Before hiring Rocco Baldelli as the 31st manager in franchise history (just the fourth in the last 33 years), the Twins had him vetted by a pair of professional contemporaries currently serving Minnesota’s baseball ops department as special assistants: LaTroy Hawkins and Torii Hunter, per The Athletic’s Andy McCullough. Not long after Baldelli’s hire, he faced a similar grilling from another pair of special assistants: Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer. The quartet of Twins’ legends do more than serve as protective older brother types for Senior Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine – they’re active in a variety of capacities, from analytics, to hiring, to hands-on engagement with players at all levels of the Minnesota system. Levine said this of their veteran cabinet, “We haven’t acquired a single player at the major-league level without asking them to do makeup work on them.” Subscribers to The Athletic should read this piece in full for a fascinating peak into the machinations of the Twins organization. While you do that, we’ll see what else is happening in the Midwest…
- The Reds don’t expect Nick Senzel’s torn labrum to affect his defensive placement moving forward, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. Said Manager David Bell, “He’s so young that hopefully his shoulder — he gets through this and that won’t be a factor at all on what position he plays. I’m expecting a full recovery.” The organization was impressed with how quickly Senzel made camp in center, enough to let his future defensive home remain a dependent variable. Without a clear-cut alternative in center, however, Senzel’s likely to stay put in the near-term. There’s questions in the infield, too, where a handful of options speckle the 2020 landscape, though none of Freddy Galvis, Jose Peraza, Josh VanMeter, or Derek Dietrich have a firm hold on starter’s minutes.
- Tigers President and CEO Christopher Ilitch spoke with reporters yesterday about the direction of the franchise, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Generally speaking, Ilitch didn’t provide any groundbreaking news. He appeared content with the speed of Detroit’s rebuild while focusing on continued progress as the organization’s only present mandate. Of course, he couldn’t say much to praise the Tigers’ current performance level without seeming disingenuous, and there would be little point in publicly denigrating a team that could well be on its way to a second top overall pick in three years. The primary takeaway seems to be an overall lack of urgency at the big league level – good news for prospect truthers, frustrating for those with hopes of seeing a competitive on-field product at Comerica Park in 2020. It seems there will be at least one more season of slow-and-steady as they continue to flesh out an increasingly well-regarded farm system.
Wouldn’t have been the third straight 1st overall pick for tigers, they picked 5th this year
great job of editing by MLBTR
How could they not know that? I mean even an idiot like me knows who has picked number 1 the last 5 years.
It’s TC Zencka. Aside from being named after the Twins’ mascot, his WWAR (Writer’s WAR) has been replacement level over the past year.
You know they’re posting these practically in real time, right?
It’s an outrage, I say!
You both should demand your money back!
“….that could well be on its way to a third straight first overall pick.”
Unless the tigers renamed themselves The Orioles for the 2019 draft, I don’t think it will be their third straight first overall pick.
🙂
Also I don’t think you “peak” into something, I think you “peek”
I believe it would be a mistake for the Reds to keep Senzel in CF. True, the Reds don’t have an alternative right now. But, then, that’s what FA is for. So, go get one.
But, also, I would move Senzel back to the infield to protect him. I have liked the Reds last 2 CF’s, Hamilton and Senzel. But, they both have had a problem dealing with the wall. They both seemingly never learned to navigate the wall, something that could come from moving from the infield straight to CF. Running into the wall so much is bound to cause injury. And, Senzel has had his share of injury. I believe moving Senzel to the infield will protect him better from injury. Let’s get an OF out there who knows how to navigate the wall.
If Senzel does stay in CF, he needs to learn how to navigate the wall.
Hamilton never had issues with the wall really . Every blue moon.
Hamilton was better with it, yes. But, when they are running into the wall, they are getting hurt. Especially Senzel.
Why did they trade a future CF-RF in Trammell? Than again why did they make that horrendous trade with the Dodgers last offseason?
Trammell is tanking in the minors right now. I don’t think he will be any more than a 4th outfielder At best if that.
Gotta disagree. Senzel needs to stay in CF. Like you said Steve, they don’t have a CFr to replace him. Meanwhile, they have options at 2B. Senzel is already solid in CF, after making the switch with no lead time. And his bat stands out in CF. How many CFrs have 30 HR power potential? VanMeter should be the starter at 2B next year.
Are you implying Senzel is 30 HR potential? That would be wishful thinking. He’s never had more than 14 in any season.
“Like you said Steve, they don’t have a CFr to replace him.”
That’s why I said to go get one that would take Senzel’s place.
None of the 2B or SS incumbents on the roster should be given the job. Van Meter is the best of the bunch but he’s a non prospect OPSing .756. Keep one of Galvis or Peraza as depth but nothing else. Spend real money to get a real player
Galvis will be the 2b next year. My guess is the Reds big signing of the offseason will be them resigning Jose Iglesias.
the tigers better draft some position prospects instead of trading for ss & catcher.trying to turn paredes from a 3 baseman to a short stop is a mistake.unless that kid loses major weight,he’s 240 lbs,better knock of the soda & cheeseburgers.looks like we have a few outfielders that can track the ball down out in death valley in COMERICA park.hopefully next year the youngsters can continue to improve the hitting cause watching a .240 lineup flail away sux not to mention the absolute dumpster fire of a pitching rotation and relievers.maybe we can get lucky and have a few pitchers that force their way into the line up.
I’m afraid the tigers will be tanking for at least 2 more years. Then they will try and win a couple years and be a .500 team. They wont be relevant until 2024.
The last time the Tigers sucked this bad they miraculously turned it around in three years with a few great moves.
I hope they follow the 2006 model and go after high character veterans to help the kids. Moose, Brian Dozier, Daniel Murphy, and Grandal wouldn’t take them to the playoffs but they all play hard, wouldn’t command big long contracts, and there aren’t any good prospects they would be blocking.
They got very lucky… traded for Carlos Guillen. and signed Pudge. Signed Miggy and traded for Polanco. Year 3 signed Rogers and had an influx of youth in Granderson and Verlander.
It will take some magic to do that again.
Traded for Miggy, but close.
I was thinking of Maglio Ordonez. Should have been Maggie? Mags? Miggy came after 2006… 2008 maybe? Sheffield in 2007, then Miggy.
It was actually the opposite with Paredes – they moved him from short to third. His weight definitely limits his range, but the kid can hit. Plus, hes just 20 and succeeding at AA. A college shortstop would be a wise choice with the #1 overall pick in 2020.
curious. do most special advisers function in this capacity? seems like a sound idea in my mind.
Special advisors are at the ballpark auditioning for real front office jobs and coaching opportunities. Or they come, sign autographs at games and tell stories to fans.
Either way, not a big deal unless the former player makes it a big deal.
Agreed, it’s usually saved for the long-time players that have no college education and were drafted right out of high school. Sign some autographs, take some pictures, get patted on the head by the GM once in awhile to make them seem like they’re still “involved” in the team.
Trade for or sign a FA CF. Senzel can be a cornerstone in the IF as a 2B. Instead you get an IF playing CF until he gets injured. He even looks like an athletic IF playing OF. Typical dumb move by the org.