Molitor

[Mill1634]

How long does he survive? Yes, his record is decent, but he doesn't know how to manage a bullpen, and he loves to play his backups more than they deserve. I'm not saying it's time...but it's time. 

[USAFChief]

He should not be the manager by tomorrow morning.

[Thrylos]

I hope that tomorrow the Twins announce that Molitor has been promoted to an Extra Special Assistant to the GM, Allen to a Very Special Assistant to the Twins pitching roving instructor (or something) and name Doug Mientkiewicz as the new manager with Eddie Guardado as the new (interim) pitching coach.

 

Cannot minimize Allen's role in this debacle

[drjim]

His inability to manage this bullpen is really damning.

[Thrylos]

 

His inability to manage this bullpen is really damning.

 

Agreed, but he is not alone.  Paul Allen's role is when Molitor wants to bring in Pressly, Breslow, and Belisle who are spent, to try to pursuade him to bring in a fresh arm with 6 runs up and 2 innings left.  If Allen cannot do that, he has to go.

[drjim]

Agreed, but he is not alone. Paul Allen's role is when Molitor wants to bring in Pressly, Breslow, and Belisle who are spent, to try to pursuade him to bring in a fresh arm with 6 runs up and 2 innings left. If Allen cannot do that, he has to go.

I was being sarcastic obviously. Not his fault what he has to work with.

 

If he goes, whatever. But I wouldn't expect different results. Good chance it would even be worse.

[DaveW]

 

 Good chance it would even be worse.

In re: to the bullpen, that would a sight to behold

 

Now I'm sad

[Thrylos]

 

I was being sarcastic obviously. Not his fault what he has to work with.

If he goes, whatever. But I wouldn't expect different results. Good chance it would even be worse.

 

Question: The Twins were up by six runs left.  2 innings to finish.

 

Do you use:

 

a. the guy you called up today, is a starter, has a fresh arm and was slated to start today for Rochester

b. the guy who pitched 1-1/3 innings the day before, threw 25 pitches and has a 6.11 ERA

 

 

[drjim]

In re: to the bullpen, that would a sight to behold

 

Now I'm sad

Have you, at any point this season, ever thought the talent in the bullpen was good?

 

Molitor has done better than I would have expected. And considering everything, I don't have any complaints on who he put it in either game at any time. I wouldn't have trusted the new guys in the 8th either.

[drjim]

Question: The Twins were up by six runs left. 2 innings to finish.

 

Do you use:

 

a. the guy you called up today, is a starter, has a fresh arm and was slated to start today for Rochester

b. the guy who pitched 1-1/3 innings the day before, threw 25 pitches and has a 6.11 ERA

b

[drjim]

Wheeler is an org depth guy. I'm not putting him in a late inning game I'm leading. He's here to eat innings in a short start.

[DaveW]

If you can't trust the "new guy" with a 6 run lead, what is the point of having him up at all?

[USAFChief]

Have you, at any point this season, ever thought the talent in the bullpen was good?

 

Molitor has done better than I would have expected. And considering everything, I don't have any complaints on who he put it in either game at any time. I wouldn't have trusted the new guys in the 8th either.

Why did call up 2 fresh arms again?

 

If you are going to use your other bullpen arms, why do you let Pressley dig an enormous hole before removing him? Let Breslow go that long?

 

And this isn't just about today. He doesn't have a lot of talent, agreed.

 

But he's part of the talent deficit. Fix it.

[DaveW]

Have you, at any point this season, ever thought the talent in the bullpen was good?

 

Molitor has done better than I would have expected. And considering everything, I don't have any complaints on who he put it in either game at any time. I wouldn't have trusted the new guys in the 8th either.

I'm not blaming the lack of talent of the bullpen on Molitor, I have been saying all off season and season that it was a big time fail to not address it in anything resembling a meaningful way.

 

I don't think molitor does himself a lot of favors with the Pen though. I do think he can tend to overthink it, and doesn't have a quick enough hook at times.

[DaveW]

Why did call up 2 fresh arms again?

 

If you are going to use your other bullpen arms, why do you let Pressley dig an enormous hole before removing him? Let Breslow go that long?

 

And this isn't just about today. He doesn't have a lot of talent, agreed.

 

But he's part of the talent deficit. Fix it.

Yeah the lack of a quick hook is what is most frustrating.

[drjim]

Why did call up 2 fresh arms again?

 

If you are going to use your other bullpen arms, why do you let Pressley dig an enormous hole before removing him? Let Breslow go that long?

 

And this isn't just about today. He doesn't have a lot of talent, agreed.

 

But he's part of the talent deficit. Fix it.

Protect against a short start. He let Pressly dig a hole because the alternatives were worse.

[old nurse]

 

I'm not blaming the lack of talent of the bullpen on Molitor, I have been saying all off season and season that it was a big time fail to not address it in anything resembling a meaningful way.

I don't think molitor does himself a lot of favors with the Pen though. I do think he can tend to overthink it, and doesn't have a quick enough hook at times.

If he thought less he wouldn't be thinking about pulling a reliever

 

[Broker]

We finally have a team that is winning games and is in first place. Rather than complain we should be happy about it. If the Twins derail there will be plenty of time to complain.

 

You just don't fire the manager of a first place team.

[Thrylos]

 

We finally have a team that is winning games and is in first place. Rather than complain we should be happy about it. If the Twins derail there will be plenty of time to complain.

 

One more loss and a Cleveland win and they will not be in first place...

[drjim]

One has to admire your loyalty to Moilitor drjim. Understand it? Perhaps not. But admire it, yes. I actually think he may be a better manager for today's game than Gardenhire was at the end of his run. He just isn't the right guy for this team. The Twins need a guy who is good with young, inexperienced players and one who can handle a bullpen. Those are Molitor's two biggest weaknesses. He's just not the right guy.

I'm not especially loyal. In general, I don't think a manager matters all that much, but I think these complaints are misguided. Molitor can only work with the talent he has.

[Twinsoholic]

I said this in another post. The Twins should have put Curtis on the 40 man roster and promoted him along with Resario or Melatakis. They are young. They are smoking hot and have a much better chance of helping this team close out games with the lead.

[Riverbrian]

Firing a first place manager would be sort of... unprecedented and doubly so when you consider that this team was projected to be amongst the worst in baseball. I don't think Falvey and Levine could explain that firing in job interviews when they are looking for new jobs after being fired from this job. 

 

I'm going to simply ask FalVine to get on the same page as the manager. If you are handing guys to Paul that he doesn't trust. What's the point... you might as well just add cardboard cutouts to the 25 man roster because they are just as useful. 

 

Paul just told the front office with his actions that I don't trust these guys you just sent me and with a 6 run lead he still didn't trust them. 

 

That is a statement that Paul just made by his actions and everyone should be able to hear it loud and clear. 

 

I was supportive of Vargas going down yesterday. After today... I am not because he was useful and sent down for someone that was not useful because they were not going to be used unless the team was down by 10 runs. 

 

Get on the same page 

 

I'm not upset about the loss... I've seen those type of losses before.

 

 I'm upset about the absolute pointlessness of the moves made. I lose faith in those in charge when that happens. 

[Riverbrian]

One other question. 

 

Usually when Buxton isn't in the lineup. Molitor puts Kepler in CF.

 

Why did he shift Rosario into CF today instead of Kepler when he usually puts Kepler in that position.  

 

I'm just curious... not trying to burn Paul at the stake for it. 

 

Just curious. 

[Thrylos]

 

One other question. 

 

Usually when Buxton isn't in the lineup. Molitor puts Kepler in CF.

 

Why did he shift Rosario into CF today instead of Kepler when he usually puts Kepler in that position.  

 

I'm just curious... not trying to burn Paul at the stake for it. 

 

Just curious. 

 

DickNBert said that he wanted "Rosario at CF because Adrianza was new at LF".

 

Laughable

[USAFChief]

I'm not especially loyal. In general, I don't think a manager matters all that much, but I think these complaints are misguided. Molitor can only work with the talent he has.

That's the point...hes not very good at working with the talent he has.

 

He was given 2 relievers today specifically so he didn't have to run out his worn out bullpen, except in emergency.

 

What does he do?

 

And then, when he decides to use it anyway, when it is clear to everyone, within 2 hitters, that Pressley doesn't have it, he waits until the game is in doubt, and then...THEN...makes a move.

 

Now the game is in doubt, and you HAVE to use your pen wisely.

 

So what does he Do? Breslow, with no RHer ready so that the opposing manager can PH Caddis, with no fear of a move by Molitor, because...nobody is warming.

 

Managers don't matter?

[Riverbrian]

 

DickNBert said that he wanted "Rosario at CF because Adrianza was new at LF".

 

Laughable

 

OK... We gotta send down one of the cardboard cutouts and call up an extra outfielder then.

 

Because with Vargas in Rochester... Grossman will do the majority of DH'ing and Paul doesn't trust Adrianaza to slot into the OF without over managing it.  

[Blake]

 

Question: The Twins were up by six runs left.  2 innings to finish.

 

Do you use:

 

a. the guy you called up today, is a starter, has a fresh arm and was slated to start today for Rochester

b. the guy who pitched 1-1/3 innings the day before, threw 25 pitches and has a 6.11 ERA

If you're Paul Molitor you go with option b.

 

What do I win?

[Blake]

 

OK... We gotta send down one of the cardboard cutouts and call up an extra outfielder then.

 

Because with Vargas in Rochester... Grossman will do the majority of DH'ing and Paul doesn't trust Adrianaza to slot into the OF without over managing it.  

This is the second time late in a game Molitor could have given up the DH in order to have better defenders in the outfield. Do you recall the game where Kepler was DH'ing and Grossman was in the outfield and misplayed a ball Kepler, more than likely, would have caught?

 

Today, Molitor could have again given up the DH, put Grossman in right, moved Kepler over and kept Rosario in left.

 

Twice this year, Molitor could have shown some innovation and instead, did the usual. I understand not giving up the DH early in the game, but late in the game when saving runs may be the difference between winning and losing? 

 

Yeah, it's outside the box thinking, but when staying inside the box is costing games, then, just perhaps, the manager needs to be a little more innovative. 

 

Edit:Obviously, I'm overlooking the dreadful use of the bullpen. That was uncalled for.

[DocBauer]

One other question. 

 

Usually when Buxton isn't in the lineup. Molitor puts Kepler in CF.

 

Why did he shift Rosario into CF today instead of Kepler when he usually puts Kepler in that position.  

 

I'm just curious... not trying to burn Paul at the stake for it. 

 

Just curious.

 

My opinion? It was less moving pieces. Unless you remove Grossman from DH, you shift Kepler to CF, move Rosario to RF, and you are just moving too many pieces all at once.

[Bark's Lounge]

I was not ware of Vargas' demotion. That's sad and a bunch of other things I will not mention.

 

The Twins would look like idiots and overtly reactionary if they fired Molitor now. This team is playing pretty good for the most part - way above expectations.

 

I see that RB said that before for the most part, but I just wanted to get my two cents in.