Kurt Suzuki Emerging as a Potential Candidate for Twins’ Managerial Opening

[Riverbrian]

11 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Find a manager that doesn't use spread sheets during batting and on field practice , teach skills at this level with your eyes  ...

The organizations direction is unclear at this time ,  what a crock  ....

If they have no idea what the direction is from supposedly Falvey's statements which is always the long way around the barn with nothing productive said ...

The direction of the team whatever the payroll is , is to take the talent from AAA and transition that talented player at the hardest level and groom that player to be a better talent  ( that is where Rocco and his coaches have failed ) ...

The organization always seems lost in the direction it should go ...

The main reason you play a season of 162 games is to play in the world series , the desire to win is not seen in the falvey / rocco players ...

You can't construct a team and hope they win enough games to draw fans to the stadium  ...

The pretending has to stop , the team needs to be constructed of talented players with the desire to win and be contenders ...

Yes catchers have been highly regarded being very capable of being good managers  ...

Mike Redmond has some experience as a manager with a crappy Florida Marlins team and was let go because of a new front office making changes adding their personal  ...

The trade deadline should have been a pretty clear indicator in the direction and that is a direction set forth by the actions at the deadline set forth by the front office. 

The money available to spend and therefore path back is probably the unclear part. 

Regardless... I can't imagine them executing a trade deadline as extensive as this past deadline and not understand the direction forward. 

[Woof Bronzer]

2 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Falvey's quotes gave me some insight into what is wrong with the Twins organization. For example: Rocco's firing "Is not about Rocco".  If it is not about Rocco, then why fire him? What was it that Rocco did or did not do to justify his firing? Or was it just a move to shift the blame for the organization's failure to be successful? Another example:  When discussing the traits they are seeking in a manager Falvey said: "Once you start defining the exact traits you need, then you start thinning the pool...I think instead start with a more blank sheet of paper." Wait, what? That makes little sense to me. The pool must be thinned anyway. That is the whole process.  The exact traits being sought are important.  If you don't know what you are looking for, how will you know when you find it? "I'll know it when I see it, but I don't know what it is that I'm looking" for is plain stupid.

My eyes tend to glaze over anything Falvey says so I missed this originally...yikes.  "Thinning the pool" is another way of saying "the process of hiring someone."  

It's much better to just not put much stock into what he says publicly.  Who he hires will tell the story.  

[thelanges5]

2 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Falvey's quotes gave me some insight into what is wrong with the Twins organization. For example: Rocco's firing "Is not about Rocco".  If it is not about Rocco, then why fire him? What was it that Rocco did or did not do to justify his firing? Or was it just a move to shift the blame for the organization's failure to be successful? Another example:  When discussing the traits they are seeking in a manager Falvey said: "Once you start defining the exact traits you need, then you start thinning the pool...I think instead start with a more blank sheet of paper." Wait, what? That makes little sense to me. The pool must be thinned anyway. That is the whole process.  The exact traits being sought are important.  If you don't know what you are looking for, how will you know when you find it? "I'll know it when I see it, but I don't know what it is that I'm looking" for is plain stupid.

Falvey - the master of talking a lot without saying ****. His quotes here about the hiring of the manager and not knowing what payroll looks like until he meets with the owners? He’s the GD prez of OPs and Baseball. I don’t expect him to give specifics, but by avoiding answering the questions at all, he inspires no confidence in his leadership.

[Doctor Gast]

1 hour ago, jorgenswest said:

Isn’t part of being an elite defensive catcher physical skill that he may have been lacking? He must have brought something to catcher. He was not great at throwing out runners and led the league in stolen bases given up three times. He wasn’t a great framer. He must have been pretty good at those other hard to measure aspects of playing catcher or he wouldn’t not have had the lengthy career there. I think it is those hard to measure aspects that will translate to managing better than throwing out runners and framing pitches well.

My point isn't if Suzuki can be an excellent manager or not. He doesn't have any managing experience; I just don't know. I have more faith that Posey would know. So if Posey thinks that he has what it takes to be a good manager, he'll hire him, then he's off the table. If Posey doesn't think so, then he won't. In that case, I don't think MN should hire him either. Falvey will be creative again by waiting & scraping the bottom of the barrel.

[SteveLV]

Nothing against Mr. Suzuki, but this "source" reeks of being a leak by his agent. 

I don't for one minute believe the Twins have even started interviewing anyone yet for their open position. So this seems to be either pure speculation or leveraging from his agent to drum up interest and get him a job on the West Coast.

Finally, I join the chorus that wants someone with actual managerial experience, please.  I don't necessarily care if it is MLB, MiLB or College, but someone that has done the job before successfully.

[ashbury]

He'll probably sign cheaply.  That means it won't be too financially painful to fire him after a 100-loss season, in conjunction with bringing in someone new at the top of the FO.

[farmerguychris]

I think Suzuki would be worth talking to.

But - I expect these will be the qualifications Falvey is seeking from his next manager.

1 - Willing to work cheap

2 - Willing to be a 'yes man'. I believe the FO feels they know what is best for the team and expects the on-field group to do what they say - no questions asked.  This applies to how the lineup is constructed, and how the position coaches - coach.

I think that's about it.

[Dave Borton]

Loved, loved Suzuki as a ballplayer. The spunk, the fight, the grit.

I remember when he took 5 (?) stitches the the chin. It reopened the previous month's stitches (8 of them).

Molitor said, "I've got other catchers; he needs some healing rest." Imagine how that feels to have that mask over the fresh stitches.

The next day Suzuki had talked to Molitor and guess what? He was back in the lineup the next day. If that kind of determination and commitment translates into an ability to motivate young players in the same manner, count me in.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

2 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

Top 7 names currently on betting sites

Gardenhire 2/1, Conger 3/1, Hunter, 5/1, Hyde 6/1, Shelton 8/1, Ross 9/1, Pierzynski 12/1 

Of those options 

1. Hyde (experience and success and led a young team)

2. Shelton (experience but not given the tools to succeed)

3. Gardenhire (cheap last option)

 

If you want a baseball team to be run by someone who has never done the job before,, who is a  Fox newscaster, who is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier and who is an angry person, then hire AJ Pierzynski. Hey wait a minute, These job qualifications sound familiar. 

 

2 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

Top 7 names currently on betting sites

Gardenhire 2/1, Conger 3/1, Hunter, 5/1, Hyde 6/1, Shelton 8/1, Ross 9/1, Pierzynski 12/1 

Of those options 

1. Hyde (experience and success and led a young team)

2. Shelton (experience but not given the tools to succeed)

3. Gardenhire (cheap last option)

 

If you like tyhe way our ountry is being run by other Fox newscasters, then you will love 

[old nurse]

5 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

Any current managers that have never been on a major league coaching staff or minor league manager or even college manager? Even a single season would bring a lot of learning.

Since 1977 here are the guys with no coaching or managing experience that became managers.
Scott Servis 
Brad Asmus 
Craig Council 
Walt Weiss
Robin Ventura
Aj Henich
Buck Martinez 
Larry Dierker
Mike Matheny
David Ross

[DocBauer]

I don't hate this idea. You don't play as long as he did with an average to below average bat and not have a good, basic understanding of how to handle a staff and help lead a team. He's always had the respect of teammates and his managers, as far I know, and has been lauded for his intelligence. And I've always thought former catchers made good coaches and managers.

However, I question his "readiness" being so soon retired and working in the Angels front offices. Sorry, but that's not an organization thought very well of right now. I get that hiring a smart, young guy is on vogue right now. And I see merit to that line of thinking as an organization. Especially with a solid, veteran bench coach to work along side him. Maybe Shelton? 

I'm certainly not trying to speak negative towards Suzuki, or his intelligence, or baseball knowledge. But never coaching, never running any team in MILB, and working exclusively with one team since retirement...again, the Angels?...grants me pause.

If the rumor is true, and the Twins really believe he's got the STUFF to be a ML manager...again with a strong, experienced bench coach beside him...then go ahead and pursue him. I'm just impressed with his post playing day career to put him at the top of my list. I feel, at this time, there are other 50yo and younger candidates available with more experience, coming from better run organizations, that might be better options. 

But I'm just a fan trying to look at the larger picture. I have no information that would lead to believe who is the best candidate at this time.

[twinfan]

For the Twins front office, i would think someone who comes cheap would be a high consideration. For us fans, someone who can communicate with players and demand hustle all the time and someone who can get the most out of every player's ability would be most important. I hope they don't hire someone who has managed before but was not very successful. Interesting that Pierzynski is 12-1. He'd probably be a fiery manager who would get thrown out of 12-20 games a year. Do we need that? Could be.

[twinfan]

3 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

Falvey - the master of talking a lot without saying ****. His quotes here about the hiring of the manager and not knowing what payroll looks like until he meets with the owners? He’s the GD prez of OPs and Baseball. I don’t expect him to give specifics, but by avoiding answering the questions at all, he inspires no confidence in his leadership.

Sounds like some/all people in Washington that we know. Everyone needs to always demand straight answers to questions they ask rather than this "beating around the bush' crap.

[Schmoeman5]

5 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I've often thought about the relationship between a front office and manager and I believe that they have to be on the same page. 

I know it's a Hollywood script but for example purposes. I've watched Moneyball and I believe that there is no way that a front office would should or could tolerate Art Howe as depicted in the movie. The front office can't go one way while the manager goes the other. 

In my mind... Rocco would have to be a manifestation of the front office. If not you have a schism. 

If Rocco was truly the cause of the bottleneck. OK... Derek... show me what you can do now that the bottleneck has been removed but my next question is... why did you allow it for so long if Rocco is the fall guy? Rocco is your employee. Was your employee.  

Development takes commitment to developing. It takes faith in the product that you are producing.

Strip mining your left handed hitters is not a commitment to development. We know that Rocco strip mined every single young left handed hitter to a significant degree beyond what the other 29 teams even considered doing with the platoon advantage. Yet the front office was out there picking up right handed hitting handcuffs to help Rocco do it. 

I have a hard time separating the two positions so if he is looking for a manager committed to development. Great... Show me.   

 

  

Whats a schism? 😃 No math or you can't go over 5th grade vocabulary. Now I gotta grab my dictionary.

[Schmoeman5]

3 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

My point isn't if Suzuki can be an excellent manager or not. He doesn't have any managing experience; I just don't know. I have more faith that Posey would know. So if Posey thinks that he has what it takes to be a good manager, he'll hire him, then he's off the table. If Posey doesn't think so, then he won't. In that case, I don't think MN should hire him either. Falvey will be creative again by waiting & scraping the bottom of the barrel.

So if Posey thinks he's not right for the Giants then he's not right for the Twins? Because Buster Posey is suddenly the best GM in baseball. Based on what? The fact that he was a catcher. He hasn't proven anything yet. He's still learning.

[Riverbrian]

31 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Whats a schism? 😃 No math or you can't go over 5th grade vocabulary. Now I gotta grab my dictionary.

It's something I'm practicing. I'm trying to use as many 6 letter words with only one vowel as I can.

It's hard to be strict and string them together but there are plenty of them, maybe twenty or thirty.

I don't want to stress over things going on with the Twins system. Just for a wrench in my writng. 

 

[USAFChief]

1 minute ago, Riverbrian said:

It's something I'm practicing. I'm trying to use as many 6 letter words with only one vowel as I can.

It's hard to be strict and string them together but there are plenty of them, maybe twenty or thirty.

I don't want to stress over things going on with the Twins system. Just for a wrench in my writng. 

 

You're selling "y" short. 

[The Great Hambino]

4 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

It's something I'm practicing. I'm trying to use as many 6 letter words with only one vowel as I can.

It's hard to be strict and string them together but there are plenty of them, maybe twenty or thirty.

I don't want to stress over things going on with the Twins system. Just for a wrench in my writng. 

 

What, did thirty not pay its membership dues or something?

[Riverbrian]

11 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

You're selling "y" short. 

4.5 Consonants? 

1.5 Vowels? 

[jorgenswest]

2 hours ago, old nurse said:

Since 1977 here are the guys with no coaching or managing experience that became managers.
Scott Servis 
Brad Asmus 
Craig Council 
Walt Weiss
Robin Ventura
Aj Henich
Buck Martinez 
Larry Dierker
Mike Matheny
David Ross

Really appreciate the work. There are successful managers in the list.

[Hrbowski]

7 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Not a fan of hiring a manager who has never been a manager.

 

Kevin Cash, Alex Cora, and Dave Roberts all had no managerial experience and are probably the best managers in baseball. I don't think getting fired by another organization is necessarily a good qualification for getting a new job as an MLB manager. I'm all for hiring a rookie manager if they've shown they can be clubhouse leaders while they were players, since people management is 90% of what a manager does in the modern era.

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

4.5 Consonants? 

1.5 Vowels? 

4 and 2. Sometimes. 

Its complicated.

[LastOnePicked]

8 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Falvey's quotes gave me some insight into what is wrong with the Twins organization.

Yes. The guy cannot communicate a single direct idea. Here are quick re-writes of his three corporate-speak quotes included in the article:

"Not all of this is on Rocco, but we have to bring in a new voice."

"There are a lot of skills we're looking for - I can't get into all of them right now."

"We'll put an emphasis on player development skills for the whole roster."

Falvey communicates like a man who's afraid to say the wrong thing ... so he ends up saying nothing. We've had too much of this style for far too long.

[Riverbrian]

Just now, USAFChief said:

4 and 2. Sometimes. 

Its complicated.

Freaking Nuance Everywhere. 😄

[old nurse]

8 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Falvey's quotes gave me some insight into what is wrong with the Twins organization. For example: Rocco's firing "Is not about Rocco".  If it is not about Rocco, then why fire him? What was it that Rocco did or did not do to justify his firing? Or was it just a move to shift the blame for the organization's failure to be successful? Another example:  When discussing the traits they are seeking in a manager Falvey said: "Once you start defining the exact traits you need, then you start thinning the pool...I think instead start with a more blank sheet of paper." Wait, what? That makes little sense to me. The pool must be thinned anyway. That is the whole process.  The exact traits being sought are important.  If you don't know what you are looking for, how will you know when you find it? "I'll know it when I see it, but I don't know what it is that I'm looking" for is plain stupid.

The collection of players did not win. It wasn’t the manager’s fault. Can’t fire all of the players that you couldn’t trade so they fire the manager. Been that way in baseball for a very long time. 

[BillyBallLives]

8 hours ago, Permanent Twins Fan said:

I do in theory like the idea of hiring a former catcher as manager because catchers always have to understand their pitchers, and opposing hitters.

Catchers make great managers: Torre (4 WS), Scioscia (2002), Berra (3 WS), Bochy (3 WS), Piniella (1990), Baylor (’95 MOY), Girardi (2009)

I say give Suzuki a chance, but, does he even want the job? My guess is he says NO THANKS....he's pretty tied in to the So. California community.

[USAFChief]

9 minutes ago, BillyBallLives said:

Catchers make great managers: Torre (4 WS), Scioscia (2002), Berra (3 WS), Bochy (3 WS), Piniella (1990), Baylor (’95 MOY), Girardi (2009)

I say give Suzuki a chance, but, does he even want the job? My guess is he says NO THANKS....he's pretty tied in to the So. California community.

Don Baylor and Lou Piniella were catchers?

[mluebker]

I'd take a catcher with no on-field coaching experience, as long as he has good communication skills. I don't know anything about Suzuki's communication skills, though.

[Schmoeman5]

1 minute ago, mluebker said:

I'd take a catcher with no on-field coaching experience, as long as he has good communication skills. I don't know anything about Suzuki's communication skills, though.

I'll bet he knows what the word schism means and could use it in a sentence as it pertains to what his relationship with Falvey will be.

[Schmoeman5]

39 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Don Baylor and Lou Piniella were catchers?

Baylor was catching in pony league and Piniella was a bullpen catcher once or twice. I think. Maybe. I don't know.