Article: Twins Fire General Manager Terry Ryan

[KGB]

I don't like the commitment to Molitor. It complicates the GM search.

 

Unless you were firing Molitor today, you have to say he coming back. Two months ago, they said Ryan's job was safe. If a new GM wants to make a change, I'm sure they will be allowed to make a change.

[Mr. Brooks]

Unless you were firing Molitor today, you have to say he coming back. Two months ago, they said Ryan's job was safe. If a new GM wants to make a change, I'm sure they will be allowed to make a change.

You don't have to say that.

 

"Molitor will be our manager through the remainder of this season. At this time, we think he is the right man for the job, but it really wouldn't be fair to speculate on how the new GM will evaluate our staff going into next year. "

 

What would have been wrong with that statement?

[tobi0040]

Unless you were firing Molitor today, you have to say he coming back. Two months ago, they said Ryan's job was safe. If a new GM wants to make a change, I'm sure they will be allowed to make a change.

I don't agree with that. You say I am going to hire the best GM we can and who coaches is up to them

 

Or you can hedge a little bit and say I would keep Molitor around but the new GM will have control over the entire staff

Edited July 18, 2016 by tobi0040

[Squirrel]

I don't agree with that. You say I am going to hire the best GM we can and who coaches is up to them

Or you can hedge a little bit and say I would keep Molitor around but the new GM will have control over the entire staff

I can see it both ways. We still have to get through 2016, lost season or not. I can see saying certain things to the public whether or not it's how it ends up.

[whydidnt]

Due to the timing of this I have to think Ryan was fired for his absolute inability to make deals. The Twins had major roster construction issues coming into the season and Ryan did nothing. The Twin's have been sellers for months, but Ryan hasn't moved one player. I think Ryan was always to worried about winning every trade value wise. In some situations close is good enough.

I imagine Pohlad walked into Ryan's office and asked what the plan until trade deadline was. Ryan-Just waiting for the phone to ring. Pohlad- You know what Terry. We'll just let the secretary answer it.

Except, I thought maybe he said "we just sent a fax to all the other teams telling them we were open for business!" Pohlad said "a Fax?" "yeah we have this new machine that can send a fax to every team at the same time, it's the greatest." To which Pohlad replied, "why not email?" Of course Ryan's reply: "Not the Twins way, don't trust all that new electronic stuff!"

 

Sorry this was all tounge in cheek. I just couldn't help myself.

[Mr. Brooks]

If it's so likely that Pohlads remarks regarding Mollie are purely lip service than who does it serve to even say them?

Are some suggesting that Molitor is so dense that we can spot empty rhetoric but he can't?

 

Pohlad may eventually change his mind regarding Molitor, but at this moment I think he believes what he said.

[Shaitan]

Nearly everything said at any press conference or press statement, ever, is lip service.

 

News doesn't happen at events scheduled by PR, it gets spun at them after it already happened.

[shs_59]

I've submitted my Resume to the Minnesota Twins.

 

Damn, too bad im probably tooooo late.

 

I would LOVE to be GM.

also i'm probably not qualified , if the Twins expect to build a winner, but I do think i'd be great as a member of the Front Office at the very least.

 

No doubt there.

[Deduno Abides]

By saying there are only so many of these jobs, you are already lowering your aim. The best and brightest minds are not going to feel like they can't pass up a job because there are only so many. The best and brightest are going to have multiple teams vying for their services. Guys like that are going to laugh at an owner choosing the manager. Shouldn't we be setting our sights on those guys, not just the guys who are going to take the first job offered?

If I'm a highly sought after potential GM, I'm not even considering a situation where I can't even choose my own manager.

Agree that top candidates will want to select their own manager, as well as analytics people, minor league coordinators and trainers, but we'll have to see what happens after the season to know if Molitor in 2017 is a rock solid commitment by Pohlad or just something he said to get through a tough day.

 

Most good candidates will take the call. If they feel they're going to have to follow orders on key baseball issues, they probably won't take a second call. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if most good candidates want St. Peter to be gone, also.

[Deduno Abides]

If it's so likely that Pohlads remarks regarding Mollie are purely lip service than who does it serve to even say them?

Are some suggesting that Molitor is so dense that we can spot empty rhetoric but he can't?

Pohlad may eventually change his mind regarding Molitor, but at this moment I think he believes what he said.

It's probably as much or more for the players than anyone else.

[Mr. Brooks]

It's probably as much or more for the players than anyone else.

So it's the players that are too stupid to recognize that it might be empty lip service?

[Mr. Brooks]

I also don't understand the argument that the players need to know their manager has job security in order to play their best.

If it's high school or college, sure, but aren't these guys supposed to be professional?

Is it that much to ask, in exchange for generational life changing money that they give their best effort every day, regardless of whether they know for sure their manager will be back next year?

 

And how many years is the cutoff?

Can they give their best effort without a guarantee that Mollie will be back in 2018? What about 2019?

How many years does the owner have to guarantee before the players can no longer concentrate?

[Deduno Abides]

So it's the players that are too stupid to recognize that it might be empty lip service?

Ok, I get it, you can't stand that Pohlad said Molitor is coming back. You may be right that it's bad for recruiting, the clubhouse and everything else. I don't think it's ruination, but time will tell.

Edited July 19, 2016 by Deduno Abides

[KGB]

So it's the players that are too stupid to recognize that it might be empty lip service?

 

No one is stupid, but when was the owners "vote of confidence" ever a guarantee they will not make a change. What benefit do you get for hanging out your Manager and having him now have to answer that question for the rest of the year.

 

It probably smart not to believe everything said at a press conference.

[Mr. Brooks]

Ok, I get it, you can't stand that Pohlad said Molitor is coming back. I don't think it's ruination, but time will tell.

Either he means what he said, which is bizarre and incompetent to the point that I don't believe this team has a snowballs chance in hell so long as he owns the team.

Or, it's purely lip service, to which I ask who does that serve?

If everyone knows that it's likely a hollow endorsement, then why even say it? Because if it's that obvious to people here, then surely Mollie and the players can figure that out as well, right?

 

I'm just asking someone to explain that part to me, that's all.

[Mr. Brooks]

No one is stupid, but when was the owners "vote of confidence" ever a guarantee they will not make a change. What benefit do you get for hanging out your Manager and having him now have to answer that question for the rest of the year. It probably smart not to believe everything said at a press conference.

I gave a sample statement earlier in the thread that wouldn't have left him hanging in the wind, while simultaneously not declaring in absolutes that the GM will not be allowed to replace him.

What would have been wrong with a statement like that?

 

And most of those hollow votes of confidence are vague, along the lines of, "at this point we are not considering a change."

Something like that leaves wiggle room to later make the change without completely contradicting their previous statement.

That is a whole lot different than flat out saying the new GM will not be allowed to replace him.

[Deduno Abides]

Either he means what he said, which is bizarre and incompetent to the point that I don't believe this team has a snowballs chance in hell so long as he owns the team.

Or, it's purely lip service, to which I ask who does that serve?

If everyone knows that it's likely a hollow endorsement, then why even say it? Because if it's that obvious to people here, then surely Mollie and the players can figure that out as well, right?

I'm just asking someone to explain that part to me, that's all.

Last try: Pohlad, like many leaders, thought it was necessary to say, so that the team has reason not to think their leader is a dead man walking. Maybe it's wrong, maybe it's right. Time will tell.

 

It's ok if you think it's wrong and you may be right. However, if you don't see the perspective of why it might be ok, that's on you.

[Mr. Brooks]

For the record, I'm not necessarily opposed to Mollie getting a chance at a 3rd season, although he wouldn't be my choice.

But, I want the new GM making that call, not the owner.

[ashbury]

I gave a sample statement earlier in the thread that wouldn't have left him hanging in the wind, while simultaneously not declaring in absolutes that the GM will not be allowed to replace him.

What would have been wrong with a statement like that?

http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-i-m-not-the-manager-because-i-m-always-right-but-i-m-always-right-because-i-m-the-manager-gene-mauch-61-47-25.jpg

 

There's nothing wrong with your statement, but it's no improvement over the original. When in doubt, keep the public message simple and direct. There are a lot of youngsters on the team, and clarity might make a small difference here and there, to help Molitor keep the clubhouse. For as long as he's the manager, he deserves this courtesy.

[Mr. Brooks]

Last try: Pohlad, like many leaders, thought it was necessary to say, so that the team has reason not to think their leader is a dead man walking. Maybe it's wrong, maybe it's right. Time will tell.

 

It's ok if you think it's wrong and you may be right. However, if you don't see the perspective of why it might be ok, that's on you.

I understand the general, vague "vote of confidence". I think it's pointless, because when everyone can see that its hollow, then it doesn't actually serve the purpose that it's supposed to.

 

But, there are a million different ways to phrase something like that while being vague enough to keep your options open.

Pohlad chose not to do that. He made an absolute statement. He left zero wiggle room.

 

He may well change his mind later, and I hope he does, but at this moment I really believe he meant what he said. I just don't think you use such absolute terms otherwise.

[Mr. Brooks]

http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-i-m-not-the-manager-because-i-m-always-right-but-i-m-always-right-because-i-m-the-manager-gene-mauch-61-47-25.jpg

 

There's nothing wrong with your statement, but it's no improvement over the original. When in doubt, keep the public message simple and direct. There are a lot of youngsters on the team, and clarity might make a small difference here and there, to help Molitor keep the clubhouse. For as long as he's the manager, he deserves this courtesy.

It's only no improvement if he actually means what he said. If he's lying, then it doesn't offer any clarity to the players, it only insults them by treating them like children.

[Deduno Abides]

I understand the general, vague "vote of confidence". I think it's pointless, because when everyone can see that its hollow, then it doesn't actually serve the purpose that it's supposed to.

But, there are a million different ways to phrase something like that while being vague enough to keep your options open.

Pohlad chose not to do that. He made an absolute statement. He left zero wiggle room.

He may well change his mind later, and I hope he does, but at this moment I really believe he meant what he said. I just don't think you use such absolute terms otherwise.

You should check out the thread about Molitor. You'll feel 10X stronger about some of your thoughts.

[operation mindcrime]

Will Dave St. Peter hire our next GM? If the answer is yes then why! He should've been fired today as well!

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I've submitted my Resume to the Minnesota Twins.

 

Damn, too bad im probably tooooo late.

 

I would LOVE to be GM.

also i'm probably not qualified , if the Twins expect to build a winner, but I do think i'd be great as a member of the Front Office at the very least.

 

No doubt there.

 

I'm still looking for the posting... not on MLB.com. 

 

Found this little site, but it's not there either.

 

I'm just curious how the job description reads.  New GM opening, must love Molitor. 

[Bark's Lounge]

I like Molitor because I am a St. Pauli Girl, but Jim Pohlad throwing down that gauntlet will not get us the most optimal GM or head of baseball operations.

[LaBombo]

 

Firing a GM midseason is a statement move.

 

If Rob Antony is GM on December 1st, I'll be shocked. Ownership doesn't can a GM who has been with the franchise for over 30 years (especially a loyalty-based team like the Twins) and then hire his hand-picked successor four months later.

 

Promise?

 

My interest in the Twins survived the Nishioka of middle infielders, but it may not survive the Nishioka of GM's.

[LaBombo]

 

The narrative about the Minnesota Twins front office being run as a "country club" took a hit today, as the organization shocked the baseball world by announcing the dismissal of general manager Terry Ryan.
 

 

It seems ironic to me that the article begins with a kind of admonishment to critics of Twins management on a day when Twins management was repudiated by the firing of the man orchestrating the whole affair.

 

But worse, and much more unfortunately, it seems factually incorrect to wave away 'the country club narrative' when it was more or less reaffirmed by the owner himself, who insisted that personal loyalty to Paul Molitor rather than the designs of a new GM would dictate who manned the helm of the 25 man roster in 2017.

[beckmt]

To me this looks like Pohlad picked Molitor over TR.  That would be a horrible decision.  Would not be surprised if TR wanted to fire Molitor and was fired instead.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

To me this looks like Pohlad picked Molitor over TR.  That would be a horrible decision.  Would not be surprised if TR wanted to fire Molitor and was fired instead.

 

This makes sense, to an extent, but given how loyal TR was to Gardy, I struggle picturing it... then again, you kind of wonder if there was some sort of rift between the two, particularly surrounding guys like Polanco and Meyer.

[Platoon]

It seems every inside tidbit ever written has given the impression that Molitor was Pohlads guy. Even back in the Gardy era, I remember It said Gardy didn't want him as a coach, and the next year it appears Molitor was forced on him. Something is missing in this story, and I wonder if we will ever know? Here's another pleasant thought. After JP read all those team media guides, and discovered that a lot of teams have baseball operations Presidents, and he looks back at his own success dealing with the media jackals, maybe he will have the new GM report directly to DSP! That way Scoggins can call Dave up late at night!