Twins GM Terry Ryan Talks About The Search For A New Manager

Outsiders might believe that because of the existing relationship with Molitor as a bench coach and observing Mientkiewicz’s style in the minor leagues, give the team an understanding of how they would operate as managers thus forgoing the need for a detailed download. How’s the family? Everything good? Thanks for stopping in, you’ll hear from us soon. Ryan was quick to dispel that notion.

“No, it’s not informal. It’s very formal,” Ryan said frankly during our Offseason Handbook interview. “And you are going to get answers to questions.”

Still, the process slightly favors Molitor and Mientkiewicz because of what the team is looking for.

“People that are within the organization are going to be much more prepared to do an interview than outside people,” Ryan acknowledged. “The people outside better come very prepared, ‘cause I’m going to ask questions about this club, and about our minor leagues and our affiliates and the people that work within, our trainers, our team physicians, and they don’t know a thing about that. So hopefully they should be at least prepared enough to at least go through the interview process.”

Despite giving Molitor and Mientkiewicz an advantage, reports of Lovullo’s interview have been glowing. While other external candidates -- such as Sandy Alomar Jr, Demarlo Hale and Joe McEwing -- have all been reportedly excused from consideration KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said last week that his sources said Lovullo “nailed his interview.” Based on that and Ryan’s admitted guidelines, it is safe to assume that the Red Sox bench coach is a well-prepared individual.

In terms of in-game management, Ryan said the Twins are aware of the uses of defensive shifts, the effects of sacrifices, lineup construction and other analytical elements of the modern game -- things that Lovullo has been associated with and Molitor has embraced in his role with the Twins -- but Ryan considered that all a piece for the manager, not the focus. If anything, pitching was going to be an emphasis and he has expectations of how a manager should handle his arms.

“Strategy is more important than some,” Ryan said. “The most important thing out of many managerial interviews is how they handle the pitching staff.”

When it comes to pitching, as minor league managers, both Mientkiewicz and Lovullo have recent experience in this area while Molitor is more of novice. Of course, the next manager will have a pitching coach that he will be able to task with guidance. And that person will be selected by a joint effort from the manager and the front office -- not just the new manager’s old drinking buddy, as was the practice in a bygone era.

“He shouldn’t have total control over his coaching staff, nor should I. But it should be a combination of what the front office deems as the right pieces and what a manager would deem and how much he can delegate those pieces.”

Another element that has been discussed outside of the front office has been the possible inclusion of a manager with a Latin American background. Unless there is another “mystery” candidate not yet identified, the Twins are not currently considering this. With the increasing number of players from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela on the roster and in the pipeline, there was the thought that the Twins should target someone who can relate well to these players. But Ryan did not find this need a pressing one.

“I don’t see it being important as long as we have people that are in this operation that can help anybody and everybody we have on our roster,” Ryan said. “Just like sabermetrics will be a piece. And strategy will be a piece. And who they hire or want to hire will be as a coaching staff. And it will all come together and I suspect every piece of information that you deem important, we have touched on.”