Molitor's job is safe

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I really hope that this is the case, but does Pohlad ever even think thoughts down at such a plebeian level?

yes, Pohlad has supported Ryan several times this season and inside the last month(I think) where it was already decided Ryan would go. Timing and how was up to Ryan, so Ryan was allowed to fire himself two weeks before the trade deadline.

[HitInAPinch]

 

Speaking of bad decisions, why on earth were Sano, Buxton and Mauer all out of the lineup yesterday? The freaking all star break literally just ended, is it that hard to have those guys play 3 days in a row?

Mauer sort of makes sense since he is older, but Sano and Buxton should be playing every day!

hey!  Mauer is at least 24 yrs away from being "older".  I should know   

[Wookiee of the Year]

I feel like this all makes a lot more sense if you know Pohlad's daughter and Molitor's daughter are in business together.

[Mr. Brooks]

I feel like this all makes a lot more sense if you know Pohlad's daughter and Molitor's daughter are in business together.

That certainly adds some perspective to this seemingly irrational demand that Molitor retain his job.

[Thrylos]

 

I don't get this one as much.  The team wants to go with the kids... by all means do so, but Molly has been pretty adamant against that approach. 

 

There is one way to make him go with the kids:

Trade the rest.  With Nunez, Dozier, and Plouffe gone, he has to play Polanco, no?

[Thrylos]

 

I think that's just as disturbing as Pohlad reading media guides to figure out how an MLB front office is supposed to be structured. 

 

Waiting for the "Dummies" series to hit Barnes & Noble.
 

[jokin]

 

I feel like this all makes a lot more sense if you know Pohlad's daughter and Molitor's daughter are in business together.

 

That certainly adds some perspective to this seemingly irrational demand that Molitor retain his job.

 

Perspective? Nice way to put blatant nepotism over what's best for your business (and a business subsidized by taxpayer dollars)?

[Mr. Brooks]

Perspective? Nice way to put blatant nepotism over what's best for your business (and a business subsidized by taxpayer dollars)?

People don't often think rationally when it comes to the best interest of their children.

[DaveW]

On the bright side, I would like to thank the Pohlads for the following:

 

- I canceled two baseball trips to Boston and Minnesota for later in the summer, I refuse to spend my time and somewhat hard earned money on this franchise this year. I think I saved $2500 or so overall. Thanks Jimb

 

- I'd also like to thank them for saving me approximately 10'hours a week I would normally be watching this team this summer, that number is down to about 2 hours per week overall. With that saved time I have been able to do the following:

 

-brushed up on my cooking, jerky making, sausage making, BBQ, butchering skills.

 

-worked on my tan for my pale ass.

 

-caught a few hundred Pokemon in Pokemon go.

 

-worked out a bit more.

 

-caught up on reading.

 

-picking up Farsi a bit more.

 

-traveling to better locations than target field, Kauffman or Fenway this summer.

 

So thanks Pohlads! Keep up the crappy work! A couple more years of This and I will probably be a triathlete who has a Michelin star, and wins a senate seat!

[Thrylos]

 

On the bright side, I would like to thank the Pohlads for the following:

- I canceled two baseball trips to Boston and Minnesota for later in the summer, I refuse to spend my time and somewhat hard earned money on this franchise this year. I think I saved $2500 or so overall. Thanks Jimb

- I'd also like to thank them for saving me approximately 10'hours a week I would normally be watching this team this summer, that number is down to about 2 hours per week overall. With that saved time I have been able to do the following:

-brushed up on my cooking, jerky making, sausage making, BBQ, butchering skills.

-worked on my tan for my pale ass.

-caught a few hundred Pokemon in Pokemon go.

-worked out a bit more.

-caught up on reading.

-picking up Farsi a bit more.

-traveling to better locations than target field, Kauffman or Fenway this summer.

So thanks Pohlads! Keep up the crappy work! A couple more years of This and I will probably be a triathlete who has a Michelin star, and wins a senate seat!

 

Yes Mr Trump

 

[DaveW]

Yes Mr Trump

Sad!

[jokin]

 

People don't often think rationally when it comes to the best interest of their children.

 

That's why you hire people to say "No" when you jeopardize the best interests of your business.

[Mr. Brooks]

That's why you hire people to say "No" when you jeopardize the best interests of your business.

Agree 100%

[bird]

 

Agree. We'll see if Pohlad sings the same tune if a qualified GM blows him away and tells him why Molitor is wrong for his particular vision. It's a foolish thing to say unless it's posturing.

It might not have even been said for Molitor's sake but simply to prevent the players from quitting.

 

 

Yeah, this is why I take no stock in the statement. Owners give GM's and managers votes of confidence all the time, and for very good reasons. No doubt Pohlad would like to honor Paulie's contract. No doubt he agonized prior to firing Ryan. Let's not get too up in arms about what he says to the media when asked these types of questions.

 

Same with the "media guide" comment.  If the Pohads were more keenly concerned about their personal image, they'd get training from a PR guru, who would have instructed Jimmy to say, "there will be a  process" instead of "well, I read through all the media guides." 

 

And, when the outside search firm recommends a process, the Molitor thing will be a non-issue IMO. I'm not worried about potential candidates being scared off by this whatsoever.

[Mr. Brooks]

Yeah, this is why I take no stock in the statement. Owners give GM's and managers votes of confidence all the time, and for very good reasons. No doubt Pohlad would like to honor Paulie's contract. No doubt he agonized prior to firing Ryan. Let's not get too up in arms about what he says to the media when asked these types of questions.

 

Same with the "media guide" comment. If the Pohads were more keenly concerned about their personal image, they'd get training from a PR guru, who would have instructed Jimmy to say, "there will be a process" instead of "well, I read through all the media guides."

 

And, when the outside search firm recommends a process, the Molitor thing will be a non-issue IMO. I'm not worried about potential candidates being scared off by this whatsoever.

The media guide comment has nothing to do with PR, to me.

It shows where his thought process is regarding how a mlb front office is built, as if teams print the secret formula for success in their media guide.

 

If he brings in outside consulting, then yes, it will likely all be moot.

But, Phil Mackey makes it sound like it's 2 of the Pohlads and St Peter who will be looking at candidates and making the hire. If that is the case, then Pohlad's view and statements are very relevant.

[Thrylos]

 

 

 

Same with the "media guide" comment.  If the Pohads were more keenly concerned about their personal image, they'd get training from a PR guru, who would have instructed Jimmy to say, "there will be a  process" instead of "well, I read through all the media guides."

 

Hold it.  I thought that the current Twins' GM was a PR guy who was hired right after College and the current Twins' President came up that ladder (Corporate Communications, AKA PR, after he was managing the T-shirt store.)  Are you trying to say that the 2 higher members in the Twins FO who have actually had training and experience in PR are not good at that (in addition to baseball, for which, unfortunately, they did not have training)?

[Guest]

Also Dave St Peter is the worst choice for "leading" the new GM

No good candidate will work for St. Peter, who probably knows 1% as much about winning baseball, if we're being charitable. The candidates will range from David Kahn to Jim Wacker.

[SwainZag]

 

The media guide comment has nothing to do with PR, to me.
It shows where his thought process is regarding how a mlb front office is built, as if teams print the secret formula for success in their media guide.

If he brings in outside consulting, then yes, it will likely all be moot.
But, Phil Mackey makes it sound like it's 2 of the Pohlads and St Peter who will be looking at candidates and making the hire. If that is the case, then Pohlad's view and statements are very relevant.

 

What's so wrong with the media guide comment?  There are 30 teams that all have their front office's made up differently.

 

For example, the Dodgers media guide for 2015.  http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/0/2/4/114179024/LAD_2015_Media_Guide_wuzuz729.pdf

 

There is nothing wrong with a vague comment like the one Jim Pohlad gave in my book.  People are looking way, way, way to into things to already be making decisions and generalizations about a blanket statement like that.

[Guest]

Yeah, this is why I take no stock in the statement. Owners give GM's and managers votes of confidence all the time, and for very good reasons. No doubt Pohlad would like to honor Paulie's contract. No doubt he agonized prior to firing Ryan. Let's not get too up in arms about what he says to the media when asked these types of questions.

 

Same with the "media guide" comment.  If the Pohads were more keenly concerned about their personal image, they'd get training from a PR guru, who would have instructed Jimmy to say, "there will be a  process" instead of "well, I read through all the media guides." 

 

And, when the outside search firm recommends a process, the Molitor thing will be a non-issue IMO. I'm not worried about potential candidates being scared off by this whatsoever.

Unfortunately for Pohlad, he seems to step in it almost every time he speaks publicly, then he's got to walk it back. You wonder if he's ever had anyone tell him that he needs to prepare and improve or if he's been surrounded by yes-men all his life. Although he comes across as earnest, it seems like he wings his public statements and doesn't know how bad he sounds until he reads about people ripping him. Why doesn't he just say that the next GM is going to have bilateral structural weakness and at least make a joke out of it?

[Guest]

What's so wrong with the media guide comment?  There are 30 teams that all have their front office's made up differently

Some teams innovate, some teams studiously copy, other teams read the manual about how to change tires after having a single car accident.

[Teflon]

 

I feel like this all makes a lot more sense if you know Pohlad's daughter and Molitor's daughter are in business together.

 

My favorite Molitor-Pohlad juice is the all-greens Hardcore, made with celery, kale, chard, parsley, spinach, cucumber, and squeeze of lemon. Really, how more absurd can this year become? Molitor now has family ties to Twins ownership by way of Veggie Boy - the worst drink known to man? (You can really taste the Kale!)  

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

-brushed up on my cooking, jerky making, sausage making, BBQ, butchering skills.


 

 

Next time I'm in NY, might have stop by and visit... 

[Mr. Brooks]

What's so wrong with the media guide comment? There are 30 teams that all have their front office's made up differently.

 

For example, the Dodgers media guide for 2015. http://mlb.mlb.com/documents/0/2/4/114179024/LAD_2015_Media_Guide_wuzuz729.pdf

 

There is nothing wrong with a vague comment like the one Jim Pohlad gave in my book. People are looking way, way, way to into things to already be making decisions and generalizations about a blanket statement like that.

There are a couple of reasons why the statement bothers me.

 

And, I'll start by again pointing out that if he ultimately, SMARTLY, decides to leave the hire up to a qualified person or search firm, then these will both be moot points.

 

1) Baseball is constantly evolving. Look no further than Terry Ryan. I was a pretty big fan of his work during his first tenure. Sure, he wasn't perfect. He was risk adverse to a fault, and never had what it took to find the final piece or two to put us over the top.

But, he got many more decisions right than wrong, and built some pretty good teams.

But after just four years away, the game completely passed him by. During his 2nd tenure I think he got almost every decision wrong, and looked borderline incompetent at times, which is still amazing to me, considering how long he's been around and how much he knows.

That right there is how brutally cold blooded this game can be in passing you by.

 

My point? I don't want the Twins comparing FO structures from around the league trying to figure out who they should emulate. I want someone smart and innovative leading with a vision.

I want other teams trying to emulate our structure!

 

2) Sure, there are a few different ways that mlb front offices are structured, but it's not like there are dozens.

I wouldn't fault an average Joe for being curious and checking media guides to see how other organizations are structured.

But the guy making the call on our next GM?

I would expect that person to have a pretty intimate idea of how other organizations are structured, and a pretty good idea of how he wants to structure ours. Or, absent that knowledge, I'd want them to at least have an actual person who does have intimate knowledge of how those organizations are structured, and more importantly the context to know WHY those organizations are structured that way.

Just the fact that he is consulting media guides for this kind of important stuff should have been a wake up call to realize, " wow, I'm in way over my head thinking me and Dave st. Peter can get this hire right."

 

I mean I've heard rumors that the Twins have an analytical guy in the front office. If so, wouldn't he be the guy to consult over some general information in a media guide?

[Mr. Brooks]

And let's not forget that this didn't just happen today.

It was announced today, but happened a month ago.

These guys have had a month to think about this, and to find qualified people to get advice from, and perusing media guides is the best they got so far!

 

I'd be far more forgiving if this just happened today.

[PseudoSABR]

I hated the admission that Molitor would unequivocally return, at first.  But his contract runs out next year, a year that any GM would probably acknowledge they won't compete.  The new GM's sail wont be hitched to Molitor, but I'd I still prefer the Twins never come out of Spring Training like they did this year.  It's hard for me to believe that Molitor isn't part of the problem.  If it takes another year for him to get canned, so be it.

[DJSim22]

 

Just sell the team for Petes sake!

 

I've been saying for probably a decade this team needed new owners.  They will find a way to hire a worse GM.  Any legit reason to fire Ryan on July 18th, could have been made June 18th... May 18th... 

 

Pohlad is clueless.

[bird]

 

And let's not forget that this didn't just happen today.
It was announced today, but happened a month ago.
These guys have had a month to think about this, and to find qualified people to get advice from, and perusing media guides is the best they got so far!

I'd be far more forgiving if this just happened today.

 

 

  

Ryan did not leave the job a month ago.

 

 

And it was a question. It was a question he was asked today, and he answered on it the spot. He didn't ponder the question for a month, did he? 

 

Amazing what people can fault others for....

[Dman]

While I disagree with JP announcing Molitor is off limits for 2017 I don't see the connection of GM's not wanting to come to Minnesota because of the Manager.  If the GM isn't strong enough to handle the manager situation are they really that great of a GM?  You would like to think your GM can work with what he has and make things better.

 

I don't think Molly is the greatest manager in the game and he makes some head scratching moves but he almost took this bad team to the playoffs last year and I didn't hear a ton of complaints about him then.  He was dealt a tough deck this year and hasn't handled it particularly well but it easy to second guess when a team is this bad.

 

IMO the manager thing is over the top.  Sounds like JP wanted to give Paul one more shot to see if he can get this team on the right track.  If not then I think he could be convinced to make a change.  If Pauly does well then why not keep him?  If I am the GM and want to make a name for myself I am looking at the farm club and the assets the teams has to try and turn things around as quickly as possible.  I think the Twins job has a lot of positives.  But if a GM is too scared to not have his pick of manager the first year then by all means please pass us by because you likely can't handle the bigger decisions anyway.

[bird]

 

Hold it.  I thought that the current Twins' GM was a PR guy who was hired right after College and the current Twins' President came up that ladder (Corporate Communications, AKA PR, after he was managing the T-shirt store.)  Are you trying to say that the 2 higher members in the Twins FO who have actually had training and experience in PR are not good at that (in addition to baseball, for which, unfortunately, they did not have training)?

 

 

Pretty much, yes.

[SwainZag]

 

There are a couple of reasons why the statement bothers me.

And, I'll start by again pointing out that if he ultimately, SMARTLY, decides to leave the hire up to a qualified person or search firm, then these will both be moot points.

1) Baseball is constantly evolving. Look no further than Terry Ryan. I was a pretty big fan of his work during his first tenure. Sure, he wasn't perfect. He was risk adverse to a fault, and never had what it took to find the final piece or two to put us over the top.
But, he got many more decisions right than wrong, and built some pretty good teams.
But after just four years away, the game completely passed him by. During his 2nd tenure I think he got almost every decision wrong, and looked borderline incompetent at times, which is still amazing to me, considering how long he's been around and how much he knows.
That right there is how brutally cold blooded this game can be in passing you by.

My point? I don't want the Twins comparing FO structures from around the league trying to figure out who they should emulate. I want someone smart and innovative leading with a vision.
I want other teams trying to emulate our structure!

2) Sure, there are a few different ways that mlb front offices are structured, but it's not like there are dozens.
I wouldn't fault an average Joe for being curious and checking media guides to see how other organizations are structured.
But the guy making the call on our next GM?
I would expect that person to have a pretty intimate idea of how other organizations are structured, and a pretty good idea of how he wants to structure ours. Or, absent that knowledge, I'd want them to at least have an actual person who does have intimate knowledge of how those organizations are structured, and more importantly the context to know WHY those organizations are structured that way.
Just the fact that he is consulting media guides for this kind of important stuff should have been a wake up call to realize, " wow, I'm in way over my head thinking me and Dave st. Peter can get this hire right."

I mean I've heard rumors that the Twins have an analytical guy in the front office. If so, wouldn't he be the guy to consult over some general information in a media guide?

 

Meh, I think you are reading way, way, way to into a one line answer made to an interview question.  He basically said we are going to study what other teams have going on right now.  I would rather have him say that than pull a Michael Scott and say "We have a super secret plan!!"