Rand: Q&A with Thad Levine

[Seth Stohs]

Star Tribune's Michael Rand wrote up a Q&A with Thad Levine. 

 

The two discuss Levine's sense of humor, addressing pitching and much more. 

[theBOMisthebomb]

It appears Levine is going against what has to be the first instinct and knee jerk reaction to clean house and have heads roll. Hopefully the patience pays off.

[Riverbrian]

Q How much does the baseball operations department need to be built?

 

A Our instincts are that there are some great people here and that before we evaluate them we need to give them more resources to succeed. Maybe [the Twins] have been a little behind in the resources we’ve provided our people. Our first investment would be in systems and resources. Secondarily, we’ll evaluate the people once they’re given those resources.

 

In my opinion... This is exactly the answer I was hoping for. 

 

I just wish the process would have started in May. Terry Ryan could have been part of that evaluation process.

 

Better late than never... I guess

 

[Mr. Brooks]

Q How much does the baseball operations department need to be built?

 

A Our instincts are that there are some great people here and that before we evaluate them we need to give them more resources to succeed. Maybe [the Twins] have been a little behind in the resources we’ve provided our people. Our first investment would be in systems and resources. Secondarily, we’ll evaluate the people once they’re given those resources.

 

In my opinion... This is exactly the answer I was hoping for.

 

I just wish the process would have started in May. Terry Ryan could have been part of that evaluation process.

 

Better late than never... I guess

According to Doogie on 1500 Friday, Antony and Pohlad had been practically begging Terry to expand several departments within the FO for some time now, and he refused, saying more people were not necessary.

 

And, while they have played it down publicly, Levine and Falvey were in disbelief at how small some of the departments were when they got here.

 

Terry Ryan could not be part of the evaluation going forward. His views on running a FO are too antiquated.

[Riverbrian]

 

According to Doogie on 1500 Friday, Antony and Pohlad had been practically begging Terry to expand several departments within the FO for some time now, and he refused, saying more people were not necessary.

And, while they have played it down publicly, Levine and Falvey were in disbelief at how small some of the departments were when they got here.

Terry Ryan could not be part of the evaluation going forward. His views on running a FO are too antiquated.

 

I'd hope that would come out in the evaluation. 

[Loosey]

The answers were hearing about Terry Ryan and running his Front Office staff on the cheap could be a telling sign on how he ran the actual on-field team.  In the few interviews Jim Pohlad has given, even though he as sounded like a baffoon in many, has never mentioned anything about restraints on giving out contracts to players.  In fact he has said in a round about way that if Terry ever wanted to sign someone all he had to do was ask.  

 

I am beginning to believe that since Target Field was built, running the on field product as a small market team was more of a Terry Ryan thing than a Pohlad thing.  

 

Carl Pohlad owned the team when they played in the Metrodome and Terry Ryan did have financial restraints for multiple reasons.  But once they moved to Target Field many of those should have gone away.  

 

It is my belief that Terry never got used to having that checkbook opened and shied way from attempting to sign the big Free Agent that could have made a difference.  He was comfortable spending the same way he always had, and using the old antiquated evaluation techniques.  

 

He was straight up old school.  And while that works in some respects it is dumb when there are clearly new innovative ideas that are available and actually work.

 

He seems like the accountant that prefers to use an actual paper ledger when there is accounting software that does the same job, but much better and much more efficiently.  

 

[DocBauer]

Actions speak louder than words, of course, and it will take time to see the results of the actions taken by the Twins' new leaders. But they sure are saying the right things to this point! I'm getting excited!

[gunnarthor]

 

 

I am beginning to believe that since Target Field was built, running the on field product as a small market team was more of a Terry Ryan thing than a Pohlad thing.  

  

I will never, ever believe that payroll limits weren't always a big part of the way the Pohlad family runs this team and until we actually spend money - both on payroll and in international signings - we shouldn't give ownership the benefit of the doubt on that.  

[Mike Sixel]

 

I will never, ever believe that payroll limits weren't always a big part of the way the Pohlad family runs this team and until we actually spend money - both on payroll and in international signings - we shouldn't give ownership the benefit of the doubt on that.  

 

I have always thought it was both.

 

In fairness, there should be constraints, every business needs a budget. Just not sure Terry really spent up to it all that often....

[Thrylos]

What did you expect him to say publicly?  That the Twins' front office is totally worthless?  He has to work with these people, until he sorts them out.

 

The one thing I hope happens right away, and it sounds like it is happening, is to set a new direction and see which one of the remaining front office people are a. good enough to do it and b. want to do it and sort them out.

[Loosey]

 

I have always thought it was both.

 

In fairness, there should be constraints, every business needs a budget. Just not sure Terry really spent up to it all that often....

I work in finance and am well aware of budgets and why they are needed.  That being said there is a time and a place for going over budget.  Usually a cost/benefit analysis is needed in some form and if it is agreed upon that the benefits outweigh the costs, go ahead and spend it.  Maybe this was happening, but I doubt it was.

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I work in finance and am well aware of budgets and why they are needed.  That being said there is a time and a place for going over budget.  Usually a cost/benefit analysis is needed in some form and if it is agreed upon that the benefits outweigh the costs, go ahead and spend it.  Maybe this was happening, but I doubt it was.

 

hey, we agree! for sure....

[gunnarthor]

 

I work in finance and am well aware of budgets and why they are needed.  That being said there is a time and a place for going over budget.  Usually a cost/benefit analysis is needed in some form and if it is agreed upon that the benefits outweigh the costs, go ahead and spend it.  Maybe this was happening, but I doubt it was.

It seemed to me that for several years the payroll was less than it could have been - even during the time we were winning the AL central.  The excuse was something like "we like the players we have and this is what we have to pay them."  But the team never went over payroll.  There was never a period when ownership said, "the FO and the players got us pretty close, we're going to go out and spend a bit more to put us over the top."

[TheLeviathan]

 

It seemed to me that for several years the payroll was less than it could have been - even during the time we were winning the AL central.  The excuse was something like "we like the players we have and this is what we have to pay them."  But the team never went over payroll.  There was never a period when ownership said, "the FO and the players got us pretty close, we're going to go out and spend a bit more to put us over the top."

 

One of the things I'm curious to see in the coming years is if it was Ryan or the ownership that stifled spending.

 

More and more I've leaned towards it being Ryan.

[Doomtints]

The most important question was missed:

 

Q:  Are you related to Irving R. Levine?  Have you also considered using your middle initial in your everyday transactions?

[diehardtwinsfan]

perhaps we should tell him that male pattern baldness comes from the mother's line. 

[Riverbrian]

 

The answers were hearing about Terry Ryan and running his Front Office staff on the cheap could be a telling sign on how he ran the actual on-field team.  In the few interviews Jim Pohlad has given, even though he as sounded like a baffoon in many, has never mentioned anything about restraints on giving out contracts to players.  In fact he has said in a round about way that if Terry ever wanted to sign someone all he had to do was ask.  

 

I am beginning to believe that since Target Field was built, running the on field product as a small market team was more of a Terry Ryan thing than a Pohlad thing.  

 

Carl Pohlad owned the team when they played in the Metrodome and Terry Ryan did have financial restraints for multiple reasons.  But once they moved to Target Field many of those should have gone away.  

 

It is my belief that Terry never got used to having that checkbook opened and shied way from attempting to sign the big Free Agent that could have made a difference.  He was comfortable spending the same way he always had, and using the old antiquated evaluation techniques.  

 

He was straight up old school.  And while that works in some respects it is dumb when there are clearly new innovative ideas that are available and actually work.

 

He seems like the accountant that prefers to use an actual paper ledger when there is accounting software that does the same job, but much better and much more efficiently.  

 

We took Dad out to supper one night. He was happy to spend time with us and hungry but the damn menu had prices on them and a Hamburger was 10 Bucks. Even though we were buying... Dad couldn't bring himself to do it and he refused to order and we ended up going to Burger King. 

 

Payroll jumped under Bill Smith and fell back down with the return of Ryan so I think you are right. No way of knowing but as DocBauer said... Actions speak louder than words. 

 

Terry Ryan just might be a Burger Kinger.