powrwrap

This is the guy I really want. This would be huge!

Great article, well written. If they're not going to interview Dave Martinez or Charlie Montoya for the job, of the three candidates mentioned, I'd go for Lovullo. I'm just sick and tired of the "Twins Way." The Twins Way is losing the last 4 years. It's slow to embrace analytics. Slow to adopt power pitching arms. Slow to do just about everything that winning teams have/are doing. I think an outsider would have more guts to stand up to Ryan and Pohlad, if needed. My question is--why is this process taking so long? Seriously. Are they going to wait until the World Series is over before making an announcement so as not to be seen as trying to steal its thunder? (As if naming the Twins manager would deflect anyone from the WS!)

I like Dave Martinez as well but does he fit the Latin/Caribbean attribute? He was born in Brooklyn, NY, so I'm not sure. Also would like to see the Twins interview Charlie Montoyo. He definitely meets the Latin requirement--he coached the 2009 World Baseball Classic Puerto Rico team--and he's been a great manager for the Rays AAA affiliate, Durham Bulls. They have won their division 7 of the 8 years he's been at the helm. He has compiled a 633-515 record (.551) over 8 years.

I flip flop on my opinion of him. Undeniable power swing, undeniably high K rate. Swings at pitches out of the strike zone. Sucker for a good curve ball. Looks lost in the OF. Closes his eyes on plays, makes bad reads, throws to wrong base, misses cutoff guys. Then I think...he's 23. And I cut him some slack.

I agree that Ryan should have been broomed along with Gardenhire. You hit all the right reasons but forgot the problem with the outfield. In order to atone for his many mistakes with the starting pitching (which you nailed) he traded away two competent CFer's, Span and Revere, for SP. Ryan put the team in a position to need to rely on Aaron Hicks to become a good player and he didn't.Then he put Mastroianni on waivers and when Hicks failed he had to trade for Sam Fuld. Then he put the SS of the future, Santana, in CF. Centerfield was a mess and has been for 2 years now. The rest of the outfield was manned by defensive tortoises--Willingham, Parmelee, Kubel, Arcia, or guys playing out of position--Santana, Escobar, and to a lesser extent, Herrmann. So Ryan has bungled the starting pitching and the outfield. Let's not forget the decision to put Jason Bartlett on the squad. The reason he's still got his job is because the Twins have some highly touted prospects, which Ryan was responsible for drafting and/or trading to get. If they don't pan out, the Twins could be the next Kansas City or Chicago Cubs, constantly rebuilding and missing the playoffs for decades.

I like the suggestion of Dave Martinez. If you can't get Joe Maddon, get one of his acolytes. I agree with you that Molitor seems to be the favorite. I don't like the idea of Molitor, or Mientkiewicz, or Steinbach. I think the Twins need to go outside of the organization. Steinbach is likely headed to Arizona to work with LaRussa. Mientkiewicz seems too young and only has two years of managerial experience at A ball. The recent history of former ballplayers becoming managers hasn't been the greatest.

Clutch hitting exists; clutch hitters do not.