Article: Twins Targeting Rangers Assistant Levine For GM

[operation mindcrime]

Who is this team? Where are these competent decisions coming from? I'm so confused I had to go lie down to rest! \m/

[DocBauer]

At the end of the day, I for one don't know enough about Falvey or Levine to make an overly educated guess as to how good of hires they will ultimately turn out to be. But I have to say I am impressed by their resumes to this point, their past duties performed, the fact they are coming from teams that have been doing things right for the past few years, and the fact that each appears open-minded and young enough to remain as such. It appears to me as though the Twins FO is rather deliberately targeting youth and fresh ideas/thinkers, for which I am excited and grateful.

 

Though I am not surprised. Based on various comments made earlier in this past season from Ryan and Pohlad, I felt a change was coming. And I felt, again from Pohlad's comments, that the team was going to think and look outside the box for alternatives.

 

I don't expect overnight miracles, nor should anyone else, but I'm really anxious to see these two guys go to work! Though I suspect, other than a trade of Dozier, possibly Santana, and a small FA signing or two, I think their first real actions will be more behind the scenes and on the milb and scouting side of things.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

https://www.google.c.../?client=safari

 

Decent interview from a few years ago. Seems to be "lovable" and funny. States his primary role is contract specialist, but involved all over. Seems blunt and open, and even admired to using various baseball advanced baseball sites for any info they can use. My favorite take was how he and other FO use Twitter via alias names. Here's to him using one of our crazy opinions or ideas, and it working.

 

I can't even get a single 'like' for posting the link and some nuggets (above) from the interview in the other thread last night that most of this article is based off of;(   

 

Just teasing- great article, and thanks for all the great content this year.

[magiklair]

Awesome, now if we could just get rid of St. Peter and Molitor.. We'd be in an excellent position..

[Boom Boom]

So... Falvey is technically still with Cleveland. Who is it then who is targeting this guy?

[Brock Beauchamp]

So... Falvey is technically still with Cleveland. Who is it then who is targeting this guy?

I suspect it's Falvey. I doubt the assistant GM has a full docket during the playoffs.

 

And he may not even need to hold interviews. He'd been around the league long enough to likely know who he wants to target as his second in command.

[beckmt]

It will make an interesting time. Will not know for a few years how good they are. Terry Ryan was good at finding talent, development was another issue. Looking forward to the changes they bring to the field organization.

[bird]

Texas is interesting. As an organization, they probably are responsible for initially signing as many players now out there on various rosters as any organization in baseball. The fact that so many of them are on the rosters of other teams now instead of on their own invites questions.

[jimmer]

 

Texas is interesting. As an organization, they probably are responsible for initially signing as many players now out there on various rosters as any organization in baseball. The fact that so many of them are on the rosters of other teams now instead of on their own invites questions.

Not sure I follow that logic.  A team can only carry so many players and if you're right about so many former Texas players being on other teams, that would speak to their ability to discover and develop talent, which would be why teams would want those players to begin with.

[jimmer]

 

I suspect it's Falvey. I doubt the assistant GM has a full docket during the playoffs.

And he may not even need to hold interviews. He'd been around the league long enough to likely know who he wants to target as his second in command.

In regards to just selecting a person for one of the top jobs, does baseball have an equivalent to NFL's Rooney rule yet?

Edited October 27, 2016 by jimmer

[gil4]

 

Somebody give this guy a username for TD... We have better ideas than Twitter!

That was before they let Duensing walk. 

[gil4]

 

https://www.google.c.../?client=safari

 

Decent interview from a few years ago. Seems to be "lovable" and funny. States his primary role is contract specialist, but involved all over. Seems blunt and open, and even admired to using various baseball advanced baseball sites for any info they can use. My favorite take was how he and other FO use Twitter via alias names. Here's to him using one of our crazy opinions or ideas, and it working.

 

I can't even get a single 'like' for posting the link and some nuggets (above) from the interview in the other thread last night that most of this article is based off of;(   

 

Just teasing- great article, and thanks for all the great content this year.

Yes, that was a charity like I gave you (since you were groveling.) 

[Doomtints]

Levine looks like a good steal for the Twins along the lines of the Mike Zimmer steal by the Vikings.  He looks to me like he should have been a GM a long time ago.  

 

The Twins seem to be on the right path.  

[Han Joelo]

I haven't gotten past "Thad".  First Derek and now Thad.  They certainly sound like they can pull off the business casual dress shirt/no tie look, which means they can make analytics "cool," which is a good start, I guess.

 

I think the next step for these Ivy Leaguers is to start adopting classic, but over-the-top nicknames.  "Chomps" Levine sounds more like a guy who has a foot in both scouting and analytics.  For Falvey, I'll give a shout out to Jack Handey, and suggest the nickname "Wrong-Way Slurps."

 

https://youtu.be/wuIe8hehSbM

 

[nicksaviking]

 

In regards to just selecting a person for one of the top jobs, does baseball have an equivalent to NFL's Rooney rule yet?

 

Yes, you have to interview at least one non-Ivy League grad and you can't act snooty while doing it.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

In regards to just selecting a person for one of the top jobs, does baseball have an equivalent to NFL's Rooney rule yet?

I don't believe so.

[Mike Sixel]

No, Rooney rule, and not only do they have a race issue, they are building a class issue. Pretty much only Ivy League school types are getting jobs right now. 

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

Yes, that was a charity like I gave you (since you were groveling.)

Heeheee

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Falvey and Levine are both said to be people persons, but what if they don't get along with each other? And maybe Falvey's final words after accepting the Twins offer was "hire whoever else you want" which would kinda mean St. Peter is the actual PoBO, or maybe Cleveland suddenly reeled Falvey back in and Levine will be the new Twins PoBO? Intrigue!

[frightwig]

 

Texas is interesting. As an organization, they probably are responsible for initially signing as many players now out there on various rosters as any organization in baseball. The fact that so many of them are on the rosters of other teams now instead of on their own invites questions.

 

I might add that the Rangers lineup this year rated 9th in the AL by wRC+ and fWAR, and the pitching rated 14th by FIP/xFIP, 13th by fWAR. Last year they had similar marks, and in 2014 both their lineup and pitching rated last in the league by fWAR. This season, they managed to outpace their Pythag and BaseRuns records by 13 wins, thanks to good luck and, maybe, strong defense, but they're probably on their way down the ladder next year.

 

That said, they did win a couple of pennants while Levine was AGM under Jon Daniels; he's been part of an operation that nearly won it all, 5-6 years ago.

 

His bio at the Rangers' site says, "He assists General Manager Jon Daniels in all Major League Operations responsibilities, including player acquisitions, roster composition, contract negotiations, statistical and financial analyses and the day-to-day management of the baseball operations department." Most of his background appears to be in business administration and marketing--I would guess that his main responsibilities might continue to be in those areas. Negotiating contracts, managing day-to-day operations. Whether he has anything close to final authority, or even a lot of sway, in decisions about acquisitions and personnel, we may never know.

[bird]

 

Not sure I follow that logic.  A team can only carry so many players and if you're right about so many former Texas players being on other teams, that would speak to their ability to discover and develop talent, which would be why teams would want those players to begin with.

 

Yeah, I think it probably speaks to their ability to discover and develop talent. WIthout examining it in more detail, one would wonder if they didn't let some serious talent get away. In my quick glance through American League rosters, only Seattle has more forme players occupying spots on someone else's 40-man. At least Texas has stayed competitive, so maybe their track record on trades of these players isn't so bad, I don't know. It's just one thing I'd check out if I were hiring from within their org.

[Doomtints]

All I know is, if a management team can turn someone like Josh Hamilton around, don't hesitate to hire them.

 

The Rangers have made mistakes, yes.  We all have.  But unlike the Twins, they don't wallow in the muck that the mistakes made for years at a time.  The whole "oh that move was a mistake, so I'd better not make other moves ... maybe if we just wait another year that mistake will fix itself" is ridiculous and hopefully the Twins can retire that mindset forever.

Edited October 28, 2016 by Doomtints

[Craig Arko]

And the hiring of Levine as SVP/GM confirmed by the Twins this morning.

[Mike Sixel]

 

And the hiring of Levine as SVP/GM confirmed by the Twins this morning.

 

It will be good to see what happens, it was time for change. It should, at least, lead to some good theater.*

 

*I hope that doesn't sound cold, I know some people will lose jobs in this transition, and that sucks.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Mike Sixel