Seth Stohs

They should sell hope. This team is, HOPEFULLY, about to turn a corner. The manager has an impressive background in baseball. The filling out the lineup part is the easiest part of the job. He's already talked to Jack Goin about ways to improve that. Obviously he hasn't been a pitching coach, but that's the purpose of the pitching coach. There's no reason to sell anything but HOPE, at least until he has managed enough of a sample size to develop some opinions.

Bobby Cuellar is a good name. Not sure who he's helped in the last decade. But he should at least be considered.

I don't know why any of them would say anything negative about Gardy. Players generally loved him. He is a good baseball man who enjoyed teaching. He treated players right. Saying that, if they would, wouldn't hurt or help the meaningless of their opinions.

that definitely stood out to me and reiterates how much he knows and his ability to see things that few others are (Tom Kelly being one of them).

How about Denard Span?

This morning, the Twins will announce Paul Molitor as the organization’s 13th manager since coming to Minnesota in 1961. We hear and read so much about how high his baseball IQ is, but we also hear about how well he worked with players in the minor leagues. I thought I would contact several players that Molitor has worked with in his tenure with the Twins and get their feedback on Molitor. I think it’s fair to say that there are some recurring themes. (This article may be updated with more quotes throughout the day)Outfielder Denard Span spent over a decade in the Minnesota Twins organization before being traded to the Washington Nationals after the 2012 season. He spent a lot of time working with Molitor. "The main thing that stuck out to me about Paul was that he was always even keel. I think that's important for a manager, especially during a long season." Right-handed reliever AJ Achter was drafted by the Twins in 2010 and reached the big leagues this last September. : “I’m very excited for him and our organization. As a pitcher, I didn’t work with him as much as the position guys. But any time I got to talk to him, I found out very quickly his knowledge and passion for the game. He is, by far, the best baseball mind I’ve ever had the pleasure of talking to. The things he picks up on, added to his experience as a player make him extremely knowledgeable and very well respected in the clubhouse. I’m looking forward to seeing all the positives he brings as manager.” AJ Pettersen was drafted by the Twins in 2011 and believes that Molitor can be a great manager because of how well he treats people. That he’s a fellow Minnesota Gopher alum probably doesn’t hurt his opinion either. “Moli will make an excellent manager. He has the ability to connect with people of every background. I have seen him effectively communicate with Latin players just as well as he does with former Gophers. His most knowledgeable areas are base running and defense. He knows an insane amount about the game, but you would never know by the way he acts. He is the kind of guy that is continually learning, not just to advance as a manager and coach, but because he genuinely loves baseball and loves teaching players to be better. He is a calm presence in the dugout, which is very helpful through a long, stressful season. He will be an excellent manager for the Twins and with the right group around him, he will help to get the ship headed in the right direction. Plus, he is a Gopher! Ski-u-mah! Go Twins!” Jorge Polanco signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 2009 and has worked many times over the year with Molitor: “I have a lot of experiences. You know he is a Hall of Famer. He knows a lot about the game. Everything you ask him for, he knows it, like base runner, hitting, stealing.” Cole DeVries was in the Twins system for about eight years. Although he is a pitcher, there are still things that Molitor could help with: “I didn’t have a ton of interaction with him in the minors, outside of him helping me because I was tipping pitches. I would also ask him to tell me how he thought I did after some outings. I think it is going to be a great addition for the Twins because there aren’t too much who know as much about the game of baseball. He is also familiar with the players in the minor league system. I think he will do a good job of getting himself up to speed with being a manager and getting all the new young players up to the big league playing standards.” Adam Brett Walker has been in the organizations just a couple of years and hasn’t had a lot of time with Molitor. “But, from the small about I’ve been with him, he seems like a great guy. He has talked to me about base running, but I have heard him talk to more of the infielders about the game more. He seems like he has a lot of knowledge for the game, and I hope he does a great job.” Cedar Rapids middle infielder Ryan Walker spent time with Molitor a year ago in the Instructional League. “He was there teaching and instructing in basically every area of the game. It was quickly obvious why he’s in the Hall of Fame. His knowledge and understanding of how everything in baseball works isn’t matched by very many. There were a couple of times he even talked about things that I had never heard of in my life – which is really rare considering how much we play and study the game. He seemed like the kind of person that truly knows every aspect of baseball, in and out, and I can’t imagine a better qualification for the position.” Chris Colabello came to the Twins organization in 2012 after years in independent ball. He speaks more to the type of person that Molitor is: “Obviously I am thrilled for him. His resume and background speak for themselves and based on that alone, he is more than qualified. What I think will make him most successful as a manager is how quality of a person he is. Since the day I met him in my first minor league camp, he was as kind and willing to chat as anyone I met that first year. He is a student of the game and is always looking to share information that he is gaining on a day-to-day basis to help guys do their job. I would be honored to play for him. Like Molitor, Nate Hanson played for the University of Minnesota. He recently re-signed a minor league contract to stay with the Twins, his hometown organization and the team he has played for since being drafted in 2008. “The way Moli sees the game is unlike anyone else I have been around. I have learned so much from him in all facets of the game. His hiring is a great thing for the organization. His humble and steady demeanor should make him a great leader in the clubhouse and on the field.” Logan Darnell signed with the Twins in 2010 after being drafted out of college. He debuted with the Twins in 2014. “I think it’s a great thing. He is one of the best baseball minds I’ve been around. He’s been a rover and even last year when he was a bench coach, he was helpful on how I was tipping pitches. Just things like that he picks up on well, I feel. But, I’m excited for him, and he’s a good guy!” Danny Rams signed with the Twins in 2007 after being selected in the 2nd round out of high school. He remained in the organization through the 2012 season. “(Molitor) was real quiet but extremely humble considering all his accomplishments. Any question I ever asked him, he gave me his honest opinion, good or bad. Molitor is going to make a great manager because he has a master mind. He is one of the smartest guys to ever play the game. Molitor’s brain is on another level, above a catcher’s instincts.” Aderlin Mejia, who spent 2014 between New Britain and Ft. Myers, understands the greatness of Molitor. “The experiences I had with him were very good because it was with a baseball legend and a Hall of Famer. His teachings helped me to improve in the field, both defensively and also with base running.” Steve Singleton was drafted by the Twins in 2006 and remained in the organization into the 2012 season. He played everywhere between rookie ball and AAA. “Molitor is awesome! He was the best baseball guy in that system during my entire career. In all aspects. Situations, mechanics, hitting, defense, relating to the guys, etc. He will do a great job, and I can’t really imagine a better hire around the league. I’d much rather see him there than Maddon.” As I said, if I get more responses throughout Tuesday, I’ll be sure to add them. So be sure to stop back from time to time and discuss. Click here to view the article

Just because Viola The Pitcher was changeup, changeup, changeup, doesn't mean that Viola The Pitching Coach subscribes to that. Hopefully a pitching coach will look at each individual and find what will help them be more successful. Also, the changeup is such an important pitch in baseball.

There appear to be two very separate points in this article... 1.) Gardy and Molitor are the same, which you acknowledge later isn't actually true. 2.) The Twins need an ace. That has nothing to do with the managerial situation.

My opinion is that there would be vitriol no matter who they hired. If they would have hired Lovullo, there would have been a huge group that would have been upset that the team lost a great baseball mind in Molitor..

But that's my point... We don't know if the process was a joke or not. Maybe it was. However, you don't just string Lovullo and Mientkiewicz along, and you don't just bring in 5-6 guys just to chat. All we have to go on is the fact that they took their time, they talked to a lot of people, and at the end of the day, the favorite probably still got it. The point is that you can't just say that because Molitor ended up with the job doesn't mean that the process was a joke, and assuming that doesn't seem particularly fair.

Sometimes the obvious choice can also be the right choice.

We're all experts, huh? For me, I was very much intrigued by Torey Lovullo. He would have been a good choice. I was intrigued by Doug Mientkiewicz, but I think that I've backed off from that. That said, if he had been given the job, I think he would have been just fine. Meanwhile, I didn't want Molitor to be the next manager, in large part because I didn't like that he was brought on last year knowing that he was the likely favorite to take over. It just didn't feel right. Can we criticize the Twins, Terry Ryan, etc? Sure. Four straight 90 loss seasons is well into the realm of criticizable. However, bashing the Twins or Molitor for Molitor being named the next manager (IF that is where this goes) seems a little silly. It's unfortunate and it takes away from Molitor. He has a ton of qualifications that make him the right choice and instead of noting and pointing out those, we choose to be negative about it. In reality, it didn't matter who they picked. DId it? THere would have been people complaining about Terry Ryan picking the wrong guy. It's too bad.

No kidding. We really want to thank Steve for going down there and taking time to write up these interviews and share them with us. Though, knowing Steve, spending three days watching baseball in the sun and talking to ball players probably doesn't seem too bad to him! Safe travels home today!!

Proof that SD Buhr is in Arizona??? He was sitting in the 3rd row behind the plate during several of the innings tonight. View the picture here:

Reported first as the shoulder at Twins Daily...

I can't imagine there is a manager in baseball that would go into the season thinking that. (No, not even the great Joe Maddon)

He's the President of the Twins, so of course the Brand is what matters to him... He's also a very smart person. He knows that the Brand is better when the team wins baseball games. But he also is in charge of so many other parts besides the on-field stuff. He fully understands that the on-field stuff is the biggest, most important piece. He deals with the Brand... Terry Ryan deals with the baseball part of that.

In the last couple of weeks, we went around the infield looking at the Twins organizational depth. Today, we’ll take a look at the catchers from the big leagues to the rookie leagues, and even the Dominican Summer League.Major Leagues Joe Mauer moved from the position a year ago. The Twins signed Kurt Suzuki, and he was an All-Star in 2014. The 30-year-old hit .288/.345/.383 (.727) with 34 doubles, three homers and 61 RBI. The veteran signed a two-year extension on July 31. 25-year-old Josmil Pinto started the season as the backup catcher. He spent more time as the team’s DH, but he did catch 25 games. He struggled in every aspect defensively including allowing 20 runners to steal a base without throwing any out. In 57 games with the Twins, he hit .219/.315/.391 (.705) with eight doubles and seven homers. In 60 games in Rochester, he hit .279/.376/.457 (.833) with 17 doubles and six homers. There he threw out 18% of would-be base stealers. His bat will keep him on the 40 man roster. When Pinto was sent to Rochester, Eric Fryer came up. In 36 games in Rochester, he hit .252/.323/.333 (.656) with seven doubles, but he did a terrific job behind the plate and also threw out 44% of base stealers. With the Twins, he threw out just one of 17, but his work with pitchers continued to be praised and his athleticism helps him do well behind the plate. In 81 big league plate appearances, he hit .213/.272/.307 (.578) with four doubles and a homer. He is likely to remain on the 40 man roster. Chris Herrmann caught just one inning with the Twins as he was used for his defense in the corner outfield positions. In Rochester, he caught 26 games and threw out 38% of base stealers. He hit .304/.373/.505 (.878) with 18 doubles, four triples and a homer in 60 games. In the big leagues, he hit just .213/.253/.253 (.506) with three doubles. He is likely at risk to be removed from the 40 man roster. Minor Leagues 25-year-old Dan Rohlfing spent the season in Rochester. He caught 58 games and threw out 39% of base stealers. He hit .205/.307/.311 (.618) with 17 doubles and two home runs. He is a very good athlete and spent time at first base and in both corner outfield positions. He even pitched twice. Kyle Knudson (26) was behind the plate for 82 of New Britain’s games in 2014. He is a very strong defensive catcher. He has good mobility and a strong arm, plus he works very well with pitchers. He threw out 30% of would-be base stealers. He hit .215/.265/.279 (.544) with 16 doubles. Matt Koch was the other catcher for the Rock Cats. The 25-year-old is known for his offense rather than his defense, but his bat struggled with the move to AA. He hit .212/.304/.281 with nine doubles and two homers. He caught 64 games in New Britain and made good strides defensively. He threw out 34% of base stealers. Jairo Rodriguez split his 2014 season between Ft. Myers and New Britain. With the Miracle, he caught 29 games and threw out 21% of base stealers. He also caught seven games in New Britain and threw out 20%. Rodriguez is from Venezuela and is very respected for his work behind the plate. He recently re-signed with the Twins as a minor league free agent. Stuart Turner was the Twins third round pick in 2013 out of Ole Miss where he won the Johnny Bench Award as the top collegiate catcher. He is viewed as a great defensive catcher. He calls a good game and receives the ball well. He threw out 32% of base stealers in 92 games. The 22-year-old was invited to big league spring training and then jumped straight to the Miracle. In 93 games, he hit .249/.322/.375 (.698) with 16 doubles, two triples and seven home runs. Tyler Grimes (23) made the move to full-time catcher in 2013 in Cedar Rapids and performed well. In 2014 with the Miracle, he played all over the diamond, including 19 games behind the plate. He is a good catcher and has a very strong arm. He threw out 31% of base stealers. In 79 games total, he hit .232/.313/.335 (.648) with 14 doubles, two triples and three homers. Mitch Garver was the runner-up to Turner for the 2013 Johnny Bench Award. The Twins made him their ninth round pick that year. He was sent to Cedar Rapids where he had a terrific season. In fact, he was my choice for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Year. In 120 games, he hit .298/.399/.481 (.880) with 29 doubles, 16 homers and 79 RBI. Behind the plate, he was also very good. He calls a good game and did a nice job working with some young pitchers. He threw out 32% of base stealers in the 63 games he caught. Michael Quesada caught 53 games for the Kernels. He is a good catcher, very athletic and able to block the ball in the dirt very well. He has a strong, accurate arm and threw out 31% of base stealers. The 24 year old hit .205/.288/.330 (.618) with 13 doubles and four homers. Alex Swim began the season in extended spring training and played in a couple of games for Ft. Myers when needed. In one game behind the plate with the Miracle, he threw out the one runner who tried to steal against him. The 23-year-old moved up to Cedar Rapids in mid-June. With the Kernels, he caught 12 games and threw out 14% of base stealers. He hit though and to keep him in the lineup he was moved to right field. In 64 games, he hit .311/.351/.349 (.700) with nine doubles. At Instructional League, he still did some catching. Brian Navarreto (19) was the Twins sixth round pick in 2013 out of high school in Florida. At 6-3 and 230 pounds, he reminds many of the Royals’ Salvador Perez. Behind the plate, he is a big target and he has a very strong arm. In 27 games behind the plate, he threw out a remarkable 59% of would-be base stealers. In 31 games total, he hit .194/.241/.370 (.612) with eight doubles and three home runs. He has incredible power and has a chance to be very good. Jorge Fernandez was the Twins seventh round pick in 2013 out of high school in Puerto Rico. He is a very good athlete and there is frequently talk about him being moved to the outfield. In didn’t happen in 2014. The 20-year-old caught 22 games for Elizabethton and threw out 38% of base stealers. Offensively, he hit .321/.361/.440 (.802) with six doubles, two triples and a homer. 24-year-old Brett Doe was the Twins 38th round pick in 2014 out of Baylor. In 21 games at Elizabethton, he threw out 35% of base stealers. He hit .207/.313/.345 (.658) with three doubles, a triple and a home run. Alex Real was the Twins 24th round pick in 2014 out of New Mexico where he was a teammate of Mitch Garver. With the E-Twins, he DH’d 15 times and caught 12 times. He threw out 23% of base runners. In 96 plate appearances, he hit .284/.323/.375 (.698) with five doubles and a home run. 20-year-Jarrard Poteete was the Twins 19th round pick this year out of Connors State. He caught 24 games and threw out 41% of base stealers. At the plate, he hit .220/.292/.303 (.594) with six doubles and a home run though it is believed that he will hit. Rainis Silva is a 18-year-old from Venezuela. In 41 games in the GCL, he hit .270/.294/.342 (.636) with nine doubles and a triple. To keep him in the lineup, he played ten games at first base. He caught 24 games and threw out 39% of would-be base stealers. He is young and has some to learn, but he has a very strong arm. Joel Polanco (21) caught 13 games for the GCL Twins. He threw out four of seven base stealers (57%). He also played 16 games at first base and DH’d three times. In 32 games, he hit .248/.296/.350 (.646) with six doubles and two homers. Gabriel Ojeda was the Twins 27th round pick in 2014 out of high school in Puerto Rico. As an 18-year-old, he caught just seven games. He played in 25 games total and hit .169/.263/.197 (.460) with two doubles. Down in the DSL, Robert Molina (17) caught 41 games. He threw out 35% of base stealers. He hit .206/.313/.284 (.597) with seven doubles and two triples. Jhonathan Alvarez was 18, and he caught in 31 games. He threw out 48% of would-be base stealers. He hit .211/.344/.239 (.582) with a double and a triple. Carlos Martinez was a known international prospect from Panama. In 2014, his fourth year in the DSL, he was moved from the infield to catcher. He caught in seven games and threw out five of 14 base stealers (36%). In ten total games, he hit .182/.349/.303 (.652) with a double and a homer. In his four seasons, he has hit a combined .190/.309/.260. SUMMARY Kurt Suzuki will be the primary catcher on Opening Day 2015. His backup may be Eric Fryer, but it is also possible that Josmil Pinto will again be in the role. Stuart Turner remains the top catching prospect in the Twins organization. He should get another spring training invite and move up to Chattanooga to start the 2015 season. Mitch Garver was the hitter of the year in the organization (in my opinion) and did a nice job behind the plate. He should move up to Ft. Myers and hopefully get to Chattanooga sometime during the season. He should also receive an invite to big league camp. Brian Navarreto has a long ways to go, but he also has the biggest upside in the group. Click here to view the article

Never knew that CC was available, but now I will be sure to ALWAYS have it on!!

This is a tremendous article. Great questions and he did a great job responding. I'm sure it was nice for him to see a familiar media face there as well! I liked all of his answers, but it's fun to get things like the Mauer information as well. He's definitely one to watch. He says he follows everyone, but he doesn't follow me!! Ha!

My assumption is that if the Twins payroll is 50% of revenues, a large chunk of the other 50% is things like salaries for front office, and the hundreds/thousands of non-player personnel (scouts, accountants, sales staff, marketing group, etc.). I assume all of those people get paid too. I assume that travel (for the team personnel, but also scouts, etc.) get included in there.

Charley Walters is funny. He was actually with the Twins for a part of his life, but his Twins "notes" are always so far behind everyone else. The Mientkiewicz to Chattanooga thing came out about a month ago in an interview with Patrick Reusse on 1500ESPN. He didn't say it, but he was certainly dancing around it enough to make it pretty clear that if he wasn't the Twins manager, he would be moving up. Definitely just some bad luck for Buxton. I hope they don't try to stop him from diving in the outfield.

good questions. Keep them coming!