Thread: Fate of Coaching Staff

Here's a question that I haven't really heard lately: At what point does the coaching staff go "on the hot seat?" I know that there are bigger issues with this team, but we've often seen a coaching staff get the blame and are relieved of their duties. If things continue the way they have been, do you see the front office of the Twins making a change?

Doubtful. I don't think the Twins have fired any of the coaching staff in season since 1986.

Maybe in July if the seats are all empty.

Maybe end of the season. Nothing will happen during it.

Originally Posted by TCBurgerGuy

Here's a question that I haven't really heard lately: At what point does the coaching staff go "on the hot seat?"

What planet are you on?

I think Gardenhire, Scott Ullger and Rick Anderson are more or less bulletproof for the regular season. The only guy that (I think) could potentially be fired in-season would be the hitting coach Joe Vavra, and I would be very very surprised if he was let go. I could imagine the Twins' front office firing Vavra to bring in Paul Molitor. But even that seems like a really big stretch.

Originally Posted by Kirby_Waved_At_Me

I think Gardenhire, Scott Ullger and Rick Anderson are more or less bulletproof for the regular season. The only guy that (I think) could potentially be fired in-season would be the hitting coach Joe Vavra, and I would be very very surprised if he was let go. I could imagine the Twins' front office firing Vavra to bring in Paul Molitor. But even that seems like a really big stretch.

I like the idea of Molitor as the hitting coach in theory, but He has tried being a hitting coach before (in Seatle) and that experiment only lasted a year. I'm not sure about the details of the whole situation though.

I'd be surprised if the Twins fired anyone but Souhan pointed out that the younger Pohlad's might not have Carl's sense of loyalty or patience. So, we'll see.

I think it's clear the Twins are the most unique organization in pro sports when it comes to loyalty to coaches and front office staff. I don't think the term "hot seat" even applies to this team. Gardenhire and his coaches will be here until they decide they no longer want to be, or maybe in the highly unlikely event Gardy and Terry Ryan really start butting heads. If the Twins were going to fire a manager after two crappy seasons, Tom Kelly would have been gone by 1994.

I don't see any firings during the season. However, if this ship doesn't get turned around by season's end, I think we could (and should) see a mutual parting of ways in the offseason.

I think Gardy is an excellent manager, and I've defended him for years against the irrational and silly rantings of the rabid "Gardy Sucks" wing of the fan base.

However, sometimes when the same voice has been speaking for too long, guys just stop listening. Especially today's players, who tend to have pretty short attention spans.

I have a hunch Gardy and the staff may start to feel like they're ready for a new challenge too. I'm sure they'd have no problem finding jobs elsewhere.

Originally Posted by one_eyed_jack

However, sometimes when the same voice has been speaking for too long, guys just stop listening. Especially today's players, who tend to have pretty short attention spans.

I don't necessarily disagree with your concept, but aren't the players turning over at a pretty high rate to negate that? A huge chunk of the players just got here. And a good portion of the guys who have been here a while are performing fine.

Originally Posted by TCBurgerGuy

Here's a question that I haven't really heard lately: At what point does the coaching staff go "on the hot seat?"

What do you mean? Thrylos brings this up every chance he gets!! (I keed, Thrylos!! )

The sad state of sports is that often managers and coaches get the blame or are the scape goat when players don't do their job or when front offices don't give them players that can win. That's why I don't think that the manager and coaching staff should be on the hot seat, but as the season continues, I can't help but believe that they will be.

Originally Posted by Seth Stohs

What do you mean? Thrylos brings this up every chance he gets!! (I keed, Thrylos!! )

All good And yes I do...

To say that the Twins have not fired a coach since 1986 (when they last fired their manager, Ray Miller, mid-season) is a bit inaccurate. They haven't done many mid season changes, but they have done changes (even though they were recycled in Gardy's era e.g. Stevie from hitting coach to 3B coach to bench coach) after the season. The most recent one was Al Newman leaving after 2005 and Vavra coming as hitting coach. And from TK's coaches only Stelly and Jerry White moved along (Gardenhire of course) when he left...

On the other hand, all but Jerry and Stelly need to go soon

Originally Posted by James

I like the idea of Molitor as the hitting coach in theory, but He has tried being a hitting coach before (in Seatle) and that experiment only lasted a year. I'm not sure about the details of the whole situation though.

It's been more than a few years, but I think where Molitor went wrong in Seattle was his attempt to make Ichiro a more Bases on Balls oriented type of player. I think Molitor's year as hitting coach in Seattle was 2005 and Ichiro was coming off a .370 BA campaign in 2004. Ichiro batted around .310ish in 2005 and Molitor was shown the door. Lesson: Don't mess with something that is going good and don't mess with a player who has the ilk of a artist we have never seen before and are likely to never see again. Although, Molitor deserves another chance if he wants it. But I am under the impression he does not (want it).

Bring up Bruno! Anyone who get .280 out of Butera gets my vote.

Originally Posted by CDog

I don't necessarily disagree with your concept, but aren't the players turning over at a pretty high rate to negate that? A huge chunk of the players just got here. And a good portion of the guys who have been here a while are performing fine.

---Maybe some. And while some of the longer-tenured players have been "doing" fine (Mauer, Span, Morneau), "fine" doesn't win games in the big leagues. You need your top players to be better than "fine". Casilla has been the same erratic player he's always been. I was hoping to see Plouffe and Valencia take a step forward this year, but it hasn't happened. And you've got a couple of guys on the staff in Blackburn and Liriano whose performance has been about a hundred miles from "fine."

I'm not putting this all on Gardy and the staff. In fact I think guys are playing hard, this isn't a case of a team quitting on its manager. And I'm not a knee-jerk "fire the manager" guy. It's an overused tactic in pro sports. You see it too often where a team goes through a rough stretch and management/ownership want to shake things up. Contract situations make trades a lot more difficult to make, so they end up canning the coach/manager because it's the quickest and easiest means of shaking things up.

All I'm saying is that if this ends up being another 90+ loss season, maybe both the Twins and Gardy would benefit from a change.

Originally Posted by mnfireman

Bring up Bruno! Anyone who get .280 out of Butera gets my vote.

I think this would be the obvious hire and definitely a type of hire the Twins liketo make.

Originally Posted by gunnarthor

I'd be surprised if the Twins fired anyone but Souhan pointed out that the younger Pohlad's might not have Carl's sense of loyalty or patience. So, we'll see.

Sorry, you lost all credibility by using Souhan as a reference point

If I thought changing the coaches would help, then I'd say do it. But, I'm not convinced that it would. I think that if things continue like they are, the Pohlad family will make changes at the end of the season. Anyone know the stats on how many coaching changes occur during the season? I'd guess it's a low %.

As long as Ryan is in charge, never. This organization does not fire people very often.