Thad Levine to the Red Sox?

[Mike Sixel]

They have permission to talk...

Thad Levine joined the Twins as General Manager, second in command to President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey, in 2016. During his tenure in Minnesota, Levine has helped the Twins win three division championships in seven seasons, alongside one Wild Card appearance in 2017.

Levine was born (Virginia) and raised (went to Haverford College in Pennsylvania) so a move to Boston would bring him closer to his roots. It has long been speculated that Levine wants a shot at the big chair for a MLB team and after the departure of Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox may come calling.

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[Dman]

I think the Red Sox would be lucky to get him.  He is a good negotiator.  I can't think of a contract ever put together like he was able to do with Buxton.  Granted Buxton wanted to be here, but Levine didn't give him super star money to stay and given the way things are playing out that was a smart play.  I did think Buxton would have stayed healthy longer but that is the risk you take from both sides.

I guess I don't know why he would want to go to Boston.  The pay increase would be nice but the pressure he will face there will be a lot larger than Minnesota.  I believe he is coming off of three division tiles out of 6 years in Minnesota so if he stays he could be in Minnesota for a while.  if he does well in Boston it would really put him on the map and they have money to spend so he should be able to build a good team quickly.  He has the skills and experience to do well there, but if he doesn't deliver fairly quickly he will be out and it won't be easy to get back in.  Mediocrity is not an option in Boston.

Odds are he gets offered and takes the job, but we will see.

[dex8425]

31 minutes ago, Dman said:

I think the Red Sox would be lucky to get him.  He is a good negotiator.  I can't think of a contract ever put together like he was able to do with Buxton.  Granted Buxton wanted to be here, but Levine didn't give him super star money to stay and given the way things are playing out that was a smart play.  I did think Buxton would have stayed healthy longer but that is the risk you take from both sides.

I guess I don't know why he would want to go to Boston.  The pay increase would be nice but the pressure he will face there will be a lot larger than Minnesota.  I believe he is coming off of three division tiles out of 6 years in Minnesota so if he stays he could be in Minnesota for a while.  if he does well in Boston it would really put him on the map and they have money to spend so he should be able to build a good team quickly.  He has the skills and experience to do well there, but if he doesn't deliver fairly quickly he will be out and it won't be easy to get back in.  Mediocrity is not an option in Boston.

Odds are he gets offered and takes the job, but we will see.

Having to use Cora as the manager and a pretty bare farm system devoid of pitchers would be negatives. So much more pressure and you play in a really tough division. 

[Brandon]

So many people are declining the job up front I can see him get offered the job.  There is also an opening in Miami too.  I hope the Redsox go after Ng.  There may be lots of competition for the job in Miami but they may also have the same issue Boston is having since they have a high revolving door there.  Why leave a good job for a riskier one?  

[jmlease1]

15 minutes ago, Brandon said:

So many people are declining the job up front I can see him get offered the job.  There is also an opening in Miami too.  I hope the Redsox go after Ng.  There may be lots of competition for the job in Miami but they may also have the same issue Boston is having since they have a high revolving door there.  Why leave a good job for a riskier one?  

There's only so many people that get to be "the guy" for a franchise and be the ultimate decision-maker and designer (non-owner category), and it would also come with a pretty healthy pay bump. I could see Levine taking it if offered. Those chances don't come around that often, and I suspect he would like the opportunity. 

Don't really want to see him go, I think he's been an important part of the success the Twins have had since he came with Falvey, but good organizations don't object to someone getting a promotion, and it's a good sign for your organizational culture if other organizations want your people to come work for them in more senior positions. Worry when people leave for laterals or downgrades: then you know things have gone sideways...

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

The pay increase would be nice but the pressure he will face there will be a lot larger than Minnesota. 

This is a fabulous well placed understatement. Levine is virtually anonymous in Minnesota. I doubt 10% of the people who listen to Twins games even know who he is. His job has been completely stressless from outside public pressure. At most people who closely follow the Twins have referred to "Falvine"  or made comments about Falvey and that other guy. Adler, Zoll, and Anthony receive nearly the same amount of notice as Levine. I don't say that to ridicule in any fashion but to agree that Boston would be an introduction to public pressure in his job. Thad has operated in the shadows and I'm sure he is respected or he would not have been considered for an interview.

We should all wish him well and hope he is offered the job if he wants it, which he must since he interviewed.

On a related note, I'm a little surprised that a team hasn't already offered Ng a PBO job considering her extensive experience and success in Miami. Maybe she just wants to retire.

[Blyleven2011]

It's nice knowing  that people like our organizations people and we have given clubs permission to talk to him  ....

No body has said it yet , why didn't they come calling on falvey    ... 

Mets went calling on Milwaukee's STERN  and hired him away  ....

 

Just thought I'd mention it ...

 

[Shaitan]

Didn't he decline an interview a year or 2 ago?

Or am I mis-remembering things again?

[Brandon]

38 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

It's nice knowing  that people like our organizations people and we have given clubs permission to talk to him  ....

No body has said it yet , why didn't they come calling on falvey    ... 

Mets went calling on Milwaukee's STERN  and hired him away  ....

 

Just thought I'd mention it ...

 

Falvey declined the interview it’s in the article on MLBtraderumors

[DocBauer]

I think he probably takes the job if offered. And while it would undoubtedly be a jump in pay, I think it's the opportunity after all these years as the "second" guy and now getting the chance to put your own personal stamp on something.

My concern, were I him, is if he gets enough time to build things the way he wants to. As I recall, Boston has gone through a lot head guys previously. They've had 3 in the last 10-11 years. But then again, I'm sure he has confidence in himself and these jobs aren't always available to take.

[CRF]

Latest reports are...that Craig Breslow is the front runner.

[Jocko87]

10 hours ago, Dman said:

I think the Red Sox would be lucky to get him.  He is a good negotiator.  I can't think of a contract ever put together like he was able to do with Buxton.  Granted Buxton wanted to be here, but Levine didn't give him super star money to stay and given the way things are playing out that was a smart play.  I did think Buxton would have stayed healthy longer but that is the risk you take from both sides.

Do we know he's the negotiator?  I struggle with how he and Falvey split duties and would assume they were both involved.  As negotiations go, the Correa experience is an even better example of a well handled negotiation.  My feeling was always that Falvey was at front of that but he's become the voice for everything.

Hard to know what we would be losing without knowing who owns what. 

[chpettit19]

5 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

Do we know he's the negotiator?  I struggle with how he and Falvey split duties and would assume they were both involved.  As negotiations go, the Correa experience is an even better example of a well handled negotiation.  My feeling was always that Falvey was at front of that but he's become the voice for everything.

Hard to know what we would be losing without knowing who owns what. 

From a Dan Hayes' article on The Athletic about how the deal got done:

“There were times we thought, ‘That’s it. They’re not going to call back,’” Goetz said. “And they did. Thad was the front-runner, he was the guy who pioneered the whole thing. … Our willingness to be open all the way through this and Thad saying ‘I’m not giving up’ (got this done).”

Goetz is Al Goetz, one of Byron's agents. The article makes it clear that Falvey was involved as well, but Levine was the lead. Not that that makes things all that clear on their role splits, but, in this case at least, I think we can be fairly certain Thad was the negotiator.

[Trov]

I see no reason to speculate on what someone else will do in this situation.  Unless someone here personally knows Levine and has talked with him about how he makes decisions for himself.  We do not know what drives his decision making.  If he is offered a position and takes it, it is because he felt it was best for him.  

[gunnarthor]

Might not be a bad thing for the Twins. Good luck to him, whatever happens.

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

From a Dan Hayes' article on The Athletic about how the deal got done:

“There were times we thought, ‘That’s it. They’re not going to call back,’” Goetz said. “And they did. Thad was the front-runner, he was the guy who pioneered the whole thing. … Our willingness to be open all the way through this and Thad saying ‘I’m not giving up’ (got this done).”

Goetz is Al Goetz, one of Byron's agents. The article makes it clear that Falvey was involved as well, but Levine was the lead. Not that that makes things all that clear on their role splits, but, in this case at least, I think we can be fairly certain Thad was the negotiator.

Yes, though we here on TD often don't differentiate between the two, I always assumed Levine was still more or less a traditional GM who handled contracts and identified free agents and trade targets, while Falvey was the architect in charge of modernizing and overhauling the entirety of the baseball operations.

Certainly there's tons of collaboration, but there are still some defined job responsibilities, even if we fans aren't explicitly privy to them.

[PDX Twin]

What if he goes in and tells Boston, "I'll come, but I want you to hire Falvey, too, in a partnership like we had in Minnesota"? 

[Woof Bronzer]

42 minutes ago, PDX Twin said:

What if he goes in and tells Boston, "I'll come, but I want you to hire Falvey, too, in a partnership like we had in Minnesota"? 

I can only hope Boston says "Bring Rocco along as well and we've got a deal" :)

[nicksaviking]

3 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

What if he goes in and tells Boston, "I'll come, but I want you to hire Falvey, too, in a partnership like we had in Minnesota"? 

Falvey already declined to interview with Boston.

[chpettit19]

17 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

What if he goes in and tells Boston, "I'll come, but I want you to hire Falvey, too, in a partnership like we had in Minnesota"? 

Is he asking to make a parallel move or hoping that he gets a promotion, but Falvey gets demoted and goes to Boston to work for him instead?

[RickOShea]

23 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

What if he goes in and tells Boston, "I'll come, but I want you to hire Falvey, too, in a partnership like we had in Minnesota"? 

2 wrongs don't make a right!

[old nurse]

On 10/19/2023 at 8:00 AM, Trov said:

I see no reason to speculate on what someone else will do in this situation.  Unless someone here personally knows Levine and has talked with him about how he makes decisions for himself.  We do not know what drives his decision making.  If he is offered a position and takes it, it is because he felt it was best for him.  

Speculation about what people will do that you have no connection to is what a baseball fan site is

[wabene]

It interesting how in the beginning Levine was out front taking most interviews while the very green Falvey stayed behind the scenes and learned, becoming more comfortable out front. The older Levine, with 11 years experience in essentially the same role in Texas, served as a defacto mentor to Falvey. It would not surprise me that with that job done, and in his 50's, he would accept the challenge of the top spot. The guy is a great public speaker who probably enjoys a more front facing role. 

[Dave Borton]

Levine Falvey and Ng both decline interest.

"The list of those who have now declined interviews with Boston, according to MassLive, includes (Ng), Phillies GM Sam Fuld, former Rangers GM and current Rays adviser Jon Daniels, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen, among others.

https://nypost.com/2023/10/20/kim-ng-is-the-latest-to-drop-out-of-red-sox-gm-search/

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by davidborton
Juggled Levine and Falvey. Corrected.

[East Coast Twin]

14 hours ago, davidborton said:

Levine and Ng both decline interest.

"The list of those who have now declined interviews with Boston, according to MassLive, includes (Ng), Phillies GM Sam Fuld, former Rangers GM and current Rays adviser Jon Daniels, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen, among others.

https://nypost.com/2023/10/20/kim-ng-is-the-latest-to-drop-out-of-red-sox-gm-search/

 

 

Falvey declined an interview.  Levine is listed later in the article as still a candidate.

[Riverbrian]

On 10/16/2023 at 1:49 PM, Mike Sixel said:

It has long been speculated that Levine wants a shot at the big chair for a MLB team and after the departure of Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox may come calling.

Trading Falvey and Joe for Henry, Werner, Kennedy and executive vice presidents of this and that coming out of every nook and cranny doesn't sound appealing to me.

I'd keep my seat whatever size it is in Minnesota. 😁  

[Cap'n Piranha]

I personally would be very wary about taking the top job in Boston.  It seems to me like ownership there is no longer to spend at the same level as they traditionally have, yet the expectations have not changed.  This is the same group that traded Mookie Betts for pennies on the dollar, rather than extend him, while also letting Bogaerts walk.  They're not really playing in FA over the past couple of years (have they signed anyone other than Storey?), and has been mentioned, play in a brutal division; Baltimore looks set to be great for years, the Rays are always competent at worst, the Blue Jays still have quite a bit of talent, and the Yankees are probably getting ready to spend like crazy.

There are only so many top jobs available, and at a certain point, you have to take that opportunity if it comes, but I wouldn't do it without express promises from ownership that spending will be increased, and a contract that features a very nice severance package if I'm fired before the end of the 5 year term I'm demanding.

[lecroy24fan]

Breslow is the winner.

[Squirrel]

2 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

Breslow is the winner.

Winner might be a matter of perspective 🙂

[SteveLV]

Boston brought in the Lefty.