Twins add Paul Molitor to the major league staff!

[InfraRen]

 

 

I like it! Prime him up to take over for Gardy in a couple years?

[jm3319]

...but can he pitch?

[Seth Stohs]

According to the Twins:

He will oversee base running, bunting and infield instruction, PLUS assist with in-game strategy.

His last MLB coaching duty was as hitting coach of the Mariners in 2004.

[Thrylos]

Bet that's all they needed to get to a semi-respectable record

/sarcasm

[Seth Stohs]

Like the change from Joe Vavra to Tom Brunansky was something that many Twins fans wanted, I'm sure that this addition of Paul Molitor will push the Twins to another World Series title!

 

I'm actually OK with Molitor. He is very respected by the minor leaguers. He's obviously quite knowledgeable.

[JB_Iowa]

Another opportunity to add a Spanish-speaking coach who might relate to some of the up and coming players down the drain.

 

The old boys club lives on (unfortunately their results don't thrive.)

[matthew0211]

I like Molitor on the staff, but it should be at the expense of Vavra or Ullger with someone from outside brought in as well; this organization needs some new blood in coaching/leadership roles.

[InfraRen]

[Brock Beauchamp]

Another opportunity to add a Spanish-speaking coach who might relate to some of the up and coming players down the drain.

 

The old boys club lives on (unfortunately their results don't thrive.)

 

Or you could view it as "they added a Hall of Fame player who is one of the smartest hitters of the last generation and is widely respected throughout the league".

 

Really, I don't see how anyone can complain about this move. Every time I hear Molitor talk about baseball, I leave impressed.

 

Yeah, it'd be nice to add a Spanish-speaking coach as well but this is Paul Molitor, for Christ's sake. If that guy's available, you hire him. Period.

[gunnarthor]

I'm ambivalent. I don't really think coaching at the ML level matters that much but I do think the Twins need to bring in some Latino coaches.

 

I get that a guy like Molitor - HOF player - can relate to guys in ways Vavra etc can't. And if Sano, Buxton etc have an appreciation of baseball history, they'll listen more to him. And he certainly knows a thing or two about baserunning and the "little things" that add up. But he hasn't really coached much and I'm not sure how much he can really help. I wish the Twins would pursue someone like Orlando Cabrera who definitely played baseball the "Twins way" who might be able to make the transition from the minors to the majors easier for guys like Sano, Arcia and Rosario.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I like Molitor on the staff, but it should be at the expense of Vavra or Ullger with someone from outside brought in as well; this organization needs some new blood in coaching/leadership roles.

 

Vavra, no. He was a pretty decent hitting coach.

 

Ullger should have been fired ten years ago.

[DaveW]

Is Ullger really hurting anything at this point?

I like bringing Molitor in, alot. Having a guy with a track record like that can be nothing but a positive influence. Also, he battled his demons as a young ball player, with the team about to get extremely young in the next year or two, having a guy like Molitor who can warn about some of the temptations to the youngsters is a GOOD thing IMO.

[SweetOne69]

I like Molitor on the staff, but it should be at the expense of Vavra or Ullger with someone from outside brought in as well; this organization needs some new blood in coaching/leadership roles.

 

I agree. With the additions/re-assignments over the last 2 offseasons, only 1 coach was actually let go while 3 have been added. They now have 8 full time coaches on the staff.

[SweetOne69]

I'm ambivalent. I don't really think coaching at the ML level matters that much but I do think the Twins need to bring in some Latino coaches.

 

I get that a guy like Molitor - HOF player - can relate to guys in ways Vavra etc can't. And if Sano, Buxton etc have an appreciation of baseball history, they'll listen more to him. And he certainly knows a thing or two about baserunning and the "little things" that add up. But he hasn't really coached much and I'm not sure how much he can really help. I wish the Twins would pursue someone like Orlando Cabrera who definitely played baseball the "Twins way" who might be able to make the transition from the minors to the majors easier for guys like Sano, Arcia and Rosario.

 

The reason that he hasn't coached was because he wanted to spend time with family after he retired. Now that his kids are older, he wants to get more involved in the game again. He has been a "guest" coach at Spring Training for several years, so it isn't like he has been away completely since he retired.

[PseudoSABR]

Do they need to make room for Molitor or can they simply add him to the coaches already on the staff?

[cmb0252]

Another opportunity to add a Spanish-speaking coach who might relate to some of the up and coming players down the drain.

 

The old boys club lives on (unfortunately their results don't thrive.)

 

I'm right there with you. The Cubs have come out and said they will higher a coach, at least a bench coach, that is Latin american to help the next wave of talent adjust to the bigs. I love Monitor as much as the next fan but the Twins more than any organization needs fresh blood. Instead this is business as usual.

[panolo]

I like it!

 

Any truth to the rumors that he and Gardy don't always see eye to eye?

[gunnarthor]

I like it!

 

Any truth to the rumors that he and Gardy don't always see eye to eye?

 

I doubt it. Molitor wanted to be the manager when Ryan hired Gardy but other than that I don't think there's any bad blood between the two. As mentioned, he's been a pretty consistent presence at ST every year.

[Winston Smith]

I have nothing against Molitor and he was a great player, however this team really needs a latin presence on it's coaching staff, imo. If they need room Ullger should have been gone years ago.

[TRex]

When I hear Molitor talk, it sounds like TK to me... he doesn't mince his words and will go after a player with the "drive in two but let in three" comment even after a win.

 

I wonder how it will go over in the clubhouse to have someone so openly critical (demanding may be a better adjective) be 'under' the rah-rah Gardy. I imagine the play-off between the dour TK and the buddy-buddy Gardenhire worked great, but good-cop/bad-cop always works better if the 'bad cop' is the one in control!

[Seth Stohs]

I like it!

 

Any truth to the rumors that he and Gardy don't always see eye to eye?

 

No two people see eye to eye all the time, but they will work together well. I think they're fairly close and certainly respect each other.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I don't think hiring Molitor is bad business. I like the move.

Doesn't mean I don't see value in having a Latin American coach as well.

 

I suspect a team is allowed to hire as many coaches as they want, but I believe there is a limit on how many can be in the dugout during a game.

 

Does anyone have info on this?

[Seth Stohs]

Do they need to make room for Molitor or can they simply add him to the coaches already on the staff?

 

Can simply add him.

[Seth Stohs]

At the end of spring training last year, MLB said teams could add one on-field coach. So, they can't add an infinite amount, but they were one short.

[Seth Stohs]

Vavra, no. He was a pretty decent hitting coach.

 

Vavra's good. He is the most "new school" coach they have. He's the one that really gets the advanced stats and made most use of video and such.

[TheLeviathan]

I give this move two huge thumbs up. Excellent news.

[stringer bell]

Manager in Waiting?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Vavra's good. He is the most "new school" coach they have. He's the one that really gets the advanced stats and made most use of video and such.

 

Yep. I don't get the Vavra-bashing. The Twins were a solid offensive team during his tenure, barring 2011 when they were crushed by injuries.

[DJL44]

Bobby Cuellar is of Mexican descent and speaks Spanish. I agree that Latino coaches are underrepresented when compared to Latino players but the Twins aren't completely ignoring it.

[BabyJesusBuxton]

Barring a playoff appearance in 2015 I think Molitor is in position to be the next Twins manager. He is familiar with all the prospects in the minors because of his role as a roving instructor which will only help once they make it to the majors. I think such a move will be inevitable unless Gardy can get the team back into the playoffs before the end of his extension.