 5 thoughts, qualifications the Twins should seek in a manger. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) pg. 6 ➢ It’s been 10 years (and counting) since Twins won playoff game. 1500 ESPN (Mackey) pg. 8 ➢ Orioles’ John Russell expected to interview for Twins’ managerial opening. The Baltimore Sun (Encina) pg. 11 ➢ Twins expect to interview John Russell for managing job. CSN Baltimore (Dubroff) pg. 11 ➢ Red Wings’ Gene Glynn will interview for Twins managerial job. The Democrat & Chronicle (Mandelaro) pg. 12

Experience no longer the most important factor in finding the right baseball manager

Phil Miller / Star Tribune – 10/6/14

Experience is good, Twins said last week about his team’s next manager, and that’s exactly the opinion you’d expect a longtime baseball man to hold. It’s his next sentence that was the surprise: “It’s not,” Ryan said, “the most important thing.”

Oh, those cutting-edge Twins. Minnesota’s baseball team is known for its respect for what’s worked in the past, for long-established standards and practices. Those traits also suggest hiring a manager who has been groomed for the job, has done it before, and done it well.

Yet that’s not the trend in the major leagues these days; it’s actually quite the opposite. Of the 27 current managers (three jobs are unfilled), 13 of them had never held the job in the major leagues before, and a half-dozen had virtually no managing experience at any professional level.

“There are managers who are in the postseason right now,” Ryan said, “who didn’t have one game of experience as manager.”

Some were coaching teenagers when their big break came. Colorado plucked manager from his job as coach at Regis Jesuit High in Denver, while Robin Ventura was a volunteer assistant at Arroyo Grande (Calif.) High when the White Sox shocked him with an offer to succeed Ozzie Guillen. Matt Williams had four weeks of experience running an Arizona Fall League team when the Nationals called. The Tigers figured ’ time as manager of the Israeli national team was experience enough. And , who led the Cardinals to last year’s ?

His previous managing experience was running a Little League team.

Ryan knows all this. Sounds like he embraces the change, too. Two of the Twins’ four internal candidates — major league coaches and Terry Steinbach — have never been in charge of handling a bullpen or writing a lineup before. The other two, Gene Glynn and Doug Mientkiewicz, are managers in the minors but have never been in charge in the majors. And so far, there is no indication that Ryan has contacted any former big-league skipper about the Twins job. Ryan made it clear that he’s open to a new face, battle-tested or not. “I don’t care if he’s a young guy or a veteran guy,” Ryan said. “He should be a quality guy.”

Kelly, Gardenhire paid dues

The Twins found a couple the last two times they needed a new manager, perhaps because they had carefully groomed each successor. Tom Kelly and — the only managers the team has employed in the past 28 years — owned virtually identical résumés when they were hired, having followed the time-honored route to a big-league dugout.

Both were approached by the final organization they played for as they neared retirement, asking if they had interest in running a team. Each was then assigned to the minor leagues for three seasons, learning their craft in places like Visalia and Kenosha and Orlando. And each was then promoted to the Twins coaching staff in order to learn the players and the league and prepare to take over. In Gardenhire’s case, the wait was 11 years.

At the time, that step-by-step approach was considered a bold move, even risky, because Kelly and Gardenhire were unproven and, particularly in Kelly’s case, unknown. Plenty of teams, then as now, prefer to turn their rosters over to baseball men who have already done the job for another franchise — even if they have mostly failed.

“When we named Gardy [for the 2002 season], I think everybody, including the guys who had been around here, knew we were on the verge [of turning things around]. It made sense to name a veteran guy,” Ryan said. “Well, we didn’t do that. We went with a guy we thought was the best, and he ended up to be pretty darn good.”

Inexperience brings risk

But Gardenhire looks downright overqualified, compared to the out-of-the-box hires that teams have made lately. Experience as a player, these first-timers assert, provides plenty of the insights necessary for handling modern players. “I jumped right into the deep end,” Ventura said when he was hired, “but I can swim.”

And that might be enough, the thinking goes. A leader is a leader.

“I certainly understand the argument that there is a risk,” John Mozeliak, the St. Louis general manager who chose Matheny in 2012, told ESPN. “Mike is going to be thrown into this, and time will tell how he reacts and adapts. But when you look at the qualities of a person and what makes people successful, it’s not too hard to come to the conclusion that he’ll be a survivor.”

Inexperience can actually be a benefit, according to some players. When Ventura was hired in Chicago, one of the team’s best , Jake Peavy, said Ventura’s youth would suit the clubhouse well. “I love that he hasn’t been coaching for so many years that he has that ‘coaching mentality,’ ” Peavy told mlb.com. “The last experience he had was as a player, and because of that he can relate with us.”

Of Ryan’s four internal candidates, only the 40-year-old Mientkiewicz is within 20 years in age of most of the Twins roster, but all seem comfortable working with younger players. Ryan has a handful of other qualifications he’s looking for, too.

“He’s got to be a strategy guy. I’d like to have him be an attention-to-detail guy. He’s got to be a tactician, handle the media, be involved in the community, take an interest in our minor leagues and in scouting and so forth, have a grasp of the organizational policies,” Ryan said. “Everything that leaders do.”

Especially: Win.

Chart: No management experience necessary

Star Tribune – 10/4/14

Thirteeen of the 27 big league managers (there are openings with the Twins, Texas and Arizona) got their current jobs with no previous major league managing experience: 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Robin Ventura, White Sox (hired in 2012, 221-265 record): A former TV broadcaster with no previous coaching or managing experience.

Brad Ausmus, Tigers (2014, 90-72): Special assistant to GM in San Diego, managed Israel in World Baseball Classic.

Mike Scioscia, Angels 2000 1,331-1,099 Two years as Dodgers coach, one year as AAA manager.

National League

Manager, team Hired Record Background

Rick Renteria, Cubs 2014 73-89 First base coach for Padres, eight seasons as minor league manager.

Bryan Price, Reds 2014 76-86 Veteran major league pitching coach with , Arizona and Reds.

Walt Weiss, Rockies 2013 140-184 Went from high school coach in Denver suburbs to first major league job.

Don Mattingly, Dodgers 2011 354-293 Joined Dodgers as coach when passed over as Yankees manager.

Mike Redmond, Marlins 2013 139-185 Two seasons as manager before getting Marlins job.

Ron Roenicke, Brewers 2011 335-313 Longtime Angels coach, also managed five seasons in minors.

Ryne Sandberg, Phillies 2013 93-111 Hall of Famer paid his dues with six seasons as a minor league manager.

Mike Matheny, Cardinals 2012 275-211 A minor league instructor with no managing experience when he took over.

Bud Black, Padres 2007 617-680 Former Angels pitching coach and also worked in Indians front office.

Matt Williams, Nationals 2014 96-66 Went from TV booth to minor league manager to Arizona coach.

Twins aim to talk to Orioles’ Russell

La Velle E. Neal III / Star Tribune – 10/6/14

The Orioles expect bench coach John Russell to interview with the Twins for their vacant managerial position once Baltimore’s postseason is over.

Indications are that the Twins have not yet approached the Orioles for permission, but Baltimore will not stand in the way once a request is made. Russell, 53, managed the Pirates from 2008 to ’10, posting a 186-299 record.

Baltimore manager spoke glowingly of Russell on Sunday to reporters before Game 3 of their Division Series at Detroit, won by the Orioles to sweep the series.

“There’s nobody more loyal to an organization, and John’s not actively seeking this,” Showalter said. “Quite frankly, that’s part of the reason I’m bringing it up, because ... there’s no propaganda with him. It’s, ‘You know who I am, you know where I am, there’s my body of work.’ ”

3

Russell is well known to the Twins, having managed several of their farm clubs. Between 1995 and 2002, Russell managed rookie league Elizabethton, Class A Fort Myers, Class AA New Britain and Class AAA Edmonton when the Twins had an affiliate in the .

He moved to Pittsburgh, where he coached third base from 2003 to ’05. After managing Class AAA Ottawa from 2006 to ’07, the Pirates brought him back as manager.

He is the first known outside candidate in the running to replace Ron Gardenhire, who was fired as manager last Monday. Paul Molitor and Doug Mientkiewicz interviewed for the job last week.

Russell’s 10-year playing career included stints with Texas, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

O’s bench coach expected to interview for Twins’ opening

Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com – 10/5/14

BALTIMORE -- Orioles bench coach John Russell is expected to interview for the ' managerial opening, although nothing has been officially set just yet.

Russell, who has a good relationship with Twins GM Terry Ryan, won't be available to teams to interview until the Orioles' season is over. He has served as the O's bench coach since June 2011 -- a position he moved to as a result of knee issues -- after starting that season as the third-base coach.

Russell's work in Baltimore has been highly lauded, as he's helped Nick Hundley and Caleb Joseph fill in admirably for All- Star Matt Wieters this season, and he's one of manager Buck Showalter's trusted confidants.

"I'm surprised that [Russell] hasn't gotten more play [for jobs]," Showalter said. "John's not that kind of guy. John's never working on his next job. John's as loyal as they come. And he loves it here. He loves the way he's treated and the say he has, but he's not trumpeting. ... And those are the best type of guys to hire. There's nobody more loyal to an organization, and John's not actively seeking this. ... It's, 'You know who I am, you know where I am, there's my body of work.' "

Russell was hired by the O's after he was dismissed as the Pirates' manager following the 2010 season. He went 186-299 in Pittsburgh and was let go following a 105-loss campaign. A former Major League and , Russell would leave a huge hole in Baltimore should he leave. Showalter would have to add a coach with catching experience; O's Minor League instructor Donny Werner and Major League coach Einar Diaz are both former backstops.

"I talked to you all about the bullets people take, whether it be [former O's manager] or [former GM] Andy [MacPhail] or whoever. Same way with Pittsburgh," Showalter said. "I've heard John talk about the conversation they had about going through the tough times and everything, but unfortunately, those guys don't get [to stay for] the end game a lot of times.

"But [the Orioles' organization has] gotten a lot more calls on our people. Because of what Dan [Duquette] and ownership has allowed us to do, we're able to hold onto them. When someone comes knocking for [Minor League coaches] R.J. [Ron Johnson] or Griff [Mike Griffin] or Brian Graham or Dave Anderson or [Jeff] Manto, which they have and are going to, if we can't put them in the big leagues, we can do some things. We've done some things to keep the good people. It's not just the good players you've got to

4 keep. It's more about the whole system."

New manager can’t afford for Mauer to be an ordinary Joe

Judd Zulgad / 1500 ESPN – 10/5/14

As Terry Ryan goes through the process of interviewing managerial candidates, the Twins general manager undoubtedly has numerous questions for Ron Gardenhire's potential successor.

This likely includes everything from the micro to the macro. From how Paul Molitor or Doug Mientkiewicz would run on a daily basis, to their philosophies on the best way to manage a starting staff and bullpen, to their thoughts on how to best utilize analytics.

Relationships with players also should be a key topic. If I was Ryan, there is one player in particular who I would spend extra time discussing.

It wouldn't be Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Kennys Vargas or any other young player. The way those guys will be handled is going to be of great importance to the future of this franchise, but the guy who I would zero in on is a highly paid veteran.

How would you get the most out of ?

This would be done in part because the Twins next manager is going to be stuck with Mauer through 2018 at a price of $23 million a season. Mauer has a no-trade clause, so unless he retires, there is no getting out of this relationship.

There also is the factor that one of the many reasons Gardenhire was fired last Monday was because Mauer failed to produce this season.

In 120 games, Mauer .277/.361/.371 with an embarrassing four home runs and 55 runs batted in. In parts of 11 big-league seasons, Mauer has hit under .300 only three times. His career batting line is .319/.401/.459 with 109 home runs and 689 runs batted in.

Mauer is no stranger to injuries and missed 34 games this season from July into August because of a right oblique strain. Mauer also missed a few games late in the season because of an elbow bruise suffered when he was hit by a pitch.

The disturbing thing about the time Mauer missed this year is that he was moved from catcher to first base last offseason in order to keep him on the field. He missed the final 40 games of the 2013 season after suffering a concussion on a foul tip he took off his mask in a game against the . Still, Mauer was able to play in only seven more games as a and than he was as a catcher, DH and rarely used first baseman in 2013.

That is going to have to change if the Twins are going to take a significant step forward in 2015, with Molitor, Mientkiewicz or anyone else running the show.

The kid gloves have to come off.

Gardenhire never criticized Mauer, despite the fact his lack of production this season would have warranted the manager wondering aloud about how a once tremendous hitter had dropped off so badly.

This was especially true before Mauer went on the disabled list on July 2. He was hitting .271/.342/.353 with two homers and 28 RBI in 76 games at the time. Assuming Mauer was fully healthy until that point, and we have no reason to doubt this, those numbers simply are not acceptable.

5

So how do you make sure this lack of success isn't repeated? Here's where we get to the biggest question of all. How do you attempt to motivate Mauer?

Before we go forward, keep this in mind: The glass half empty view on Mauer is that you are stuck with him for four more seasons and there's nothing that can be done about that. The glass half full view on Mauer is that he's stuck with you and there's nothing he can do about it.

That is why once the Twins decided last winter that allowing Mauer to continue catching would be borderline irresponsible they told him he was moving. Whether Mauer was on board, didn't matter. He's under the Twins employ.

The next move also should involve Mauer's position and, no, it does not involve making him a catcher again. If I'm the new Twins manager, my plan would be to have Mauer do extensive work at first base in spring training. I'm talking long, long hours working with a guy like former manager Tom Kelly, whose knowledge of the first base position should be utilized by Mauer at every opportunity.

Mauer surprised many by taking far too long to become comfortable at first base in 2014. By next April, I'd want him looking like a Gold Glove candidate.

When Mauer isn't working at first base, I would give him an outfielder's glove and inform him that he will be working in left field. In other words, I would start turning him into a highly-paid utility player who can be used at first base, designated hitter and the outfield at a moment's notice.

The Twins' future looks bright because they have several good young players ascending through their farm system. Ideally, those players will be in Twins' jerseys a lot longer than Mauer, and, at some point very soon, they are going to be more important than Mauer.

Vargas is a good example.

He should be the Twins designated hitter next season, but Vargas has worked hard to improve as a first baseman. That shouldn't go unnoticed. He should get some time at the position, if he's going to work at it. This could mean that Mauer and Vargas simply flip spots, but what if I want Vargas at first and someone else serving as my designated hitter?

Making sure Mauer can play more positions will make him more valuable. It also might be the only real way to get his attention. What if Mauer doesn't like the Twins plan? That's the point. What would happen if Mauer got mad?

Has anyone seen that happen, and if you're with the Twins, wouldn't you be thrilled by the prospect of that happening? Guys who hit .277 with four home runs don't get to call their own shots and Mauer should be told this. What's he going to do? Demand a trade.

Mauer will turn 32 years old on April 19. Maybe for the first time in his life, he appears to be learning that his athletic ability isn't going to automatically make him better than almost everyone else. Hard work both in the batting cage and in the field should be the theme of Mauer's career going forward.

The upside for Mauer, provided he can remain healthy and that appears to be a big if, is that he should be able to find his hitting stroke this offseason. We need to accept the fact that there isn't going to be a lot of power there, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't hit well over .300 and be able to drive in far more than 55 runs.

Where Mauer plays shouldn't matter to him or anyone else. First base one night, designated hitter the next, left field the next. His bat is what should be important. And if Mauer opens next season looking like a polished first baseman and hitting the ball well, then good for him. That will mean the motivational tactics that should be employed by the Twins will have worked. (If only it ended up being that simple.)

The bottom line is that the best way for the next Twins manager to get the most out of Mauer will be to make sure he knows that his $23 million check never contained a "must coddle" clause.

5 thoughts, qualifications the Twins should seek in a manager 6

Derek Wetmore / 1500 ESPN – 10/6/14

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins are in an unfamiliar position. Not since the summer 1986 has the organization fired a manager. Now, the Twins are looking to find their third manager in 28 years.

What qualities should the Twins seek?

Here's some unsolicited advice for Terry Ryan or Jim Pohlad and anyone else whose voice will be heard during the search. This column presents 5 thoughts on the qualities the Twins should look for in managerial candidates:

1. Innovative. One fundamental problem with the Twins is their proclivity to make decisions based on the way they've always been done. I'm not suggesting a managerial candidate needs to promise to flip baseball on its head to earn the job. But the willingness to question the status quo takes guts and is a tell-tale sign of intellectual curiosity. Those with that trait are continually trying to improve at the margin and that's essential in a sport where the marginal win (or run) can mean the difference between playing October baseball and October golf.

2. A diverse group of viewpoints. When Terry Ryan and the next manager collectively assemble the coaching staff, they should consciously avoid collecting 'yes men.' Put smart and qualified people in a position that fits their strengths and don't be afraid to listen to their critical input. That goes for in-game decisions and lineup construction, although the manager always should have the final say.

If you're confident you've made the right choice, it's no harm to explain to an invested coworker why you settled on your decision. And if you're not confident you made the right choice, then what's wrong with seeking consensus by getting challenged?

A final note on another type of diversity: it would make a lot of sense to have multiple Spanish-speaking coaches on the staff. More on this in Thought 5.

3. Don't overvalue experience. As Ryan pointed out, there are current examples of managers whom many would deem successful -- Brad Ausmus, Mike Matheny, , to name a few - that had little or no managing experience. (That trio also illustrates a critical point that talented players have a way of making a manager look good by winning.)

Experience helps with things like managing the media and blending egos in the clubhouse. But as baseball analytics make leaps forward decisions like late-game bunting and bullpen management have become more cut and dried. There may still be an art to in- game strategy that can be refined over years of managing teams in the minor leagues. But more than ever in baseball's history, those tactics come to resemble a science.

4. Listen to analytics. Work to understand them. Don't bristle at their existence and don't bow to their suggestions. Smart baseball people realize that scouting alone can't provide all the information to make the best decision. They also realize that number- crunching alone can't accomplish that feat, either. As the debate raged in the mid-2000s as to which was most important between scouting vs. analytics, forward-thinking teams receded from the shouting match and privately answered: "both."

This speaks to the diverse group referenced earlier. The coaching staff, ideally, would have different perspectives on how to view baseball -- a series of one-on-one matchups; a process by which teams collect data; waves of momentum that ebb and flow.

When asked if he views analytics as an important quality in a candidate, Ryan said that it "would be a piece." That's what I'd recommend. Baseball analytics have their shortcomings and shouldn't be taken as gospel because they're not perfect yet. But to ignore them in 2014 is unacceptable.

"You have to be a strategy guy," Ryan said. "I'd like to have him be an attention-to-detail guy. He's got to be a leader; tactician; handle the media; involvement in the community; take an interest in our minor leagues and scouting and so forth; have a grasp of the organizational policies. Everything that leaders do depending on the industry."

That's probably not exhaustive, but it sounds like a good place to start.

5. Connect with the players. Because of the nature of his job, Ryan doesn't spend much time gabbing with players. It's very rare to see Ryan in the clubhouse during homestands and it's not often he makes his way to the field. His interaction with players is curtailed in part because a personal relationship could hinder him from making the sound baseball decision. 7

A manager is different.

A good manager can sit down with a player in his office and be forthright about things like playing time. If the player respects the manager, it's more likely he'll respect his decisions on the lineup card. This onus shouldn't fall exclusively on the manager. The coaching staff should be full of people who help massage and manage the clubhouse dynamics comprising professional and personal relationships.

It strikes me as especially important with players from Latin America. Players like Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana, Miguel Sano, Kennys Vargas, Eduardo Escobar, Josmil Pinto, Lester Oliveros and Jorge Polanco likely had a different experience as a teenager becoming a player than did Paul Molitor, for example. Not the least of the many differences is the era. Age should not matter in hiring a manager or coaching staff, but having someone near in age and experience seems like it would be helpful.

Terry Steinbach was the youngest member of the Twins 2014 coaching staff. It's hard to imagine a catcher from New Ulm, Minn., and a catcher from, say, Valencia, Venezuela -- like Pinto -- experienced the same or similar circumstances growing up in the game. Baseball is a wonderful unifying force. But there's a clear limitation to any sort of visceral understanding. That empathy could prove important to helping develop some of the organization's young Latin players.

Some closing thoughts:

--For a conversation with Pat Reusse about the manager search, download the latest Sports Over Beers podast.

--It's smart of the Twins to look outside the organization for their next manager. They could select someone who currently is in the organization. But the person should have to earn it from a wide-open field, not simply by virtue of being the biggest fish in the Twins' pond. If the Twins choose an in-house candidate after an extensive search, so be it. That likely means they had a great manager candidate in-house.

Looking externally is out of character for the organization. And it's the right approach.

--I generally feel that a manager's contribution to a Major League team is overstated. I don't mean that he doesn't work hard or put in long hours. I'm saying, rather, that provided a base level of baseball intelligence and the requisite work ethic, there isn't a mountain of difference between one manager to the next.

--The Twins should be better next season, but replacing Ron Gardenhire won't be the primary improvement. Even Joe Maddon would not have made the 2014 playoffs with Minnesota's roster.

--Whether it's Paul Molitor, Doug Mientkiewicz, John Russell, Jose Oquendo, Dave Martinez or any other candidate, the Twins should consider all these things and more. They're hoping, I'm sure, that they won't have to look for another manager again for at least another decade.

It’s been 10 years (and counting) since Twins won playoff game

Phil Mackey / 1500 ESPN – 10/6/14

Exactly 10 years ago Sunday -- Oct. 5, 2004 -- the Minnesota Twins appeared primed for a big breakthrough.

After turning four straight 90-loss seasons into a flirtation with the AL Central crown in 2001, the Twins won their first playoff series in more than a decade in 2002, then punched the mighty Yankees in the mouth in 2003 before eventually succumbing in the ALDS.

The franchise was nearly amputated from baseball a few years earlier, and the team's revenue stream was merely a babbling brook compared to the top spenders around the league, but despite this the "contraction" Twins won three division titles and made baseball fun and relevant again around these parts.

8

"We knew we were going to be competitive," Jacque Jones told 1500ESPN.com via email on Saturday. "We didn't know that it would be that fast."

The 2004 roster included a blend of established key players (Jones, , , Shannon Stewart, Corey Koskie, Brad Radke and were all in their primes), the best starting in baseball (a 25-year-old , who was on the verge of signing a four-year contract extension), and another new wave of young stars in 23-year-old , who burst onto the scene with 19 home runs in only 312 plate appearances, 25-year-old Michael Cuddyer, who had emerged as a viable bat and multi-position fielder, and 22-year-old , who at the time was one of the top 20 prospects in baseball.

That core group rolled into Yankee Stadium on Oct. 5, 2004 and delivered an upper-cut to the Pinstripes in Game 1 of the ALDS - a 2-0 behind seven scoreless innings from Santana, leaping catches at the wall from Hunter and Stewart, and a trademark opposite- field by Jones.

"Tonight we made some plays," Ron Gardenhire said after the game. "I think you'll see Torii Hunter probably stepped up and played the game like we see him do all the time, some catches in centerfield; a great throw; we turned four or five plays, I don't even know. That's our game."

The Twins weren't favorites to take a series from a Yankees team loaded with Hall of Fame talent, but it seemed at the time as if that Game 1 win symbolized something; The Twins, low payroll or not, had emerged as the model franchise in baseball. Talent, culture, attitude, discipline - everything seemed to be there, except payroll.

"That 2004 team was really good," Cuddyer said via email on Sunday. "I think it would have been a bit better had Joe Mauer been with us the whole year (a knee injury knocked Mauer out after only 35 games). Henry Blanco filled in admirably, but we would have been a much larger force for sure. ...

"I do remember us being confidant after that Game 1 win."

There were no guarantees on Oct. 5, 2004 that the Twins would parlay a Game 1 win into a trip to the ALCS, but that Game 1 win - and the landscape of the franchise at the time - seemed to guarantee something big at some point.

Instead, that Game 1 win in the 2004 ALDS was the end of it. After Hunter hit a solo blast to give the Twins a lead in the top of the 12th of Game 2, the Yankees scored two in the bottom of the inning off Nathan and J.C. Romero to walk off. Then Juan Rincon blew a four-run lead in the eighth inning of Game 4 at the Metrodome.

"I think Game 2 did us in," Cuddyer said. "Even though it only tied the series, we would have left New York up 2-0. I thought after Torii hit the HR in the 12th and put us up by 1 we had it for sure... In those days we weren't used to losing a lead at the end of the game."

10-year drought

Little did anyone know that Game 1 win over the Yankees - exactly 10 years ago Sunday - would be the organization's last taste of playoff success.

The Twins have not won a playoff game since.

The 12 straight playoff losses equals the second-longest streak in major league history.

It's not even really a knock on the "contraction" Twins, who deserve full credit for pulling the Twins from discussions about contraction to annual postseason baseball - something we all probably took for granted in retrospect after enduring these last four miserable seasons. Jones, Hunter, Koskie, Santana, A.J. Pierzynski, Doug Mientkiewicz - all of them banded together to change a culture. Gardenhire too. That group knocked off the A's in 2002, knocked on the door of the World Series and stood toe-to-toe with the best team in baseball, the Yankees, twice.

But considering the groundwork laid by that crew, and considering the young talent pounding on the door -- a 21-year-old Mauer was about to rejoin the middle of the lineup, and and were coming through the pipeline -- it's almost impossible to imagine such a drought, especially knowing the Twins went on to win division titles in 2006, 2009 and 2010. They also made it to a Game 163 in 2008. They were relevant for the better part of six years after that Game 1 win over the Yankees in 2004. 9

Yet, the dry spell continues.

"I think most scribes and baseball people alike said that we overachieved in those days, but I feel the exact opposite," Cuddyer said. "I feel that we had talent, we could pitch and we never made mistakes. I feel that, with the teams that we had in that decade, we underachieved.

"I still have a bad taste in my mouth for not advancing further in the playoffs. I feel like we never got the respect (rightfully so) we deserved because of the fact that we had early exits every year but that first one. ...

"I do believe that team and the 2010 team were good chances to beat the Yankees. Unfortunately we just couldn't get it done... I think that 2006 team was our best chance to win the World Series. I still believe that we were the best team in the playoffs, and had Frankie (Liriano) not blown out (his elbow) we would have a ring. Our talent, our staff and our momentum was going to be hard to beat. Then Frankie got hurt that last couple weeks of the season and we just never were to recover from that blow."

Even without Liriano in 2006, a Twins team featuring the MVP (Morneau), batting champion (Mauer), best pitcher in baseball (Santana), and two key players having career seasons (Hunter and Cuddyer) should have fared better than a three-game sweep at the hands of the A's.

In reality, a 0-12 playoff record over the last 10 years was probably more of a reason to part ways with Gardenhire than losing 90 games with no pitching staff.

"It sucks, OK. Go ahead, throw it out there," Gardenhire said last Monday of his playoff record as a manager.

"I'd loved to have won a World Series, I'd love to have gone deeper, won more games, but it is what it is. You can't bring those things back. You move forward. We didn't play well in the playoffs. That's on my record. I'll take it, I'll wear it. But we were in the playoffs, and we got there. And you've got to live with that part of it too, that's all part of baseball. ... Maybe (a World Series) is still to come."

Over this 10-year stretch, every other team in the has won multiple playoff games - including, now, the .

Can the 2015 Twins emulate the 2001 team?

Many people have drawn comparisons between the 2001 Twins - a team that went from 93 losses to contending for a division title the next year - to the potential 2015 group.

There are two obvious parallels: A long stretch of 90-loss seasons and a light at the end of the tunnel with a pipeline full of young talent ready to emerge.

If anyone understands what it takes for a team to go from multiple 90-loss seasons to contending, it's Jacque Jones, who suffered through 1999 and 2000 before the Twins broke through in 2001 and 2002.

On one hand, Jones said the Twins "can't go wrong with either guy" if the managerial position is up for grabs between Mientkiewicz and Paul Molitor, both of whom Jones has known for nearly two decades. Jones speaks highly of both.

On the other hand, Jones stressed, "There is no comparison" between the 2001 team and a potential 2015 resurgence.

"There will never be another group like ours," Jones said. "We were like brothers - a tight-knit family. It was all about talent and attitude. We knew we were good and we knew we were going to be more fundamentally sound than the other teams we played."

Jones and his teammates benefitted from climbing the minor league ladder together. Jones, Mientkiewicz, Pierzynski, Hunter, Guzman, Joe Mays, Romero and even Chad Allen teamed to win the 1998 Double-A Eastern League title.

The new crop of Twins youngsters doesn't have anywhere near the minor league cohesion that the "contraction" Twins did. Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton still haven't crossed paths in the minors. Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks and Josmil Pinto all played together in New Britain, but only Pinto crossed paths in New Britain with Danny Santana, Alex Meyer and Trevor May. Kennys Vargas was a year behind all of them. J.O. Berrios is two years behind.

10

Could Mientkiewicz or Molitor's relationships with these young players factor in? Only time will tell.

But whether a revival happens in 2015 or later, when the Twins eventually do return to the playoffs, that 0-for-12 drought will still breathe until the new crop and a new manager end it.

Orioles’ John Russell expected to interview for Twins’ managerial opening

Eduardo Encina / The Baltimore Sun – 10/5/14

DETROIT – Orioles bench coach John Russell is expected to be interviewed for the Minnesota Twins’ managerial position.

Russell, who has been the Orioles’ bench coach since 2011, has previous managing experience. He managed the from 2008 to 2010, compiling a 186-299 record over those three seasons.

All of manager Buck Showalter’s coaches, including Russell, are currently under contract for next season, so the Orioles would need to give permission to interview Russell. But Showalter is one of Russell’s biggest advocates and said Russell deserves another shot at managing.

Russell, whose understated personality makes him often overlooked, is in his 19th season as a coach or manager in professional baseball. He also played parts of 10 seasons with the , the and the .

"I'm surprised that he hasn't gotten more play," Showalter said. "John's not that kind of guy. John's never working on his next job. John's as loyal as they come. And he loves it here. He loves the way he's treated and the say he has, but he's not trumpeting... And those are the best type of guys to hire. There's nobody more loyal to an organization, and John's not actively seeking this.

"Quite frankly, that's part of the reason I'm bringing it up. ... There's no propaganda with him. It's, 'You know who I am, you know where I am, there's my body of work.'"

Russell, 53, is one of Showalter’s most valued confidants in the dugout, so losing him would be a hit to the Orioles. Russell is also the team’s catching coach, so his replacement on the coaching staff would need to have a catching background.

Showalter could promote one of his existing coaches to bench coach and hire a coach to handle the catchers. Major league coach Einar Diaz and minor league catching coordinator Don Werner are internal possibilities.

Showalter added that keeping members of his major league staff -- as well as minor league coaches and player development staff -- has been an important part of the franchise's on-field success. He said the team is in the process of signing Triple-A Norfolk manager Ron Johnson and pitching coach Mike Griffin for next season.

"We've gotten a lot more calls on our people," Showalter said. "Because of what [executive vice president] Dan [Duquette] and ownership has allowed us to do, we're able to hold onto them. When someone comes knocking for R.J. or Griff or [player development director] Brian Graham or [minor league instructoer] Dave Anderson or [minor league hitting instructor Jeff] Manto, which they have and are going to, if we can't put them in the big leagues, we can do some things.

"We've done some things to keep the good people. It's not just the good players you've got to keep. It's more about the whole system."

Twins expect to interview John Russell for managing job

Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore – 10/5/14

11

DETROIT – One of the few drawbacks of having a winning team is that teams looking for managers call. The Orioles are expecting a phone call from the Minnesota Twins asking for permission to interview bench coach John Russell.

Russell, who has been with the Orioles for four seasons, managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2008-10.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten more play. John’s not that type of guys. John’s never working on his next job,” manager Buck Showalter said. “John’s as loyal as they come. He loves it here. He loves the way he’s treated and the say he has. He’s not trumpeting. Those are the best kinds of guys to hire.”

Russell could interview between the Division Series and League Championship Series, but the Twins could hold off until the Orioles’ season is completed. Minnesota fired longtime manager Ron Gardenhire on Monday.

“There’s nobody more loyal to an organization. John’s not actively seeking any of this,” Showalter said. “There’s no propaganda with him.”

Showalter says that the Orioles have received inquiries about some of their support personnel, but have been able to pay them highly enough so that they don’t want to leave.

He mentioned Norfolk manager Ron Johnson, Tides pitching coach Mike Griffin, Director of Player Development Brian Graham and minor league infield coordinator Dave Anderson and minor league hitting coordinator Jeff Manto.

“If we can’t put them in the big leagues, we can do some things. We’ve done some things to keep the good people,” Showalter said.

“It’s not just the players you have to keep, it’s more about the whole system.”

Russell’s main competition for the Twins job is likely to coach from Paul Molitor, who was one of Gardenhire’s coaches this season and Minnesota minor league manager Doug Mientkiewicz.

Red Wings’ Gene Glynn will interview for Twins’ managerial job

Jim Mandelaro / The Democrat & Chronicle – 10/3/14

A source within the Minnesota Twins' organization confirms the club will interview Red Wings manager Gene Glynn in the upcoming weeks for its managerial vacancy.

Ron Gardenhire was dismissed Monday after 13 seasons.

Glynn loves Rochester but has said he would welcome the chance to return to the big-league level. He was an extra coach with the Twins for the final two weeks of this season.

Ask Gene: Mandelaro's video series during the 2014 season

The Twins already have interviewed Hall of Famer Paul Molitor and ex-Minnesota first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who managed their Single-A Fort Myers Miracle teams to the title last month. They also plan to interview bench coach Terry Steinbach. Steinbach is 7-3 when filling in for Gardenhire due to missed games or ejections.

Potential outside candidates include former White Sox and Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, Yankees coach Tony Pena, Tampa Bay coach Dave Martinez and White Sox coach Joe McEwing.

12

Glynn, who turned 58 on Sept. 22, is the least known of this group, but his credentials are strong.

Although he has never managed at the major-league level, he was a big-league coach from 1994-2006 with the , , and . He was given the high-responsibility job of third-base coach for all but one of those 13 seasons.

Like Molitor and Steinbach, Glynn is Minnesota born and raised. And he has managed 25 of the 39 players who ended the season with Minnesota last Sunday.

In the two years before Glynn arrived (2010-11), the Wings were a woeful 103-186 for a .356 winning percentage. Each year, they posted the worst record among 30 Triple-A clubs.

Few Rochesterians had heard of Glynn when he was a surprise choice by the Twins to manager the Triple-A Red Wings before the 2012 season – he had spent the previous five years out of uniform as a scout for the - but he has become very popular among fans and is considered a father figure to many players.

Many current Twins would welcome the chance to play for him again.

In Glynn's three seasons, the Red Wings are a combined 228-208 (.523). They reached the playoffs in 2013 and weren't eliminated this past season until the final weekend.

Glynn leaves Saturday for Venezuela, where he will be a bench coach for the Bravos de Margarita on Margarita Island. He was coaching in Venezuela three years ago when the Twins flew him back to interview for the Red Wings vacancy, and they will do the same thing when it's time to interview him for the big-league job.

13