Mauer Moves, Leadership void?

[Paul Pleiss]

I had the destinct pleasure to spend a few moments interviewing both Cory Provus and twins double-A SS AJ Pettersen for yesterday's. Talk to Contact podcast. (http://talk2contact.podomatic.com/entry/2013-11-11T16_19_20-08_00) where Cody Christie and I also discussed the Mauer move at length. In the Provus interview I asked about leadership on the team and if Joe Mauer needs to step up and be a more vocal leader. Who is the dugout leader of this team? Is there someone in house who gets the guys fired up and keeps morale high? Dozier? Perkins?

[notoriousgod71]

The Twins lack a vocal leader... but I guess that's to be assumed since they only target unemotional robots and yes men.

[Paul Pleiss]

Do you think the Twins should go out and sign a guy like Pierzynski to bring some fire and leadership to the clubhouse? Do you think some of the young guys who are starting to find their way, maybe Dozier, need to step up and fill that void?

[JB_Iowa]

I believe that for now, that void has to be filled from the outside. And, I think it is a void in two ways, one a vocal leader willing to kick b*tt, etc. and second, a bit of an entertainer or clown (a la Cuddy or Redmond) who may be able to lighten things up in what looks like another season of struggle.

 

As for Dozier (or similar) stepping up into one of those roles, I think its a possibility after another successful season but I just don't think the team has many established position players to take on that role. (From what I've read of Willingham, he's a nice guy and a heck of a poker player if I remember right but I haven't seen anything that would indicate that either he or Doumit really fits either of those roles).

 

It would also help if the veteran they sign that might have those qualities is able to stay on the field. (I think that is part of the problem with Willingham, Doumit and even a bit with Mauer -- there have just been so many injuries that they contribute to the dead men walking persona at times).

[notoriousgod71]

I would also add someone like A.J. (not that I'm advocating signing him as whipping these boys into shape is an impossible mission on a one year deal) that is an instigator and others hate playing against. Someone teammates would rally around. Gomez is growing into that type in Milwaukee.

 

A personality like A.J., Puig, Nyjer Morgan. A younger version would be Gerardo Parra. Also a pitcher who is not afraid to dust someone (and has the velocity to make someone uneasy). I don't think it's a bad thing to have one loose cannon on your team. Someone like Aceves or Vicente Padilla.

 

Note: I am not advocating acquiring any of these players- just personality types that preferably have some sort of skill.

 

I just can not stand all of the robotic "Whoa, is me" types that we've had over the past four years. I really don't think it's coincidence that the 09 Twins turned it on shortly after getting Cabrera.