Twins Pitchers Need A New Voice

I am so not on board with keeping Molly another year.  They need a whole new voice, in every direction in the ML dugout.

Pitching has been a bleeding ulcer for years, not just this season. The lack of quality pitchers progressing from the ranks is alarming. It wasn't that long ago that posters constantly harped about P2C as the Twins strategy. The term was banned from the organization--but how much actually changed?

Consider Hector Santiago. He was having overall success with the Angels, though "his walks were High"?--whatever that means. The Twins deemed "change" was in order--and Santiago was getting clobbered. He "changed back" according to reports--and so did his results! The best change (improvement) will likely come now that Ryan isn't around to enforce his theory of pitching--provided his "disciples" are also replaced. Cleveland wasn't known as a pitching factory (over time), but the recent results are very encouraging and hopefully duplicated here.

It is hard to believe the Molasco statement given the Twins' history of sinkerball pitchers. If Nolasco had a decent sinker , by history the Twins would have exploited it.  If there was a change in pitching style for Molasco, teams will catch up and he will return to baseline.

I think moving back to the West Coast was what Nolasco needed, poor baby.  Other than that, I agree with the article and think that Allen should be the first but not the last.  This team needs new voices- a lot of them.

Same things were said about Dick Such and Rick Anderson. Just sayin...

I keep thinking Falvey was able to ace the questions on how he would fix the systemic organizational pitching woes, and that was a big reason he got the job.  Because it is pretty dang complicated, if you ask me.  The Twins screwed up Nolasco and Santiago, but how not Erv?  Hughes had a career year with the last 'voice.'  Allen can't be blamed for an impinged rib.  Was Duffy good last year because he hadn't soaked up enough stink yet?

Who gets credit for great years from Kinzler and Abad?  Who really screwed up Meyer so badly?

Buxton's performance in September, along with Kepler and Polanco and others might have saved a few jobs in the organization on the positional development side.  Dozier's bounce back and career year speak well of Brunansky, maybe.  But outside of Kinzler and Abad, the evidence on the pitching side is pretty damning.  Somebody has to take a fall here.  I just wonder what will happen with Molitor--will he fall on his sword?

I point to the work Allen and staff have been doing with Jose Berrios.  Not all there, but definitely improvement.  Taylor Rogers has been trending up, as well.

In the end, I'm betting Falvey goes for one of his pitching coaches from the Cleveland organization. 

My concern with letting Allen, or any of the coaches, go after the season is that the Twins keep saying that Molitor will be back. I could see a scenario where Molitor gets Fired in June or so. If that's the case, do they really want to bring in a new person that they really like and then fire them all 2-3 months later?

 

I almost feel like, if Molitor is back, bring back the coaching staff so that they can all be let go at the same time... right or wrong, I don't know. 

 

I guess they could fire the manager without firing all the other coaches, but who knows.

With the number of young people being brought up this year, I wonder if it's a good idea to dump an entire staff.  For development reasons alone, I don't think a mass firing is a good idea. 

I hope we see an organization-wide change in philosophy.  And I hope one of the core principles is to be less rigid.  Let's find a way to make whatever skill set, repertoire, delivery, or anything else that works for a player work better.  As opposed to decades now of trying to mash everyone into one mold that we think works.

My observation is very similar. The recent Twins pitchers that frequently pitch inside [e.g. Liriano and Perkins] basically were only effective inside (to a RHB) and command on the other side was haphazard. It is almost like pitcher's only command the K zone away and when they pitch inside, it's way too inside to get the batter to swing. Plus, the Twins seem reluctant (more than others...) to hit batters.

I am so not on board with keeping Molly another year.  They need a whole new voice, in every direction in the ML dugout.

I tend to agree but we don't get a vote.

It is hard with this staff to figure out if it is the coaching or are they all bad. Agree the changing now and then later if Molitor is fired next year is not good. Probably would leave things as they are, except maybe replace Bruno with Chad Allen as many of the younger players have worked with him.

I agree on a new pitching coach with history and track record. Allen could be very good in a certain role, I just don't know what that is. But for whatever reason, things haven't clicked for him here. The Molitor topic is somewhat different, but for the sake of this post topic, yes to change.

Gibson is, frankly, a much better pitcher than he showed this season. As is Duffey, who claimed his fastball command was the issue this season. That's pretty big! Messing with Santiago and the entire Berrios situation shows a lack of communication, IMO. I dismiss the Nolasco turnaround and comments.

I'm definitely not one to call for firings.

 

Generally, I don't think Allen has been good or bad. I mean, he was a 'different' voice in that he came from a strong pitching development organization in the Rays, and he was credited with helping several of their pitchers. 

 

The message - changeup - was the same as Rick Anderson's... again, not that I have a problem with that. In my mind, a good changeup is hugely important.

 

Where I kind of started feeling a little less comfortable with Allen was the Berrios thing. Not his struggles, that happens, but with the fact that he let so many voices into his ear. That's on Molitor too. But when Blyleven was brought in and all kinds of others, that couldn't have helped at all. 

Yeah, I had the same thought also. Too many people in the ear of Berrios can't have been a good thing.

Bring in Mike Maddux!

It's pretty safe to say Falvey's link to the Indian's pitching development success is probably what put him over the top in the hiring process.  I hope he learned enough to carry that forward to Minnesota and hopefully that starts with a new pitching coach. The evidence with Berrios, Santiago, and Gibson is pretty damning.  Hopefully he makes the right changes because the organizations success likely comes down to if they can develop Jose Berrios, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Jay, Fernando Romero, and Kohl Stewart into 2-3 reliable starting pitchers.  They have the talent, but can they get it out of them?  Otherwise we'll be sitting here about 4-5 years from now having this discussion all over again with the pitching prospects they've obtained going forward.

Allen probably needs  to go, but it's tough to make a silk purse out of a  sow's ear.

I hope we see an organization-wide change in philosophy.  And I hope one of the core principles is to be less rigid.  Let's find a way to make whatever skill set, repertoire, delivery, or anything else that works for a player work better.  As opposed to decades now of trying to mash everyone into one mold that we think works.

Smart and accurate post. Coaches and instructors at any level, inclouding the ML level, are there to massage player egos...not in a bad way, but to calm, nurture and build up...and offer tips and suggestions, as well as reminders. Yes, sometimes they do Korea than that; they teach a new grip, or in some cases a new pitch, (splitter instead of a traditional change for instance), or help find a timing mechanism that aids recognition or power to a batter. And this is NOT the old, worn out Ortiz arguement, or reference to the So-Cal homesick Nolasco who recently enjoyed some success, but to other players currently on the Twins, but it almost feels like the coaches have been meddling too much. After a series of poor starts, the super talented Berrios was FINALLY told to relax, have fun, and just throw. Santiago is not a super control pitcher. He's not outstanding, but solid and effective. He stunk after coming over and the Twins were attempting to make him a control pitcher. It appears the coaches backed off both players and suddenly Berrios looked better and so did Santiago when just asked to throw. I don't know if this is a direct result of the Twins ML coaches or not, but since his most recent promotion, Buxton has appeared much more relaxed, and has even talked about being so, having more fun, relaxing, etc.

You build a team with different players with different skill sets. To try to make somebody be something else they aren't is seldom a good idea. We all thought Buxton was supposed to be a high BA, high OB stolenough base machine with decent power who might develop more power eventually. (Not unlike a young Puckett) But what if he is truly a good AVG, decent to good OB power hitting player with speed? Doesn't mean he can't be a dangerous and effective leadoff hitter if that's where he fits best in your currently constructed lineup, but maybe he's really more of a natural #3 hitter?

I'm just saying, you need to find the strength of a player and build on that instead of force feeding him to be something else. And I'm starting to believe there's been some of that going on.