Is anyone else impressed with Molitor?

[drjim]

It worked out today. I could see an argument for giving Santana another inning, for a quicker hook for Beslile, for calling on Duffey in the 9th. At least it isn't a series of unanimously dumb decisions that just happened to work out. Seems to have logic behind it.

Saying a starter should go another inning is always dicey. Never sure what Santana has in the tank.

[Bark's Lounge]

My only gripe is what they plan to do with Duffey. Do they send him to AAA once they have a grip on things or do they use him as a useful bullpen piece going forward. I am assuming the the first thing I said. I don't know if Duffey can be an effective starter, but I feel pretty good he can be a damn good reliever.

 

I wish we had more than Berrios as a back-up SP in Rochester, this, I feel puts Duffey in some kind of purgatory as Gonsalves, Romero, and Wheeler are not ready for MLB action.

[drjim]

I'm a fan of rolling Kintzler out there for the ninth every time in a save situation. He profiles as the type of guy who can hold his own in a bases empty, three outs, hold a lead situation.

 

I'd prefer to save the better relievers for higher pressure situations with guys on base, when you need a pitcher who can miss bats.

 

A mediocre reliever can hold a two run lead for an inning 80+% of the time. That's all the team needs from Kintzler.

I think he has pretty much been saving the best reliever (Pressly) for the toughest situations and counted on vets to get through clean innings.

 

I wonder if he is a little hesitant to bring Duffey in the middle of an inning too. I like how he used him on Friday.

[drjim]

My only gripe is what they plan to do with Duffey. Do they send him to AAA once they have a grip on things or do they use him as a useful bullpen piece going forward. I am assuming the the first thing I said. I don't know if Duffey can be an effective starter, but I feel pretty good he can be a damn good reliever.

 

I wish we had more than Berrios as a back-up SP in Rochester, this, I feel puts Duffey in some kind of purgatory as Gonsalves, Romero, and Wheeler are not ready for MLB action.

I don't think he goes back to AAA. If he needs to start they'll stretch him out in the bigs.

[crapforks]

 

Saying a starter should go another inning is always dicey. Never sure what Santana has in the tank.

Absolutely. I'm not advocating for that position, I could just see someone arguing for it. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Saying a starter should go another inning is always dicey. Never sure what Santana has in the tank.

While I agree, Molitor said the decision was made because he didn't want Santana going over 100 pitches in his second start.

[kab21]

In fairness it is easy to look smart when you are winning and your pitching staff is dominating. Let's see what he does when he is down a couple of runs for a few games.

 

But I have always liked Molitor and think he is fine. The biggest issue has been a general lack of performance from the players.

[Kwak]

The manager generally looks like a genius when the pitching (weather and opponents lack of skill) excels. Conversely when the pitching stinks the manager looks like a dork.

[TKGuy]

God pitching makes the manager look good. Really like what Castro and Gimenez have brought to the club

[Mr. Brooks]

While I agree, Molitor said the decision was made because he didn't want Santana going over 100 pitches in his second start.

I don't know where you heard that, so Miller could be wrong, but Phil Miller said in his blog that Santana won't throw over 100 pitches EVERY.

That's pretty odd if true.

[Brandon Warne]

 

I'm a fan of rolling Kintzler out there for the ninth every time in a save situation. He profiles as the type of guy who can hold his own in a bases empty, three outs, hold a lead situation.

I'd prefer to save the better relievers for higher pressure situations with guys on base, when you need a pitcher who can miss bats.

A mediocre reliever can hold a two run lead for an inning 80+% of the time. That's all the team needs from Kintzler.

 

I'd rather use him in the sixth inning with one on and one out or in a tighter situation with the game on the line. I get what you're saying, but his penchant for grounders is more useful elsewhere, IMO.

 

In this situation, I'd put Duffey in the closer's role, move Kintzler to sixth innings/pressure spots and let Pressly set up. 

[Guest]

It's too early to change an impression from two years based on six games against bad teams. That said, the change in culture by the removal of "lovable" Terry Ryan and his continuous negativity about young players is an improvement.

[drjim]

I'd rather use him in the sixth inning with one on and one out or in a tighter situation with the game on the line. I get what you're saying, but his penchant for grounders is more useful elsewhere, IMO.

 

In this situation, I'd put Duffey in the closer's role, move Kintzler to sixth innings/pressure spots and let Pressly set up.

I agree with this usage of Kintzler, but I wouldn't put Duffey as the closer. He has value as a multi-inning guy.

 

In my mind, this is why signing Belisle instead of a closer was a mistake. Everyone would have fit so well around a new closer, really maximized roles.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd rather use him in the sixth inning with one on and one out or in a tighter situation with the game on the line. I get what you're saying, but his penchant for grounders is more useful elsewhere, IMO.

 

In this situation, I'd put Duffey in the closer's role, move Kintzler to sixth innings/pressure spots and let Pressly set up. 

Dunno, a closer who keeps the ball on the ground is highly valuable for two reasons:

 

1. Home runs kill closers

2. It's harder to string together runs on ground balls

[Brandon Warne]

 

I agree with this usage of Kintzler, but I wouldn't put Duffey as the closer. He has value as a multi-inning guy.

In my mind, this is why signing Belisle instead of a closer was a mistake. Everyone would have fit so well around a new closer, really maximized roles.

 

There was no reason to sign a closer, nor was there really a good one available. Signing Neftali Feliz doesn't really move the needle for me.

[Brandon Warne]

I still think closers have to strike people out. Kintzler doesn't do that at all. 

[drjim]

 

There was no reason to sign a closer, nor was there really a good one available. Signing Neftali Feliz doesn't really move the needle for me.

 

I thought a gave a pretty good reason, backfills the other relievers into other roles (including roles you just advocated) and strengthens the bullpen as a whole.

 

There were 3-4 of them. Holland, Casilla, Feliz...

[lukeduke1980]

 

Same. So far we have some evidence that many of the criticisms had more to do with Ryan than Molitor, which was my argument all along.

I have always wondered if Molitor's heart was in it last year after this interaction:  

 

TR:  Paul, I've figured out how to replace Torii Hunter in right field.

PM:  Oh?  You signed a free agent?  Are you going to bring up Kepler?

TR:  Even better.  Miguel Sano in all of his 285 lbs of glory!

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I still think closers have to strike people out. Kintzler doesn't do that at all. 

In a perfect world, you want a closer that can both avoid home runs and strike people out.

 

The Twins don't have that guy. In that situation, may as well go with Kintzler, IMO. That way you can use the strikeout guys in a more flexible fashion.

 

Kintzler almost always enters the game with no one on base and only needs to retire three batters to end the game. He will also enter the game with a one run lead a decent portion of the time. In that situation, I might prefer the groundball, homer-averse pitcher over the guy who misses bats.

[Mike Sixel]

It's early. 

 

I fail to see how Ryan is the one that called for bunts last year, or thought pinch running for Sano with two outs was a good idea. For me, I'd like to see what happens during the year, not just 5 games, to see if he's changed. that seems reasonable to me.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I don't really have an opinion on Tonkin. More so I am glad they didn't burn through better guys like Pressly or Rogers in a game they didn't need to.

That's fine, but did Molitor really do that last year?  Tonkin had plenty of low-leverage multi-inning stints last year.  Arguably we didn't have many relievers worth saving at all points of last season...

[Doomtints]

The bullpen is starting to show signs of falling back to earth. Let's see how he manages when that happens.

[Vanimal46]

Who had their money on Michael Tonkin being the hidden player on a 13 man pitching staff? Clearly Molitor will not trust him or use him in high leverage situations....  

[drjim]

 

Who had their money on Michael Tonkin being the hidden player on a 13 man pitching staff? Clearly Molitor will not trust him or use him in high leverage situations....  

 

Did you expect a bigger role? Breaking camp he was only ahead of Haley.

 

He'll get his chances.

[DaveW]

I give him credit for abandoning the Buxton in the 3 hole experiment rather quickly, ditto with not giving Santana a ton of playing time.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

That's fine, but did Molitor really do that last year?  

Fair question. I will look.

 

Maybe 2016 isn't really a season to go back and care about, but I'm sure I'll find something from 2015, because the Twins were in a pennant chase and I remember blowing my top at least a couple times by his bullpen usage that season

[nicksaviking]

 

Falvey was on the pre-game show on the radio yesterday and was asked about Molitor's lineups. Falvey praised Molitor and said the lineups were all Molitor's doing.

 

He then quickly praised Pickler and Lavine for their input in providing Molitor with lots of numbers and recommendations.

 

The interview came across as quite a collaborative effort though Falvey wouldn't say so to undermine Molitor.

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Falvey was on the pre-game show on the radio yesterday and was asked about Molitor's lineups. Falvey praised Molitor and said the lineups were all Molitor's doing.

 

He then quickly praised Pickler and Lavine for their input in providing Molitor with lots of numbers and recommendations.

 

The interview came across as quite a collaborative effort though Falvey wouldn't say so to undermine Molitor.

 

I fail to understand how working together and collaborating would undermine Molitor in any business other than sports....

[drjim]

Falvey was on the pre-game show on the radio yesterday and was asked about Molitor's lineups. Falvey praised Molitor and said the lineups were all Molitor's doing.

 

He then quickly praised Pickler and Lavine for their input in providing Molitor with lots of numbers and recommendations.

 

The interview came across as quite a collaborative effort though Falvey wouldn't say so to undermine Molitor.

Hears that too, recommended listening.

 

Great management from Falvey. Praise those under you when things are going well, inspire an ethos of collaboration overall.

 

I was a little skeptical when first hired and hos offseason wasn't the most inspiring, but there is a lot to like with him. Big, potentially franchise altering decisions coming over the next several months.

[nicksaviking]

I fail to understand how working together and collaborating would undermine Molitor in any business other than sports....

Yeah, it was a good interview and did shed some light, but still had the sense of egg shells and kid gloves. No matter how hard some push, baseball is still stuck in Stone Age quite often. Dynamics and responsibilties should change.