Miller: Molitor hoping baseball IQ helps as manager

[Seth Stohs]

Many people, myself included, believe that Paul Molitor's high baseball IQ  will help him do well as the Twins manager. Phil Miller (Strib) posts a 3-page article on Molitor's baseball acumen. Phil spoke with the likes of Tom Trebelhorn and Jim Gantner to get a better sense of Molitor's intelligence in the game. 

[glunn]

Great article.  I hope that Molitor is actually willing to platoon hitters.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I like Hisle's endorsement of Molitor. Hisle is one of the good guys.

 

The "go play first" anecdote is also interesting. I think it fills in some background on how the center field situation has been playing out, and why Molly wants to give Hicks another chance and bring Santana back in to short.

[twinsnorth49]

I'm cautiously optimistic about Molly bringing good things to the team this year, it will be interesting to see how his attention to detail plays out as that was an area that certainly slipped in the last few years under Gardy. 

 

Hell, I'm just looking forward to a new manager, I liked Gardy but this is a refreshing change.

[JB_Iowa]

I'm cautiously optimistic about Molly bringing good things to the team this year, it will be interesting to see how his attention to detail plays out as that was an area that certainly slipped in the last few years under Gardy. 

 

Hell, I'm just looking forward to a new manager, I liked Gardy but this is a refreshing change.

New stories, new cliches. My ears were tired of Gardy's shtick so the change is welcome.

 

Monitor wasn't my first choice but I like most of what he's done and said so far.

 

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

[ashbury]

Monitor wasn't my first choice but I like most of what he's done and said so far.

I recall nothing of what he's done and little of what he's said.     There was something about Danny Santana being reported by the scouts to be a shortstop or maybe I misunderstood.

[JB_Iowa]

I recall nothing of what he's done and little of what he's said.     There was something about Danny Santana being reported by the scouts to be a shortstop or maybe I misunderstood.

Thinking mostly of the coaching hires, revamping the Twins defensive playbook system-wide, attention to detail, using stats without getting bogged down in them. The references to his aggressiveness and intensity along with the stories on how much preparation he has put in.

 

We don't know how it will all play out but he hasn't really made any missteps yet.

 

It's going to be fun to watch his development and the way players respond to him. At least it's not the same old, same old.

[ashbury]

Thinking mostly of the coaching hires, revamping the Twins defensive playbook system-wide, attention to detail, using stats without getting bogged down in them.

Yeah, you're right.

[Reider]

I'm cautiously optimistic about Molly bringing good things to the team this year, it will be interesting to see how his attention to detail plays out as that was an area that certainly slipped in the last few years under Gardy. 

 

Hell, I'm just looking forward to a new manager, I liked Gardy but this is a refreshing change.

 

I can see it playing out as a very positive thing as long as he is equally as good at communicating these things to the players.

 

Paul Molitor is a detail guy. Rickey Henderson is a detail guy. You don't achieve that level of success without being a detailed individual. The more Molitor works with the players, the better the team will be in the long term. However, good teachers can only get so much out of a player, so it is important that the Twins continue to draft and develop good players.

 

And of course there is the unknown. How much will he really rely on statistics? How will he write his line ups? How will he handle the pitchers? etc.. We know he is a self-motivated person, but will he be able to motivate his players? I believe people respect his career as a baseball player. I also believe people respect him as a person and as a coach. As long as the players respect and believe in him as a manager, I have no doubt that he will be able to educate and motivate the players.

 

It wouldn't surprise me in the very least if we see a lot of exciting Twins baseball ahead, win or lose.