Article: Grading Molitor's Early Returns

[Ted Schwerzler]

At the halfway point of the 2015 major league baseball season, it's clear that things have been notably different with Paul Molitor at the helm. Ron Gardenhire was given a tough deck of cards to play with the past few years, but Molitor has innovated early, and it's been a welcome addition to the organization.

 

After being named the next Twins skipper, many suggested that Minnesota was once again going with the easy, internal option. Sticking to the "Twins Way," choosing Molitor would allow Ryan to continue many of the same practices he had always had. While some candidates were considered from outside of the organization, it was always believed to be Paul's spot to lose. So far, it has been absolutely the right choice.Early in spring training, and even through a tough couple of weeks to begin the season, Molitor began to put his stamp on this team. Shuffling the lineup to put it in a position to best succeed, handling pitchers in a different manner, and squeezing what he could out of a team that was no doubt over-performing, the Twins were better with their new manager.

While as a whole things have been different under Molitor, there have been a few very welcome moments that have especially stuck out in the early going. Often in years past, Glen Perkins was not used in key situations . As the best reliever on the team, Molitor has put Perkins on the mound in non-save situations as well as four-out work. To this point, it's led to a major league-leading 23 straight saves, 100% conversion, and a 1.48 ERA.

 

Outside of the bullpen, Molitor also flashed some new age thinking while the Twins traveled to St. Louis for an interleague series this season. Batting the pitcher in the eighth spot, something only Joe Maddon had recently done, Molitor created a run in game one against the Cardinals. Although it doesn't always work out the way you draw it up, it was Molitor's innovation that led to the Twins being in a position to benefit.

The club has shifted often this season, being right around the middle of the major league pack in doing so. Aggressiveness on the basepaths has seemed heightened as well, with more runners being sent home in an effort to squeeze out extra runs.

 

Although there has been a significant amount of good, Molitor has also been less open to change in some respects, and that should be noted as well.

With lineup innovation being one of the most notable changes early on in his tenure, Molitor has also showed a hesitancy when it comes to moving around his big names. Joe Mauer continues to bat third most nights for the Twins, despite struggling to offer production in the role. Hitting .413/.524/.540 with runners in scoring position, Mauer is a black hole in every other situation (.184/.221/.279), profiling more like a six or seven hitter. Molitor, to the detriment of his offense, has yet to make that switch.

 

When it comes to the lineup and defensive construction, Molitor has also made some curious decisions. As recently as the series with the Chicago Cubs, the Twins skipper forced Eduardo Escobar's bat (slashing .242/.267/.368) into the lineup by playing him in left field. Making routine catches circus-like, the infielder is generally out of position and takes poor routes to the ball. With Shane Robinson as the fourth outfielder, Molitor would be best served to leave either Eduardo Nunez or Escobar on the bench when he is not playing shortstop.

However, as a whole, there has been far more positive than negative, and you'd be hard pressed to make the argument that much of the surprise this season isn't due to Molitor's style. The Twins manager has squeezed wins and production from places otherwise not tapped into, and Minnesota has been an early season surprise because of it. As this team grows and continues to improve going forward, Molitor being at the helm should be a big boost.

 

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[JaleelWhite FanClub]

Great point on Mauer's batting position. Although going by the "if not him, than who" argument, I don't think he should drop to 6th or 7th. I've been thinking for three years now Mauer is an ideal #2 guy. With Buxton leading off (one game , I know, but that success should at least warrant an extended stay there), Mauer needs to bat second and let Dozier hit in the 3-hole.

[dbminn]

Fine article. Not mentioned are a few points I consider key parts of Molitor's success:

 

Teaching situational awareness (base running, hitting the cutoff man, shifting, etc) as much as implementing the system.

 

Raising young players' confidence. In just the past week, Molitor has sat down with Vargas and told him not to worry about getting sent down. He also moved Buxton to leadoff even as Buxton looked overmatched in his first eight games. I don't think Gardenhire would've done the same.  

 

Hiring a fine pitching coach. Neil Allen has stressed the development and use of off-speed pitches. As with Molitor, Allen seems to be a teacher as much as a coach.

 

 

[Dantes929]

I don't think Molitor makes as much difference as many people think though I do think he is doing a fine job. Gardy needed to go because he was definitely getting stale but managers in general are overrated IMO.  

  The guy I believe has more influence is Chad Allen.   Biggest difference between this year and the prior 4 is not the use of the bullpen, or the offense.  It is the starting rotation.   Now maybe Allen doesn't deserve full credit for that either since Pelfrey and Gibson have benefited from health they haven't had in the past but it is the rotation that has made the difference so far.  Does Molitor get credit for that or is it Ryan?

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Batting the pitcher in the eighth spot, something only Joe Maddon had recently done,

According to this, the Mets, Diamondbacks, and Rockies also did it in the early goings this season:

 

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/More-teams-experiment-with-batting-pitcher-8th-6227286.php

 

But yeah, Maddon has taken it to the next level for the Cubs.

 

Molitor didn't bat the pitcher 8th in Pittsburgh last month, so I wonder if it was primarily about batting Buxton ninth.  Will be interesting to see our next lineup in an NL park.

[jmlease1]

Molitor is showing some creativity and that's good. I think his instincts are to be a little more aggressive than Gardy, and he's a little less rigid in his use of players. It would be good for TR to give him a little more flexibility on the roster with a smaller pitching staff. Let's be honest: there's no real reason for us to carry 12 pitchers, let alone 13.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Teaching situational awareness (base running, hitting the cutoff man, shifting, etc) as much as implementing the system.

 

Raising young players' confidence. In just the past week, Molitor has sat down with Vargas and told him not to worry about getting sent down. He also moved Buxton to leadoff even as Buxton looked overmatched in his first eight games. I don't think Gardenhire would've done the same.  

 

Hiring a fine pitching coach. Neil Allen has stressed the development and use of off-speed pitches. As with Molitor, Allen seems to be a teacher as much as a coach.

Hard to say about Gardenhire.  I don't think he had many good young players (or good players, period) to work with from 2011-2014.

 

The pitching coach is a definitely a stronger factor.

[DocBauer]

Very frustrated and disappointed in Mauer as well. And while I am not playing the "then who else" mantra for the 3 hole, I do have to take issue with the reference to the detriment of the team comment. Its easy to say he has shortened innings by failing/flailing when there is nobody on base...but...you also have to weigh that against the way he has hit and producedbruns when there is someone on base. In other words, 2 rights make up for 1 wrong. More or less.

[JB_Iowa]

 

 

  The guy I believe has more influence is Chad Allen.   Biggest difference between this year and the prior 4 is not the use of the bullpen, or the offense.  It is the starting rotation.   N

 

Repeat to ourselves:  Neil Allen, Neil Allen, Neil Allen

 

The other day I referred to Rick Allen in a game thread.  I really meant Rick Anderson.

 

As far as I know, Chad Allen is still the hitting coach in Chattanooga.

[Halsey Hall]

Chad Allen hasn't helped our pitchers much.  

[DocBauer]

Repeat to ourselves:  Neil Allen, Neil Allen, Neil Allen

 

The other day I referred to Rick Allen in a game thread.  I really meant Rick Anderson.

 

As far as I know, Chad Allen is still the hitting coach in Chattanooga.

 

Ahhh...Rick Allen.....the greatest 1-armed drummer in the history of Rock-N-Roll.

[DocBauer]

Maybe it's just the new uniforms with the Klondike gold trim. Which I like a lot! (And I will continue to say Klondike gold because it's cool, it's fun, and I can't remember what in the hell the Twins tried to name it)

 

I don't just like the results, I like what Molly and his staff have done overall. Ryan, Molly, everyone in the organization present and past, have always been very good and very coy in regard to the truth/reality of certain situations. I don't mean they lie! Being coy and overly optimistic while dusting over bad stuff isn't exactly lieing. For instance, the inexcuseable way CF was handled this past offseason..."fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. TRY to fool you a third time, I should be looking for an island somewhere." But Arcia in left, Someguyinatwinsmluniform in CF, and Hunter in RF with his walker...(seeing eye dogs still not allowed on the field due to MLB policy and the fact that they could potentially catch and throw better than the player assigned to)..has given way to...

 

Now, and for a while, we have Molly favorite Rosario playing LF & RF daily. (Isn't it cool as hell to have a HOF player as manager who knows your milb talent as well as anyone recognizing someone as a favorite?) Robinson has performed WAY above what was expected, Hicks came up to play and provide a lift, and now Buxton is up. Now, this isn't all Molitor moves at all! But really, really awful offensive production and defensive play has been ushered aside one way or another to suddenly provide actual good offensive and defensive play....without fanfare.

 

Offense stinks. Nobody is thrown under the bus, (NOT saying the previous staff would), but tweaks are made and they work. SP needs juggling....and it works.

 

If you think about the past 4 seasons, all the changes, attempts both pro and con to change things, talent on the way up, talent not yet arrived, expectations had the Twins fighting and clinging to a life preserver for a chance to NOT finish last in the ALC, and not last in all of baseball. Hey, top 5 draft picks are kinda neat...but sooner or later we wanna talk about winning and not prospects.

 

Molitor and his half staff...half new, half old, more or less...has this team competing and in contention.

 

They juggle the lineup. They juggle the rotation. Their hitting and pitching coach actually make both better. OK reality check. It's also health, and the players themselves. But in regard to the rotation, what I have seen and heard, Allen has done nothing wrong and everything right. Love to blame the bullpen on him, but can't. I'm not sure I can agree with Vargas being sent down when he was showing life. But he performed in Rochester, came up, got a pep talk from his manager, went out and had the best day of his young career, and is hopefully poised to stay. Not as sure about Santana, but we shall see.

 

The team hits a really tough spot in the schedule against top teams and mostly top pitchers. The team plays well, even though they have a losing record. Fans panic. Twins are still above .500. The sky has not fallen. The Twins are actually still a quality team in the thick of things with a chance.

 

Reports have the team happy and energized. The rotation is the best it's been in years. We are winning, competitive, and in competition for an actual playoff spot. Kids are, mostly, getting shots. Nobody is being tossed aside. This team is fun and exciting.

 

I could argue the bullpen, and probably win. I could argue what seems to be an inordinate number of base runners being picked off, and possibly win. Molitor would argue young players, lack of experience, some bad calls, buy the next round, and maybe win. We'll call it even.

 

Which means....keep doing what you are doing because it is working. Fix the bullpen where, if, and when you can. Keep the spirits up for everyone, especially the kids, and keep nurturing them. It seems to be working. Tell Ryan not to overthink everything. I think we're a year ahead of schedule for competitiveness record and playoff wise.

 

Keep this up, make and nurture a few more moves in the second half, and you may have a real challenger next year.

 

Or maybe it's just tequila and the new Klondike gold trimmed uniforms.

[jorgenswest]

Very thoughtful about line up. Makes pretty good use with the roster he is given. I don't like the use of Escobar in LF or Nunez at SS but that is more on Arcia and Santana than Molitor. If they had played as expected, Nunez and Escobar wouldn't be exposed. I don't think I would use Nunez at SS with Pelfrey or Gibson and their ground ball tendencies though.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Maybe it's just the new uniforms with the Klondike gold trim. Which I like a lot! (And I will continue to say Klondike gold because it's cool, it's fun, and I can't remember what in the hell the Twins tried to name it)

It's Kasota gold---it's obvious you're not one of us

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasota_limestone

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

It's odd that Buxton has been thrown out on 2 of 3 of his steal attempts. You'd think that on speed alone he'd get down there. Or that the coaching staff would have a better guess on which pitches to send him or whether he's comfortable enough getting good jumps yet. Probably not. Heck maybe he should just take off the moment the pitcher flinches and if it turns out to be a pick off move to first, make the first baseman rush the throw down to second. Guys a lot slower than Buxton have occasionally stolen second on the pickoff move.

 

Which gets back to the point that guys batting with Buxton on base figure to see more fastballs. Buxton got caught tonight on a called strike when the game was still close and it took the bat out of Rosario's hands. Of course, the way the bullpen is going, it probably didn't matter in this game.

[Dantes929]

 

It's odd that Buxton has been thrown out on 2 of 3 of his steal attempts. You'd think that on speed alone he'd get down there. Or that the coaching staff would have a better guess on which pitches to send him or whether he's comfortable enough getting good jumps yet. Probably not. Heck maybe he should just take off the moment the pitcher flinches and if it turns out to be a pick off move to first, make the first baseman rush the throw down to second. Guys a lot slower than Buxton have occasionally stolen second on the pickoff move.

Which gets back to the point that guys batting with Buxton on base figure to see more fastballs. Buxton got caught tonight on a called strike when the game was still close and it took the bat out of Rosario's hands. Of course, the way the bullpen is going, it probably didn't matter in this game.

I was at the game and was surprised it was a strike.  It looked like a pitch out to me but either way it was a good pitch for the catcher.    I knew he was going that pitch and figured they did also.   he did not get a good jump.

[Dantes929]

 

Repeat to ourselves:  Neil Allen, Neil Allen, Neil Allen

 

The other day I referred to Rick Allen in a game thread.  I really meant Rick Anderson.

 

As far as I know, Chad Allen is still the hitting coach in Chattanooga.

Lol,  I have no idea why I keep making that mistake.    Blind spot in the brain.