Article: Minnesota Twins Introduce Paul Molitor As New Manager

[John Bonnes]

Since I only started blogging about the Minnesota Twins since February of 2002(!), today was my first Welcome The New Manager Press Conference™. Mostly I learned that it is very hard to be objective at a Welcome The New Manager Press Conference™.

 

The primary barrier to an objective mindset yesterday was Hope. Hope is referenced in a lot of pseudo nebulous speak like “Baseball IQ” and “Good Fit”, but it boils down to the belief that this manager bathes in whatever special sauce really good managers bathe in. And that Hope is nearly invincible when the new manager is a hometown boy, universally beloved, who has been good to the local media for years. Oh, and also happens to be a Hall of Famer.That combination is an intoxicating highball, and there were more than a few questions from local media that sounded like they were enjoying the trip….

 

“Do you just love working with guys one on one?”

“How did you get to be so super baseball smart? Is that going to be a problem?”

“Do you remember that time when you hit a triple and it was your 3000^th hit? That was awesome!” [Throws self onto table, which collapses onto the floor.]

“You combed your hair a little different yesterday. Nobody else noticed. But I did.”

 

Those might not have been exact quotes. And even if they were, the fourth estate can be excused for being a little too giddy. Molitor is likable and sincere. It is hard to be moderate, let alone skeptical.

 

But the place to start would be his managerial resume, which is nonexistent. That obvious concern was taken care of immediately, when the very first question for Molitor was about his lack of managerial experience.

 

“I think that’s a very fair question. Playing, coaching, developing – it’s not the same as being the leader at the top", Molitor replied. He hopes to address some of those concerns with his coaching staff. “I think assembling a staff that is supportive and is able to fill some of those gaps, at least for me in the interim as we go forward, will be very, very critical. It’s something that we plan to get started on. We’ve had a lot of preliminary discussions.”

 

Terry Ryan admitted that was a concern of his too, but a little research helped. “If there was one thing that Paul wasn’t experienced in, it was making out the lineup card, said Ryan. “That certainly crosses every general manager’s mind about the hiring process. Then you look at some of the recent history of major league managers. There’s many guys that are succeeding that haven’t made a lineup in their life.”

 

And Ryan echoed Molitor’s intention to address some of these concerns via the assistant coaching staff. “Now [Molitor has] admitted he has some thing to learn. Doesn’t everybody?” asked Ryan. “So handling a pitching staff – he’s never done that. Being the manager of 25 men – he’s not done that. There are a few other things that are going to come across his desk that he’s never experienced. But nonetheless he’s gong to surround himself with people that will help him.”

 

The Twins certainly seem to recognize the obvious: their new manager will need some help. Perhaps we will see an ex-manager on the coaching staff, or some coaches with managerial experience to lend Molitor a hand. They’ll help accommodate the tangible weakness. They’ll place their faith on the intangibles: the special sauce, the Baseball IQ, the Hall-of-Fame pedigree.

 

And, of course, The Hope.

 

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[Seth Stohs]

They should sell hope. This team is, HOPEFULLY, about to turn a corner. The manager has an impressive background in baseball. The filling out the lineup part is the easiest part of the job. He's already talked to Jack Goin about ways to improve that. Obviously he hasn't been a pitching coach, but that's the purpose of the pitching coach.

 

There's no reason to sell anything but HOPE, at least until he has managed enough of a sample size to develop some opinions. 

[HitInAPinch]

They should sell hope. This team is, HOPEFULLY, about to turn a corner. The manager has an impressive background in baseball. The filling out the lineup part is the easiest part of the job. He's already talked to Jack Goin about ways to improve that. Obviously he hasn't been a pitching coach, but that's the purpose of the pitching coach.

 

There's no reason to sell anything but HOPE, at least until he has managed enough of a sample size to develop some opinions. 

 

He showed the fire for the job I was hoping to finally see.  I would say pitching coach is high on the list, followed closely by a re-adjustment of Joe Mauer's attitude.  What he said, I did not like at all.

 

I always have hope.  Like "I hope the Twins can find another outfielder".  Seriously, did they have no outfielders in the minors?  2 infielders had to play outfield on a regular basis?  Shezzzzz.. :-)

[MileHighTwinsFan]

Good piece.  Maybe the biggest thing I see Molitor needing to learn is how to delegate and trust his coaches.  I sense that he has some very clear and specific ideas on how he wants to run this team.  The concern may be that his intellect and attention to detail may become a problem if he doesn't trust his staff to execute his vision.  

 

A good manager knows when to rely on his staff and when to insert himself into the conversation.   Will Molitor strike that balance or will he veer toward micro-management.  

[John Bonnes]

For a dozen years I questioned whether Molitor was really the manager-in-waiting because I felt like ultimately the organization wouldn't trust someone who had never managed (let alone, someone who was not willing to be a manager at any other level other than the majors.)

 

I do think this is a much bigger risk than people are truly recognizing. 

[Squirrel]

For a dozen years I questioned whether Molitor was really the manager-in-waiting because I felt like ultimately the organization wouldn't trust someone who had never managed (let alone, someone who was not willing to be a manager at any other level other than the majors.)

 

I do think this is a much bigger risk than people are truly recognizing. 

I'm curious, and probably could research this myself, but I'll be honest, I just don't have the time or will ... but still, are there, have there been, any other mlb managers who have never managed, even in the minors?  That just went from über coach to mlb manager?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I would say pitching coach is high on the list, followed closely by a re-adjustment of Joe Mauer's attitude.

Joe doesn't need an attitude adjustment. Joe needs Paul to explain how to interact with the public. There's nothing wrong with Joe's attitude, he's just lousy at showing what the public wants to see (fire, grit, and all that other stuff that's mostly nonsense).

[alskntwnsfn]

Wow. Only 2 comments for our 3rd manager in nearly 30 years? Of course, everybody knew it would be Molitor because "his time has come" and he's a local legend. 

 

It's hard not to drink the kool-aid, but there are two things that bug me about installing Molitor (which I hope I'm completely wrong about).

 

1. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. I'm sure he'll bring his own personality to managing, but even if we get a new pitching coach its mostly a continuation of the old guard. The FO says they are sick of losing and we can't keep doing what we've been doing, so I'm a little nervous that they've chose to do exactly that.

 

and the biggest nagging fear I have...

 

2. Molitor was the guy largely responsible for player development and instilling fundamentals. Aside from the dreadful pitching, the biggest knock on this team has been the lack of fundamentals and lack of development of some players. Santana and Vargas were good this year, but Arcia continued to have the same poor approach at the plate. Molitor says they work with guys on this throughout the year, but the results were not very good. Whether it's Joe Mauer not being able to pull a ball in the air or Chris Colabello standing 4 feet off the plate for 3 weeks before Tony Oliva pointed that out... these are things that are on Molitor, Steinbach, and Brunansky as much as Gardy. 

 

More than payroll or free agent pitchers or high velo relievers, what this team REALLY needs is a better player development plan. You've got to improve on players' weaknesses as they advance because at the MLB level the competition can exploit those weaknesses. 

[twinsfan34]

Mauer is fine. He is who he is. Mauer doesn't ask us to act differently. As long as he's not committing felonies...all I care about is can he give us more .320+ seasons.

 

I'm curious where Molitor will bat Mauer. Would love to see him hitting 1st. That, and MLB cracking down on this extra 24 sq inches of strike zone that's been added in the past 2 years.

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-strike-zone-expansion-is-out-of-control/

[SweetOne69]

I'm curious, and probably could research this myself, but I'll be honest, I just don't have the time or will ... but still, are there, have there been, any other mlb managers who have never managed, even in the minors?  That just went from über coach to mlb manager?

Don Mattingly never had any Managing experience before becoming the manager of the Dodgers.  He spent several years a special instructor during Spring Training for the Yankees.  Then he became the hitting coach under Torre.  After Torre left the Yankees, Mattingly was a finalist for the manager's gig that went to Torre.  So Mattingly left and became the hitting coach for the Dodgers under Torre.  After Torre stepped down he became the manager. 

 

His only managing experience was a stint for the Phoenix Devil Dogs in the AFL (in preparation for taking over for Torre).

[TheLeviathan]

Mike Matheny in St. Louis comes to mind also as a guy with no previous experience.  Robin Ventura also just came to mind.

Edited November 5, 2014 by TheLeviathan

[alskntwnsfn]

Mauer is fine. He is who he is. Mauer doesn't ask us to act differently. As long as he's not committing felonies...all I care about is can he give us more .320+ seasons.

 

But his average (and slugging) were down largely because teams did a better job positioning against him. 

[IndyTwinsFan]

For a dozen years I questioned whether Molitor was really the manager-in-waiting because I felt like ultimately the organization wouldn't trust someone who had never managed (let alone, someone who was not willing to be a manager at any other level other than the majors.)

 

I do think this is a much bigger risk than people are truly recognizing. 

I agree.  However, I believe that hiring a bench coach with some strong managerial credentials would help mitigate at least some of that risk.  Provided, of course, that he could get that person to buy into his short and long term vision for the team.

[ashbury]

Mike Matheny in St. Louis comes to mind also as a guy with no previous experience.  Robin Ventura also just came to mind.

Bud Black too?  I think it's not all that rare.

 

What is rare is a guy Molitor's age getting his first big-league managing job, regardless of experience.  It just doesn't happen.  I'd like to ask someone like Terry Ryan off the record for his thoughts about this.

 

_{^{/ and then I'd come here on TD and post them.}}

[Longdistancetwins]

Mike Matheny in St. Louis comes to mind also as a guy with no previous experience.  Robin Ventura also just came to mind.

Thought of Mattingly and Ventura right away.  As for me, after Frank Quilici, I said I'd never advocate that again.  So now I can only hope...

[jokin]

Bud Black too?  I think it's not all that rare.

 

What is rare is a guy Molitor's age getting his first big-league managing job, regardless of experience.  It just doesn't happen.  I'd like to ask someone like Terry Ryan off the record for his thoughts about this.

 

_{^{/ and then I'd come here on TD and post them.}}

 

Another question should have been-  "Why hadn't the Brewers, Blue Jays and Twins offered you the manager's job 10-15 years ago?

[SweetOne69]

Another question should have been-  "Why hadn't the Brewers, Blue Jays and Twins offered you the manager's job 10-15 years ago?

 

IIRC, the Twins job was his when Kelly retired, but at the time he wanted to spend more time with family and didn't want the rigors of a full time gig.