A look into the mindset of Ryan and Molitor

[Platoon]

In the attached article by John Shipley of the Pioneer Press, Molitor and Ryan seem again on different pages. Molitor seems to admit that he thinks he will be judged by wins. He also throws out the idea of Park going to Rochester, while Ryan seems not that sold on the idea. I am not a Molitor fan, but I do think if Ryan wants to do his version of a rebuild, he has to assure Molitor that if the young players get time, and they struggle, and the losses pile up, it will not be a rationale for looking for a new manager. It's the only way a rebuild can successfully occur. I found it an interesting read.

 

http://www.twincities.com/2016/06/23/twins-debate-sending-byung-ho-park-to-rochester/

[AJswarley]

Walking a rookie to get to your DH..... And Ryan can't see a problem with that? Molitor made the right call, he is doing his job to win games. ( although he has had other situations where he has made terrible decisions) pulling Meyer so soon in his first start and batting a struggling Dozier in the top 3, are what come to mind.

 

The article didn't help with my opinion on Ryan that is for sure.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Molitor is right that it's a juggling act.  I sure don't think lifting your DH with a victory in sight in favor of a guy more likely to do what your DH is not (getting on base) is hardly a bad thing... not for one at bat.  It's more of the 'sit the guy on the bench for a week straight' type issues I take with him.  At this point though, development should be top concern.  If either Ryan or Molitor have an issue with that... well I just don't know what to say.

[goulik]

Honestly I didn't find it very insightful at all. It's good to know Molitor recognizes the need to develop players and to win and that he is at least attempting to juggle those two things but outside that pinch hit, there have been to many failures (or at least perceived failures) to make those right moves to help with confidence and development. Molitor could have used some time in the minors developing his management skills.

 

Ryan built the team and hired the coaches so in the end the buck stops there. Any quotes in this piece are just typical Ryan. What he said I think you can take at face value. If Plouffe is healthy and Park continues to struggle this coming week, Park will be sent down when Sano returns.

[lukeduke1980]

The underlying tone I got from TR's quotes is that he seems more concerned about Buxton than Park.  

[TheLeviathan]

I get what Molitor is thinking "I'm going to try to win with what you give me the best way I know", but he needs to recognize the state of the team and the fact that players still have adjusting and developing to do in the big leagues.  

 

I don't know why sending Park is off the table for Ryan, that doesn't make any sense to me.

[goulik]

I get what Molitor is thinking "I'm going to try to win with what you give me the best way I know", but he needs to recognize the state of the team and the fact that players still have adjusting and developing to do in the big leagues.  

 

I don't know why sending Park is off the table for Ryan, that doesn't make any sense to me.

I don't know why you think sending Park is off the table... He basically said Park had a week to turn it around... At. Least that's how I took it.

[DocBauer]

I can't fault Molitor for trying to win. Where I fault him...if it was his call...was the handling of Meyer, Polanco and Kepler earlier in the year.

 

Honestly, I didn't think the article said a whole lot, which is disappointing. At least from the TR point of view. Still seems like no plan in place, though the kids are playing more, and the shift of Sano is big.

 

Whether it is pride, stubborness, competitive instinct or something else, where Ryan has frustrated me the most is refusing to give in to losing and a rebuild. I know you need to march guys out to play and fill up your roster, but he's been so stubborn to engage said rebuild and just acquire midline vet after midline vet to put a team out there that he hopes can compete and finish .500 or so. It hasn't worked.

 

Go with youngsters now. Dump vets that aren't a part of the future and quit signing them...in most cases. Admit the rebuild.

[S.]

Until Ryan admits that he built this miserable excuse for an MLB team and that is on him, I don't see much happening. They can hem and haw all they want about players need to be playing better, but at the end of the day our roster is terrible, or handling of prospects is terrible, the managing is terrible, and not surprisingly, the result is terrible. Quite frankly, who gives a damn what Ryan has to say? His actions seldomly match up with his words. The game passed him by over a decade ago, and he's done nothing to catch back up.

[Rosterman]

You have to work with what you get. But you have an awful lot of coaches backing you up and a minor league system that is supposed to be developing players to tackle the world of major league baseball.

 

Failures? First off, the Twins had a great 2015. Better than anyone thought. Partly because of a weak central division. If you look at the big picture, they did succeed in going above .500 (barely) and because of May's success (the month, not the pitcher) they had crowds at the stadium cheering them on.

 

Not recognizing that it is still rebuilding time and not admitting to it, instead throwing together some patchwork, hoping more players do better than before rather than the other way around, and adding too many bodies who are basically fodder for the high minors. Plus, I still think the Twins were surprised they won the Park bid war, and even more surprised that he signed for what he did. Considering the two guys the Twins have now signed out of the Asian leagues, maybe there is something to e said for the scouting.

 

The team. How many different lineups did Molitor field. Why was Dozier in the opening spots? Was any though given to teaching these guys just to get on base. How many home runs came with no one on. Why are the batters swinging like Gulf Coast League rookies.

 

Ryan took a flyer that the future bullpen doesn't need to be blocked by $4-7 million a year middle relief pitchers. What is the difference between the Arizona Fall League and AA ball these days? Why can't Molitor let a pitcher finish an inning, make it totally their game. Sometimes, at the rate the rotation is pitching, let's just start every pitcher every day and let them have one inning!

 

You have to recognize the need for a player to grow and develop in the majors, or go and work on certain things in the minors. You challenge them in the majors to grab ahold of their future, or tell them to think hard about how great it is to play major league ball when going back to old ways at AAA. 

 

That is what the manager, coaches and a variety of on-field consultants help you with. But as a manager, you have to figure out how best to utilize your players that make them responsible for not finishing an inning, advancing a runner, putting the ball in play, getting on base. This is what the game of baseball is all about...a group of guys coming together as a team and doing "The Twins Way" and playing baseball that creates a game to watch.

 

There is no plan. There is a bunch of masking tape where you need duct tape. There is scrambling to get thru each day and each game, destroyed whenever a starter blows it and the team deflates. 

 

Yes, players ALWAYS have ups and downs. They have great runs, good runs, and bad weeks. But most play pretty close to their particulars in the end. By the time they get to the majors, they learn different ways to make adjustments to stay here, or not.

 

Think long range. Be glad you will get a high draft pick next year. But tell us you are rebuilding and have us get excited about that. At this time, anything is better than the same old same old. 

[dgwills]

Molitor has been trying to win games? Could of fooled me

[Twinfan & Dad]

Direction comes from the top down. We have a clueless owner with no baseball smarts who relies on Ryan to make baseball decisions. In typical Ryan fashion he answers the question "what he's going to do with Sano when he's ready" with a condensending get him in the lineup. How about firmly saying he isn't a rightfielder I was wrong, that he will play 3rd maybe a little first and DH. How about saying we want to look at Kepler in right and Buxton in center because we need to know that they are our future. What a dumb*** thing to say.

[Rosterman]

Oh, and with Palka and Granite heating up at AA, not to mention Rosario joining an already crowded outfield with Santana, Grossman, Buxton, Kepter, and with Walker in the wings...maybe the Twins could trade their excess center field talent yet again in Buxton to someone while the writing is still hot on the "Top Prospect In Baseball 3 years Running" ink.

[DaveW]

Both are lame ducks (or would be in any other sports franchise in the US)

 

Frankly I don't think either one has a clue on how to win games in 2016.

[notoriousgod71]

I assumed after reading the topic title that it would just be one giant blank message.

[HitInAPinch]

I'm not reading anything more than the difference in job descriptions.  Add new player names, MiLB talent that either are / aren't cutting it, staggering vets vs. talented young eager beavers, etc.

 

I'm more interested in hearing about the future and I don't think I'll get that reading local media.

[drivlikejehu]

 

I'm not reading anything more than the difference in job descriptions.  Add new player names, MiLB talent that either are / aren't cutting it, staggering vets vs. talented young eager beavers, etc.

 

I'm more interested in hearing about the future and I don't think I'll get that reading local media.

 

There is no objective reason to think there is a "future," which I thought was evident (and said so) even during the Potemkin "contention" of last year. An organization can't be over-matched in leadership by every single competitor and expect to win. It is literally impossible.

[DJSim22]

 

In the attached article by John Shipley of the Pioneer Press, Molitor and Ryan seem again on different pages. Molitor seems to admit that he thinks he will be judged by wins. He also throws out the idea of Park going to Rochester, while Ryan seems not that sold on the idea. I am not a Molitor fan, but I do think if Ryan wants to do his version of a rebuild, he has to assure Molitor that if the young players get time, and they struggle, and the losses pile up, it will not be a rationale for looking for a new manager. It's the only way a rebuild can successfully occur. I found it an interesting read.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/06/23/twins-debate-sending-byung-ho-park-to-rochester/

 

It's a pretty common thing, GM's and Managers are graded by different things in the organization.  Managers are always going to be trying to win games now, while GM's will be more willing to view the organization over a longer term.  In fairness, I'm not sure I have a clue what Ryan is doing.