Article: Twins Manager Paul Molitor Fired

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This. I never hated Molitor as manager, but I always felt like there were a few too many of those, "seriously?" moments.

yep, well put

[John Bonnes]

Well, it certainly isn't scapegoating. The purpose of scapegoating is to take pressure off oneself. This is going to add additional pressure to Falvine. There are no more excuses in year three now. 

[Nine of twelve]

 

They’re probably Existentialist Utilitarians.

Or are they Utilitarian Existentialists?

[nytwinsfan]

 

They’re probably Existentialist Utilitarians.

 

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[Squirrel]

I have no guesses who will be named but my guess is we’ll all being saying ‘WHO?!?!’ or ‘WHAT?!?!’ when they do name a new manager.

[KGB]

 

September was their best month...

And with that, he should be getting MOY votes.

 

I hope that's not the roster you want anything to do with going into 2019.

[Craig Arko]

 

I have no guesses who will be named but my guess is we’ll all being saying ‘WHO?!?!’ or ‘WHAT?!?!’ when they do name a new manager.

Who, maybe. Odds are pretty good we'll know what.

[cmoss84]

Either Denny Hocking or Michael Cuddyer. Do it. 

 

 

[Nine of twelve]

It's easy to decide to fire a manager. What is really difficult is deciding who takes his place. This hire will be Falvey and Levine's signature move that will make or break the rest of their careers. The high pressure is on them and they know it. I am certain that this matter has been discussed and researched for many months already, and I expect that there's already a very short list.

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

Just curious - how many of the managers of this year's playoff teams have strong Spanish skills?  No horse in this race - honestly don't know.

[Craig Arko]

 

Or are they Utilitarian Existentialists?

Abelian Unitarian Existentialists.

[wsnydes]

 

And with that, he should be getting MOY votes.

 

I hope that's not the roster you want anything to do with going into 2019.

Not the roster I want going into 2019, I just thought it odd to rip the roster composition of their best month.  That's all.

[woolywoolhouse]

Hope a new manager is named relatively soon. Twins have to look at free agency for Starting Pitchers, Relief Pitchers (closer?), and probably an infielder or two: it's going to be tough signing any top-end free agent to Minnesota anyway, let alone without a manager (and coaching staff) to help sell a team philosophy.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

I consider this a promising start to the off-season for the organization.

 

As much as his in-game tactical decisions could be baffling, the whole energy and vibe problem concerned me much more. The constant mental mistakes. The lack of palpable joy, the body language of the players some times that made you wonder if their hearts were in it, the stoicism and careful language of Molitor, rarely openly disenchanted. The inklings of clubhouse tension. All of those incalculable things. A team is supposed to sort of take on the character of its leader, but this team couldn't steal bases, couldn't even run the bases smartly, or take smart at bats, or play smart defense, or play hard every play. It may have been partially bad luck for Pauly, but I think he kinda lost the clubhouse until all the fresh faces arrived with their own reasons to play hard.

This sums it up for me too. I did not see the fire in the belly of the players under Molitor. I would like to see a player benched, if the player doesn't hustle.I did not like the statements of Gardy after a tough loss: "It's a long season." I also thought that was Molitor's feeling. I believe the most important game of the year is the one that is being played today. After a tough loss, I prefer to see the manager turn over the snack tables and throw things. I prefer to see players trying very hard to win. If they loaf, I don't want to see them play for a game or two, in order to get a message across. I don't care if it is Brian Dozier jogging to first on a groundout, or our current favorite Twin, Astudillo forgetting how many outs there were while he was a baserunner, or any pitcher walking the first batter in an inning. I would have a system of fines for mistakes. I would have extra fielding practice after a failure to properly execute a rundown (that was so frustrating to watch over and over on replays). Where is Billy Martin when we need him?

[benjaman]

I'd like to see Mike Redmond get a look.  Didn't get a great opportunity with the Marlins but is respected and will likely get another shot at some point so why not with the Twins.

[Craig Arko]

 

Where is Billy Martin when we need him?

 

He's been mostly dead all day.

[Craig Arko]

 

I'd like to see Mike Redmond get a look.  Didn't get a great opportunity with the Marlins but is respected and will likely get another shot at some point so why not with the Twins.

I'd be on board with Reddog.

[FormerMinnasotan]

Can we gut our minor league system as well? I mean half of the issue we have is great looking minor league prospects who are lost at the Big league level. The job of our minor league managers and coaches is to DEVELOP Major League talent. I mean look, Sano, Buxton, and Kepler appears to be busts...Berrios is too inconsistent to be any better than a #3, Romero, Stewart, Littell, and Gonsalves don’t look any but back of the rotation fodder. Since we cannot (and will not) buy the best free agents to make a WS contender we need far better player development in the minors for better Big league players. Sure Molly played a roll in development but it’s as much the staff Molly has and the minor league staffs responsibility to develop MLB ready players. I certainly hope Falvine understands this.

[djvang]

 

September was their best month...

September stats should be taken with many grains of salt.

[oregontwin]

 

If they had parted amicably after last season, I'd say make a play for Dougie Baseball.   Managed Buxton and Sano in the minors I believe.  Doubt he'd come here now.  But I've been calling for him since Gardy was fired.

I suspect Doug may have butted heads with upper management. He is a winner though.

[wsnydes]

 

September stats should be taken with many grains of salt.

Agreed.  I was only looking at the W/L record.

[highlander]

God bless you Paul Molitor! You will always be a Minnesota hero to me. Best wishes on your new role within the organization. Yep, I'm a homer.

[pc-Ray]

I don't have strong feelings about who the next manager should be, but I hope she's a motivator.

[Cast of Thousands]

No love for Dougie M?  Come on!!

[ken]

The FO wanted to rebuild last year. They traded the closer, but the team surprised everyone and made the playoffs. This year at the deadline,they didn't take any chances,and traded all the veterans.

 

I really hope these guys are as smart as they think they are.

[djvang]

 

Can we gut our minor league system as well? I mean half of the issue we have is great looking minor league prospects who are lost at the Big league level. The job of our minor league managers and coaches is to DEVELOP Major League talent. I mean look, Sano, Buxton, and Kepler appears to be busts...Berrios is too inconsistent to be any better than a #3, Romero, Stewart, Littell, and Gonsalves don’t look any but back of the rotation fodder. Since we cannot (and will not) buy the best free agents to make a WS contender we need far better player development in the minors for better Big league players. Sure Molly played a roll in development but it’s as much the staff Molly has and the minor league staffs responsibility to develop MLB ready players. I certainly hope Falvine understands this.

Exactly. The line that floored me after Buxton came up is that he'd have to change his swing to be successful in the majors. WHAT? That's the whole purpose of the minor leagues! It's not to produce players who can be successful at AAA or AA.

[jkcarew]

Please go outside the organization.  

 

Having said that, watching LA, Colorado, Cubs and Milwaukee play yesterday....it drove home how really far away the Twins roster is from looking like that of a true contender.  Lots and lots of work to be done beyond getting a new/better manager.

[Ben Noble]

 

Silly question: does a player/manager count against the 25 man roster? Perhaps #7 comes back for another season this way?

Otherwise Falvine's man is waiting "on deck."

 

Yes, a player/manager counts against the 25. Not sure if there's a loophole around that, like if your manager only played occasionally and you could 'option' the player to the minors while the manager stays with the MLB team...even though it's the same person.

 

Interestingly enough, the Blue Jays talked about using Molitor as a player/manager in the late 90s. I'd love to see a player/manager in MLB again, but as much as I love Mauer I don't want him on the 2019 team in either role.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

September stats should be taken with many grains of salt.

Unless you are contending for a title or a playoff spot.

[twinstalker]

 

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!!!!!!!

I'm glad you didn't put a period after each letter or they'd be all O.Z.Z.I.E. because god forbid you put two spaces between sentences.