Article: No Experience Necessary?

[Nick Nelson]

When Doug Mientkiewicz emerged as an early contender for the Twins' managerial job, his lack of experience served both as a point against him and a point in his favor.

 

On the one hand, Mientkiewicz hadn't managed above Single-A, and had only been there for two years. That's not a lot of track record for a big-league skipper.

 

On the other hand, he had the advantage of being fresh, and not set in his ways. It is difficult for any long-timer to match the fire and ambition that burn within a guy who's just getting started.The Twins are looking to return to contention with a young roster, and there's an appeal to the dynamic where both players and manager are exploring new frontiers together. Growing together.

 

Ultimately the team decided to opt for more experience in choosing Paul Molitor who has been coaching for almost two decades, albeit never in the role he will now be filling.

 

Because Molitor is new to this particular gig, some expected that the front office would surround him with coaches who have been around for a while, but that's hardly been the case. Quite to the contrary, in fact.

 

The Twins wasted little time in announcing that they would retain Tom Brunansky as hitting coach. His experience is modest; he's been Minnesota's hitting coach for the last two years, after serving in the same role for a couple of seasons in the minors. Prior to that, he was coaching a high school baseball team.

 

Rudy Hernandez, tabbed as Bruno's assistant hitting coach, has only coached in the minors, and was promoted directly from rookie ball.

 

Neil Allen, who has reportedly been hired as pitching coach, was brought in from Tampa Bay's system. He has worked almost exclusively in the minors, with the exception of a year spent as the Yankees bullpen coach.

 

Eddie Guardado, who appears to be the choice for Twins bullpen coach, was playing up until 2009 and hasn't served in any official coaching capacity, though he has been an instructor in spring training.

 

Newly appointed third base coach Gene Glynn is the antithesis of this trend, as he has a considerable amount of experience coaching in the majors. He's logged more than a decade on big-league staffs, including stints as third base coach for the Rockies, Cubs and Giants.

 

Yet, Glynn hasn't been on an MLB coaching staff for nearly a decade. Following his departure from San Francisco, he spent six years as a scout for the Rays and has spent the last three managing in Rochester.

 

I like this mix that the Twins have found with their new coaching alignment. You've got several rising guys who are are getting their first real chance and will certainly be driven to excel. You've got a manager who is in some respects very experienced but is essentially a novice.

 

And then there's Glynn, who has put in almost 30 years as a coach, coordinator and scout, with a resume that lists six different organizations. He was a candidate for the Twins manager job and could become a hot name around the league if he takes part in a turnaround for the club.

 

Everyone tries to do well at their job, but there's inherently an extra level of motivation at play when trying to further one's own career and livelihood. I think it's harsh to suggest that Ron Gardenhire and his coaches were "mailing it in" in recent years, but did they grow too comfortable? Was the same drive there as in Gardy's early years, when he led youthful rosters to several postseason appearances as a fresh big-league manager?

 

That is apparently what the Twins are trying to recapture with this restructured group -- a hunger that starts at the top and is infectious toward young incoming players -- and all the appointees thus far seem to fit in that regard.

 

Click here to view the article

[Seth Stohs]

I agree. I'm encouraged by this staff. It's exciting. Two more roles to fill, assuming the reports are true on Guardado and Allen, and I'm very curious how those two go. I definitely like the mix. Brunansky has earned the right to stick around. Allen has put in his time elsewhere. Hernandez has definitely put in his time. Glynn's background is so intriguing. Bullpen coach isn't one that I'm worried about any sort of history, so I like what Guardado can bring. First base coach is similar for me. Bench Coach is just going to be an assistant. I don't see any real background criteria for either of those two jobs.

 

That said, it would be good to have someone who knows how to work with catchers. It may also be good to have an "infield" coach or an "outfield" coach. I don't know who they would be... It makes the return of Steinbach make a lot of sense. 

[Badsmerf]

Have any coaches during Gardy's tenure go on to have success in other organizations? Nobody jumps at me. That is telling, IMO. If you're a manager for a club that wins a bunch of division tittles and no other organization lures coaches away.... ain't good. 

[Seth Stohs]

Not sure... when they let Al Newman go, he went to somewhere (DBacks?) for a bit, I believe.

 

Hard to really say that. When they let guys go 2-3 years ago, they were pretty much all ready to retire. Also, coaching is such a fraternity, so you will see guys picked for relationships as opposed to history.

[h2oface]

Have any coaches during Gardy's tenure go on to have success in other organizations? Nobody jumps at me. That is telling, IMO. If you're a manager for a club that wins a bunch of division tittles and no other organization lures coaches away.... ain't good. 

I can't think of any coaches under Gardenhire going on to have success in other organizations, either.  If I can't think of one off the top of my head, it doesn't seem worth looking it up.  Apparently, the Twins Way is only the Twins Way, and not something like the west coast offense.

[h2oface]

With the Rangers now being reported by MLBTradeRumors to be the high bidder on Yang, I don't know that Guardado "appears to be the choice for Twins bullpen coach" and Allen "who has reportedly been hired as pitching coach" is worth even reading about yet. It seems people want to give us a scoop, regardless of whether it is really actually true or not yet.

[jokin]

 

Yet, Glynn hasn't been on an MLB coaching staff for nearly a decade. Following his departure from San Francisco, he spent six years as a scout for the Rays and has spent the last two managing in Rochester.

 

 

 

 

Gene Glynn has had the Red Wings gig for the last three seasons, 2012-14.

[jokin]

With the Rangers now being reported by MLBTradeRumors to be the high bidder on Yang, I don't know that Guardado "appears to be the choice for Twins bullpen coach" and Allen "who has reportedly been hired as pitching coach" is worth even reading about yet. It seems people want to give us a scoop, regardless of whether it is really actually true or not yet.

 

To be fair, Berardino is defending himself on Twitter by claiming he had two sources, one apparently might have been either the manager or coach of the KIA team (they and the team trained in Ft Myers with the Twins in ST).  And he's had a pretty good record up until now.  It also does sound a little like the KBO plays a little fast and loose with their bidding rules.

[Nick Nelson]

Gene Glynn has had the Red Wings gig for the last three seasons, 2012-14.

 

Whoops, thanks. Fixed.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Ultimately the team decided to opt for more experience in choosing Paul Molitor who has been coaching at the major league level for almost two decades, albeit never in the role he will now be filling.

I think Molitor's major league coaching experience is far less than 2 decades -- more like 5 years? He was minor league baserunning coach for 9 seasons there...

[Otto von Ballpark]

With the Rangers now being reported by MLBTradeRumors to be the high bidder on Yang, I don't know that Guardado "appears to be the choice for Twins bullpen coach" and Allen "who has reportedly been hired as pitching coach" is worth even reading about yet. It seems people want to give us a scoop, regardless of whether it is really actually true or not yet.

The situations are very different. One decision is being made by complete strangers behind closed doors in a foreign language and a foreign country. The other decision is coming from known associates and has been closely monitored and reported right here in Minneapolis.

 

The fact that the pitching coach job has been reported for a few days as down to 2 finalists, and now one of them is out of the running, makes it pretty clear, I think. If either of those prior reports was egregiously wrong, I think there would have been a correction by now.

 

The Yang situation, on the other hand, has no prior reports and nobody interested or available to set the record straight.

[Brock Beauchamp]

The Twins haven't gone with every coach I'd pick first but what the hell do I know anyway. I can read a Wiki page and blurbs from each candidate but I don't really know the habits and strengths of any of these guys.

 

With that said, to a man - excepting Guardado, who I know nothing about past his playing days - the Twins have chosen a candidate who was on my radar as a possibility for each position. I'm very satisfied with how the coaching selections have gone down thus far (assuming the Allen report is accurate).

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins haven't gone with every coach I'd pick first but what the hell do I know anyway. I can read a Wiki page and blurbs from each candidate but I don't really know the habits and strengths of any of these guys.

 

With that said, to a man - excepting Guardado, who I know nothing about past his playing days - the Twins have chosen a candidate who was on my radar as a possibility for each position. I'm very satisfied with how the coaching selections have gone down thus far (assuming the Allen report is accurate).

 

I'm with  you... It's like with the Torey Lovullo thing... was he a strong choice? Certainly, but is he better than Molitor for the Twins right now? I don't know. None of us does. I do know that Molitor is a strong choice too.

 

As for the other coaches, I have zero problem with any of them. Were there other candidates? Of course. Is there some guy somewhere who might have been better? Probably, somewhere. But, these are all good choices. 

[Steven Buhr]

While I'm not at all concerned with who they name 1B coach (assume it will be someone inside the org, with abilities to coach specific positions), the bench coach position is something I'm much more interested in seeing where they go.

 

I'd like to see someone with MLB managerial experience in this position. It's essentially an "assistant head coach" position and, while there's a ton of baseball coaching experience among the already-named (or rumored) coaches, there is absolutely no big league managing experience. I'd feel more comfortable if one guy on staff has been there, since the manager has not.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I like the idea of the Twins hiring a coaching staff that is not bound by conventional wisdom. Maybe a big group of rookies can break out of the confines that might otherwise hold this team back.

[joefish]

This certainly sounds and looks like a whole lotta hope, Not a lot of confidence in the choices. I don't dislike them, but that doesn't mean they will do well. It seems like they are writing a script for a really nice cinderella story. Or the clock will strike twelve and we will be beggars and cellar dwellers again next year. I hope WITH them. 

Go T'ins.

[nicksaviking]

I don't get the impression that Molitor is the type of guy who needs his hand held by a "mentor" type guy.  He seems more like the kind of guy who would cut off said hand with a lightsaber and confidently tell the other guy, "No, I am YOUR father!"

 

I for one have no problems with a novice (sort of) coaching staff.  I would be just fine if there wasn't someone always telling the rest how things need to be done because that's how they've always been done. 

[dxpavelka]

With the Rangers now being reported by MLBTradeRumors to be the high bidder on Yang, I don't know that Guardado "appears to be the choice for Twins bullpen coach" and Allen "who has reportedly been hired as pitching coach" is worth even reading about yet. It seems people want to give us a scoop, regardless of whether it is really actually true or not yet.

This has pretty much been the standard in "reporting" since the advent of the internet.  Guys constantly report stuff that may or may not be factual because they don't want to be the guy who got scooped by someone else.  "Brett Favre is going to retire."  "Brett Favre is going to not retire."  "Percy Harvin wants to be traded."  "Vikings management wants to get rid of AP."  "Vikings management wants to not get rid of AP."  "Tim Tebow this."  "Tim Tebow that."  Aaron Hernandez may or may not have murdered someone."

  Sound familier?

[GoGonzoJournal]

I think if they wanted to change the culture, the entire front office should have been fired and replaced with recent Ivy League graduates with degrees in statistics.

[dgwills]

I think if they wanted to change the culture, the entire front office should have been fired and replaced with recent Ivy League graduates with degrees in statistics.

I also prefer smart people in management, but this has not worked out for the Houston Lastros yet. I think you need to have some balance. Time will tell of course.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Have any coaches during Gardy's tenure go on to have success in other organizations? Nobody jumps at me. That is telling, IMO. If you're a manager for a club that wins a bunch of division tittles and no other organization lures coaches away.... ain't good. 

 

I am going to agree with you, but I think baseball is more of a family/fraternity type of job (nor am I going to look it up like h2o) where in baseball you don't see coaches constantly coming and going. Football would be a completely different matter, shorter seasons, stronger personalities, higher stress, more specialization, more turnover, more money, etc. Where a Denny Green football coaching tree looks pretty damn impressive, if you ask me.

[Kelly Vance]

Saying someone who has played in literally thousands of games lacks expeirence is less than dumb

[twinsnorth49]

Saying someone who has played in literally thousands of games lacks expeirence is less than dumb

Ok, let's not get off track here , saying opinions are dumb is not good cricket........especially when you don't spell check.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Saying someone who has played in literally thousands of games lacks expeirence is less thhan dumb

why? What makes playing a game for a long time necessarily a trait of an experienced coach. Doesn't coaching make someone an experienced coach? Is coaching equal to managing? I don't know, but because pitching coaches rarely make good managers, I would assume an experienced coach may or may not make a good manager. Edited November 25, 2014 by Sconnie

[The Wise One]

Saying someone who has played in literally thousands of games lacks expeirence is less than dumb

Depends on how the payer played the game.  Not evey player is going to be cerebral, nor pay atention to what other positions do. There have been a few outfieldes here that have not lived up to their draft position that I would doubt they unerstand metrics, infield play, or pitching (besides swing and miss)

[The Wise One]

why? What makes playing a game for a long time necessarily a trait of an experienced coach. Doesn't coaching make someone an experienced coach? Is coaching equal to managing? I don't know, but because pitching coaches rarely make good managers, I would assume an experienced coach may or may not make a good manager.

The last pitching coach turned manager in Minnesota the problem was personality more than knowledge. Farell was a pitching coach. Does a retty good job. Perhaps the makeup of a good pitching coach is different than whatit takes to manage

[Brock Beauchamp]

I think if they wanted to change the culture, the entire front office should have been fired and replaced with recent Ivy League graduates with degrees in statistics.

There are plenty of teams that have gone stat-heavy and had mixed results. It's not an automatic path to a championship.

 

There's plenty of room in this game for old-fashioned scouts and baseball people. The two should complement each other, not be at odds.