Team Chemistry issues?

[Mill1634]

I have seen tweets, which I will embed, that have mentioned the Twins having a horrible team chemistry this season. Have to wonder if that is why Matt B. is still on the roster, and who the players are behind the team chemistry issues are. Doesn't bode well for the rest of this year or next year for that matter unless those players are moved. 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/tlschwerz/status/1024729201092567040

 

[Mike Sixel]

I really think that's why Dozier was dealt, not for baseball purposes.

 

But, this reads like post hoc BS to me....we always read stuff about bad teams and good teams and their various chemistry.....

[S.]

To be fair to Dozier, I'm pretty sure most any player would be thrilled to be traded from a bad team to the current Dodgers squad in the midst of their pennant run, and a few months before they hit free agency. Still gets to approach his free agency just the same and gets a chance at a ring. 

 

But at the same time, there have been a lot of games this season where some of the players simply did not look like they were giving it their all. Dozier has been guilty of a whole lot of half assed jogs down the line to first and made bush league comments to reporters about bunts and other stuff. And he's not the only player on the team who has looked like they were dialing it in at various points of the season. If there actually are real clubhouse issues and this isn't just some clickbait journalism, then thats just one more thing to add to the list of reasons why Molitor should be fired, because if its true then he can't manage a team on or off the field.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

But, this reads like post hoc BS to me....we always read stuff about bad teams and good teams and their various chemistry.....

Yup. Generally speaking, losing begets bad chemistry, winning begets good chemistry.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Too many one year deals? Is that a veiled way of saying Lynn? They sure stuck with him long enough. If this is true (and I'm doubtful that it is), seems like dumping Lynn a couple months ago would have obviously been a better prescription than re-signing Belisle. Heck, Belisle's spot could have been used to evaluate more potential Lynn replacements.

[Mike Sixel]

Probably not Rodney, as they want him back.

 

So, um, Lynn and Duke and, um, who else got a one year deal? Oh, Morrison.....which one of those RUINED THE ENTIRE SEASON?

[gunnarthor]

Agree that this is just another mark against Molitor. 

[Vanimal46]

Agree that this is just another mark against Molitor.

Yep. Take notes, Jim. Your MoY can't keep the room on task. Pure speculation, but would it surprise you Paul is leading the charge revolting against the FO making these trades?

 

This is all petty, and sad.

[Mill1634]

 

Too many one year deals? Is that a veiled way of saying Lynn? They sure stuck with him long enough. If this is true (and I'm doubtful that it is), seems like dumping Lynn a couple months ago would have obviously been a better prescription than re-signing Belisle. Heck, Belisle's spot could have been used to evaluate more potential Lynn replacements.

Why do you think this is false? Neither reporter reporting it has a reason to lie, and both are respected fairly well. Something seems up as it was basically the same team that made the wild card team with better baseball players added in free agency. 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Why do you think this is false? Neither reporter reporting it has a reason to lie, and both are respected fairly well. Something seems up as it was basically the same team that made the wild card team with better baseball players added in free agency. 

 

I'd say Buxton and Sano being bad, and other things were the issue......

 

This team has swung up and down for three years now, with pretty much the same core, so I don't know why we think last year was more real than the year before, or this year.....

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Why do you think this is false? Neither reporter reporting it has a reason to lie, and both are respected fairly well. Something seems up as it was basically the same team that made the wild card team with better baseball players added in free agency. 

Not saying that reporters are lying. I think it's probably being exaggerated, after the fact, as a rationalization to explain the season. Could be done by their source, could be done a bit by them too (keep in mind, they're radio talk show hosts, they are compensated to editorialize).

[BoofBonser]

Earlier this season, I had stated that passion for the game was a problem for this team... guess who the most visibly passionate player on the team is? Jake Cave, a guy who's been in the organization for 1 year. 

 

Eddie Rosario, Kyle Gibson, Jose Berrios, and Eduardo Escobar are the other four guys that have played with noticeable passion this year. They wanted to win badly. It probably isn't a coincidence that those four are the Twins best players.. 

 

The Astros', Red Sox's, Yankees', Indians', and every other great team in the MLB's best players are all passionate about the game and express it on the field.

This FO needs to find players who are passionate for the game to not only boost the club's morale, but to also give the team a freakin' identity that they so desperately need... THEY NEED LEADERS

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Maybe it's being exaggerated, but not much. I'd agree there were definitely some clubhouse chemistry issues brought in by the free agent signings this year.

[Vanimal46]

Earlier this season, I had stated that passion for the game was a problem for this team... guess who the most visibly passionate player on the team is? Jake Cave, a guy who's been in the organization for 1 year.

 

Eddie Rosario, Kyle Gibson, Jose Berrios, and Eduardo Escobar are the other four guys that have played with noticeable passion this year. They wanted to win badly. It probably isn't a coincidence that those four are the Twins best players..

 

The Astros', Red Sox's, Yankees', Indians', and every other great team in the MLB's best players are all passionate about the game and express it on the field.

 

This FO needs to find players who are passionate for the game to not only boost the club's morale, but to also give the team a freakin' identity that they so desperately need... THEY NEED LEADERS

Logan Morrison is your guy! How quickly we forget how extroverted and fun he is... With a deeply instilled passion for competition and baseball.

 

https://www.twincities.com/2018/03/23/peripatetic-childhood-taught-new-twins-slugger-how-to-fit-in/

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Yup. Generally speaking, losing begets bad chemistry, winning begets good chemistry.

 

I think this is largely true, as winning can certainly cover for a lot of bad chemistry... but I don't think it's fair to discount chemistry's contribution to winning either. I don't think it's an accident that the ability to get players to get along is a skill that managers are often praised for when they do it and fired for when they don't.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

From what I recall, some combination of Dozier, Mauer and Molitor rallied the team to a wild card berth after last year's deadline, so I am pushing back against any suggestion any of those three are souring the clubhouse.

[Aggies7]

Funny how losing makes everyone miserable.

 

That being said, the franchise as a whole hasn't seemed to "get it" since those teams in the early 2000's. You know, the ones who could actually go out and win some playoff games. And they weren't always the most talented bunch. Since then, it's seemed (as an outside fan) to be lacking, especially in the leadership department.

 

But again, this should be no surprise. Outside of a 20-10 august of 2017, the team is 112-127 over the past two seasons. 

[Vanimal46]

Funny how losing makes everyone miserable.

 

That being said, the franchise as a whole hasn't seemed to "get it" since those teams in the early 2000's. You know, the ones who could actually go out and win some playoff games. And they weren't always the most talented bunch. Since then, it's seemed (as an outside fan) to be lacking, especially in the leadership department.

 

But again, this should be no surprise. Outside of a 20-10 august of 2017, the team is 112-127 over the past two seasons.

Yep. Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. They don't have to be the best producing players on the team, though that would be nice.

 

It's been a long time since they had some spark plug piranhas on this team.

[jimbo92107]

Why is team chemistry even a topic right now? The FO has thrown in the towel on any post season play, so the second half is officially all about trying out guys in different spots. Chemistry is for established teams, not teams in flux, like the Twins.

[Aggies7]

 

Why is team chemistry even a topic right now? The FO has thrown in the towel on any post season play, so the second half is officially all about trying out guys in different spots. Chemistry is for established teams, not teams in flux, like the Twins.

Because the team had promise coming in. Like the signings or not, the FO did make an attempt to improve the team last offseason. The new signings contributed very little and the established guys didn't do much better. The whole thing never really clicked. Some questions can be asked about leadership and/or player management.

[Tom Froemming]

Huh. Funny none of this comes out until AFTER the team trades away a popular player and is under some heat from the fan base. Weird ...

[Doomtints]

If there is any "chemistry" problem from 1-year deals, it's because the organization isn't used to one year deals.

 

But this is all hearsay.

[Monkeypaws]

Although you wouldn't expect anything else, the vets that were traded all had kind things to say about the organization.

 

They seemed to have fun on the field.

 

Rumors like this are likely just damage control: make the fans feel good because we got rid of some "locker room poison."

 

Spycake's take also has merit :

 

Yup. Generally speaking, losing begets bad chemistry, winning begets good chemistry.

Unhappy to be sucking could apply to any number of Twins this season.

[Blake]

 

Yep. Take notes, Jim. Your MoY can't keep the room on task. Pure speculation, but would it surprise you Paul is leading the charge revolting against the FO making these trades?

This is all petty, and sad.

Well, after Molitor's "no" when it came to seeing players from Triple A, nope, wouldn't surprise me.

 

 

[Blake]

 

Huh. Funny none of this comes out until AFTER the team trades away a popular player and is under some heat from the fan base. Weird ...

All the players were traded to contenders, so, I would think as players, they'd be thrilled.

 

And, I wonder if the problem isn't so much the FO as MoY.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

I really think that's why Dozier was dealt, not for baseball purposes.

 

But, this reads like post hoc BS to me....we always read stuff about bad teams and good teams and their various chemistry.....

Billy Beane says winning causes good team chemistry. He may be correct, although others disagree and have tried to measure "team chemistry" in sports. There was a fascinating article in The Atlantic magazine within the last month or two about attempts to define and measure team chemistry. I meant to send this article to TD, but time got in my way. I'll see if I can find it.

[Dave The Dastardly]

Let me tell you about chemistry. I flunked high school chemistry, then earned an A in college chemistry. The difference? An undisciplined, unorganized high school instructor forced to teach a subject she knew little about versus a well-educated, inspirational, fun-loving college instructor.

 

Chemistry starts at the top.

[Han Joelo]

 

Billy Beane says winning causes good team chemistry. He may be correct, although others disagree and have tried to measure "team chemistry" in sports. There was a fascinating article in The Atlantic magazine within the last month or two about attempts to define and measure team chemistry. I meant to send this article to TD, but time got in my way. I'll see if I can find it.

I'd be interested in that article, and i was a GM I'd have my top interns all over this. My wonder isn't just about the guys signed to one year deals. I wonder what the effect of having long term team leaders/mainstays on expiring contracts has. Mauer, Doze, Erv, Esco--all at the end. A void to fill? And not enough guys ready to fill it? Anyway, just musing.

[Dman]

And Duke had this to say about the clubhouse on the MLB website:

 

"The Mariners will be Duke's 10th team in 14 years in the Majors.

"I had a very positive experience here," Duke told reporters in Minneapolis. "I enjoyed the area, the city, the fans. The teammates were all great. It's a very good vibe in this clubhouse, regardless of what the record says. The guys have such a great attitude every day. They get along so well. I will miss that. But from what I've been told, it's a similar atmosphere there in Seattle. So hopefully I can step in and not mess that up."

 

So which is it?  someone with an axe to grind or someone with a "Pollyanna" story?  Choose carefully.

[Otto von Ballpark]

And Duke had this to say about the clubhouse on the MLB website:

 

"The Mariners will be Duke's 10th team in 14 years in the Majors.

"I had a very positive experience here," Duke told reporters in Minneapolis. "I enjoyed the area, the city, the fans. The teammates were all great. It's a very good vibe in this clubhouse, regardless of what the record says. The guys have such a great attitude every day. They get along so well. I will miss that.

 

That article left off the last part of Duke's quote: