Rocco Baldelli, Derek Falvey Will Return in Their Roles with Twins in 2025

[karcherd]

14 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Sorry, but teams need to be analytically capable these days. If you can use numbers to your advantage you need to do it or you will put yourself at a huge disadvantage.

But here is a point that absolutely NOBODY is talking about. Rocco Baldelli is not a slave to analytics, he is a slave to his 'gut' despite what the common refrain is. I dare someone to provide a stat that says Manny Margot should ever pinch hit after he's gone it 0-fer-whatever. Baldelli refuses to use young left handed hitters against left handed pitchers even if the alternative is a poor option and it's certain it will only be one at bat. Baldelli pinch runs for minimally slower but better hitters at all points in the game. He uses Jhoan Duran in non-save situations when Duran has a 5.63 ERA in non-save situations. These moves are his prerogative, not analytics because an analytical evaluation would tell him NOT to make these moves, or at minimum, don't ALWAYS make these moves.

He is extremely predictable which all but proves he is managing with his 'gut' and not numbers because when factoring in all of the variables like pitcher, opponent, ballpark, inning, number of outs plus all all of the actual counting stats, there is no way that the same decision should be made Every Single Time when the factors are never the same. An analytically inclined manager would surprise you with his decisions due to obfuscated data, yet we are never surprised.

First I said analytics should be used as a tool, I never denied they shouldn't be used.  But there is no way Rocco is making the decisions he is by his gut and keeping his job.  This is why LH do not start or hit against LH pitching, pitchers are pulled before they face the lineup a third, Duran is used based on who is coming up i.e. the middle of the lineup.  These are decisions made before the game starts and is the basis of the organizational philosophy that Falvey has created.  

[chpettit19]

48 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Sorry, but teams need to be analytically capable these days. If you can use numbers to your advantage you need to do it or you will put yourself at a huge disadvantage.

But here is a point that absolutely NOBODY is talking about. Rocco Baldelli is not a slave to analytics, he is a slave to his 'gut' despite what the common refrain is. I dare someone to provide a stat that says Manny Margot should ever pinch hit after he's gone it 0-fer-whatever. Baldelli refuses to use young left handed hitters against left handed pitchers even if the alternative is a poor option and it's certain it will only be one at bat. Baldelli pinch runs for minimally slower but better hitters at all points in the game. He uses Jhoan Duran in non-save situations when Duran has a 5.63 ERA in non-save situations. These moves are his prerogative, not analytics because an analytical evaluation would tell him NOT to make these moves, or at minimum, don't ALWAYS make these moves.

He is extremely predictable which all but proves he is managing with his 'gut' and not numbers because when factoring in all of the variables like pitcher, opponent, ballpark, inning, number of outs plus all all of the actual counting stats, there is no way that the same decision should be made Every Single Time when the factors are never the same. An analytically inclined manager would surprise you with his decisions due to obfuscated data, yet we are never surprised.

I'd argue it's partly "gut" and partly macro-analytics. The Duran stuff is "gut" and a belief that the way to run a bullpen is match-up based and not inning based. But the pinch hitting and platoon stuff is a belief in large scale analytics saying lefties are bad at hitting lefties, not THESE lefties are bad at hitting lefties. 

And that's why I have a problem with it. They're broad, general beliefs in a general strategy with nowhere near enough emphasis on the actual players themselves and their performance in the current season. Once August roles around the analytics and decisions need to be based on this season. Like Margot and his pinch hitting. Your plan with this player didn't work. Don't let them set an all-time negative record. Adjust your plan.

[Blyleven2011]

5 hours ago, rv78 said:

LOL! This proves winning is NOT a priority. Accountability means nothing here.

They really don't give a crap about the fans.

And the fans shouldn't give a crap about the owners , if you àre a serious loyal twins fan you should boycott the stadium  and not attend  twins fest in the spring ... 

Find a stream and watch the games on TV or listen on radio  , that's my plan , they get no more money from me ...

I am not pleased with the owners , FO and the manager  and coaches  .....

I'm also not pleased with the OP 's reference to the total system failure of the decade , that total system  failure in that decade was alot more exciting than the crap we are seeing today  ....

This regime is wasting our talent  with their style of baseball  , this regime is never going to bring us a world series  ,( I've stated this many times since the 2019 playoffs against the Yankees ) ...

The owners don't care about the fans , they continue  to tell the FO to put together a team that is capable to win enough games to keep the fans interested in filling the seats   ( its not how you win the game,  ,  it's  how you play the game that excites the fans  , for me anyways , win or lose , a competitive game is ŵhat I want   )

Then before the last game of the year they inform the fans with a slap in the face with their announcements of rocco and FO retaining their jobs  , they keep quiet  about informing  the fans during the season about baseball matters  ...

they are a total system failure  on how they play the game , yes they have had some success on winning the division  , but as I stated above they are not motivated to win a world series ....

Don't go to spring training  , don't go to twins fest , don't go to the field to watch games  ....

I stopped venting , I'm bitching now  because I want competitive baseball played the way it should be , they are not a Homerun hitting team or at  least we don't have a slugger that hits 40 or more homeruns ...

Did I already mention , don't do business with the pohlads,  they remind me of used car salesman  ...

[nicksaviking]

20 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I'd argue it's partly "gut" and partly macro-analytics. The Duran stuff is "gut" and a belief that the way to run a bullpen is match-up based and not inning based. But the pinch hitting and platoon stuff is a belief in large scale analytics saying lefties are bad at hitting lefties, not THESE lefties are bad at hitting lefties. 

And that's why I have a problem with it. They're broad, general beliefs in a general strategy with nowhere near enough emphasis on the actual players themselves and their performance in the current season. Once August roles around the analytics and decisions need to be based on this season. Like Margot and his pinch hitting. Your plan with this player didn't work. Don't let them set an all-time negative record. Adjust you plan.

If Falvey is the one saying lefties always have to be pinch hit for in every situation, than he's wrong and should go. I wouldn't guess that's the case, as that's merely surface level research and I don't know why you'd even have a president of baseball operations to say what is basically an old adage. To me it seems more like that the manager only has surface level insight into the situation and goes with it by rote because he either doesn't have immediate access to or understanding of a deeper analysis.

In any case, I'm not advocating for keeping Derek Falvey, merely advocating for his removal the least of the guilty parties. And as I've said before, that's mostly  because in these situations, leadership often does a 180 and I absolutely don't want to go back to the Terry Ryan kind of system.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

I'd argue it's partly "gut" and partly macro-analytics. The Duran stuff is "gut" and a belief that the way to run a bullpen is match-up based and not inning based. But the pinch hitting and platoon stuff is a belief in large scale analytics saying lefties are bad at hitting lefties, not THESE lefties are bad at hitting lefties. 

And that's why I have a problem with it. They're broad, general beliefs in a general strategy with nowhere near enough emphasis on the actual players themselves and their performance in the current season. Once August roles around the analytics and decisions need to be based on this season. Like Margot and his pinch hitting. Your plan with this player didn't work. Don't let them set an all-time negative record. Adjust your plan.

Also, after 8 years of your strategy not producing the results you wanted, adjust your strategy. I have a feeling they'll just keep going with the same strategy for 30 years thinking "it's just a small sample size, eventually this will work".

[TheLeviathan]

5 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Also, after 8 years of your strategy not producing the results you wanted, adjust your strategy. I have a feeling they'll just keep going with the same strategy for 30 years thinking "it's just a small sample size, eventually this will work".

We should be fair, at least part of those 8 years was digging their way out of the dusty closet of the previous regimes.  They essentially had to turn a Model T into a Tesla.

That doesn't excuse many developmental failures they had, but perspective on how far we've come is important.  It also shouldn't guarantee them to keep their jobs if they can't take it past the level they have so far.

[gregens]

As expected, but not as I wanted.  Disappointment is just part of being a life-long Twins fan.

[JD-TWINS]

5 hours ago, Eric Blonigen said:

Personally, I would say that even $20M more this season would have easily been the difference. That would have allowed for a couple of higher-wattage reliever signings than Jay Jackson and Josh Staumont, and would have allowed the front office to make some real trades at the deadline to address positions of need. Realistically, we are talking about needing four more wins, and $20M probably would have gotten the Twins there.

……Or, instead of pointing at front office & owners for more $$ (always nice - but necessary?) or the Manager for not understanding baseball after 20 plus years affiliated in MLB, the guys who said they were to blame - the players - showed some character and played to their abilities as grown men & professionals!!

Guys that are 24-38 years old should know how to execute their profession….,,,run bases …….bunt……..put the ball in play to drive a guy in from 3B. The fans here act like Baldelli is managing a bunch of ignorant, mind wandering 16 year olds. Jeffers doesn’t know how to execute a bunt to the proper side of the field?………..Santana isn’t aware enough to watch the bunt & when it’s popped up, haul ass back to 2B ?……these are not things MLB Managers should need to worry about Teaching grown players getting paid $750k - $35M!!!!……….the players said it was “their fault” and they are right?

Detroit - K.C. - Cleveland all managed to get past us in ‘24 and I don’t think any of the 3 outspent the TWINS. Their players sure seemed to have more enthusiasm and energy than the Twins……..I guess that’s the Manager’s fault though?

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

If Falvey is the one saying lefties always have to be pinch hit for in every situation, than he's wrong and should go. I wouldn't guess that's the case, as that's merely surface level research and I don't know why you'd even have a president of baseball operations to say what is basically an old adage. To me it seems more like that the manager only has surface level insight into the situation and goes with it by rote because he either doesn't have immediate access to or understanding of a deeper analysis.

In any case, I'm not advocating for keeping Derek Falvey, merely advocating for his removal the least of the guilty parties. And as I've said before, that's mostly  because in these situations, leadership often does a 180 and I absolutely don't want to go back to the Terry Ryan kind of system.

You don't roster guys like Margot, Garlick, Luplow, Farmer, etc. if you don't believe in platooning to the degree the Twins platoon. These are decisions made at the top. And Rocco has far more than "surface level insight." He gets entire statistical breakdowns of every player vs the next day's pitcher, etc. The front office provides a ton of data every single day for Rocco and the coaches.

If a manager in MLB only has a surface level understanding of analytics it's a complete and utter failure by the organization. Even if they're not as analytically driven as the Twins. You can't get hired in MLB in 2024 without a deep understanding of this stuff. This is all driven from the top. The FO and manager are one being now. There's no separation.

This is what's so frustrating to me. This is very surface level thinking from an organization that claims to have a deeper level of strategy. But they haven't shown it at all. And they've shown basically no ability, or desire, at all to change from their strategies mid-season. Or some strategies at all (cheap bullpens, platooning, etc). It's bizarre stuff. I'd love to hear their justification for the continued Margot/Garlick player type usage. Has that roster spot or 2 ever been a success on a single one of their teams? There's a few things I'd love to hear their justifications for because they are so surface level and have been complete failures, but they keep doing it. Bizarre stuff. But they've convinced the one man in the world that matters that they're good strategies. So we'll run it back in 2025 and see if the 9th time is the charm.

[Doctor Wu]

14 hours ago, Squirrel said:

As will I. Probably my favorite time in baseball season. A new beginning. However, I do hope for other things, too. I am only human, after all.

Spring Training is always a joy! A great time of year to be hopeful and yearn for a new season to begin. But yeah, let's hope for better results next season. 

[Doctor Wu]

14 hours ago, Galen said:

In a land far away,  a long time ago (when David Ortiz was a young player), the Twins were punch hitters, played good defense, hit behind runners, and played good defense.

Now, defense is lousy, nobody hits behind the runner, strikes out, pops up, can't run the bases, and swings for the fences every at bat.

A little middle ground please.

I agree. A return to fundamentally sound baseball would be most welcome!

[Doctor Wu]

12 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

on-field coaching staff

This might be an issue that isn't addressed enough. I eventually lost count of the number of times that Watkins waved a runner to round third and head home, only to have that runner nailed easily. Something needs to change somewhere. Batting coach, third base coach, and of course maybe the manager, but that looks unlikely after this week's declaration of faith. 

[In My La Z boy]

15 hours ago, LastOnePicked said:

Well, there you go.

I mean, I don't expect much at this point, but I thought they might want to let the dust settle for a week or two, at least give the illusion that this collapse was serious enough (the second epic late-season collapse in three years, for those who may have forgotten) to warrant consideration of making a change.

Nope. Same old, same old. If you were running an organization in which winning was a priority, you would never manage personnel like this. Never.

By all accounts, Rocco is a fundamentally decent human being. He takes his work seriously and he conducts himself admirably. I'm glad they don't denigrate him, toss him under the bus or speak ill of him. But he is not a leader of men. His players too often struggle to live up to potential. His teams are prone to collapse and complete mental lapses on the field and on the bases.

We have had plenty of time now to fully and fairly evaluate Rocco Baldelli as a manager. He's cycled through numerous rosters, been gifted payrolls and prospects far beyond anything his predecessors ever had. And he has failed to get the most of his teams, failed to get this organization to the next level. Over and over again, failure.

Rocco has failed, but he will be back. Fans who would like to see a title in Minnesota probably won't be.

 

Great comment! Ditto on this exactly. Given the correct points above, why, and for how long can this team, led by these people have a $35M shortstop? Youth movement is here. We went down the stretch w/3 rookies in the starting 5, and most of the 10 in the every day lineup were 1st, 2nd or 3rd yr guys. I would hope Pohlad's pissed about this. Why did we buy the most expensive shortstop only to go down the stretch with no pitching? 

[Doctor Wu]

9 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Find a stream and watch the games on TV or listen on radio  , that's my plan , they get no more money from me ...

I live on the other side of this freaky planet, so that remains my game plan. I check box scores and highlights online, simply because I love the Twins, but even if I was back in the states I don't think I would pay money to watch game, or even splurge for a TV package. Too many other options in life. 

[TwinsDr2021]

11 hours ago, h2oface said:

I just really don't enjoy the brand of baseball these guys want to play. Shifts, platoons, not caring about Ks, multi positioning that players really aren't a benefit at any position but play them anyway, rental over the hill vets, dumpster diving for spare parts, no stealing bases, not bunting, horrible 3rd base coaching.... really sick of it. They can blame it on the players, but it is really their system that isn't letting players excel and become who they could be, and they pick them. I find it quite cowardly to deflect so much, and am really tired of it, and now don't even get excited to see them live in visiting cities. Pitching pipeline? Another year of mediocre success if any from the pipe. Pohlads and this quasi business. He should sell it to an owner that wants to have it as a hobby that doesn't mind using his other riches to subsidize his fun and spend the $ he can't take with him to enjoy himself while he is still alive.

I agree, I don't enjoy this brand of baseball either, but if they were winning with it, the fans would put up with it. (It is like watching Lakeville South or Elk River play high school football, it is terrible to watch but if they are winning the fans will put up with it, but if they don't win, the fans will be calling for the coaches head)

[TwinsDr2021]

11 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

We should be fair, at least part of those 8 years was digging their way out of the dusty closet of the previous regimes.  They essentially had to turn a Model T into a Tesla.

That doesn't excuse many developmental failures they had, but perspective on how far we've come is important.  It also shouldn't guarantee them to keep their jobs if they can't take it past the level they have so far.

I am sick of hearing how bad this front office had it when they got here at least from a players perspective. (yes  they needed to modernize many aspects) They were handed a top 5 minor league system, the number 1 pick and future all stars all over the diamond.

[Original_JB]

15 hours ago, karcherd said:

So what do you want ownership to do differently whether it is current or a new ownership group.  Falvey has set the analytics driven model that is not working.  What can ownership do differently, and if it is a higher budget, how much should it be.

Demand some accountability. If you want to go all "new age" and believe that people's brains aren't developed until they are 25, then you need to have your coaching staff "teach" these guys how to play the game, and maybe more importantly, how to LEARN the game, and improve through practice/repetition. This 'feel good, take batting practice if you want, or not, whatever' has got to go. There is no excuse for poor fundamentals, no excuse for mental errors (throwing to wrong base), not being capable of bunting. That's why people stilled cared when the teams were poor in the past, you knew they were squeezing whatever talent/gamesmanship those guys had out onto the field. They tried, they cared. They can say they are trying, they can say they care, but look at Baldelli's comments, 'people can think whatever they want, runs right off my back'. 'not worried about my job security'. Minimum salary in MLB is a "guaranteed" $740,000/yr. You give "kids" that kind of money, guaranteed, and don't set any demands upon them, accountabilitywise, what do you think is going to happen?

[1985Fan]

I can understand and tolerate player limitations due to limited talent. There is no excuse for mental errors, poor defense, and poor AB’s. When it happens continuously, that is on the manager. This team showed poor fundamentals all year, and their poor record against good teams was due to this. Can’t beat good teams when giving them extra outs, giving away AB’s, and mistakes on the bases. 
I saw too many 1-3 pitch AB’s with runners in scoring position to show that is the norm for the team and not an exception. I saw Castro come to the plate in a critical situation with his protective pads on the wrong arm and leg to know that this team was not mentally focused. 
It’s the managers job to have the team prepared to play each game and opponent. I watched a majority of their games and they were not fully prepared. It was hey go up their and hack and hope you get ahold of one for the big three run home run. They don’t have the sluggers that can consistently hit three home runs to win enough games, but that did not change their approach. Not taking the extra base, poor base stealing (near the bottom of the league), and poor defense leads to the poor play. Hard to watch. I expect more of the same next year because it’s obvious this manager is given the green light to continue as is. 
Just a pathetic response from ownership and FO to come out so quickly with no changes, instead of doing a complete review of the season. How is that a response from an analytically driven organization? Doesn’t inspire fan confidence. Expect attendance to continue to decline. I fear this organization is on serious decline with bad things on the horizon. 

[Finlander]

During 2023, the year of the overly-expensive Twins player payroll, the team value appreciated by 9% to $1.7 billion. Looks like it has been a great investment, even more so with the taxpayer funded stadium. I guess that increase was insufficient though, and required cost cutting measures this year.

[saviking]

Remember that article a month or so ago claiming Rocko might be the best manager in Twins history?

[David Maro]

Now that I know no changes being made by the Twins.It has become time for a change by me.As a fan who has been one for 60+ years I'm moving on.I live in NW Arkansas and think it's time to move my loyalty to the Royals.

[Craig Arko]

Yay, I guess.

 

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

I am sick of hearing how bad this front office had it when they got here at least from a players perspective. (yes  they needed to modernize many aspects) They were handed a top 5 minor league system, the number 1 pick and future all stars all over the diamond.

The modernizing was a HUGE aspect.  But.....you think this was a stocked minor league system?

https://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/8/13555840/minnesota-twins-top-20-prospects-for-2017

We have very different definitions of what "good" would be then.

[Road trip]

15 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

 

Seems pretty much every year this team at minimum attempts to change the things that didn't work the year prior. St. Peter, Levine and Baldelli seem to want to do the same thing year after year after year and I'd hold them way more accountable than Falvey. I don't find him faultless, but those faults tend to stem from him not firing those below him. And if ownership won't pay for two managers next year, which is believed but will never be confirmed, there's not much he can do about that.

I'm OK replacing him, but he has done way more modernizing this organization after the Terry Ryan era and I have zero desire to go back to being the team that only follows trends five years after every other team does.

Somewhat, perhaps, if you define "fixing" in terms of replacing players who don't perform.  I actually fear that they are stuck in the past.

The organizational philosophy seems stuck in the "3 true outcomes" era.  That era has passed.  They seek out power over speed, which appears to be a failure to recognize the opportunities for the running game and athleticism.  The roster this year was very slow.  Partly that was due to injuries, but it also was due to rostering backup players like Farmer and Margot (who used to be fast, not sure what happened).  They can't/won't move runners or bunt, even in the bottom of the 10th when all they need is a single run to win the game.  Nearly every hitter is looking for pitches to pull.  They don't slow down the opposing running game well at all.  Their defense is among the worst in the league, outside of Buxton and Correa, who are frequently unavailable.

My hope is that they will seek out some players who increase team speed next year.  Otherwise it will be another year of station to station baseball while waiting for a home run that usually will never come.

On the brighter side, the organization's ability to develop starters looks promising.  For all of the flaws that the young starters showed this year, it remains the best young group of pitchers the organization has sent out there in a very long time.  For that they deserve some credit. 

So are they trend leaders overall?  No, it seems to me they are a bit behind the trend curve.  Cleveland, KC, and Detroit ended up better this year.  All of them have significantly faster rosters, more frequent base stealers, better team defense (Twins team zone rating was 2nd last to W Sox), and seemingly less emphasis on power hitting.

[TwinsDr2021]

55 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

The modernizing was a HUGE aspect.  But.....you think this was a stocked minor league system?

https://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/8/13555840/minnesota-twins-top-20-prospects-for-2017

We have very different definitions of what "good" would be then.

Gordon, Gonzo, Romero , Kirilloff, Jay all top 100 prospects at one time around that time(not my rating but MLB),

Plus Graterol, Mauer, Dozier, Escobar,  Buxton, Sano, Kepler, Rosario, Polanco, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson ,Garver,  Jorge,Meija, jax, Miranda, Duffey, Pressly, Rogers, Chargois, Moran, Wade, Ynoa, Gil, Garver, Rortvedt, Baddo, Hildenberger, Balazovic, Goodrum, Lewis.

I don't think it is going out on a limb to say the team and minors were NOT without talent. (I mean they did make the playoffs in 2017, sold assets in 2018, and 2019 starting lineup was Garver, Sano, Planco, Rosario, Buston, Kepler, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson, Rogers, May, Duffey,

 

[TheLeviathan]

1 minute ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Gordon, Gonzo, Romero , Kirilloff, Jay all top 100 prospects at one time around that time(not my rating but MLB),

Plus Graterol, Mauer, Dozier, Escobar,  Buxton, Sano, Kepler, Rosario, Polanco, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson ,Garver,  Jorge,Meija, jax, Miranda, Duffey, Pressly, Rogers, Chargois, Moran, Wade, Ynoa, Gil, Garver, Rortvedt, Baddo, Hildenberger, Balazovic, Goodrum, Lewis.

I don't think it is going out on a limb to say the team and minors were NOT without talent. (I mean they did make the playoffs in 2017, sold assets in 2018, and 2019 starting lineup was Garver, Sano, Planco, Rosario, Buston, Kepler, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson, Rogers, May, Duffey,

 

They had a few talents at the major league level, but we disagree hard about the talent in that minor league system.  That list I posted is a bunch of total no-shows.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

The modernizing was a HUGE aspect.  But.....you think this was a stocked minor league system?

https://www.minorleagueball.com/2016/11/8/13555840/minnesota-twins-top-20-prospects-for-2017

We have very different definitions of what "good" would be then.

Yes, it was a terrible team with little in the minors. Look at the record the ten to fifteen years before this FO ... And tell me this FO is terrible.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Road trip said:

Their defense is among the worst in the league, outside of Buxton and Correa, who are frequently unavailable.

This is the big problem with development. Contrary to what other posters have said, they actually draft a lot of toolsy shortstops. Royce Lewis should be able to field much better than what he has shown. They need to move people to their best position in the minors and give them a lot of reps instead of turning everyone into a bad utility player.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, DJL44 said:

This is the big problem with development. Contrary to what other posters have said, they actually draft a lot of toolsy shortstops. Royce Lewis should be able to field much better than what he has shown. They need to move people to their best position in the minors and give them a lot of reps instead of turning everyone into a bad utility player.

I don't know that they move people around all the time in the minors, but I agree they don't put them in the best position to succeed. Their use of Martin at short was criminal. 

[jmlease1]

5 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Gordon, Gonzo, Romero , Kirilloff, Jay all top 100 prospects at one time around that time(not my rating but MLB),

Plus Graterol, Mauer, Dozier, Escobar,  Buxton, Sano, Kepler, Rosario, Polanco, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson ,Garver,  Jorge,Meija, jax, Miranda, Duffey, Pressly, Rogers, Chargois, Moran, Wade, Ynoa, Gil, Garver, Rortvedt, Baddo, Hildenberger, Balazovic, Goodrum, Lewis.

I don't think it is going out on a limb to say the team and minors were NOT without talent. (I mean they did make the playoffs in 2017, sold assets in 2018, and 2019 starting lineup was Garver, Sano, Planco, Rosario, Buston, Kepler, Arraez, Berrios, Gibson, Rogers, May, Duffey,

 

You see what's missing from that long list of players, right? Starting pitchers. 

The team still had talent when Falvey came in (as evidenced by the surge under Molitor), but it was built on fog & mirrors, which was notable when the team went to hell the next season, and there were few reinforcements to be found in the minors.

• Gordon: injury riddled, had one solid season and 3 dreadful ones.
• Gonsalves: couldn't make the leap past AAA
• Romero: imploded
• Kirilloff: never healthy again after his breakout in 2018

I mean yikes. That was supposedly the best we had. How did Jay, Diaz, Stewart, Javier, Burdi, Palka, etc do?