Derek Falvey and Thad Levine were tasked with making a decision on Molitor this offseason. After being mandated to keep him in 2017 by ownership, they now had to work out a new deal. With that part of the process done, I think we can begin to infer a couple of truths that lie ahead in the not-so-distant future. What are they you might ask? Well, let's dig in:
Brian Dozier remains a Twin:
There wasn't going to be another offseason in which the Twins shopped their second basemen. Now coming off a Wild Card game, and again with a solid season under his belt, Dozier wasn't going anywhere. The market wouldn't have been substantially better, and as was the case last offseason, he remains more important to his current team.
Dozier will be playing in the final year of a 4-year, $20 million deal he signed prior to the 2015 season. At the time, I had noted that Minnesota may have been better off signing into at least one of his free agent years. The 30 year-old Dozier is in line for a payday, and a contract extension makes a ton of sense. He's been the best second basemen not named Jose Altve over the past three years, and it's fair to expect him as a key cog in the Twins next postseason run.
Rebuild? It's time to go:
I'm not sure you could categorize 2017 as a rebuilding year for the Twins. Instead, it seemed much more like a feeling out process. No drastic moves were made in the offseason, and both Derek Falvey and Thad Levine really just took time to get acclimated with the organization. A handful of low risk, low reward deals were handed out, and the needle movement was as non-existent as you may have expected.
Fast forward to where we are now, and it's full on time for the Twins to supplement. Glen Perkins and Hector Santiago come off the books, freeing up some substantial money. The best of Minnesota's 25 man roster remain pre-arbitration, and there's a real ability to add right here and now. Pitching needs some help, while there's room for at least one bat, and the relief corps could use a significant step forward. Expect the new front office to put their stamp on this team in the immediate future.
Molitor's reinforcements:
To say I was shocked that Paul Molitor was handed a three-year deal may be a bit much, but there wasn't any way he was managing again on a year-by-year basis. Bypassing the two-year commitment, I think Molitor likely made some concessions with his bosses. I'd expect a new pitching coach to come in, and some expanded evidence of the staff around the Twins skipper.
James Rowson performed admirably in his first year as hitting coach, and I think we witnessed the fingerprints of Jeff Pickler on the game. Jeremy Heffner has also been brought in with a more analytical background, and the hope would be that Molitor utilizes those abilities a bit more on a game-by-game basis. Bullpen management and bunt decisions remain the largest contentions against Molitor, but in year two under the new regime, I'd be far from surprised to see a little bit of a style change.
Expectations heighten:
As things stand not only for the Twins, but also considering the rest of the AL Central, the playoffs should be a worst case scenario for the home nine. With Cleveland continuing to field a strong team going forward, they'll be the divisional favorites. From there, the Central is void of any real competition, and the Twins, much like the Indians, should feast upon that.
On their own, this Twins team is a young group with abundant talent. Giving them a handful of games against hapless teams like the White Sox, Tigers, and Royals should only increase their odds. A perfect storm is brewing, supplement this group and take advantage of the situation. For at least the next three years, Minnesota should find themselves in the Wild Card game at worst. With some additions, good baseball, and a few key breaks along the way, the sky could be the limit for this group.
