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Minnesota Twins: Time for Change at the Top

By Paul Bellesen

Apr 19, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Target Field. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Target Field. The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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There was a lot of high expectations for the Minnesota Twins coming into this year, and so far a lot of let down.

Coming into the year, there was a lot to be excited about for the Minnesota Twins. We were coming into year two of Miguel Sano. We had the top prospect, though he has been for a couple years, in Byron Buxton. We had an intriguing pitching prospect ready to come up in Jose Berrios. We were coming off an 83-79 record in 2015, and we had a great spring training.

About one-fifth of the way through the 2016 season, we are 8-24. Buxton was sent back down to AAA after posting a .156 batting average. The Miguel Sano to right field experiment has not worked out. Being swept in series multiple times this year, it is time to take a page out of the book of the other three major professional Minnesota sports.

In 2010, the Minnesota Vikings realized that Brad Childress was not working out. They then decide to hire from within and make Leslie Frazier the new head coach. After realizing he was not the man for the job after three down seasons, they go hire the best available football mind in Mike Zimmer.

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In 2015, the Minnesota Timberwolves lost Flip Saunders to a battle with Hodgkins lymphoma. They then decide to hire from within and make Sam Mitchell the interim head coach. After realizing he was not the man for the job after bad rotations and rumblings that he was too tough on the young guys, they go hire the best available basketball mind in Tom Thibideau.

In 2015, the Minnesota Wild fired Mike Yeo after another struggling start. They then decide to hire from within and make John Torchetti the interim head coach. After realizing he was not the man for the job after a tough loss in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the go hire the best available hockey mind in Bruce Boudreau.

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As we have now seen with the Twins, a similar situation. In 2014, the Minnesota Twins fired Ron Gardenhire after over a decade as the team’s manager. They then decide to hire from within and make Paul Molitor the new manager. Now I think that it is time to follow suit with the other Minnesota sports franchises and after this season go out and find the best available baseball mind and make him the new manager. That being said, some of the blame has to be shouldered by the team general manager Terry Ryan. In my opinion, we need to look at the front office and coaching staff as a whole. Time to make some changes. This is obviously not working.

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