Manager Isn’t The Twins Biggest Vacancy

For the last few weeks, the story around the Minnesota Twins has been the opening of the managerial position. Once held by Ron Gardenhire, and vacant for the first time in over a decade, it would seem that this would be the Twins most pressing need; it isn’t.

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For everything a manager does in baseball, so much more of the equation surrounds the bigger picture as a whole. For Minnesota, there has been one area that has become especially problematic in recent years, pitching. That fact alone identifies exactly where the Twins have their biggest need.

While it is likely that Paul Molitor will be named the manager of the Minnesota Twins in the coming days or weeks, the appointed pitching coach is going to be an integral part of the eventual turn around of the franchise.

For everything Rick Anderson did good while with Minnesota (and there was plenty), he named is much more easily associated with the failures of his recent past. Names like Vance Worley and Francisco Liriano come to mind. For the Twins, finding someone to right the ship behind Phil Hughes needs to be of the utmost importance.

As discussed last week, Mike Maddux of the Texas Rangers organization may be an option, but not if the Rangers do the right thing and retain him.

Regardless of who is named, Terry Ryan and the Minnesota Twins need to put in as much effort as they have in finding their next manager, in naming their next pitching coach. With plenty of young and talented arms coming through the system, someone to utilize them to their fullest potential at the big league level is going to be very necessary.

Look for the move to be announced after the next manager is hired, but don’t let that fool you into the belief that the former is more important than the latter.

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