The New “Twins Way” Embraces the Gray Areas

[Nate Palmer]

The Minnesota Twins used to be marked by the "Twins Way" and a very prescribed way of developing major league players. In recent years, we have seen the shift in philosophy where the team is now much more focused on finding the right, individual process for each player to help him succeed. This spring has brought forth several examples of that process in action.As the Minnesota Twins have moved into Fort Myers and gotten well on their way with spring training in preparation for the 2020 season, we have begun to hear some great insights on how players' offseasons have gone. What has caught my eye in the last week are all the stories on how so many Twins pitchers have been preparing for the season and how the Twins are encouraging their personal growth.

 

One thing stands out in each story. Each pitcher is being coached to try to find his best individual approach. A team that just a decade ago was known for the “Twins Way” of playing has in the new regime fully embraced an approach where they don’t want a specific best type of player. Instead they are trying to make the best of whatever types of players they have on their roster.

 

That isn’t to say there are not some traits this front office targets, but long gone are the days of a prescribed method on how to bring them up. Long gone are the horror stories of batting stances and approaches that encourage simply hitting the ball the other way. Long gone are the days of the dreaded “pitch to contact” conversations.

 

With the new approach there is a strong willingness to experiment and find the little things to put a player in a position to improve and succeed. Aaron Gleeman highlighted Trevor May speaking to that approach as he described his transition from starter to back-end reliever. The biggest change he made was to move away from his curveball as his primary breaking ball and embrace his slider more.

 

A change of a grip, plus confirmation from the technology the Twins have implemented, and May was on his way to an improved approach. Taylor Rogers recently spoke to the Twins' new way of helping players improve and joked that the Twins may have more technology than the military.

 

Here is more from that interview where he highlights all the approaches the Twins are using with that technology. With a high emphasis early in the clip on individualizing the process.

 

 

Another interesting read over at FanGraphs focused on how Zack Littell has really developed and used two sliders in his approach as a reliever. What I found great about this is that there is no cookie-cutter way of how Littell can employ his sliders. It is a feel thing and a reading of specific situations.

 

There is clearly a thought process on how to decide what to use but the prescription is not readily available to everyone. In fact, only Littell knows exactly which slider he will throw when the catcher puts down the sign. Of course, technology and personal conversations with pitching coach Wes Johnson were part of Littell’s journey to using two sliders.

 

As humans we are much more comfortable living in black and white ways of living. That way is predictable and much easier to follow. The old “Twins Way” thrived on a “this is the way to do it” mentality it seemed a majority of the time. Now the Twins embrace the gray area in order to find what is best for each individual.

 

Because of that approach we have already seen many break-out performances from Twins players. It can also help us have faith that those players can continue to grow and perform and that others like Kenta Maeda, Matt Wisler, Lewis Thorpe and Jose Berrios can take some steps forward in 2020 and help the Twins contend and win in the playoffs.

 

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[Riverbrian]

Hallelujah!!! 

 

It's why I'm a big fan of the work being done by this current regime. 

[Richard Swerdlick]

Great article. It makes you wonder about the TK regime. I respect his baseball knowledge but you have to wonder how many hitters, besides David Ortiz, that his approach may have negatively impacted. 

[puckstopper1]

I would classify myself as "old school".

 

That said, I firmly believe that each player should have their own "individual development plan" to maximize the potential.

 

It has been successfully implemented in the business world, so it totally makes sense to have it in the sports world.

[Doctor Gast]

I`m a big fan of the new philosophy of tech & allowing pitchers to develop according to their style, putting us on the same playing field as teams like LA & CLE. That gives us the opportunity to go out & find high end pitchers that are stuck in old school teams which are under performing & under rated, get them play up to their potential beside developing home grown prospects 

[jkcarew]

When you're really good for a long time, someone comes along and gives your system a name...like the 'Twins Way'. By the time they name the system, it's become obsolete. That's an accomplishment, not a bad thing.

 

Meanwhile, the new regime can hope to have an obsolete moniker in 10 years. It's easy to have a system that's perceived as 'modern' or 'forward thinking' in the present. But, does it really provide a competitive advantage against contemporaries? Will it result in sustained success? And to that end, this regime will achieve meaningful success the exact same way the Twins Way succeeded from 2002 to 2010. By having superior players.

[theBOMisthebomb]

When you're really good for a long time, someone comes along and gives your system a name...like the 'Twins Way'. By the time they name the system, it's become obsolete. That's an accomplishment, not a bad thing.

 

Meanwhile, the new regime can hope to have an obsolete moniker in 10 years. It's easy to have a system that's perceived as 'modern' or 'forward thinking' in the present. But, does it really provide a competitive advantage against contemporaries? Will it result in sustained success? And to that end, this regime will achieve meaningful success the exact same way the Twins Way succeeded from 2002 to 2010. By having superior players.

I don't remember the old Gardy/Terry Ryan Twins Way as ever being thought of or referenced as modern or forward thinking in its time. The small ball/pitch to contact/Pirahna ways always seemed old school.

[DocBauer]

Absolutely embrace this new FO and their approach from the top on down. No question each player is unique and finding the best ways to untap their potential is the answer. I am a big believer in what is happening.

 

But, I have an objection in regard to the objection of "Twins Way". We can object to how a lot of things were done all too rigidly within the confines of the system. Times change, and the Twins are changing and changing FAST. The "Twins Way" was developed during the TK and MacPhail era. It was defense, aggressive baserunning and yes, pitch to contact. Remember, pitch to contact was throwing strikes and not some bizarre concept of "let the other team get hits". Most of those precepts still work today, though hitting and pitching approaches have clearly changed. The regime that set the standard produced some great seasons and 2 WS championships.

 

It's simply time for this new FO to re-brand what the "Twins Way" means. I think they are doing that tremendously well.