Wes Johnson hired away by LSU/Pete Maki to be promoted

[lecroy24fan]

I can't read the actual article since it's subscribers only but WTF?

 

 

[a-wan]

Gleeman confirmed it. Interesting, to say the least.

[PseudoSABR]

Walking away midseason, for arguably a less prestigious position, is weird.  There's more to this story.

[lecroy24fan]

It has to be either philosophical differences or more money. but i'm sure the Twins would have matched the money.

[East Coast Twin]

Dan Hayes says Johnson's status for the rest of the season is not yet known.

 

 

[LewFordLives]

Yeah, what's the deal?   Are they giving him a truck full of money?  I know LSU has a good program, but to leave an MLB team in the playoff hunt.....? Bizarre. Maybe it's a family issue or something.

[PseudoSABR]

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Yeah, not sure.

my only guess at this point is that there is more prestige in a top college job like this than we would assume. 

is Wes Johnson from that area? 

[RJA]

There is definitely a back story here.  To walk out in the middle of the season during a pennant race is a bit unprofessional.  MLTR indicates that the Twins didn't even know he was negotiating with LSU until yesterday.  So much for being upfront.  Either he doesn't like or agree with Rocco's pitching philosophy, or vice versa.  

[lecroy24fan]

I just did some quick research and the top college pitching coaches only make $99k. Something is really off here.

[lecroy24fan]

1 minute ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Yeah, not sure.

my only guess at this point is that there is more prestige in a top college job like this than we would assume. 

is Wes Johnson from that area? 

He's from Arkansas. He was the pitching coach at Arkansas before coming to the Twins.

[PseudoSABR]

 

[lecroy24fan]

I think he was the first coach to leave college and go directly to an MLB job as well.

[lecroy24fan]

6 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

I just did some quick research and the top college pitching coaches only make $99k. Something is really off here.

So apparently what I saw is wrong according to this tweet:

 

 

[Mike Sixel]

9 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

I just did some quick research and the top college pitching coaches only make $99k. Something is really off here.

From what I read, he'll make more than 400,000 with this new job. 

[TheLeviathan]

Huge raise and going back to what he loves.  I don't blame him, but weird as hell.

[wsnydes]

I suppose that it's possible that he really didn't like the pro game with the egos and bigger grind, but I'm with everyone else saying WTF...

[lecroy24fan]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

From what I read, he'll make more than 400,000 with this new job. 

I couldn't read the article.

[PseudoSABR]

 

[The Mad King]

It's not unusual in other sports, football and basketball namely, for coaches to leave pro and go back to college. Some of them just prefer working with amateurs instead of the headaches that come with pro athletes. Just a thought.

[chpettit19]

Sounds like more money and fewer hours worked in college. Certainly makes sense to consider that move, but really shocking nonetheless. Will be interesting to see where the Twins go from here and what this does to pitching performances going forward.

[jorgenswest]

I am not sure I want a guy who would consider leaving mid season.

[Mike Sixel]

Probably a lot more teaching in college too. Maybe he likes that. 

[Winston Smith]

Doesn't he have a contract with the Twins?

[lecroy24fan]

1 minute ago, jorgenswest said:

I am not sure I want a guy who would consider leaving mid season.

I'm done with him. There is zero excuse that he's going to stay through the CLE series and then leave. Get him the f out now.

[lecroy24fan]

Just now, Winston Smith said:

Doesn't he have a contract with the Twins?

I bet LSU bought that out. Typical SEC BS.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I get this happening after the season but it’s a pretty lousy move to pull during a division race. 

[ashbury]

27 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

He's from Arkansas. He was the pitching coach at Arkansas before coming to the Twins.

Maybe there is a concise resume online for him, but the Wikipedia page is only a sketch.  Piecing together also from this source:

• Abundant Life School (Sherwood AR): 4 seasons
• U of Central Arkansas: 3 seasons
• Dallas Baptist U: 4 seasons
• Mississippi State U: 1 season
• U of Arkansas: 2 seasons
• Minnesota Twins: 3.5 seasons

I could be off by a year on any of these, and I'm not gonna cross check any further.  Anyway, my purpose in looking has been satisfied.  About three or four years might be all you get out of the man.  Good luck to him.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

4 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

I'm done with him. There is zero excuse that he's going to stay through the CLE series and then leave. Get him the f out now.

Yeah he’s not going to be in the dugout tomorrow night

[Peter Labuza]

Hayes is reporting Johnson did not ask for a counter offer from the Twins, which means it is not necessarily about money. Johnson began his career at LSU, and there is obviously it is a Top 5 baseball program. Baseball America noted that Detroit had some pitching staff leave for college jobs, but what is surprising here is (a) timing in the middle of the season and (b) the fact Johnson is not leaving for a head coaching job. I wouldn't necessarily put this all on what might be happening with the Twins org as much as LSU obviously has a lot of cultural and financial power and prestige...