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Home , Chip Hale, DeMarlo Hale, Doug Mientkiewicz, Jared Burton, Ron Gardenhire, Terry Ryan (baseball)

Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

➢ Molitor has third meeting with Twins. Star Tribune (Neal) pg. 1 ➢ TwinsCentric: Powering up the bullpen. Star Tribune (Nelson) pg. 1 ➢ Updated Twinsights: says meeting with “went fine.” Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 3 ➢ Paul Molitor gets second interview as Twins managerial field narrows. CBSsports.com (Heyman) pg. 4 ➢ Mackey: Should Twins consider hiring over Paul Molitor? 1500espn.com (Mackey) pg. 5 ➢ Wetmore: The case for and against Molitor, Lovullo and Mientkiewicz. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) pg. 6

Molitor has third meeting with Twins

La Velle E. Neal III / Star Tribune – 10/22/14

Paul Molitor met the with the Twins on Tuesday morning to discuss their vacant managerial opening, according to a person with knowledge of the search, but indications are that he was not offered the job.

Molitor was spotted at Target Field around 9 a.m. Tuesday.

It’s the third time Molitor has spoken with the Twins about the job, but there are not indications he was the front-runner. So the Twins’ search for a replacement for Ron Gardenhire continues, with at least three known serious candidates for the job.

According to the Boston Globe, the Twins were given an extension to talk with Red Sox bench Torey Lovullo again. He was known to have interviewed for the job during the weekend of Oct. 11.

Former Twins player and current Fort Myers Doug Mientkiewicz has interviewed twice for the job, including last week during the club’s organizational meetings.

Reports have indicated White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing and Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. have been told they are no longer in the running.

The Twins asked for, and received, permission to interview Chip Hale for the position, but Hale, the day he was to travel to the Twin Cities, asked to postpone his trip when Arizona asked him back for a second interview, according to his agent Burton Rocks. Hale ended up getting the Diamondbacks job.

The earliest the Twins could introduce a new manager is Thursday, the off day between games two and three of the . The league frowns upon teams making announcements during series but will grant permission to make announcements during off days.

TwinsCentric: Powering up the bullpen

Nick Nelson / Star Tribune – 10/21/14

There are only so many worthwhile takeaways to be gleaned from an examination of the ' incredible postseason up to this point. It's just been one of those miraculous stretches of baseball where everything has kept on clicking. (At least until Game 1 of the World Series.)

It is possible that the impact of Kansas City's speed, fundamentals, and maybe even defense, can be overstated.

The impact of a lights-out bullpen, however, cannot.

During the regular season, the Royals went 64-9 when ahead after the sixth , and 65-4 when ahead after the seventh. This relief corps that reliably protected leads during the summer has stepped it up here in October.

When Kansas City leads after five, or gains a lead at any point thereafter, the win has been automatic.

This was an overlooked calling card in the Twins' wonder years. During Minnesota's division championship seasons of 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010, they ranked 4th, 5th, 5th, 1st, 4th and 4th among AL teams in bullpen ERA.

This year, they ranked 10th.

So when you look at areas that need to improve, this is a pretty blatant one. A truly great bullpen can be a key difference-maker; many of those division-winning clubs lacked elite lineups or rotations but won games because they consistently could finish the job.

Fortunately, the current Twins already have that all-important piece: a shutdown closer. Like Eddie Guardado and before him, Glen Perkins is an All-Star, ranking among the game's best at slamming the door.

Concerns over Perkins' sore forearm and shaky September were quelled after an MRI revealed no UCL damage.

But what of the arms leading up to Perkins? Where are those dominant arms that bridge the gap, like Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera have done for the Royals?

Casey Fien was far less dominant this year than in 2013, as his declined and more hits fell in. Jared Burton struggled too often, and seems unlikely to have his option activated. When minor-leaguers like Michael Tonkin, A.J. Achter and Lester Oliveros got their chances, they delivered mixed results.

If the Twins want to be proactive in addressing the bullpen, they might want to seek alternatives to their present options. That could mean looking to free agency, where some intriguing names are covered in the Offseason Handbook.

But it also might mean getting creative and trying out some different things. One such idea is shifting Mike Pelfrey into a relief role, where I believe he could transform from a liability to an asset.

And here's another idea I'm starting to like: Alex Meyer in the bullpen to start the season.

He already has a full year at Triple-A under his belt and he'll turn 25 in January. He needs to be in the majors. But the Twins seem to have lingering doubts about his ability to pitch deep into games, and that's warranted. He completed six just once in his last seven starts at Rochester.

There might not be room for him in the rotation from the outset, if the Twins sign a or want to give Tommy Milone a look.

So why not let Meyer start out in a relief role, where he can gain confidence pitching in short stints while blowing big-league hitters away with his elite stuff?

The Twins brought along in this manner in 2006. He dominated pitching a couple innings at a time as a potent weapon out of the bullpen during the first six weeks, and was already rolling by the time he the rotation in mid-May.

Since Meyer only pitched 130 innings last year and ended on an injury scare, the Twins will want to manage his workload. Serving as a reliever those first few weeks or months will allow him to pitch deeper into the season without vastly exceeding his inning total from 2014.

Ideally, he'll pitch well in this role, refine his control, and be ready to stretch out and step in as a starter when help is inevitably needed. Or else the Twins could let him work as a reliever the entire season. The Cardinals did so with Adam Wainwright his rookie year, and he turned out alright.

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Whichever route they choose to go, Minnesota must find a way to harness Meyer's overpowering arm. It makes little sense to send him back to the minors.

Updated Twinsights: Paul Molitor says meeting with Terry Ryan “went fine”

Mike Berardino / Pioneer Press – 10/21/14

Paul Molitor had his second full-length meeting with Twins Terry Ryan on Tuesday regarding the team’s open manager position, and the hall of famer apparently came away encouraged by the discussion.

“I think it went fine,” Molitor told the Pioneer Press in a text message.

No job offer was extended, Molitor said, but the incumbent Twins coach remains the apparent frontrunner to replace Ron Gardenhire, fired Sept. 29 after 13 seasons.

It’s unknown exactly who remains in the running besides Molitor, but the Boston Globe reported Tuesday that Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo is “very much” still a candidate. Class A Fort Myers manager Doug Mientkiewicz also is believed to still be under consideration.

A native of St. Paul, Molitor, 58, has spent all but three of the past 19 seasons in the Twins organization since signing a free-agent deal with his hometown team before the 1996 season. That included two seasons as the bench coach (2000-01) under former Twins manager .

Considering Molitor left Tuesday’s meeting without a job offer, it seems possible, if not likely, that the Twins will hold a second round of talks with Lovullo.

Mientkiewicz, reached Tuesday evening by phone in Fort Myers, said he already had his second interview with Twins officials on Oct. 13, the first full day of the organization meetings. Molitor did not attend the annual meetings, which concluded last Thursday.

“It’s been great. It’s been enlightening,” Mientkiewicz said of the interview process. “They’ve known me for a long time. They kind of watched me grow up. It was definitely a learning experience for everybody involved.”

How did he think his interviews went?

“It went pretty good,” he said. “It felt good. I told them the truth. We’ll see what happens.”

Mientkiewicz, 40, led the Miracle to its first in 22 years as a Twins affiliate. The fiery former also spent a decade in the organization as a player, rising from a fifth-round draft choice out of Florida State in 1995 to Twins minor league player of the year (1998) and later was named the big-league club’s most valuable player (2001).

“I think they all understand what I bring,” he said.

What tops that list of attributes?

“Energy,” he said. “I think I’ve proven wherever I’ve gone I’ve won. That’s pretty much why I got a chance to interview for this thing. I’ve worked with every player that’s going to turn this thing around for us the last two years. I think they all had career years. They did what they were supposed to do, and that’s a positive for me and the coaching staff I had.”

Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano and Jose Berrios — considered the Twins’ top three prospects — all thrived under Mientkiewicz’s guidance at Fort Myers.

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“Nothing beats watching the kids grow underneath your eyes,” Mientkiewicz said. “I know Twins fans are pretty used to hearing ‘patience’ and all that other stuff, but better days are soon to come for sure. With the guys we have in our system right now, it’s going to create some urgency, and urgency is a good thing. We’re moving in the right direction.”

With the World Series starting Tuesday in Kansas City, the Twins would need special permission from to announce their next manager before the series concludes. Off days are scheduled for Thursday and Monday, but it’s possible the Twins will wait until the World Series ends to introduce just their third manager in nearly three decades.

Paul Molitor gets second interview as Twins managerial field narrows

Jon Heyman / CBSsports.com – 10/21/14

Hall of Fame player Paul Molitor appears to have moved a step closer to winning the Twins' managerial job.

While there's no word that anything has been solidified, Molitor, long seen as the favorite for the job, reportedly has a second interview upcoming with GM Terry Ryan. Additionally, several candidates are said to have been eliminated. Sources also say Orioles bench coach John Russell, who was rumored to be a candidate if the Twins expanded their search, has not heard from the Twins.

Reports have suggested that with DeMarlo Hale, Joe McEwing and Sandy Alomar Jr. having been told they are out of the running and with no evidence of additional candidates coming in now, the derby may be down to Molitor, a Twins coach this past year, Class A Fort Myers manager Doug Mientkiewicz and Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo.

Molitor has seemed to top the Twins' managerial list from the start, as he appears to be a perfect fit, with the one main caveat being that he has no managing experience. Molitor, always a heady player, is a native of St. Paul, alum of the University of Minnesota and a former Twins player.

The other question, which is whether Molitor wanted to devote the time necessary, presumably has been answered during the process. Would he take a second interview if he wasn't sure about it?

ESPN1050 in the Twin Cities first reported Molitor was getting a second interview.

Longtime Twins observers have long said they would expect the team to stay inside for this key hire, as it did for it's only two managerial hires over the last 28 years -- Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire both came from the Twins' coaching staff.

Stability and secrecy remain the calling cards of the Twins. Ryan texted back Monday, "The search is going fine, Terry." And he left it at that, ignoring follow-up texts.

At this point, it would be something of a surprise if anyone but Molitor got the job. It's believed he could have been the top candidate to take over for Kelly a decade ago, but declined at that time, and a source suggested he was offered a chance to become bench coach job two years ago but declined because he wasn't sure Gardenhire would be comfortable with him on the staff.

Molitor did take a coaching job with the Twins the next winter, but Twins observers suggest he and Gardenhire were not especially close. Gardenhire was fired following completion of the Twins' fourth straight 90-loss season.

Mientkiewicz is held in high regard but seemingly as mostly a future managerial star after terrific performance at Fort Myers. Lovullo is well-regarded as well. However, it was always seen as likely that Minnesota would stay within the family.

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Russell, who is getting notice as the bench coach of the successful Orioles, was viewed as a Twins possibility since he had worked in the organization. But the fact he hasn't heard from the team may mean it is closer to a decision.

Mackey: Should Twins consider hiring Torey Lovullo over Paul Molitor?

Phil Mackey / 1500espn.com – 10/21/14

As of early Tuesday, the still had not made an official decision internally on who the next manager will be. According to multiple sources with knowledge of the hiring process, it is believed three candidates are still in play, and at least one follow-up interview was to take place -- perhaps more.

Before we dive further into those candidates, let's play the resume game.

Which of the following appears most deserving of a chance to help turn around the Twins?

Candidate A: Age: 58 Years of managerial experience at any level: 0 Years of major league coaching experience: 3 Playing career: Hall of Famer, 21 years Coaching or managing cred: None. Ties to the Twins: A lot

Candidate B: Age: 40 Years of managerial experience at any level: 2 Years of major league coaching experience: 0 Playing career: Solid contributor, 12 years Coaching or managing cred: Success at High-A Ties to the Twins: A lot

Candidate C: Age: 49 Years of managerial experience at any level: 9 Years of major league coaching experience: 4 Playing career: Journeyman, 8 years Coaching or managing cred: Two-time Double-A Manager of the Year, member of 2013 World Series Champion Red Sox Ties to the Twins: None

No disrespect to Candidates A and B -- Paul Molitor and Doug Mientkiewicz -- but Candidate C stands out in multiple areas; Nearly a decade of managerial experience, a full slate of fresh ideas from outside the organization -- including from one of the model organizations in baseball -- relative "youth," etc.

Torey Lovullo.

Molitor was scheduled to sit down, face-to-face, with general manager Terry Ryan on Tuesday for what was considered perhaps the most important meeting of the entire process, although according to the Pioneer Press Molitor left that interview without a job offer.

The Twins could very well wind up hiring Molitor, who was the favorite heading into the search process. Molitor is one of the smartest baseball men in the game, and if he lands the job it would finalize a move most people anticipated a year ago when he as placed on Ron Gardenhire's coaching staff. The ultimate wild card could be Jim Pohlad's long-time fondness for Molitor.

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But despite the Twins' long-time (and strange) aversion to hiring from outside the organization, and despite Ryan's on-the-record pronouncement that hiring a new manager from within would be preferable, Ryan wasn't just blowing smoke when he embarked on a series of interviews with outside candidates.

The outside candidate who made the best impression was Lovullo, who is currently 's bench coach in Boston. People who encounter Lovullo note his self-assuredness, his energy and his attention to detail.

As once source who knows Lovullo well put it, "He's a great communicator and very organized. He is like a waiter who has a party of 12 and doesn't write any orders down, but comes back with 12 meals exactly as ordered."

Unlike Mientkiewicz, who also remains alive in this search, and Molitor, Lovullo has no formal ties to the Twins organization.

That's not a knock on Molitor, who is not regarded as one of "Gardy's guys." Molitor is lauded for his baseball IQ and would not simply rehash old organizational ideas. Molitor is his own man. Lovullo, however, would bring an entirely fresh perspective - something the Twins have mostly refused to inject into their ecosystem.

It's understandable why the Twins might hesitate. For one, if they don't hire Molitor now they'll probably never be able to hire Molitor. Secondly, they haven't filled a key organizational post with someone outside the organization in years, maybe even decades. When you've insulated the building for so long, there can be a certain fear factor when it comes to breaking out of that comfort zone. Of course, that fear factor is self-induced.

All three candidates have question marks. I think Mientkiewicz will manage in the major leagues someday, but I think he needs more seasoning. I think Molitor would adjust to the workload and responsibility of managing and inject new ideas while pumping life into the Twins' culture. But is he up for the grind? Would he fall in love with the grind? Lovullo might have hidden warts we can't possibly know about until we spend more time around him.

To me, the decision comes down to this: Managing is an all-encompassing job. It requires full attention to detail for 12 months out of the year, not six or eight. Lovullo has already proven he's up for the grind - nine years as a minor league manager from 2002-2010 and another four years as a major league coach (two years in Toronto, two in Boston).

While I certainly wouldn't criticize the Twins for hiring Molitor -- it could wind up being a fantastic hire, in fact -- I'd like to see the organization take advantage of a rare opportunity to steal a sharp mind from an established organization.

I think I would hire Lovullo.

Wetmore: The case for and against Molitor, Lovullo and Mientkiewicz

Derek Wetmore / 1500espn.com – 10/21/14

The Twins could be in the final stages of their manager search. Candidates believed to be in the running include Paul Molitor, Torey Lovullo and Doug Mientkiewicz.

Teams aren't supposed to make news during the World Series, but the Twins could seek special permission from Major League Baseball to announce a hire on an off day.

This column presents the merits and demerits of those three candidates:

--

The case for Paul Molitor:

--He's a Hall of Famer. Nine players have more career hits.

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--By all accounts he's a very sharp baseball mind.

--Twins players gave him credit this year as being keenly aware of tiny details that matter.

--He has worked with young players in the organization in a previous role.

--As a player, Molitor will be remembered as a Brewer, of course, but he grew up in Minnesota. (This shouldn't matter at all.)

--

The case against Paul Molitor:

He has no managing experience. In-game tactics may not require experience, but there are aspects of a manager's job that would benefit from experience.

--

The case for Torey Lovullo:

--He has managed previously (in the minors).

--He's been a part of a great organization, the .

--He brings an outside perspective.

--He's described as "inquisitive" in this glowing feature profile.

--

The case against Torey Lovullo:

Has been in the running for several jobs and was not hired. The Cubs, Rangers, Astros, Dodgers all considered but did not hire him. Keep in mind that each case is unique.

--

The case for Doug Mientkiewicz:

--He had success at Class A-Advanced Fort Myers.

--He's worked with some of the top talent in the minor league pipeline.

--He's fiery and it's believed that players like playing for him.

--There's a wave across the league of former MLB players becoming managers at a young age.

--

The case against Doug Mientkiewicz:

--Those Fort Myers Miracle teams were stacked with talent.

--He has just two years of coaching/managing experience and it's in the low minors.

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--While "fiery" can be a positive attribute, being involved in a minor league brawl probably crosses a line.

--

Bonus points:

1 -- Age does not matter to me.

2 -- Working previously with the Twins should not be a benefit or a detriment.

3 -- I'm a little surprised that we didn't see names like (Tampa Bay) and Jose Oquendo (St. Louis) surface. Those names may simply have been media speculation at the onset of the search, but they made sense to me.

I would have tried to interview somebody at least semi-prominent from each organization that I respect. The Rays and Cardinals certainly are on that list.

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