This is the best news in years

[mazeville]

I don't think this story in the Star Tribune about the Twins' new front office is getting enough attention:

 

http://www.startribune.com/twins-new-front-office-leaders-can-inject-life-into-a-broken-system/400146161/

 

Let me quote from the piece, if I may: 

 

 

 

According to several team officials, the plan is to grow the baseball operations department, add more decision-makers and specialize more roles. Twins owner Jim Pohlad is ready to invest in strengthening the infrastructure and moving the organization in line with what many other organizations are doing.

There already has been discussion about where to put the extra cubicles.

 

LaVelle went on to talk about how the size of the Twins' front office is smaller than that of many other teams, and that one big priority under the new regime will be to change that.

 

This is the best news we've heard in years when it comes to the Twins — more important, even, than the decision to let go of Terry Ryan.

 

I'm not huge on demanding that the Twins spend big money on free agent signings because it's difficult to build a winner that way, and certainly not a consistent winner.

 

BUT, it is important that this team take the money they're making at the baseball stadium taxpayers helped fund, and invest in resources that will allow them to make proper decisions in building a winning team. That they'd been operating with a smaller staff despite the addition of Target Field is far more bothersome than any player payroll decision.

 

The fact that they'd been operating with a smaller staff than their competitors for years helps explain why the front office appears to have been operating from behind during this entire rebuilding process.

 

So I applaud ownership's recognition of the need to bolster the front office not just by hiring a new head of baseball operations and a general manager, but by adding staff who can help those guys make the right decisions. 

 

 

[PDX Twin]

The other way of looking at this is that they are taking money that could be spent on playing staff and spending instead on office guys in suits.

 

But in this crazy, upside-down industry the guys in suits make a pittance compared with the "production workers," so maybe the opportunity cost of these extra staffers is negligible.

[Squirrel]

Quantity doesn't always translate to quality. I don't mind growth where it's needed, but saying you plan to expand the FO doesn't really tell me much until I see who and what exactly changes.

[mazeville]

 

The other way of looking at this is that they are taking money that could be spent on playing staff and spending instead on office guys in suits.

 

But in this crazy, upside-down industry the guys in suits make a pittance compared with the "production workers," so maybe the opportunity cost of these extra staffers is negligible.

 

You could take the minimum salary of one major league ball player and spend it on 5+ well paid guys in suits analyzing numbers. 

[mazeville]

 

Quantity doesn't always translate to quality. I don't mind growth where it's needed, but saying you plan to expand the FO doesn't really tell me much until I see who and what exactly changes.

 

Um ... right. But it STARTS with having a large enough staff to do the job. This comment makes no sense. 

[nicksaviking]

 

So I applaud ownership's recognition of the need to bolster the front office not just by hiring a new head of baseball operations and a general manager, but by adding staff who can help those guys make the right decisions. 

 

While I am relieved that ownership is finally doing something, I'm going to have a hard time applauding them. If rubes like us have been saying things have been insufficient for years, they surely knew they were behind. It still took five historically terrible seasons out of six and attendance dropping at their new stadium to act. This seems more like someone only changing their behavior because Social Services came knocking at their door and threatened to take away the kids.

 

Good article and link though.

[Halsey Hall]

One cubicle will have the TD logo above it.  We'll all share, every dog has his day.

[Mike Sixel]

 

While I am relieved that ownership is finally doing something, I'm going to have a hard time applauding them. If rubes like us have been saying things have been insufficient for years, they surely knew they were behind. It still took five historically terrible seasons out of six and attendance dropping at their new stadium to act. This seems more like someone only changing their behavior because Social Services came knocking at their door and threatened to take away the kids.

 

Good article and link though.

 

I used to be this way (at your young age)....now I realize that once a company does the right thing, I am grateful, rather than annoyed it took this long.....so, ya, I get your frustration. But, the main thing is, they appear to be doing the right things now. That's goodness.

[mazeville]

 

While I am relieved that ownership is finally doing something, I'm going to have a hard time applauding them. If rubes like us have been saying things have been insufficient for years, they surely knew they were behind. It still took five historically terrible seasons out of six and attendance dropping at their new stadium to act. This seems more like someone only changing their behavior because Social Services came knocking at their door and threatened to take away the kids.

 

Good article and link though.

 

I think you have to give them some credit -- while also poking them for operating on a lower budget for too long. 

 

I believe Pohlad thought that he could rehire Terry Ryan as the GM, and that Ryan would wave his magic wand and all would be well. And in 2015, it sure seemed like it was going to be a success: The Twins had one of the top two or three farm systems in baseball, and the team was in the playoff race all season long. That turned out to be a false positive. The team plunged in 2016. And Pohlad took steps necessary to fix things. 

 

So I'll give them some credit, while also saying this: You cannot simply adhere to the old ways of doing things. Teams have to evolve and change to keep pace with competitors and the Twins did not do that -- as the size of their front office staff demonstrates. It took them six bad years for them to figure it out, but at least they did.

[Squirrel]

 

Um ... right. But it STARTS with having a large enough staff to do the job. This comment makes no sense. 

Let me rephrase then ... all that says is that they are expanding the baseball operations part of the FO. Expand it how? where? who are they adding to do what? I don't know for sure they don't have enough staff, maybe they just don't have the right staff. But just adding staff to add staff doesn't tell me what I need to know whether or not this is or will be an improvement. What, exactly, is the plan? If they said they were making room for improvements in 'this department' or 'that department' and why and how they were doing thus, then I'd have something to comment on. Basically right now the information is a bit too generalized to say if this is a good or a bad thing. imo.

[TheLeviathan]

Any step in the right direction is one to applaud.  Having a small handful of people managing the talent might explain so many of the baffling organizational issues we've been noticing.  

 

Good managers know how to delegate and whom to delegate to.  Let's hope that's what this is.

 

(This would be one of the primary things to learn from Epstein and the Cubs, btw)

[Vanimal46]

 

Let me rephrase then ... all that says is that they are expanding the baseball operations part of the FO. Expand it how? where? who are they adding to do what? I don't know for sure they don't have enough staff, maybe they just don't have the right staff. But just adding staff to add staff doesn't tell me what I need to know whether or not this is or will be an improvement. What, exactly, is the plan? If they said they were making room for improvements in 'this department' or 'that department' and why and how they were doing thus, then I'd have something to comment on. Basically right now the information is a bit too generalized to say if this is a good or a bad thing. imo.

Well, given Falvey's background as the analytical type, I assume there's going to be a major upgrade in that department. As far as other departments that need upgrading, we won't know yet. 

I agree with your point though that however they expand, they need to hire the right staff, not just numbers to say we're now at a staff of 30. 

[Craig Arko]

 

One cubicle will have the TD logo above it.  We'll all share, every dog has his day.

I'm thinking Parker could keep that chair warm.

[mazeville]

 

Let me rephrase then ... all that says is that they are expanding the baseball operations part of the FO. Expand it how? where? who are they adding to do what? I don't know for sure they don't have enough staff, maybe they just don't have the right staff. But just adding staff to add staff doesn't tell me what I need to know whether or not this is or will be an improvement. What, exactly, is the plan? If they said they were making room for improvements in 'this department' or 'that department' and why and how they were doing thus, then I'd have something to comment on. Basically right now the information is a bit too generalized to say if this is a good or a bad thing. imo.

 

From the article:

 

 

The statistical analysis department definitely will expand. The Twins do have Jack Goin in place as their director of baseball research, but Falvey and Levine want to address staffing issues. Both executives understand the importance of analytics in today’s game. It’s not their only guiding light, as both Falvey and Levine blend the numbers with the eye test. Falvey, a small-college pitcher, has been lauded by Indians manager Terry Francona for the information he provided to his pitching staff. Falvey was hands-on with Francona and might be the same way with Twins manager Paul Molitor.

 

[mazeville]

 

I agree with your point though that however they expand, they need to hire the right staff, not just numbers to say we're now at a staff of 30. 

 

But that's just obvious. I don't want them to hire a bunch of janitors and nobody else does. The whole point is that they're beefing up their front office staff. 

 

Anybody who works in business understands that, by hiring and adding people, you generate more excitement among your employees and you attract better workers. The fact that the Twins are getting a pair of highly regarded baseball men at the top and are intent on increasing the size of the front office staff is a very, very key element in their rebuilding. 

 

OF COURSE they have to hire the right staff. But they have to hire the right staff whether the front office is 10 people or 50. 

 

Go look at the Chicago Cubs front office and compare it to the Twins front office and tell me size doesn't matter. 

[Craig Arko]

Maybe they will need additional IT support; will be on the lookout.

[Mike Sixel]

 

Maybe they will need additional IT support; will be on the lookout.

 

Can we work from Canada or the Virgin Islands?

[Craig Arko]

 

Can we work from Canada or the Virgin Islands?

Or Ecuador?

[Doomtints]

"There already has been discussion about where to put the extra cubicles."

 

I don't know, man.  This still smells like they are thinking small.  Where to have the people sit isn't something Pohlad should be thinking about at all.  

Maybe Pohlad feels like a kid in a candy store but, come on, start thinking about the people and roles and not about the cubicles.  Some things matter, some things don't.  Let the underlings think about the darned office floor.  

[Craig Arko]

Listening to Sid grill Falvey and Levine at the presser. Priceless.

[Mr. Brooks]

Listening to Sid grill Falvey and Levine at the presser. Priceless.

Sid: "You guys didn't even make it to AAA and now you are GM's. How do you explain that? "

 

I rarely agree with Sid, but he is an absolute treasure, and I'm convinced he'll still be working in 50 years when I die.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The other way of looking at this is that they are taking money that could be spent on playing staff and spending instead on office guys in suits.

 

But in this crazy, upside-down industry the guys in suits make a pittance compared with the "production workers," so maybe the opportunity cost of these extra staffers is negligible.

Nail only one draft pick or free agent signing that's worth $10m and you just paid for a whole lot of suits to sit in cubicles for several years.

[nicksaviking]

 

I used to be this way (at your young age)....now I realize that once a company does the right thing, I am grateful, rather than annoyed it took this long.....so, ya, I get your frustration. But, the main thing is, they appear to be doing the right things now. That's goodness.

 

While I agree with the underlying relief, no one congratulates BP because they cleaned up their oil spills. If the Twins were a cable company or telephone provider we wouldn't be grateful because they would have gone out of business years ago due to poor service and lack of features. Other businesses are financially motivated to provide more than the bare minimum to their customers due to a competitive market place. Since sports service regional customers, unless you're in an area with more than one team to cheer for, bare minimum is an option unfortunately.

 

So I'm happy, but I'm not grateful; we deserved this and more long, long ago.

[Squirrel]

 

Well, given Falvey's background as the analytical type, I assume there's going to be a major upgrade in that department. As far as other departments that need upgrading, we won't know yet. 

I agree with your point though that however they expand, they need to hire the right staff, not just numbers to say we're now at a staff of 30. 

Right. I can make a lot of assumptions, too, on how and where the growth will be ... and I hope that's what will be. But until we see what and where, I'll reserve judgement. 

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

Quantity doesn't always translate to quality. I don't mind growth where it's needed, but saying you plan to expand the FO doesn't really tell me much until I see who and what exactly changes.

Unless one of the analytics guys can play shortstop and hit ... then it's a two-fer.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

I think you have to give them some credit -- while also poking them for operating on a lower budget for too long. 

 

I believe Pohlad thought that he could rehire Terry Ryan as the GM, and that Ryan would wave his magic wand and all would be well. And in 2015, it sure seemed like it was going to be a success: The Twins had one of the top two or three farm systems in baseball, and the team was in the playoff race all season long. That turned out to be a false positive. The team plunged in 2016. And Pohlad took steps necessary to fix things. 

 

So I'll give them some credit, while also saying this: You cannot simply adhere to the old ways of doing things. Teams have to evolve and change to keep pace with competitors and the Twins did not do that -- as the size of their front office staff demonstrates. It took them six bad years for them to figure it out, but at least they did.

 

[ScrapTheNickname]

The Twins were a losing team (never in first place) from 1971-1986, and then again from 1992-2001. During those years I eventually lost interest ... Those were drought years. Depression Era. Dust Bowl. Jalopies driving west with mattresses, tables, chairs, and nine kids piled on top. The real sick deal. This little old thing over the last six years ain't nothin ... yet ... I'm a'waitin, and I'm a'hopin. Tom Joad where is you now?

[Doomtints]

Scrap:

 

The thing is, Ryan never really left.  He participated in meetings and hung around after he "resigned."  Basically he did the things someone leaving a position is not supposed to do.  It was like Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien all over again.  

 

After he got his fancy title back, the decisions that look like Ryan's decisions were pretty much all bad moves.  The lone success was bringing back Hunter, which only worked out by the grace of luck.  I'm not sure how dedicated he was after his return, or if he was just exercising final decision/veto power after the first round of (terrible) moves he made upon his return.  

 

It also feels like he checked out completely about halfway through last season.  He tried to address C in the offseason, but his move was yet another bust (or at least it has been a bust so far).  

[Blake]

 

Maybe they will need additional IT support; will be on the lookout.

I might just move back to MN to get that job...

[Mike Sixel]

 

I might just move back to MN to get that job...

 

Winter.....don't forget winter...and lack of wineries.....and mountains....and oceans...