GoGonzoJournal

So glad the Twins finished second in this one. It is their specialty.

If it is confirmed I think it's a good hire. I'd like to see Marty Mason get a promotion to bullpen coach. Alex Meyer seems to like him. http://twinsdaily.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-twins-news/minnesota-twins-minor-leagues/alex-meyer-reflects-on-2014-looks-forward-to-2015-r3213

Kubel and Bartlett weren't a complete loss. Their demise was the reason we claimed Sam Fuld, who netted Tommy Milone.

This is insane. I hope the 30 days pass without a deal. Apparently Terry Ryan wants to sign Wily Mo Pena out of Japan, too. I think he's lost his mind.

Jordan Schafer would be even cheaper, with Rosario waiting in the wings.

Arcia is the RF option. If the Twins pay Hunter millions to be the backup OF when they could pay some kid $550,000 (Hicks) or even $1 million for Jordan Schafer, I'll become a Nats fan. You don't need coaches on the field if you have good coaches...

Mostly agree with everyone on this one. Torii's a waste of money, especially with Rosario nearly ready to play LF. It's up to the manager to set the clubhouse culture, not the players. They take on the qualities of their boss because those qualities are worth having. See Buck Showalter, Ned Yost, and Bruce Bochy. Molitor is already passing on his responsibilities to others. Could have had Ozzie...

The bulging disc really worries me, but I'd still give him a minor league deal with an invite. I've had disc issues for five years. They don't go away, even after surgery, unless you have disc replacement surgery, which can't be done in the US.

I'd like him in a platoon with Hicks in LF or CF (more in LF). I love his baserunning ability, and with Paul Molitor guiding him, he could be a terror on the bases.

A platoon of Hicks and Schafer would be better in LF. Danny Santana would be better in CF. Arcia in RF.

Most say Cuellar will fill pitching coach, but I'm not buying that. I've thrown Dom Chiti, Frank Viola, and Marty Mason out there, but what do I know? Steinbach could be a good bet to return as bench coach, but I'd like to see either Ozzie Guillen or Rick Renteria fill that role, if they're willing.

I don't see him coming back as bench coach because I feel the Twins will reach out to former managers to fill that role (Guillen, Renteria) to assist Molitor, unless they feel Glynn fills that role. I'm not against him returning as a special assistant coaching catching, though. We need him more than most, but I doubt he gets through to Suzuki on pitch framing. He may reach Pinto, though.

Called this over a month ago. Pretty easy decision. http://gogonzojournal.com/top_stories/a-gonzo-look-at-the-2015-minnesota-twins-coaching-staff

I don't think the Twins are as committed to Santana at short as they or you make it out. That decision should be made after Spring Training, and all this talk about Santana at short may be Terry Ryan's attempt to shop Escobar. I like Escobar at short, Santana in center, and a platoon of Hicks and Schafer in left to start next season. If Sano or Buxton tear up the minors prior to the trade deadline, then you field offers for Escobar, but until then...

I have just two problems with answers new Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor gave in response to fan questions in a recent interview. First, he said he'd like his nickname to be spelled ‘Mollie,” citing that it looks more masculine, but I suggested his nickname be Paulie, as in a guy named Paul from St. Paul and the big sign in center field featuring a guy from St. Paul named Paulie. It’s common sense people. This blog was originally published at Go Gonzo Journal. My other issue is with his answer to a question from Andrew Pint about developing Spanish-speaking prospects. Molitor said, referring to he and Terry Ryan, “We feel it’s on the players who come here from various parts of the world, particularly Spanish-speaking players, to learn our language.” This is simply an insanely outdated concept. The fact that Tsuyoshi Niskioka, which I can still spell correctly despite not having to do so for nearly three years, was never expected to learn English and was allowed a translator in the dugout, is ass-backwards. It should be on the organization to correctly develop their talent, not on the talent to do it all themselves. These young kids have enough on their minds trying to make a big league ballclub to have to learn English as well. I just watched the ESPN’s “30 for 30″ film Brothers in Exile, featuring the stories of Livan and Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, who had great Major League careers despite having never learned English because they had bilingual coaches in the minor leagues (Livan) and bilingual players in the majors (Orlando) to help them adapt. Hell, El Duque’s catcher, Jorge Posada, served as his translator in interviews. Spanish is the second-most popular language in the world with 110 million more native speakers than English. If Ryan and Molitor blow an opportunity to bring in a Spanish-speaking coach, even an assistant coach, because of their outdated beliefs, the organization will suffer for it. I've pitched plenty of options, including Julio Franco as an assistant hitting coach and strength and conditioning coach. Franco would jump at the opportunity to coach in the bigs based on what I've read, and I think he has valuable experience despite limited time as a coach. The guy was basically a player/coach for a decade while still playing professionally. Don't blow this opportunity, Paulie. Adapt, like you expect the Spanish-speaking kids to. ---- Anthony Varriano is editor of Go Gonzo Journal, a blog featuring the rants of fans and outlaw journalists.

Most likely through trade. Terry Ryan has never and will never pay top dollar for a starter. It's just not his style. He'll sign some low-risk, high-reward guy like Masterson.

Like I said to Seth, the number of wins Molitor brings over Gardy is negligible. Managers don't make teams winners. Starting pitching does. We have everything else except outfield defense, which is coming, and will improve overall pitching numbers.

Not an article. Just a blog. Gardy and Molitor are the same when it comes to winning games is the argument I try to make. Difference in WAR is negligible. And the need of an ace has everything to do with managerial situation. If we had one there wouldn't be a managerial situation.

This decision means very little in the win/loss column. Difference in WAR is negligible. An ace is what we need to win, not a manager.

Terry Ryan kept with company policy and made the long-expected and unsurprising decision to offer Paul Molitor a contract to become the new manager of the Minnesota Twins. Molitor, a St. Paul native, has been expected to take over as Ron Gardenhire’s replacement for at least a year, if not longer depending on the rumors you choose to believe, and could have taken over for Tom Kelly in 2002 had he not removed himself from the running due to the contraction fiasco. So Terry Ryan and the Twins got the man they wanted 13 years ago. No surprises in Twins Territory. This blog was originally published at Go Gonzo Journal Sports. The move means absolutely nothing. There is no discernible difference between Molitor and Gardy. They're both infield and baserunning specialists, although Molitor may be more in tune with today’s dependence on statistics when it comes to defensive play, and will hopefully be more open to platoon players with extreme splits to increase overall productivity. That’s a difference of winning a few extra games per season. It won't make the Twins a contender. The ONLY thing that will make the Twins a contender is an ace, and I'm not talking about Phil Hughes. I’m talking about Madison Bumgarner, or someone with comparable talents. Although, after his World Series performance, comparable talents may not exist. Bumgarner proved that in almost 150 years of organized baseball, nothing has changed. Starting pitching still wins championships. Kansas City’s bullpen approach didn't work. You can have as many high-powered arms in the pen as you like, but one man can still shut you out and win three games in a seven-game series despite an average offense that had very little pop in the MLB Playoffs. The Royals could have run a different pitcher out there every inning and still would have lost. Cliff Corcoran of Sports Illustrated found the Royals’ bullpen ranked seventh in runs allowed in all-time postseason history. Even they couldn't hang with Bumgarner and were rocked in Game 4. Starting pitching still wins championships. You can make all the noise you want about the Royals being sound defensively, especially in the outfield, but they didn’t win, and the Giants did despite a two-base error by their center fielder in the ninth inning of Game 7. Starting pitching still wins championships. You can make the argument that you need the bats of Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval in order to score enough runs to win, but you'd be wrong. Gregor Blanco drew a bases loaded walk and scored again after drawing a walk when rookie Joe Panik tripled in Game 1. Blanco got the scoring started with another walk in Game 4, took second on a wild pitch, and took third because he could, later scoring on a groundout by Pence. Matt Duffy, who had just two plate appearances in the World Series, scored on a single by Buster Posey after slapping a leadoff single of his own and taking second on a groundout. Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Brandon Crawford hit an infield single and Michael Morse walked to put Blanco in a bunting situation. He laid it down and reached on an error allowing Crawford to score. The rookie Panik then doubled to score Morse and Blanco. That would be all the Giants needed to win Game 4. Juan Perez, a defensive replacement, scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 5 on a single by Crawford. In fact, the only game the Giants truly needed the bats of Sandoval and Pence was Game 7. They accounted for every run scored, but it was Morse and Crawford that drove them in. Pence and Sandoval had stellar performances that would have been MVP-worthy any other year, but starting pitching still wins championships. Without an ace on the staff, like Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Johan Santana, or even a young Francisco Liriano, the hopes and dreams of Twins’ fans will continue to be dashed by the front office at Twins Way. Unless Terry Ryan and the rest of his disciples learn the Twins’ way isn't the winning way, Molitor replacing Gardy as manager is meaningless, and every job in the front office should be made available. ---- Anthony Varriano is editor of Go Gonzo Journal, a blog featuring the rants of fans and outlaw journalists.

I came up with 3, if not 4 here. Glynn, Marty Mason, Larry Bennese, and perhaps Mauer.

...or they don't plan to sign anyone, which is most likely.

Maddon opting out and the Twins' vacant managerial position is no coincidence. I think Maddon wants this job, and he knows Terry Ryan has the money to pay him. Maddon cited "financial reasons" for testing free agency, and no one has more money to spend than Terry Ryan. Whatever Maddon demands, the Twins can match. Frankly, I don't think Maddon opts out if the Twins fill their managerial position by now. I truly think this has everything to do with money. Maddon wants to be the highest paid manager in the game, and deserves to be. He's done more with less better than anyone, including Gardy. Maddon would have what he had in Tampa – a young, talented pitching staff, a young, hard-hitting third baseman like Evan Longoria, an effective infield defense, and quite possibly a superstar in Byron Buxton. It's too good to be true, but Terry Ryan has an obligation to make it true. I'd give Maddon $7 million per year before paying a starter $20 million per year. He's the best free agent on the market.

I've called the Minnesota fan base "Minnesota nice" many times, and they've lived up to that description all my life. I feel they aren't involved in the game enough, and weren't when the team was good either. What can and will be done to change this?

With no All-Star Game to entice season ticket holders, will ticket prices or food/beverage prices be lowered next season to curb the effect of decreased attendance? Why or why not?