Derek Falvey PBO?

[zchrz]

Seems like its starting to leak out Falvey will be the Twins choice.  He gets a lot of credit for the pitching program in Cleveland which is producing excellent results with new school techniques, which is very promising news.  Here is an interesting article on it.   

 

If he is the selection I am looking forward to seeing the organization get a major modern overhaul.

[ppearson50]

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2016/04/04/indians-assistant-general-manager-derek-falvey-says-the-off-season-goal-was-to-supplement-the-core-pieces/

 

Here is an interview on radio with him. Sounds like a sharp, well-spoken guy. I'm on board.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Seems like its starting to leak out Falvey will be the Twins choice.  He gets a lot of credit for the pitching program in Cleveland which is producing excellent results with new school techniques, which is very promising news.  Here is an interesting article on it.

Thanks for the link.  I am mildly concerned because Falvey is simply named in that article as the administrative head ("And Derek Falvey, the Indians’ director of baseball operations and, in the eyes of many, a future general manager, oversees the Indians’ whole pitching program.").  How much was really his doing, or is he just the well-spoken administrator who mostly got lucky with the people working underneath him?  It's hard to know, because Falvey has only been with Cleveland exclusively in his baseball career, and not for very long (started as an intern out of college in November 2007).

 

By comparison, McLeod has been around the pro game longer (started with the Padres in 1994, was running Red Sox drafts by 2004), and Epstein/Hoyer have already plucked him for their organizations 3 different times.  I guess that's no evidence he could be an effective administrator or "top dog" but it feels like he has a better set of qualifications overall.

[Otto von Ballpark]

My fear is that this decision could be based on:

 

1) Falvey talking a better game than McLeod

2) Familiarity via the AL Central

3) Willingness/ability to work under frugal payroll constraints

[nicksaviking]

 

My fear is that this decision could be based on:

 

1) Falvey talking a better game than McLeod

2) Familiarity via the AL Central

3) Willingness/ability to work under frugal payroll constraints

 

I'd think 1 and 3 would be concerns regardless of who gets hired, though I'd think it's pretty safe to assume that everyone who has interviewed already has accepted #3 if that's something the Twins plan on imposing.

 

McLeod is also my top choice but Falvey would be my second.

 

However I've never met either man and didn't know who either of them were until about a month ago. Most businesses don't hire on resume's alone.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm fine with the choice. I wanted McLeod but mostly I wanted anyone not named Antony or Piccolo.

[gunnarthor]

Yeah, I don't know enough about any of these guys to know who the right choice is.  Reusse had the legit criticism of McLeod as not working with low payrolls before.  As much as we fans dislike that, it's a realistic issue for the Twins as long as the Pohlad's own them.  

[sthpstm]

I'm curious where these rumors are as I haven't seen, or looked for, them yet.

Interested that David Stearns and Falvey shared the director of baseball operations role in Cleveland before Stearns left for the GM post in Milwaukee. IF it is Falvey, it would seem as though he may lack the contract negotiations and external analysis needed, but certainly the Twins could hire a GM to balance that out. And, if that is Antony, I personally won't complain 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Reusse had the legit criticism of McLeod as not working with low payrolls before.  As much as we fans dislike that, it's a realistic issue for the Twins as long as the Pohlad's own them.  

Still not sure how legit that is.  Sure, the Red Sox had a higher draft budget, but he hasn't been with the Red Sox since 2009, and he's been working under draft pool restrictions since 2012.  (Not to mention, involvement in the development of those players would probably overwhelm any draft bonus advantage.)

[HitInAPinch]

The Yahoo article, doesn't mention Falvey.  And as an Assistant GM (only promoted last October), how much of this success was he involved in this change?

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/twins-considering-indians-agm-derek-falvey-for-front-office-job-finalist.html

 

MLB Rumors, Sept 15, 2016:  "The Twins are said to be looking at employing both a PBOp and GM, and it isn’t immediately clear whether Falvey is under consideration for the top post in the Minnesota baseball ops hierarchy. While many organizations have taken to utilizing the title of president of baseball operations, it isn’t applied in a uniform manner. Still, it would be somewhat novel for an executive to take that title without first serving as a GM."

 

In my view, the new PoBO would make the GM decision.  Falvey looks more like a possible GM candidate.

[Seth Stohs]

If it turns out to be the case... Jeremy Nygaard had it first:

 

https://twitter.com/jeremynygaard/status/780196442317131777 

[Darius]

My fear is that this decision could be based on:

 

1) Falvey talking a better game than McLeod

2) Familiarity via the AL Central

3) Willingness/ability to work under frugal payroll constraints

I have to think #3 on your list is probably criteria #1 for the Pohlad's/St. Peter in order for a candidate to be taken into serious consideration for the job (and not just a "due dillegence" move for appearances).

 

To me, as a long-time fan of the team, and a taxpayer who helped fund a stadium off of which they are getting filthy rich, built under the pretense that it was necessary in order to attract high-end free agents, it's absolutely infuriating. It's one of the biggest bait and switches in not only MLB, but in filthy corporate America.

 

Honestly, after the repeated failure in the 2000s due to unwillingness to bolster a solid roster to make an honest effort at a championship, total ineptitude of recent years, and willingness to ride out the shine of target field with terrible rosters because the profits were still there....I don't even care who they hire. It won't make one bit of difference, because they'll be kept in a cage.

 

I'm sure I'm not alone in the sentiment that I'm close to quitting on the organization all together, let alone going down to that ballpark. At best, I'll watch from afar, because I grew up on it. But, I'll be damned if I buy a ticket, a hot dog, or a single piece of merch until the Pohlad's either a) change their philosophy or b ) sell the team.

[gunnarthor]

 

Still not sure how legit that is.  Sure, the Red Sox had a higher draft budget, but he hasn't been with the Red Sox since 2009, and he's been working under draft pool restrictions since 2012.  (Not to mention, involvement in the development of those players would probably overwhelm any draft bonus advantage.)

I think the concern is that his only experience with front office management has been in high payroll situations.  Even if we pretend that budgets for draft and player development since 2012 have been the same for the Twins and Cubs, he has not been around a small payroll atmosphere.  I suspect that is a concern.  And maybe McLeod doesn't want to take the job if he knows the Twins financial restraints.  He's going to get a GM job eventually.  He's probably one of the few guys who can wait and take over the Yankees or such.  

[sthpstm]

Here's a brief article on Falvey's previous promotion along with the David Stearns hiring in 2011: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/26174134//

 

And I believe someone has already posted this or a similar interview with Falvey at the beginning of the year: http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2016/04/04/indians-assistant-general-manager-derek-falvey-says-the-off-season-goal-was-to-supplement-the-core-pieces/

 

 

 

[nicksaviking]

 

I think the concern is that his only experience with front office management has been in high payroll situations.  Even if we pretend that budgets for draft and player development since 2012 have been the same for the Twins and Cubs, he has not been around a small payroll atmosphere.  I suspect that is a concern.  And maybe McLeod doesn't want to take the job if he knows the Twins financial restraints.  He's going to get a GM job eventually.  He's probably one of the few guys who can wait and take over the Yankees or such.  

 

I don't know that McLeod's background had much to do with managing payroll though, from all we've heard, his biggest skill is drafting and developing. That skill seems pretty transferable regardless of payroll.

 

I also wouldn't think he'd interview if he had financial reservations. Plenty of other candidates refused the interview.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Reusse had the legit criticism of McLeod as not working with low payrolls before.  As much as we fans dislike that, it's a realistic issue for the Twins as long as the Pohlad's own them.  

More on this...

 

Draft bonuses

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/prospectwatch/index888.html

 

2004

20. Minnesota, Trevor Plouffe, ss, Crespi Carmelite HS, Northridge, Calif.(1,500,000)
22. Minnesota, Glen Perkins, lhp, Minnesota.(1,425,000)
25. Minnesota, Kyle Waldrop, rhp, Farragut HS, Knoxville, Tenn.(1,000,000)
35. Minnesota, Matthew Fox, rhp, Central Florida (950,000)
39. Minnesota, Jay Rainville, rhp, Bishop Hendricken, Pawtucket, R.I. (875,000)
61. Minnesota, Anthony Swarzak, rhp, Nova HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (575,000)
65. Boston, Dustin Pedroia, ss, Arizona St. (575,000)

 

2005

(23) BOS Jacoby Ellsbury of Oregon State U. OR (1,400,000)
(25) MIN Matt Garza rhp Fresno State U. CA (1,350,000)
(26) BOS Craig Hansen rhp St. John's U. NY (1,325,000)
(39) MIN Henry Sanchez 1b Mission Bay HS, San Diego CA
(42) BOS Clay Buchholz rhp Angelina (Texas) JC TX (800,000)
(45) BOS Jed Lowrie 2b Stanford U. CA (762,000)
(47) BOS Michael Bowden rhp Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora, Ill. IL (730,000)
(54) MIN Paul Kelly ss Flower Mound (Texas) HS TX (650,000)
(57) BOS Jon Egan c Cross Creek HS, Hephzibah, GA (625,000)
(73) MIN Kevin Slowey rhp Winthrop U. SC (495,000)
(80) MIN Drew Thompson ss Jupiter Community HS, Tequesta, Fla. FL (475,000)
(84) MIN Brian Duensing LHP U. of Nebraska NE (400,000)

 

2006

20. Minnesota — Chris Parmelee, OF, Chino Hills (Calif.) H.S.(1,500,000)
27. Boston — Jason Place, OF, Wren (S.C.) H.S.(1,300,000)
28. Boston — Daniel Bard, RHP, North Carolina(1,500,000)
40. Boston — Kristofer Johnson, LHP, Wichita State (850,000)
44. Boston — Caleb Clay, RHP, Cullman H.S., Alabama (775,000)
64. Minnesota — William Benson, LF, Joliet Catholic Academy, Plainfield, Ill. (575,000)
71. Boston — Justin Masterson, RHP, San Diego St. (510,000)
83. Boston — Aaron Bates, 1B, N.C. State (440,000)
96. Minnesota — Tyler Robertson, LHP, Bella Vista (Calif.) HS (405,500)
103. Boston — Bryson Cox, RHP, Rice (250,000)
119. Minnesota — Whitney Robbins, 1B, Georgia Tech (265,000) 
126. Minnesota — Garrett Olson, 3B, Franklin Pierce (250,000) 
133. Boston — Jonathan Still, C-OF, N.C. State (225,000)
156. Minnesota— Devin Shepherd, RF, Oxnard (Calif.) HS. 
163. Boston— Dustin Richardson, LHP, Texas Tech. (107,000)
186. Minnesota— Jeffrey Christy, C, Nebraska. (25,000)
193. Boston— Zachary Daeges, 3B, Creighton.(30,000)
216. Minnesota— Jonathan Waltenbury, 1B, Henry Street HS, Bowmanville, Ontario.(128,000)
223. Boston— Kristopher Negron, SS, Cosumnes River College. (105,000)
246. Minnesota— Brian Dinkelman, 2B, McKendree. (13,000)
253. Boston— Rafael Cabreja, CF, James Monroe HS, New York.(65,000)
276. Minnesota— Sean Land, LHP, Kansas.(70,000)
283. Boston— Ryan Kalish, CF, Red Bank Catholic HS, Shrewsbury, N.J. (600,000)

 

2007

28 Twins Ben Revere OF ($750,000)
55 Red Sox Nick Hagadone LHP ($571,500)
62 Red Sox Ryan Dent SS (571,000)
84 Red Sox Hunter Morris 3B AUBURN (did not sign)
92 Twins Danny Rams C ($375,000)
114 Red Sox Brock Huntzinger RHP ($225,000)
122 Twins Angel Morales OF ($234,000)
144 Red Sox Chris Province RHP ($120,000)
152 Twins Reggie Williams OF ($153,000)
174 Red Sox Will Middlebrooks RHP ($925,000)
182 Twins Nathan Striz RHP NORTH CAROLINA (did not sign)
204 Red Sox Anthony Rizzo 1B ($325,000)
212 Twins Mike McCardell RHP ($75,000)
234 Red Sox David Mailman 1B ($550,000)
242 Twins Daniel Berlind RHP ($80,000)
264 Red Sox Adam Mills RHP ($25,000)
272 Twins Danny Lehmann C ($100,000)
294 Red Sox Kade Keowen OF ($123,000)
302 Twins Steve Hirschfeld RHP ($55,000)
324 Red Sox Ken Roque SS ($70,000)
332 Twins Blair Erickson RHP ($15,000)

 

2008

14. Twins Aaron Hicks OF/RHP Sr. B-R 6-2 170 Woodrow Wilson HS Long Beach, Calif. 10-2-89 SIGNED $1,780,000

30. Red Sox Casey Kelly SS/RHP Sr. R-R 6-3 190 Sarasota HS Sarasota, Fla. 10-4-89 SIGNED $3,000,000
31. Twins Shooter Hunt RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 205 Tulane U. Wyckoff, N.J. 8-16-86 SIGNED $1,080,000
45. Red Sox Bryan Price RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 200 Rice U. Marble Falls, Texas 11-13-86 SIGNED $849,000
60. Twins Tyler Ladendorf SS So. R-R 6-2 210 Howard (Texas) JC Des Plaines, Ill. 3-7-88 SIGNED $673,000
77. Red Sox Derrik Gibson SS Sr. R-R 6-1 170 Seaford HS Seaford, Del. 12-5-89 SIGNED $600,000
85. Red Sox Stephen Fife RHP Jr. R-R 6-3 210 U. of Utah Boise, Idaho 10-4-86 SIGNED $464,000
92. Twins Bobby Lanigan RHP Jr. R-R 6-4 215 Adelphi (N.Y.) U. Staten Island, N.Y. 5-5-87 SIGNED $417,000
108. Red Sox Kyle Weiland RHP Jr. L-R 6-4 195 U. of Notre Dame Albuquerque, N.M. 9-12-86 SIGNED $322,000
126. Twins Daniel Ortiz OF Sr. L-L 5-11 165 Benjamin Harrison HS Cayey, P.R. 1-5-90 SIGNED $253,000
142. Red Sox Peter Hissey OF Sr. L-L 6-0 165 Unionville HS West Chester, Pa. 1-17-90 Virginia
156. Twins Nick Romero 3B Jr. B-R 6-1 200 San Diego State U. Chula Vista, Calif. 7-15-87 SIGNED $179,000
172. Red Sox Ryan Westmoreland OF Sr. L-R 6-2 180 Portsmouth HS Portsmouth, R.I. 4-27-90 SIGNED $2,000,000
186. Twins B.J. Hermsen RHP Sr. R-R 6-5 225 West Delaware HS Masonville, Iowa 12-1-89 SIGNED $650,000
202. Red Sox Ryan Lavarnway C/OF Jr. R-R 6-3 210 Yale U. Woodland Hills, Calif. 8-7-87 SIGNED $325,000
216. Twins Dan Osterbrock LHP Jr. R-L 6-3 186 U. of Cincinnati Cincinnati 1-27-87 SIGNED $121,000
232. Red Sox Tim Federowicz C/RHP Jr. R-R 5-10 198 U. of North Carolina Apex, N.C. 8-5-87 SIGNED $150,000
246. Twins Jeff Lanning C So. R-R 6-2 210 U. of New Orleans Ankeny, Iowa 1-1-87 SIGNED $105,000
262. Red Sox Michael Lee RHP Jr. R-R 6-6 190 Oklahoma City U. Bellevue, Wash. 11-18-86 SIGNED $100,000
276. Twins Mike Gonzales 1B So. L-R 6-6 235 Diablo Valley (Calif.) JC Brentwood, Calif. 6-16-88 SIGNED $85,000
292. Red Sox Christian Vazquez C Sr. R-R 5-9 195 P.R. Baseball Academy Caguas, P.R. 8-21-90 SIGNED $80,000
306. Twins Evan Bigley 3B/OF Jr. R-R 6-1 180 Dallas Baptist U. Lancaster, Texas 3-9-87 SIGNED $75,000
322. Red Sox Pete Ruiz RHP So. R-R 6-3 205 Santa Barbara (Ca.) CC Rough and Ready, Calif. 8-21-87 SIGNED $100,000

 

2009

22 22 Minnesota Twins Kyle Gibson RHP Missouri Greenfield, Ind. C $1,800,000
28 28 Boston Red Sox Reymond Fuentes OF Fernando Callejo HS Manati, P.R. HS $1,134,000
14 46 Minnesota Twins Matt Bashore LHP Indiana Tipp City, Ohio C $751,500
21 70 Minnesota Twins Billy Bullock RHP Florida Davie, Fla. C $522,000
28 77 Boston Red Sox Alex Wilson RHP Texas A&M Hurricane, W.Va. C $470,700
21 101 Minnesota Twins Ben Tootle RHP Jacksonville State Oxford, Ala. C $324,900
27 107 Boston Red Sox David Renfroe SS South Panola HS Batesville, Miss. HS $1,400,000 Mississippi
21 132 Minnesota Twins Derek McCallum 2B Minnesota Shoreview, Minn. C $209,700
27 138 Boston Red Sox Jeremy Hazelbaker OF Ball State Selma, Ind. C $191,700
21 162 Minnesota Twins Tobias Streich C West Virginia Ridgway, Pa. C (2) $150,000
27 168 Boston Red Sox Seth Schwindenhammer OF Limestone Community HS Bartonville, Ill. HS $140,000 Illinois
21 192 Minnesota Twins Chris Herrmann C Miami (Fla.) Tomball, Texas C $135,000
27 198 Boston Red Sox Branden Kline RHP Gov. Thomas Johnson HS Frederick, Md. HS Did Not Sign Virginia
21 222 Minnesota Twins Brad Stillings RHP Kent State Washington Courthouse, Ohio C $125,000
27 228 Boston Red Sox Madison Younginer RHP Maudlin HS Mauldin, S.C. HS $975,000 Clemson
21 252 Minnesota Twins Brian Dozier SS Southern Mississippi Fulton, Miss. C (4) $30,000
27 258 Boston Red Sox Shannon Wilkerson OF Augusta State (Ga.) Dacula, Ga. C $100,000
21 282 Minnesota Twins Nick Lockwood SS Tampa Jesuit HS Tampa, Fla. HS $125,000 South Florida
27 288 Boston Red Sox Kendal Volz RHP Baylor Bulverde, Texas C $550,000
21 312 Minnesota Twins Blake Dean OF Louisiana State Crestview, Fla. C
27 318 Boston Red Sox Brandon Jacobs OF Parkview HS Lilburn, Ga. HS $750,000 Auburn (FB)

 

* bonus found at http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Henry_Sanchez

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

From my list above -- big bonus differences were Kalish in 2006, Middlebrooks in 2007, Westmoreland in 2008, and a few odd names in 2010 (David Renfroe, Madison Younginer, Kendal Volz, and Brandon Jacobs).  Moreover, outside of Westmoreland's $2 mil and perhaps Renfroe's $1.4 mil, I'm not sure Twins management would have turned down any of those requested outlays if TR/Smith had argued for them.

 

Note the Twins somehow managed to go way above slot for BJ Hermsen.

 

The financial advantage here, while it exists, is hardly worth noting in an examination of McLeod's record.

[PseudoSABR]

 

https://twitter.com/keithlaw/status/780429674497339393

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

He's going to get a GM job eventually.  He's probably one of the few guys who can wait and take over the Yankees or such.  

When is the Yankees job opening up?  McLeod almost certainly can't afford to be passing up a lot of GM opportunities now, hoping for an elite one later.  By the time Cashman is gone, there will likely be multiple names around the league held in the same esteem as McLeod's, perhaps even one in the Yankees own front office.

 

Also, when was the last time an elite franchise's front office was that unstable as to require hiring an unproven outsider?  Most times, they have an internal line of succession or get a proven outside (Epstein to the Cubs, Dombrowski to the Red Sox, etc.).

 

And if the Yankees or whomever really want McLeod, they could poach him from Minnesota just as easily as from his current position with the Cubs.

[PseudoSABR]

[Vanimal46]

It's happening!! Still holding out a little hope that McLeod is the PBO and Falvey is the GM... Either way new blood will be welcomed with open arms here. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

However I've never met either man and didn't know who either of them were until about a month ago. Most businesses don't hire on resume's alone.

I know.  I also know virtually nothing about swing or pitch mechanics.  I'm just a fan who likes to discuss my team, that's all.  And from where I sit, admittedly a long ways away, it looks like Falvey could be riskier than McLeod.

[mazeville]

I guess. We won't know if this is a good hire for a few years. I like the idea of the Twins thinking outside of the box. I like the fact that he has a strategy for developing pitchers. And it's GOOD to get new blood.

 

But this is a big, big risk.

[Rigby]

Given the Twins' largest area of need - player evaluation and development, curious as to which player acquisition / transactions are directly traceable to Falvey's input. On the surface, an odd decision at best.

[Craig Arko]

 

I guess. We won't know if this is a good hire for a few years. I like the idea of the Twins thinking outside of the box. I like the fact that he has a strategy for developing pitchers. And it's GOOD to get new blood.

 

But this is a big, big risk.

No guts, no glory.

[Mr. Brooks]

Wanted McLeod, but I have no idea who will be better, so I'm happy with the hire.

[Otto von Ballpark]

MLBTR and Keith Law are saying Falvey to the Twins now too, specifically as president of baseball ops:

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/derek-falvey-favorite-twins-front-office.html

[Loosey]

Any thoughts that perhaps McCleod didn't want the Head PBO role?  Maybe more interested in GM position?  Falvey as PBO, McCleod as GM still a possibility?

[sthpstm]

No one is exactly like those under whom they learned their positions, but Mark Shapiro and Chris Antonetti have seemed quite aggressive in their moves.  Shapiro was not afraid to trade off the best players and fan favorites for young pieces when expedient and we've seen Antonetti be fairly aggressive in acquiring/attempting to acquire talent to help their post season run this year.

[gunnarthor]

 

I don't know that McLeod's background had much to do with managing payroll though, from all we've heard, his biggest skill is drafting and developing. That skill seems pretty transferable regardless of payroll.

 

.

But they aren't hiring him to do that anymore. They would be hiring him to run the show and the only show he has seen run has been the big market kind.  That's the point I'm trying to make.