Manship spent parts of the next three seasons with the Twins but, despite putting up strong numbers in AAA, was never able to turn the corner in a Twins uniform. Following the 2013 season, the Twins let him go. Since then, he has pitched in AAA and the big leagues for the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies. Before 2015, he signed with Cleveland and after a solid spring training was sent down to AAA. However, later in the season, he was called up and pitched very well. In 39.1 innings over 32 appearances, he posted a 0.92 ERA and a 0.76 WHIP. He became arbitration-eligible and Cleveland offered him arbitration. Last week, he agreed to terms with the team and will soon head to Arizona for spring training.
Recently, I was able to catch up with Jeff Manship, and he was kind enough to take time and really thoroughly respond to our questions. I have told Jeff that I hope he has a tremendous 2016 season… except when he pitches against the Twins. I’m pretty sure he understands. Let’s get to the questions:
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Seth Stohs (SS): Have you taken the time to look back at the numbers you put up in Cleveland in 2015? 0.92 ERA. 0.76 WHIP. How important was it for you to come back up and put up those kinds of numbers?
Jeff Manship (JM): Last year was a very special season for me. I had an amazing time playing with Cleveland, and it was a fun run at the end of the season playing for a chance at the wild card.
It was very important for me to come up and throw well. I had thrown well in spring training, but the organization decided to start me in AAA. I just used it as a motivator to continue to throw well and earn my way back up. I had altered my mechanics during the offseason, and it proved to be a major transition for me and my career. I feel much more confident out on the mound than I have ever felt before.
SS: Let’s go back… What were a couple of the highlights of your six or seven years in the Twins organization?
JM: The Twins organization has always held a special place in my heart. They always treated me with respect, and I'm definitely where I'm at today due to the coaching and experiences I had. I have so many great memories, but the biggest highlights were my first major league call-up and outing. They are memories that I still have a very clear picture of in my mind. I can remember receiving a phone call very late in the night after I had already been asleep for hours. It was our AAA manager, Stan Cliburn, who told me to be ready for the first flight out of Buffalo, NY to Minneapolis. My roommate at the time, Rob Delaney, and I frantically packed my bags to catch a cab to the airport. I was running on pure adrenaline that whole day. I remember playing the Royals, but I never threw in the first couple games. My major league debut actually came against the Indians, I believe on the third day after my call-up. I remember facing Shin Soo Choo, Jhonny Peralta, and Travis Hafner. I always tell people how calm I felt during my debut and how I can attribute a large part of that due to the giant blue backstop at the Metrodome. Just seeing the hitter, catcher, and umpire against a blue backdrop made it feel like nobody was even there.
I will also never forget game 163 at the Metrodome against the Tigers. To this day, that is still the loudest atmosphere for a baseball game that I have ever witnessed or been a part of. The city of Minneapolis really came out to support us, and to win such a meaningful game in extra innings was unbelievable. Having the opportunity to run around the field and high-five the fans was a special moment in my career.
SS: Baseball players are busy all season, but are there any or many of your former Twins teammates that you still keep in touch with fairly regularly?
JM: I still keep in touch with some guys. I recently caught up with Jay Rainville, who is a policeman in Rhode Island. I continue to keep up with Rob Delaney, Brian Dinkelman, Nick Blackburn, Cole Devries, Carlos Gutierrez, Danny Valencia, Anthony Slama, Tyler Robertson, and a couple others occasionally. It's always nice to see some of my former teammates like Perkins, Plouffe, Fien, and Dozier when we play the Twins.
SS: The Twins let you go after the 2012 season. What kind of emotions did you go through leaving an organization that gave you an opportunity and then several chances?
JM: I was upset, but understood the move they had to make. I hadn't thrown too well, and they needed to move on so there were definitely no hard feelings. I felt honored to be able to wear a Twins uniform for parts of 4 seasons and made many lasting friendships and memories. It was also exciting to look forward to a new chapter of my career with a new organization and teammates.
SS: You spent time in AAA and the big leagues with the Rockies in 2013 and the Phillies in 2014. What was your experience in the National League, hitting, and visiting all of those ballparks?
JM: Playing in the National League was a great experience. It's amazing how much different the game plays with no DH and all of the strategy involved. I was always paying close attention to the game because the phone could ring at any moment if the pitcher's spot was approaching.
Hitting proved to be a challenge for me, but I never expected much success anyways. With the Rockies, I managed to collect two hits and an RBI while in AAA. My first hit was a slow chopper with bases loaded and the second actually came off Boof Bonser. That hit was something to be proud of, a solid line drive over second. The second hit continues to stand as my last professional hit. I'll never forget having to face Jose Fernandez while with the big league club, and it's something I pray I never have to do again. To my surprise, I made solid contact on my first AB and lined out to right field. He didn't mess around in the second at-bat and struck me out with one of his disgusting sliders. I bailed out like the ball was going to hit me in the face, and upon further review of video, the pitch was right down the middle.
While with the Phillies, I received a couple at-bats in an extra inning marathon against the Mets. I had already thrown 4 innings in relief, and was coming up for my second at-bat with a man on 3rd and 2 outs. I hit a high chopper up the middle, which would have been my first major league base hit, RBI, and a game winner, but my body had different plans. I ended up straining my quad running to first base. I'll always defend pitchers when people say we aren't athletes, but in that particular instance I was not an athlete. It landed me on the DL, and was my last AB to date, and that's probably a good thing.
The National League has some beautiful stadiums, and I was fortunate to play in almost all of them. Some of my favorites include Dodger Stadium, Petco Park, PNC Park, and AT&T Park. There was never a bad trip while traveling within the NL West.
SS: I know you pitched as a starter and a reliever with the Twins, but you were always given that opportunity to start, even with the Rockies and Phillies, so, at what point did you just kind of accept that your were more of a reliever? Was that difficult to accept, or happy to do it?
JM: During my initial spring training meeting with Terry Francona, he said that the Indians were going to focus solely on me as a reliever. I was actually very happy to hear that I would stick to one role for the whole season. It was difficult going back and forth between starting and relieving with the different routines that each role commands. I felt that it helped me to become more consistent and kept my arm fresh throughout the year.
SS: As you look back, what were a couple of the things that you found out about yourself, and what helps to make you successful on the mound?
JM: I had mentioned earlier about altering my mechanics before the 2015 season. It seems extremely simple, but I feel it made me a completely different pitcher. I work with Skip Johnson, University of Texas pitching coach, during my bullpens in the offseason. Last year, we decided to try throwing off of the third base side of the rubber as opposed to the first base side, where I had been for many years. It provided more extension, deception, and an increase in velocity. I think it helped my slider most of all and created a much more effective angle on all of my pitches. In addition, Francona utilized me in a way that helped my success. I threw more consistently, and rarely went more than 3 days without pitching in a game. He also loves to use his bullpen and never sets us up to experience failure. Confidence was key for me this season, and whenever a situation was starting to get out of hand, I remained calm. I had a much easier time channeling my focus without getting flustered.
SS: What has this offseason been like for you, kind of knowing where you’re going to be in 2016? Does it change your preparation at all?
JM: I continue to prepare in the same way that I have for my whole career. I always try to go into spring training fully prepared and with the mindset to compete and earn a spot on the team. Knowing that I will be with the Indians again next season is refreshing, but hasn't altered my focus or routine in any way. I'm really looking forward to this season.
SS: Away from baseball, what do you enjoy doing? I know you’re into hunting.
JM: Hunting is always something that I look forward to in the off season. My wife and I recently went camping, which we plan to do more of next off season. We reside in Austin, Texas, where there is plenty to do outside. We try to be outdoors as much as possible and enjoy hiking and exploring the various parks in the area.
SS: If you were to look back at your time with the Twins, who are some of the people, coaches, front office types that you have respect for, and why?
JM: There are plenty of people that I have a great amount of respect for in the Twins organization, but some of the most memorable are Terry Ryan, Bobby Cuellar, Gene Glynn, Steve Mintz, Rick Anderson, and Ron Gardenhire. I know I'm probably unintentionally leaving a few names off my list. Terry Ryan is someone who has done so much for the Twins and the game of baseball. He is respected throughout baseball and rightfully so. I always enjoyed my conversations with Terry and the advice and tips he would give. Bobby Cuellar was one of my favorite pitching coaches that I have worked with in my career. He has been around baseball for a long time, and has collected vast amounts of information and wisdom. He was always able to help me with my mechanical struggles, and was passionate about helping his pitchers be the best they could be. I only played under Gene Glynn for one season in AAA Rochester, but he left a lasting impression. He was one of the most positive coaches I have played for. The team had a rough couple years before Gene arrived, but he was able to reverse that and create a winning atmosphere in Rochester. He always went about things respectfully, which should command the respect of any player. Steve Mintz was my pitching coach for my first full season in Low-A Beloit. He too, was a very positive influence on my career. Not only was he a talented pitching coach, but he was a great person. I can remember all the assistance outside of baseball that he would provide to the players. Many of the players were new to professional baseball, and Steve provided a very helpful presence. For me personally, he made the transition from college baseball to professional baseball much easier. Rick Anderson and Gardy were the first major league manager and pitching coach that I had so they are special to me. They, too, are great people and I really enjoyed playing for both of them. The Twins have always been a model organization of how to play the game the right way, and they are a huge part of that philosophy.
I also enjoyed all of the major league veterans that were involved with the organization. As a young player, it was great to meet so many legends and get to learn from some of the best. One of my fondest memories was having dinner with Harmon Killebrew at JD Hoyt's. He was a true professional and great man.
SS: What was the experience of going through the arbitration process like for you?
JM: The arbitration process was an exciting time. My agent really did all of the work, but it was fun to get updates on the progress made with the team. It was a good feeling to be tendered a contract by the Indians and have a sense of belonging in the organization.
SS: What are your personal goals for the 2016 season? Are there certain numbers that you look at to judge yourself?
JM: I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm looking for certain numbers, but I want to contribute as best as I can. Hopefully I can earn a lot of holds and keep the ERA and WHIP low again. Last year was a lot of fun because I felt that I contributed to meaningful games, especially towards the end of the season when we were making a push for the wild card. Overall, my goals are to stay healthy, be a positive contributor in the bullpen, and, of course, to win a World Series.
SS: A lot of people think that with Cleveland’s starting staff, they will contend in the AL Central in 2016? What is the excitement level for pitching for a contender again?
JM: I think that our team is fully capable of being a contender next season. The starting staff is very impressive and is always seen as our strong suit. They are all young with an immense amount of talent that can easily carry us. This off season, the team added some solid players to help both defensively and offensively. The biggest thing for us is to have a strong start to the season. With all the acquisitions made by every team in the AL Central, though, it should provide for an intense season until the end.
Pitching for a contending team creates more excitement. It’s a lot of fun showing up to the field everyday with something to play for and trying to achieve team goals.
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Again, Thank You very much to Jeff Manship. Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments. Jeff has always been terrific, on podcasts, at Twins Fests, on the Winter Caravan, etc. It’s always fun to catch up.
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