We Have a Twins Managerial Candidate: Twins Reportedly Ask Permission to Interview Red Sox Bench Coach

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Though highly visible and familiar names—mostly ex-players and those with direct ties to Minnesota who have lots of media savvy or easy name recognition—tend to pop up each time a managerial job opens up, the hottest candidates in baseball tend to be people you've barely heard of. When the Twins hired Rocco Baldelli after the 2018 season, he was not widely known in Twins Territory. Already, we at Twins Daily have confirmed that the team has interest in Cleveland bench coach Craig Albernaz. Now, we have even more concrete evidence of an even more obscure (but very intriguing) candidate.

In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, MLB scoopster Jon Heyman reported that the Twins had asked the Red Sox for permission to talk to their bench coach, ex-infielder Ramón Vázquez, about taking the job at the top step of the first-base dugout at Target Field. 

Vázquez, 49, would certainly be a less sexy signing than Baldelli was seven years ago. Whereas Baldelli had transitioned from a playing career as a budding star-turned-injury case to working in the Tampa Bay Rays front office and was known first for his familiarity with the behind-the-scenes things of the modern game, Vázquez is an in-uniform lifer. When his playing career ended, he moved into coaching, then managing in the minor leagues. He got back to the big leagues as a coach with the Padres in 2017, but joined Alex Cora when the latter took over as manager of the Red Sox in 2018. He's worked in roles ranging from infield instruction to coordinating gameplans and advance scouting information, and thus, he's had ample exposure to the analytical side of the game, as well. He coached the bases for Boston for three years, then stepped up to become Cora's lieutenant as bench coach.

A Puerto Rico native who went to college in Iowa before being drafted in the 7th round, Vázquez rode buses in the minor leagues for a long time; played almost 700 games in parts of nine big-league seasons; and then went back to the minors to earn his way to the majors as a coach. He has every kind of experience as a coach and manager, and a strong reputation within the game for his breadth of knowledge and ability to develop rapport with young players. If hired, he would be the first person of color ever to manage the Twins.

We're a long way from that happening, of course. Vázquez might not even end up actually interviewing; this is just a confirmation of the team's interest. However, it's nice to see signs of real movement in the search for the new skipper. The Twins need to get this hire right, and Vázquez is an interesting name to watch.

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[DJL44]

Definitely worth interviewing 

[thelanges5]

So they do have a list. Hope the BoSox grant permission to interview. 

[dxpavelka]

Nice to see a strong interest in guys WITH actual coaching / minor league managing experience.

[Doctor Gast]

Hope is eternal. Hope that the new minor owners step in & take control over the baseball opps. That Falvey has a come-to-Jesus revelation that he sucks in what he does & steps down. But I've given up hope that Falvey'll ever change. As long as Falvey is in control, any manager who Falvey likes will be no good & anyone who'll be good for the Twins, Falvey won't hire. I'm sorry, the Twins' situation is very dire, Twins' greatest problem wasn't Baldelli, it is Falvey. Falvey's BS won't change anything; it'll only get worse. Move over Rockies.

[Doctor Wu]

Seems like a qualified candidate that may end up being a terrific manager. You never know until he gets the chance. But he no doubt fits the Twins preference to hire a guy that's never managed before and one they can sign without paying a ton of money. 

[shimrod]

15 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Hope is eternal. ...the Twins' situation is very dire...

Correct on both counts, but in accordance with your first point I believe the second condition is temporary. 

It appears to me the Twins are positioning to attempt to compete in 2028 with a new CBA and ideally a new ownership group. I'm prepared to watch a sub-$70M team in 2026, enjoy the clown show, and hope the young talent isn't permanently damaged by the experience.  

 

[sstolen]

20 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Hope is eternal. Hope that the new minor owners step in & take control over the baseball opps. That Falvey has a come-to-Jesus revelation that he sucks in what he does & steps down. But I've given up hope that Falvey'll ever change. As long as Falvey is in control, any manager who Falvey likes will be no good & anyone who'll be good for the Twins, Falvey won't hire. I'm sorry, the Twins' situation is very dire, Twins' greatest problem wasn't Baldelli, it is Falvey. Falvey's BS won't change anything; it'll only get worse. Move over Rockies.

 

Seems like you "know" everything. A tip:

Seasons over. There will be changes. There will always be criticism. Twins have some decentbpichung and thecrest is uncertain. The tip is that none of us really know whats going on and might be awful and it might be ok. Managing the expectations w our team or lswitch alliances to another and complain that its "someone's fault" when it doesnt work out. 

#KnuckleheadTalkRadioTypes

[SteveLV]

I agree that this is an intriguing option.  Certainly has paid his dues as player and coach in spades. Also bilingual, which makes so much sense with the demographics of modern players.

I like him on paper and hope he is interested and interviews well.

[S Bart]

Speaking Spanish is a plus in my view.

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Hope is eternal. Hope that the new minor owners step in & take control over the baseball opps. That Falvey has a come-to-Jesus revelation that he sucks in what he does & steps down. But I've given up hope that Falvey'll ever change. As long as Falvey is in control, any manager who Falvey likes will be no good & anyone who'll be good for the Twins, Falvey won't hire. I'm sorry, the Twins' situation is very dire, Twins' greatest problem wasn't Baldelli, it is Falvey. Falvey's BS won't change anything; it'll only get worse. Move over Rockies.

It's fascinating when someone becomes so blinded by hatred and/or contempt like this that they can't see any possible way for a person to do anything correctly. The idea that a managerial candidate from another organization can't possibly be good because Falvey might like them is pretty wild.

[Otaknam]

50 minutes ago, Doctor Wu said:

Seems like a qualified candidate that may end up being a terrific manager. You never know until he gets the chance. But he no doubt fits the Twins preference to hire a guy that's never managed before and one they can sign without paying a ton of money. 

“When his playing career ended, he moved into coaching, then managing in the minor leagues.” Managing in the minors IS managing, and excellent training for a big league managing position. 

[Doctor Wu]

1 minute ago, Otaknam said:

“When his playing career ended, he moved into coaching, then managing in the minor leagues.” Managing in the minors IS managing, and excellent training for a big league managing position. 

My mistake, I should have said "Major League" managing experience. And you are right, his minor league managing experience certainly is a plus and helps his case.

[Rufus]

I just hope they hire a guy that embraces the new game, but knows and embraces the old game too.  Last nights Brewers/Dodgers games brought back memories of the Dodgers/Rays World Series.  Snell was dominate in that game too and the Rays manager pulled him because the computer said to.  Remember how that went?  Just about had the same results last night.

[h2oface]

Falvey is looking for another yes man that will do the job for cheap and just be thankful for the opportunity. I am not impressed with his direction. But I don't matter, and I admit to being a cynic when it comes to Falvey. Maybe this guy will be great, and maybe he learned how to smack trash cans from the ring leader, Cora? Falvey seems to like that talent. 😇

[Doctor Gast]

55 minutes ago, shimrod said:

Correct on both counts, but in accordance with your first point I believe the second condition is temporary. 

It appears to me the Twins are positioning to attempt to compete in 2028 with a new CBA and ideally a new ownership group. I'm prepared to watch a sub-$70M team in 2026, enjoy the clown show, and hope the young talent isn't permanently damaged by the experience.  

 

This might be hard to believe, but I'm an optimist. But with more & more control, Falvey has taken over, more & more I see Falvey's faults & worse & worse the team becomes (exception of players falling into Falvey's lap in '23). Longer & longer Falvey has free rein, deeper & deeper the hole gets, harder & harder to climb out of the hole. Anything positive that'll come out of this mess won't start to happen until Falvey is gone. Then we can be optimistic again if we get someone in who knows what he is doing. 

[TopGunn#22]

Vasquez is certainly a guy who has paid his dues.  He could be a sneaky good candidate.  I have to admit, I don't have ANY idea what kind of Manager he would be since he's managed in the Red Sox minor leagues.  But I know Boston has had some pretty good talent ascend to the big leagues in recent years, and he's probably managed each of those guys in the minors as well as coached them with the Red Sox.

I like that he's been a base coach.  Billy Martin was a base coach long before he got a chance to manage.  I like that he's been Alex Cora's 2nd in command in Boston the last couple of years.  Boston plays a "power game" in the friendly confines of Fenway Park, but still lets some of their guys steal bases (Story, Duran, Rafaela).  Maybe Vasquez has something to do with that,

He would also be a tremendous resource if the Twins were to zero in on a Joe Ryan to Boston trade.  Vasquez would have extensive knowledge of the Red Sox tiers of talent and would be very insightful in adding "diamonds in the rough" if the trade was to expand to players beyond just Joe Ryan.  

[Doctor Gast]

1 hour ago, sstolen said:

Seems like you "know" everything. A tip:

Seasons over. There will be changes. There will always be criticism. Twins have some decentbpichung and thecrest is uncertain. The tip is that none of us really know whats going on and might be awful and it might be ok. Managing the expectations w our team or lswitch alliances to another and complain that its "someone's fault" when it doesnt work out. 

#KnuckleheadTalkRadioTypes

I don't pretend to know everything. Falvey is very good at pinning the blame on something or someone else. After all these years, you'd think that maybe the problem isn't something else & maybe come to the conclusion that it's Falvey.

Today the advice is sit down & shut up. Don't observe, don't think, & don't make an intelligent assumption. Trust the data & BS that the ones in control give you. While everything goes down the crapper.

I was a big fan of Falvine, in '19 , I started to see things that didn't add up. Back in my day they taught you how to observe, think & make a reasonable assumption. I guess they don't anymore. It's sit down, shut up & believe what we tell you & everything will be honky-dorey. I wish that was true but it's not. 

[The Great Hambino]

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about this guy specifically as this is the first time I've heard his name, but this is absolutely the type of candidate I want them looking at.  Experience with multiple coaching roles and time spent under a boss with championship pedigree.  Time spent working with young players.  In a position where ML manager is the logical next step.  Being bilingual doesn't hurt

 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, S Bart said:

Speaking Spanish is a plus in my view.

Big plus.

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, The Great Hambino said:

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about this guy specifically as this is the first time I've heard his name, but this is absolutely the type of candidate I want them looking at.  Experience with multiple coaching roles and time spent under a boss with championship pedigree.  Time spent working with young players.  In a position where ML manager is the logical next step.  Being bilingual doesn't hurt

 

He seems like an interesting candidate? He certainly ground his way up, which you have to respect. Maybe that would help him understand the struggles young players have in adjusting to new levels of competition, and we're certainly going to be seeing a bunch of those guys.

He does sound well-rounded, rather than someone known for doing one or two things really well, but who knows. 

I'd be surprised if the Red Sox didn't let him interview. And frankly, it would be a real knock against their organization if they didn't. 

[IndianaTwin]

You had me at "went to college in Iowa." 

-"FromIowaButLiveInIndianaTwin" was too long to be a screen name.

 

But seriously, Indian Hills is a top-notch program to have been part of the journey. From Wikipedia: Now known as the Warriors, the baseball team has made 12 appearances at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, CO. Since the program's inception in 1961, Indian Hills has totaled more than 120 alumni who signed or were drafted to play professional baseball. As of 2022, 10 alumni are either playing or coaching at the professional level. 

[IndyTwinsFan]

2 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

He seems like an interesting candidate? He certainly ground his way up, which you have to respect. Maybe that would help him understand the struggles young players have in adjusting to new levels of competition, and we're certainly going to be seeing a bunch of those guys.

He does sound well-rounded, rather than someone known for doing one or two things really well, but who knows. 

I'd be surprised if the Red Sox didn't let him interview. And frankly, it would be a real knock against their organization if they didn't. 

I agree wholeheartedly.  Any organization, in any sport, that wants to maintain any amount of respectability amongst its peers (which most, if not all, do), will almost always let employees interview for any position that could or would be considered a promotion.  Especially if they appear to show an aptitude for it, which looks like the case here.

While I admittedly don't know much at all about the Boston organization, I have to believe that they operate under the same principle.  Even if they'd hate to lose him, they're unlikely to stand in the way of a promotion opportunity that they're not in a current position to offer.

[nicksaviking]

*****Moderator Note*****

Somehow this thread has gone off the rails making posts personal. Enough of that, back to the topic at hand. 

[PuckettProtector]

6 hours ago, sstolen said:

Seems like you "know" everything. A tip:

Seasons over. There will be changes. There will always be criticism. Twins have some decentbpichung and thecrest is uncertain. The tip is that none of us really know whats going on and might be awful and it might be ok. Managing the expectations w our team or lswitch alliances to another and complain that its "someone's fault" when it doesnt work out. 

#KnuckleheadTalkRadioTypes

100% chance you are part of the echo chamber that is Canis Hoopus

[USAFChief]

3 hours ago, The Great Hambino said:

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about this guy specifically as this is the first time I've heard his name, but this is absolutely the type of candidate I want them looking at.  Experience with multiple coaching roles and time spent under a boss with championship pedigree.  Time spent working with young players.  In a position where ML manager is the logical next step.  Being bilingual doesn't hurt

 

Took the words right out of my...thumbs.

Exactly the type of guy they should be looking at. 

I hope he gets an interview. And any further interviews go to similar types with experience and a seeming familiarity with and appreciation for instruction and the game of baseball.

 

[David Maro]

If he is the end all be all for the job don't you think that other teams looking for a manager may want to talk as well. If that happens it could end up in a bidding war for his services. And a number of those teams have far better rosters and will probably offer more money and control.

[DJL44]

Sounds like James Rowson is also getting an interview

[sweetmusicviola16]

I'm also an optimistic person. But I'm not hopeful about the future play and direction of this team as long as Falvey is calling the shots. He failed and shouldn't be. Hopefully Vazquez gets a chance at pursuing his dream of managing an ML team, whoever it happens to be. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Sounds like James Rowson is also getting an interview

MLB Trade Rumors and the New York Post are reporting that the Yankees have granted the Twins permission to speak with James Rowson about the managerial vacancy. They also mentioned Derek Shelton as a potential candidate with whom the Twins have spoken or are going to speak.

I like all three candidates, but leans toward Shelton because he is prior managerial experience. What does the rest of the world think?