Twins Video
Stubbornness is often framed as a bad thing: having or showing dogged determination not to change one's attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so.
That's a pretty apt characterization of the Twins front office's general vibe over the past year or so, isn't it? They've been sticking to their guns, even when the heat is on and the criticism feels valid. It felt quite fair to wonder, at times, if these guys suffered from a problematic inability to admit when they were wrong.
On the contrary: they have continually been redeemed for their resolve.
There were good arguments to move on from Max Kepler and Emilio Pagán after last year, and even in the early part of this year. There were good arguments to add bullpen help at the trade deadline rather than standing still. There were good arguments for the Twins to move on from hitting coach David Popkins, or at least to significantly alter their offensive approach after the first half.
In each of these cases, and more, the front office's dogged determination paid off.
Kepler and Pagán both had excellent seasons, playing key roles in winning a division championship. They were exceptional in the second half as Minnesota separated from Cleveland and locked down a postseason berth.
But what about once they got there?
Following their fruitless deadline, it was difficult to envision a scenario where the Twins would yield a deep and trustworthy bullpen for the playoffs. But their plan of keeping space open for internal reinforcements worked perfectly: You couldn't have asked for better additions than Louie Varland, Brock Stewart and Chris Paddack via trades. These are high-octane arms who helped shut down Toronto and are now ready to play key roles in the ALDS.
Around midseason, the constantly misfiring offense looked like an even bigger concern than the bullpen. The Twins lineup was repeatedly shooting blanks, threatening to negate the rotation's historic greatness. Fans and analysts everywhere were begging for some kind of shakeup from the ineffectual status quo – maybe making a change in hitting coach, like the Yankees did in early July.
Ultimately, New York's gambit proved out as the epitome of a useless desperation move: they were even worse in the second half (.688 OPS) than the first (.710 OPS) after firing Dillon Lawson at the All-Star break. Meanwhile, the Twins remained committed to their inexperienced yet widely acclaimed young hitting instructor Popkins, who oversaw a massive turnaround from the first half (.709 OPS) to the second half (.808 OPS) for Minnesota's offense.
These weren't just good decisions from the Twins front office. They were season-defining decisions made under challenging circumstances – much like the offseason trade for Game 1 winner Pablo López.
The stubborn mentality seems to extend across every facet of this team: Rocco Baldelli sticking with Griffin Jax as his top setup man in the playoffs; the lineup's unrelenting willingness to push to two-strike counts; Jhoan Duran unleashing endless curveballs while everyone clamors for more heaters.
And to be clear, this inclination is not ALWAYS a good thing. (Paging Joey Gallo.)
But by and large, the Twins have been rewarded for holding strong and believing in their plan, their players. "The group in that room," as rallied by Falvey following his quiet deadline.
Conviction has led the Twins to this point, and it's bringing them into the divisional round of the playoffs with an apparent sense of confidence and swagger.
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