Minor League Managers

[Ncgo4]

With the Twin's results this year, I assume that Gardy is on the "Bubble" right now or will be soon. I like him, but at some point results matter and Minnesota nice goes out the door. The question is who would replace him?

 

Jake Mauer is the natural choice, but Dougie baseball has a lot more fire in his belly. Or does Ryan go outside the system?

[Seth Stohs]

Rochester - Gene Glynn

New Britain - Jeff Smith

Ft. Myers - Doug Mientkiewicz

Cedar Rapids - Jake Mauer

Elizabethton - Ray Smith

 

My assumption is that Mientkiewicz would be offered the managerial job if/when it opens up and that Jake Mauer will also be part of his coaching staff. Both are very good. Jeff Smith has been around a long time in the game and organization. Gene Glynn is very respected around the game and has done very well with the Red Wings the last few years.

 

I think it would be someone from within, and if it's not, it'd be someone like Mike Redmond or Matt LeCroy or something.

[Steven Buhr]

I know when Mientkiewicz was hired, it was important to him to be in Florida due to a family illness situation, I believe. Does anyone know whether that is still the case?

 

By the way, I haven't watched Doug manage, but I wouldn't necessarily assume he has more "fire in his belly" than Jake Mauer does. Don't make the mistake of assuming that Jake has exactly the same temperment that little brother Joe does. There is definitely some fire there.

[Boom Boom]

I have reservations about Mientkiewicz as a manager after his on-field fistfight.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

What do people see in Mientkiewicz other than being an ex-Twin and a funny nickname? I didn't see anything in him as a player that screamed manager material. I wonder if people might be confusing "fire in the belly" for something else.

[twinsin17]

Mike Redmond would be a huge win. He has done a great job with the young pitchers in Miami and the couple years of experience makes him a more desirable option in my opinion. Jake Mauer is a bit green still to be considered a viable candidate. I wouldn't doubt if Molitor has some sort of handshake agreement in place already, though.

[oldguy10]

In reading this thread to me Redmond should be the guy especially if it is true that he has done such a good job with the young Miami pitchers. Or is the success with these young pitchers really to the credit of Miami's pitching coach or minor league pitching coaches? At any rate it is way past time to rid the franchise of life long Twins' management and coaching employees. Ozzie Guillen anyone? When I state that keep in mind the preponderance of Latinos now coming along in the Twins' system, check out the minor league rosters. Of course also keep in mind that this is certainly not intended as a racist remark either.

[Seth Stohs]

Mike Redmond would be a huge win. He has done a great job with the young pitchers in Miami and the couple years of experience makes him a more desirable option in my opinion. Jake Mauer is a bit green still to be considered a viable candidate. I wouldn't doubt if Molitor has some sort of handshake agreement in place already, though.

 

 

Of course, Jake Mauer has about 7-8 years more managerial experience than Brad Ausmus of the Tigers has or Robin Ventura did before he became the White Sox manager.

 

I don't know if Molitor is or isn't a candidate to be the next Twins manager. For me, I don't think he would be just because he's older than Gardy. I'd prefer someone in the

 

Gardy's coaching staff (Vavra, Ullger, Liddle, etc) had been managers in the Twins farm system for years when they were promoted. That's why I think that the Twins next manager and coaching staff may be several of those in the minors. The players know and trust them, the way the players of the late-90s/early-00s respected and trusted Gardy and his staff.

[Rosterman]

Mauer may be the manager of the future, but I see both him and Mientkiewicz coaching in the majors first (as well as Tommy Watkins). Steinbach would be my choice for the manager. Molitor is more valuable as a specific coach rather than listening to player gripes and telling other coaches how to do a job. Managers have become more than just the on-field guy, they do a lot of off-field, work with front office, individual player issues, and oversee guys that are really good in their respective areas.

[DJL44]

Stole my pick. If they pick someone on the current payroll then Steinbach is my choice too. I also like the Mike Redmond idea.

[ScottyB]

In the history of the Twins, they have only had 3 managers with no organization ties - Bill Rigney, Gene Mauch and Ray Miller. And only Miller had no managerial experience. So the odds favor a manager with ties to the Twins. They have only had 5 GM's - Calvin, Howard Fox, Andy MacPhail, TR (twice), and Bill Smith. Only one GM has a World Championship, and that was the only GM with no organization ties before coming here.

 

It is my belief that TR will stay until he has righted the ship - a team above .500 and a playoff contender. At that time he will step down. I feel at that time we need to look outside the organization for a new GM. My personal preference would be to look at the front office of a smaller market team with a long history of contending. I'd look at the front office of the Cardinals, and the guy I'd consider is Matt Slater, their director of player personnel. He's also spent time with Milwaukee, the Dodgers and Baltimore and is the chief talent evaluator for the Cards. He's also negotiated contracts. He's young, experienced and low profile enough to be a good catch. He's also spent some time in Japan. He knows how to build a contender and to keep it going.

 

Put that together with a fairly young manager such as Dougy Baseball or Reddog and our current farm system and we could end up with multiple championships. I do see our current minor league managers as team coaches. The same thing happened when TK became manager and he was made manager because of relationships built with players in the minors.

[jorgenswest]

I am sure the Twins will him from within the organization. They would benefit more from hiring outside. Four consecutive bad seasons results from a failure top to bottom.

[tellis205]

Everything depends on whether TR is still around. If he is, Molitor is the next manager. Two years ago, the Twins wanted Molitor on the staff but Gardy didn't want him heading into the last year of his contract. He didn't want to be fired and have Molitor take over mid year. After the season ended, the Twins wanted Gardy to come back for a year. But Gardy didn't want to be a lame duck and instead wanted 2 years. He got it, with the understanding that he'd take Molitor on staff. My guess is that Gardy will get to finish the year out and start out next year. If things continue like they have, Molitor will take over sometime during the season. As with any manager that takes over, he eventually get's to bring in the people that he wants.