Going into 2019, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have an
advantage they were not previously afforded. Picking their manager for the
first time as the duo leading the organization, Rocco Baldelli represents
opportunity. It’s not only the skipper though, as we’ve seen the Twins front
office infuse talent across all levels of development this winter. Being
impressed with what’s been done, it’s worth wondering if this is really what we
were always waiting for.
When the new front office took over for Terry Ryan, the ownership
group decided they would be saddled with manager Paul Molitor. Sure, he was a
hometown hero and had ties to the organization, but that seemed like an odd
mandate to force on a culture shift. The Minnesota manager was coming off a 103-loss
season and did little to substantiate the 83 wins in his first go around.
Surprisingly the club won 85 games, and despite a Postseason berth and Manager
of the Year nod, the feeling was always that it was maybe time to part ways.
The front office couldn’t make the move they were obviously
leaning towards and needed an opportunity for a clean break. 2018 provided
that, and where we are today has only cemented to desire to make a shift. Not
only is Baldelli green as a manager, but the Twins have a pitching coach who
has only worked in college, and an assistant closer to still being a player
than leaning on a resume of development. Looking at it all, it’s obvious what
the vision for the front office truly is.
Despite a spending deficiency in the form of payroll, the
Twins have dropped a significant amount of cash on the coaching and development
side of the house. New coaches have been brought in across the minor league
ranks, and no stone has been left unturned when it comes to finding that talent.
Dollars have been allocated to Rapsodo devices and Edgertronic cameras, money
has been spent on analytics salaries, and in general, every competitive
advantage has been explored.
As we’ve seen with the changing free agent landscape this
winter, teams are spending smarter and working harder. No longer are fringe big
leaguers finding guaranteed or lucrative deals. Instead teams are looking to
find players with the ability to unlock talent that is hidden behind a small
tweak. Minnesota is attempting this exact thing in the form of Matt Magill and
Martin Perez. Using the infrastructure, they’ve now set up, and the expertise
of the newly acquired Wes Johnson, the hope is that the results bear fruit.
What it all boils down to is wondering where we’d be at if
this all happened a bit sooner. 2019 is being billed as a season in which
Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton help to dictate the future. While they will both
play an integral role in that reality, having had this infrastructure in place
a year or two ago may have helped to create consistency the organization so
badly has desired. Rather than up and down years, or not being able to pinpoint
reasons for success, the Twins now have a clear blueprint for process to drive
results.
There’s room to be frustrated with the lack of pitching
additions this winter. There’s legitimacy to wondering why payroll hasn’t
properly been allocated. There isn’t any question about the intentions driving
development and coaching, however. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have welcomed
more information, and they’ve also hired and placed individuals in position to
disseminate that knowledge in usable ways. We’ll see if it all works, but it’s
hard not to view it as exciting.
