Article: What Do We Know About Derek Falvey?

[Nick Nelson]

We don't know exactly when the official announcement will come, but at this point we do know that Derek Falvey is going to be appointed as the new President of Baseball Operations for the Minnesota Twins.

 

What information can we gather about the 33-year-old Cleveland Indians assistant general manager?Falvey is a bit enigmatic. Information about him online is scarce, owing to his lack of a high profile in the game. Up until the news of his selection emerged on Monday, his name barely popped up on a Google search. He doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. I mean, come on, even Aaron Gleeman has a Wikipedia page!

 

However, this certainly isn't a random, out-of-nowhere hire for the Twins. There are plenty of signs that Falvey is a highly respected up-and-comer. Cleveland manager Terry Francona has called him a "rising star," praising his acumen and people skills while noting that he's a central figure in their operations. Jeff Passan, a national baseball columnist for Yahoo! Sports, noted a year ago that Falvey was "in the eyes of many, a future general manager."

 

With the help of search firm Korn Ferry, Jim Pohlad and Dave St. Peter have settled upon an extremely intriguing candidate for this crucially important role. We'll learn much more about Falvey's philosophies and perspectives once he's formally introduced, and becomes accessible to the media, but for now here are a few things we can conclude about the new top dog for the Twins.

 

He comes from an excellent front office culture.

 

The Cleveland front office has been a hotbed for baseball executives. Former longtime general manager Mark Shapiro was hired on as Blue Jays team president last year. He brought along Ross Atkins, who worked under him for 15 years with the Indians, to be his GM.

 

David Stearns, who once shared director of baseball operations duties with Falvey in Cleveland, went on to become assistant GM of the Astros and is now the youngest general manager in the game with Milwaukee.

 

It's not hard to see why teams are repeatedly tapping into Cleveland's executive pipeline when filling their own vacancies. This is a reputable franchise with an excellent track record. We all know about the reign of dominance in the late-90s, when they won the division five straight times and went to the World Series twice. But even since then, the Indians have consistently fielded competitive squads.

 

In 17 years since the turn of the century, Cleveland has won 80-plus games 11 times and reached the postseason four times, including 2007 when they came within a game of another World Series appearance. Over the last decade, they have boasted three different Cy Young winners (CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Corey Kluber). They have done all this while regularly ranking in the bottom third of the league in payroll.

 

The organization's recent ascent has been particularly impressive. After bottoming out with four consecutive sub-.500 finishes from 2009 through 2012, they have bounced back strong. They're wrapping up their fourth straight winning season and are heading to the playoffs with an elite (albeit injury-riddled) pitching staff, along with a premier young star in Francisco Lindor, a Rookie of the Year front-runner in Tyler Naquin and two 34-homer sluggers. They've accomplished all of this with virtually no contribution from hobbled Michael Brantley, who's arguably their best position player.

 

Falvey of course can't be credited with all this success, but he has held prominent administrative player development roles during their rebuilding process.

 

He's an ambitious fast riser.

 

Falvey joined the Indians organization as an intern back in 2007, and less than 10 years later he has risen to a chief executive position. That's insane.

 

Within four years of joining the organization, he was already assistant director of baseball operations, and it didn't take him long to drop the "assistant" tag. After last season, he became assistant general manager, and less than 365 days later he takes a massive leap to the top position in a front office.

 

It seems like Falvey was destined to reach this point eventually. The Twins savvily stepped in and grabbed him before anyone else could. The question is whether he's truly ready for everything his new title entails.

 

He's analytically inclined.

 

It probably goes without saying given his age and the era he came up in. But there are other indications that Falvey heavily factors analytics and advanced metrics. For instance, three years ago he was on a player development panel moderated by Rob Neyer at a SABR event. You can watch video of it below (helpfully dug up by TD user nytwinsfan):

 

 

The fact that Falvey was participating in this panel to begin with is telling, since SABR is a well known beacon of statistical analysis. In fact, this particular event is called the "SABR Analytics Conference." Its objective is to "bring together the top minds in the baseball analytics community to discuss, debate and share insightful ways to analyze and examine the great game of baseball."

 

During the Q&A session, Falvey comes off as very sharp and knowledgeable while fielding questions about defensive metrics, the scouting/analytics balance, developing power hitters, and many other subjects.

 

He knows pitching.

 

Falvey was a pitcher for Trinity College before graduating with an economics degree in 2005. He had a hand in many different aspects of Cleveland's operations, but arms were known to be his specialty. He is studious of mechanics and delivery. He oversaw an Indians pitching program that utilized many innovative methods such as weighted baseballs and high-tech pitching sleeves that transmit data via Bluetooth.

 

For a Twins team in desperate need of pitching improvement, this may be the most alluring component of Falvey's résumé.

 

He represents, basically, the most drastic change possible.

 

Terry Ryan was the second oldest GM in the game. He was a minor-league pitcher in the mid-70s who went on to gain decades of experience as a scout and exec. While he made some efforts to adapt to new trends in the game (often too late), his mindset was forever old-school.

 

Falvey now becomes baseball's second-youngest baseball ops chief. He never played in affiliated pro ball. He's a month older than Joe Mauer. Whatever attachment Ryan had to traditional conventions is not even a consideration in this case. Falvey is the definition of new-school.

 

In that respect, he's exactly what many fans wanted. I'll admit that I had my doubts about Pohlad and St. Peter executing this search, especially with some of their early comments about the approach. But from many different perspectives, Falvey looks like a creative, thoughtful and above all fitting choice for the task at hand.

 

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[nytwinsfan]

Awesome and informative article (as always), and thanks for the shoutout. That was very nice of you.

 

If there was one thing I took away from that video as well as other info about him, Falvey seems to be open to finding, using, and "merging" (his term) information from lots of different sources and he doesn't seem to follow any strict rules, limitations, or assumptions about what are and are not useful information and sources of information.  For him, scouting and analytics are not potential competitors, but rather compliments. I think that is a very healthy attitude given the constant flux and growth of data and information sources in the modern era.

 

I can't wait to get the Falvey era started!

[Monkeypaws]

Just what the doctor ordered and then some. Could be a transformative hire for the organization, as long as they let him do his job.

[Joe A. Preusser]

Old is always better. Our new POBO should be Sparky Anderson.

 

No one under 80! No one under 80!

 

Seriously though, it is quite an exciting time in Twins history. I am extremely optimistic.

[tobi0040]

Great article. Great hire

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

I'm very interested in the moves he makes for the rest of the FO and staff moving forward. I can see him not making a lot of changes in year one. Allowing him to stress his vision, philosophies, and preferences in every facet from low minors to majors. I think he'll give guys time to buy into him and allow them to get comfortable with more analysis, new ideas, and changes.

 

After the season he can then evaluate. If someone is bucking the system or isn't buying, whether it be Dougie M, a hitting coach, anyone in player development, Neil Allen, or Molly- bye. If they want to resist after time, they will be removed, but he will give everyone the opportunity to get on board, as well as learn to understand and use his analytics and ideas effectively. Those who get it and use it will stay and be rewarded. Those who resist it, or show contempt for it will be packing.

 

For all we know, Molly could be an excellent manger...if he's told properly and sternly when he will do what, and let him learn the why over time.

[beckmt]

I wanted McLeod, so this was disappointing. Hope it works, will take a wait and see attitude, hope this is not the one person outside the organization who would allow the restrictions placed on him.

[zchrz]

The more I see the more I love this hire.  Falvey is a massive change in approach for this organization.  Watching some of that SABR Conference its exciting to think of that approach to the Twins. 

 

I think there are some massive growing pains ahead, but the approach to those has just gotten a hell of  lot more modern and competitive. 

 

Kudos to Korn Ferry they helped bring modern baseball and basketball to Minnesota for organizations stuck in the past and behind the curve.

[clutterheart]

I hope he moves fast and cleans house before the winter meetings. 1st priority is to change the player development leadership, analytics and the scouting department. This can't wait as new minds need to make the choice for the #1 pick.

[Hyvuss]

Aaron Gleeman needs to get his Wikipedia page updated...

[Teddy]

I for one am very happy that Jim Polhad and Dave St. Peter went outside of their comfort zones with a fresh perspective. This is likely the seeds of a huge culture change within the organization, one that is welcomed and sorely needed. 

[HitInAPinch]

Derek Falvey does have a LinkIn account.  A not very interesting one, but it is there.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-falvey-46097917?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=WmkO&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A59134536%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1475073799840%2Ctas%3ADerek%20Falvey

[HitInAPinch]

 

I for one am very happy that Jim Polhad and Dave St. Peter went outside of their comfort zones with a fresh perspective. This is likely the seeds of a huge culture change within the organization, one that is welcomed and sorely needed. 

They hired Korn Ferry and got the advice needed to compete in the new MLB world.  Great move!

[Obsvr]

 

I hope he moves fast and cleans house before the winter meetings. 1st priority is to change the player development leadership, analytics and the scouting department. This can't wait as new minds need to make the choice for the #1 pick.

 

Might want to temper your your expectations a bit.  He's not going to come in and fire everybody.  Just because a sorely needed change at the top came, it doesn't mean there aren't people in the organization that can execute his vision.  I mean, who do you replace an entire scouting department with?  LOL.  

 

It's not like he's going to bring the entire scouting and analytics departments from Cleveland.  Maybe a couple of trusted people but don't expect firing en masse.

 

Three years from now the make up of the FO will probably be quite different than it is now, but to expect mass personnel changes immediately is wishful (and faulty) thinking.

[deanlambrecht]

I, too, was somewhat disappointed when the hire wasn't McLeod.   I liked McLeod based solely on pedigree, however, so I wasn't exactly hardcore bent on him.   Not knowing much about Falvey I was skeptical.   I worried that he was a kid who had been loyal to the Tribe and would perhaps be a Pohlad "yes man."  

 

That notion clearly had little basis in fact, and this write up makes me rather optimistic.   Thanks Nick, as always, for gathering the information required for Twins fans to make informed conclusions about the team and its' players and personnel.

[laloesch]

 

I hope he moves fast and cleans house before the winter meetings. 1st priority is to change the player development leadership, analytics and the scouting department. This can't wait as new minds need to make the choice for the #1 pick.

Agreed.  Next June's #1 pick is the most important for this team in over a decade.  Has to be the best starting pitcher available HAS TO BE!

[gocgo]

 

Agreed.  Next June's #1 pick is the most important for this team in over a decade.  Has to be the best starting pitcher available HAS TO BE!

A nobrainer for any organization with the #1 pick...now which pitcher is where it can get tough.

[big dog]

My first question for Mr. Falvey: what do you see in Paul Molitor that might convince you he can successfully manage this team?

[HitInAPinch]

 

My first question for Mr. Falvey: what do you see in Paul Molitor that might convince you he can successfully manage this team?

Earl Weaver couldn't have won with this team.  However, with Earl, it would have been more fun to watch     ;-)

[jimmer]

Earl Weaver couldn't have won with this team. However, with Earl, it would have been more fun to watch ;-)

we are quite a long way from being a competitive team. Going to take time to build this team right and fix all the issues in order to make this a true playoff contender. We shouldnt want a patchwork job done.

 

And yes, while its true not even the best manager would have made this team a contender, molitor couldnt manage this team to 60 wins this year.

[operation mindcrime]

Does anyone know when we're having a press conference for him?

[nicksaviking]

I'd like to hear more updates on this situation. I'd think that Falvey would have an idea who his GM would be, and I'd think we'd be hearing some rumors or ideas. I'm starting to fear all that's going to happen is Falcey is installed at the top and Anthony and company all stay.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I'm wondering if part of the wait is b/c they are going to announce them both with Falvey working through the candidates now... certainly wouldn't be unheard of, but I have to think that sooner than later this needs done as he's going to need time to work through offseason plans.

[Kwak]

If there's an old, grey-haired French woman knitting outside of 1 Twins Way come Monday, we will know that things are off to a "good start".

[nicksaviking]

I just would think that Falvey and Pohlad would have discussed a game plan already, I'd think that would be part of the interview process. It also seems extremely un-Twinslike to not let the current crew know if they are going to get axed. It seems hard to believe no one has let it slip by now that a bunch of them are getting fired.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I am assuming it would be poor form to make an announcement with Cleveland still alive in the postseason. There is plenty of business to take care of before then, the Twins want continuity, so at this point I'm also assuming Antony is the GM this offseason or through 2017. Not necessarily a bad thing but we'll see.

[Twins33]

Media also keeps suggesting that they are waiting to announce because of the Ryder Cup and Monday Vikings game. Saying the big news would get buried below those two in importance.

 

I'm not a golf fan at all but that doesn't surprise me as the Ryder Cup seems to be all everyone is talking about. Would assume that would have continued even if the Twins had announced it.

 

Sounds like announcement will come sometime next week.

[jimmer]

Probably won't announce until the Indians are out of the playoffs.