Tom Brunansky Retained as Twins Hitting Coach

[jokin]

I think Terry S will be back as well. I wonder if Bruno will put in a good work for his friend Viola as pitching coach? I hope Bert B, Frank V or Jack Morris is the next pitching coach. I would love Doug M(ajhdihapohgaafhajdpvich) as first base coach or third base coach as well. I think Bert would be my favorite for pitching coach simply because of the job he did with the Dutch national teams in the world tournaments.

 

Doogie reported (sans a source) that Steinbach would be a likely rehire.  I wonder if Terry is waiting on Arizona before committing here?

[Kwak]

Given the last four years even retaining one coach is generous.  It's past time to continue sweeping in the needed change.  There are loads of qualified people, let's start with those that aren't from the Twins brand.

I don't want the twins coaches making Sprint commercials.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Doogie reported (sans a source) that Steinbach would be a likely rehire.  I wonder if Terry is waiting on Arizona before committing here?

 

Doogie versus Wetmore, place your bets!!

[jokin]

Doogie versus Wetmore, place your bets!!

 

I choose:

 

C) None of the above

[USAFChief]

Doogie versus Wetmore, place your bets!!

What's Meatsauce's take?

[Rosterman]

I'm gald Bruno is back. If nothing else, wanted him to be the head minor league hitting instructor. But he is bettre served on the major league level.

 

Hope that Vavra remains. Picture him maybe being a coach or manager at Cedar Rapids, since it isn;t far from his home. Or maybe he becomes the minor league hitting liason. Bobby Cuelllar needs to stay.

 

Sounds like Gene Glynn is also on board.

 

The Twins need:

Bench Coach/Asst. Manager (Gene Glynn)

Pitching Coach

Bullpen coach/catcher coach (Bobby Cuellar)

1st base/infield coach

3rd base/outfield coach

Base Running coach

 

Would Steinbach take a 1st or 3rd base coaching job, or be Bullpen Coach).

 

Who are the Twins looking at for their Latin players?

 

We anxiously await the news!

[strumdatjaguar]

Just saw it.

[DocBauer]

Keeping Bruno is the right and smart move. He earned his reputation with quality work in the minors, and has continued to do a quality job with the Twins. He definitely contributed to the improvements made this season. My only complaint was the streaky nature of the offense last year. Granted, there were streaks of injuries, a number of young players involved, some of which were not initially even expected to make the roster or play as much as they did, and there were holes at times that were difficult to patch. But there were streaks in which the Twins seemed to score consistently and often, followed by stretches where they couldn't buy a hit or run when the pitching was actually performing well.

[Pius Jefferson]

Doogie versus Wetmore, place your bets!!

 

 

I could have  sworn filling in for Mackey and Judd that Doogie speculated that Bruno was going to be the only returning coach from last season.

[Monkeypaws]

Some small amount of continuity wouldn't be bad for the team. Molitor, and Bruno provide  that measure, and Cuellar and Steinbach could provide more. Brand new bench coach and above all pitching coach would be a breath of fresh air, and base coaches as well. 

 

From the player perspective, I like the fact there will be some familiarity, but an influx of new blood is necessary as well.

[jokin]

I could have  sworn filling in for Mackey and Judd that Doogie speculated that Bruno was going to be the only returning coach from last season.

 

I think he did, this latest "scoop" was on the Channel 5 evening news this evening at 6PM.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Knowing how the Twins "family" works, I'm guessing that every one of the coaches from this year will have the opportunity to remain in the organization in some capacity if they want to. It's looking more likely that Bruno (and Molitor, of couse) will be the only holdover from the 2014 major league staff to be on the 2015 major league staff.

There could be some promotions in the works for a lot of the minor league guys, that will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

[nicksaviking]

Given the last four years even retaining one coach is generous.  It's past time to continue sweeping in the needed change.  There are loads of qualified people, let's start with those that aren't from the Twins brand.

I don't want the twins coaches making Sprint commercials.

 

I would normally agree, but I was pretty happy with the young offensive players last year.  We really had no business expecting Santana and Vargas to play as well as they did, not to mention Plouffe and Dozier looking like they were playing above their skill level.

 

I want outside voices, (on the field staff and in the front office) but I can acknowledge that there may be a small chance that finding an elite pitching coach may solve this team's single largest issue.  The offense wasn't elite, but it was more than good enough to compete, which is surprising since on paper, no one jumps out at you.

 

Also, the more continuity this team shows with it's field staff, the more obvious the need for front office restructuring will become if the results don't improve.  Gardy got the axe this time, but I think it is fairly safe to guess that if the team continues to fail the blame won't be placed on the new manager and his staff, but the front office next year. 

[Kwak]

I would normally agree, but I was pretty happy with the young offensive players last year.  We really had no business expecting Santana and Vargas to play as well as they did, not to mention Plouffe and Dozier looking like they were playing above their skill level.

 

I want outside voices, (on the field staff and in the front office) but I can acknowledge that there may be a small chance that finding an elite pitching coach may solve this team's single largest issue.  The offense wasn't elite, but it was more than good enough to compete, which is surprising since on paper, no one jumps out at you.

 

Also, the more continuity this team shows with it's field staff, the more obvious the need for front office restructuring will become if the results don't improve.  Gardy got the axe this time, but I think it is fairly safe to guess that if the team continues to fail the blame won't be placed on the new manager and his staff, but the front office next year. 

A failure to make sweeping changes in the dugout is simply an affirmation that the organization "has been right" all along and that the "problems" were caused by other factors:  injuries, bad luck, a "stale message' from Gardenhire, and Mauer's contract.  That would be a denial that conditions have changes in MLB and the previous success of the team can't be duplicated using the same philosophy,techniques, and bromides.

[tobi0040]

A failure to make sweeping changes in the dugout is simply an affirmation that the organization "has been right" all along and that the "problems" were caused by other factors:  injuries, bad luck, a "stale message' from Gardenhire, and Mauer's contract.  That would be a denial that conditions have changes in MLB and the previous success of the team can't be duplicated using the same philosophy,techniques, and bromides.

 

This.  Times 100.  At least do the bare minimum and get a pitching coach from the outside.  That has to be the bare minium right? 

 

So far they have kept the GM, fired the coach, then switched the chairs a bunch of guys are sitting in. 

[ashbury]

A failure to make sweeping changes in the dugout is simply an affirmation that the organization "has been right" all along and that the "problems" were caused by other factors: .

A choice (if that's how it plays out) to not do things as you say is not by definition a "failure", and what it would affirm will be considerably more nuanced than this.

 

My guess is that two or three new faces, perhaps more, will be in the coaching staff.  Rick Anderson by all accounts will not be back, and he's the only one whose return I would look askance at.

[jorgenswest]

The Twins need a new pitching coach who then should have influence on the pitching instruction throughout the organization. They need to bring in talent without any ties to the organization. The best guy out there is probably someone whose name most won't recognize.

 

While they are hiring, why not use the extra coaching spot for an assistant pitching coach.

[USAFChief]

I have come to accept Molitor's hire, despite my feeling he is not any kind of "outsider."

 

But I would be disappointed if the only dugout change is a new pitching coach. I still think they need a shot of new perspectives...as in more than one.

[twinsnorth49]

I have come to accept Molitor's hire, despite my feeling he is not any kind of "outsider."

 

But I would be disappointed if the only dugout change is a new pitching coach. I still think they need a shot of new perspectives...as in more than one.

I think they might be looking for a new ball boy, does that count?

[USAFChief]

I think they might be looking for a new ball boy, does that count?

Is he/she from outside the metro area?

[Monkeypaws]

I have come to accept Molitor's hire, despite my feeling he is not any kind of "outsider."

 

But I would be disappointed if the only dugout change is a new pitching coach. I still think they need a shot of new perspectives...as in more than one.

Molitor might be that smart, silent kid in the back of the room who didn't want to rock the boat, and waited for the perfect moment to break his silence.

 

I don't think Molitor would be as conniving as to help Gardenhire's demise along so he could grab his spot, but i think we will learn a hell of a lot about this man in the coming year. He's been painted as a quiet, cerebral man, and we may see an alteration in that picture.

 

I'll say I was surprised by his demeanor when interviewed during the Wild game vs. Pittsburgh, the other night. He seemed to be in party boy mode, which I've never seem from him.

[jokin]

Knowing how the Twins "family" works, I'm guessing that every one of the coaches from this year will have the opportunity to remain in the organization in some capacity if they want to. It's looking more likely that Bruno (and Molitor, of couse) will be the only holdover from the 2014 major league staff to be on the 2015 major league staff.

There could be some promotions in the works for a lot of the minor league guys, that will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

 

Has anyone mentioned Henry Blanco as another option?  He's currently managing a team in winter ball in Venezuela, not sure if LaRussa has invited him back to the D-Backs for 2015.