Article: Twins to Name Paul Molitor Manager

[Danchat]

For the people saying the coaching search was "a joke" or it was "fixed interviews"...

I sincerely doubt they would have flown to California to interview Lovullo as "a joke". The Twins clearly took a glimpse at some of the coaching options out there. They just ended up liking Molitor more than any of the other options.

 

I'm fine with Molitor as the manager, and I think Lovullo would have been just as good. I'm intrigued to see how things will work with a new leader in the clubhouse.

[twinscowboysbulls]

Congrats Molitor! I can't wait to watch him turn things around in a couple years time.

[Circus Boy]

No.  Molitor is an inside outsider.  Gardenhire would be an example of an outside insider.

 

Bellybuttons?

[jokin]

Ok... Molitor is the Manager.

 

Now let's put a team together for Molly to work with.

 

Ehh, unfortunately first comes the one or <shudder> two year Molly "honeymoon", I'd prefer to see the sense of urgency out of the front office heightened, not tempered-  please no more of the now all-too-familiar TR-patch-work^TM roster construction- with the wave of youth soon ready for significantly more production impact, for starters, sign some quality FAs who are proven leaders and restructure the role-player corps to include more guys with a lot more flexibility, option-wise.

[jokin]

Like this post if you would have been upset with a Joe Maddon or Dave Martinez hiring

 

Welllll-played, Sir!

[nicksaviking]

I don't think the process was a show, I think Ryan wanted to consider outside personalities, but he said early on that his preference was to hire internally.  The game wasn't exactly rigged, but it was likely heavily tilted in Molitor's favor.  I'm guessing the outside voice would have had to be head-and-shoulders better than the existing option.  Lovullo probably would have had to be an A+ and Molitor a B+ for this not to turn into an Occam's Razor situation.

Edited November 2, 2014 by nicksaviking

[beckmt]

Depends on who Molitor has for coaches.  That will be more important than his being named manager

[Thegrin]

After a year of Molly, with a losing record, pitching arms on the DL, clubhouse disharmony and open rebellions (<< my prediction) we will all look back with fondness on the Gardy years. 

[Kwak]

After a year of Molly, with a losing record, pitching arms on the DL, clubhouse disharmony and open rebellions (<< my prediction) we will all look back with fondness on the Gardy years. 

No, we would just say:  "Some things never change."  But we sure as shootin' won't be misty eyed about Gardenhire.

[GoGonzoJournal]

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.

[nicksaviking]

After a year of Molly, with a losing record, pitching arms on the DL, clubhouse disharmony and open rebellions (<< my prediction) we will all look back with fondness on the Gardy years. 

 

I'll look back fondly on the Gardy years anyway.  Until the last four years, it was a pretty good run.  I wanted a championship and I wanted change, but I still think Gardy was a fine representitive for this organization, even if I didn't think he always made the right decisions.

[tobi0040]

For the people saying the coaching search was "a joke" or it was "fixed interviews"...

I sincerely doubt they would have flown to California to interview Lovullo as "a joke". The Twins clearly took a glimpse at some of the coaching options out there. They just ended up liking Molitor more than any of the other options.

 

If Terry and Jim Pohlad knew before they fired Gardy that Molitor was going to be hired, do you think they would have hired him the same day? 

 

I seriously don't think they would have handed the job to an insider without flying guys in and interviewing them.

[nicksaviking]

I said above that the game wasn't exactly rigged, it was just that Molitor was possibly given an insurmountable advantage.  Jon Heyman has a good piece and while it's not the lede, he does cite a "former Twins person" who thinks the hiring process involved a canine and equine parade.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24779999/twins-choice-molitor-made-sense-for-the-twin-cities-team-all-along

 

Ryan, notoriously thorough, interviewed about 10 candidates even though others saw Molitor as the obvious call all along. While one former Twins person suggested the search seemed at times like a "dog and pony show" with Molitor the obvious call, and at least one other potential candidate suggested he believed Molitor was the strong favorite all along, the fact that there were multiple interview of multiple candidates suggest Ryan was just doing his homework, as usual.

 

I guess one of the other men being interviewed thought the same.  I hope it wasn't an internal candidate who had that view, though if the source is a "former Twins person" it's likely quite possible.

Edited November 3, 2014 by nicksaviking

[tobi0040]

I said above that the game wasn't exactly rigged, it was just that Molitor was possibly given an insurmountable advantage.  Jon Heyman has a good piece and while it's not the lede, he does cite a "former Twins person" who thinks the hiring process involved a canine and equine parade.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24779999/twins-choice-molitor-made-sense-for-the-twin-cities-team-all-along

 

Ryan, notoriously thorough, interviewed about 10 candidates even though others saw Molitor as the obvious call all along. While one former Twins person suggested the search seemed at times like a "dog and pony show" with Molitor the obvious call, and at least one other potential candidate suggested he believed Molitor was the strong favorite all along, the fact that there were multiple interview of multiple candidates suggest Ryan was just doing his homework, as usual.

 

I guess one of the other men being interviewed thought the same.  I hope it wasn't an internal candidate who had that view, though if the source is a "former Twins person" it's likely quite possible.

 

We can say this.  The guy that many thought would get the job got the job.  The guy who didn't get the job thought it was rigged.  Some writers, like some people on this site thought the process was a dog and pony show. These are facts.

 

I buy into that it was rigged and I also believe Terry would not have been allowed to hire Molitor on day one even if he wanted to.  That is speculation.

[brvama]

While Molitor was my second choice, I am very satisfied with his selection.  As far as being the odds-on favorite during this process should not come as a shock to anyone. He was well-known to Ryan and the Twins and thus he had a big advantage.  That is a huge for anyone looking to fill any position in life.  At the same time, the search doesn't become less important b/c of that.  While Molitor may have been the one, interviewing others was important.  It allowed Ryan to check out other candidates that they had some interest in and to see if they would be better, using Molitor as the standard; or, in this case, verify Molitor is the best of the lot in their opinion.  To some that may be a "show", to me that is due diligence.

[gmarais66]

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.

In case you missed it, the Twins do have an ace... His name is Phil Hughes. Here's how he ranked among American League starters in 2014:

 

Wins (4th)

WHIP (8th)

Strikeouts ( 7th)

Innings (5th)

 

He ranked much higher than many "ace" pitchers, whose names get thrown around on this forum. What more could he have done to reach "ace" status in your mind?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

 

He ranked much higher than many "ace" pitchers, whose names get thrown around on this forum. What more could he have done to reach "ace" status in your mind?

 

Win Games 1 and 5, and save Game 7 ?

 

j/k ; Phil Hughes is pretty darn good.

[DocBauer]

Let's just say Molitor was the odds on favorite since day one. The point is???

 

The Twins interviewed several candidates, and multi-interviewed some of them. This was all for public show and perception? Say what you will about the Twins way of doing things, but they've never been accused of being covert or disingenuous in how they do business. The fact that an odds on favorite ultimately won is the reason they were labeled the favorite to begin with.

 

And let's not forget we are talking about a successful, cerebral HOF player who not only made an imprint on the club last season, but has been given glowing reports from the very minor league players we are all aching to see turn the Twins franchise around for the next era of competitiveness.

[DocBauer]

As a side note, how about a great story line? Local boy plays at the local university, goes on to a HOF career and even spends time at the end of his career with the local baseball team. He then has a reportedly solid career as a scout and instructor for the home town team before becoming it's manager. Hollywood rejects scripts that are this tailored and neat.

[JB_Iowa]

 Hollywood rejects scripts that are this tailored and neat.

 

Mostly because they don't want the audience to yawn.

[Squirrel]

We can say this.  The guy that many thought would get the job got the job.  The guy who didn't get the job thought it was rigged.  Some writers, like some people on this site thought the process was a dog and pony show. These are facts.

 

I buy into that it was rigged and I also believe Terry would not have been allowed to hire Molitor on day one even if he wanted to.  That is speculation.

 

 

Because there was an internal candidate that was the odds on favourite doesn't make it 'rigged.'  Yes, it's obvious that it was Molitor's job to lose, or someone else's job to take it away from him, but it doesn't make it a 'dog and pony' show for those of us waiting and watching.  Nor does it make these perceptions, speculations or opinions fact.  If they absolutely knew they wanted to give him the job, they would have long before this.  I have been on plenty of auditions and witnessed many others, where there have been persons already acting in the open position, or internal candidates who have an advantage.  It is rarely handed to anyone and they still have to prove they are the best for the job.  Sometimes the internal candidate gets it, sometimes they don't.  But it still doesn't make it rigged.  

[tobi0040]

Because there was an internal candidate that was the odds on favourite doesn't make it 'rigged.'  Yes, it's obvious that it was Molitor's job to lose, or someone else's job to take it away from him, but it doesn't make it a 'dog and pony' show for those of us waiting and watching.  Nor does it make these perceptions, speculations or opinions fact.  If they absolutely knew they wanted to give him the job, they would have long before this.  I have been on plenty of auditions and witnessed many others, where there have been persons already acting in the open position, or internal candidates who have an advantage.  It is rarely handed to anyone and they still have to prove they are the best for the job.  Sometimes the internal candidate gets it, sometimes they don't.  But it still doesn't make it rigged.  

 

I can't prove it was rigged.  But the facts are many in the media and on these boards believe it to be the case.  I do as well.  But I thought I was clear in saying that part was speculation.

 

From a PR perspective, I have to disagree with this statement though:

 

"If they absolutely knew they wanted to give him the job, they would have long before this."

 

After 360+ losses in four years and season ticket holders not renewing in droves, I really think it would have been terrible optics for the Twins to just hand the job to an internal candidate without the appearance of externals having a shot. I think Dave St. Peter and Pohlad realize this.

Edited November 4, 2014 by tobi0040

[tobi0040]

On another note, in the Star Trib article announcing Molitor as the new coach, I was caught off-guard by the inclusion of drug use from 30 years ago....It seemed totally unneccesary to me and lacking class.

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/279631372.html

Edited November 4, 2014 by tobi0040

[Willihammer]

Seems like a pretty semantic distinction to me. Favoritism is not helpful to any process, like a personnel hire, where there are subjective judgments. Call it a dog and pony show or don't. If there is a "front runner" before the process even starts then it is by definition going to be unfair.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Willihammer

[ashbury]

If there is a "front runner" before the process even starts then it is by definition going to be unfair.

Except when the process is kept fair, and the front runner wins because whatever qualities that caused him to be the front runner end up being why he is picked.

 

I agree the decision maker needs to be on guard to keep the process fair.

[Mike Sixel]

Listening to much of the pressor........while they said their was a process, all the other answers to all the other questions made it sound to me like it was Molitor's job to lose all along. No idea if that was true, but that's how it sounded to me. 

 

It really, really, sounded like the good old boys club to me.

[Willihammer]

Except when the process is kept fair, and the front runner wins because whatever qualities that caused him to be the front runner end up being why he is picked.

That's been the debate all along - what made Molitor the front runner? It certainly wasn't prior managerial success, or many other objective measures. In fact Molitor would seem to be at a disadvantage in many of those respects.

 

On the GATG podcast, Bonnes tried to get McIntosh to answer the question "does being a good coach make for a good manager?" and McIntosh kind of skirted the question. That's really the $64,000 question nobody seems to have an answer for, and has lead some of us to conclude that maybe, Molitor's advantage isn't in his qualifications.