With World Series Wrapped, Twins Make Front Office Hirings Official
Not since the Twins topped the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series, have we been treated to such an exciting Fall Classic. TV ratings bear that out as well, as just over 40 million people tuned in to watch the pivotal Game 7, in which the Chicago Cubs outlasted Cleveland 8-7 in 10 innings.
That’s the highest World Series game since 50.3 million people tuned in to see Jack Morris lead the Twins to an extra-inning win of their own. By comparison, that last Game 7 prior to Cubs-Indians was in 2014, when Giants-Royals drew 23.5 million viewers.
It appears that baseball is back, and that includes teams making moves once again. During the Series, MLB places a moratorium on hirings and firings to keep the focus on the game on the field.
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So as the city of Chicago gathered to celebrate their first title since 1908, the Twins are looking to snap a bit of a drought themselves.
That exhilarating title 25 years ago was also their last appearance in a World Series, so they are tapping into teams who have made recent runs to World Series for front office help.
Today, Minnesota made it official by naming Derek Falvey their new President of Baseball Operations and Thad Levine as their new General Manager.
Falvey was named PBO on October 3rd, but has been busy since then. He wanted to remain on board with the Cleveland Indians through their post-season run.
Minnesota obliged his request to allow him to keep his focus on the Indians until their run was over. Cleveland surprised nearly everybody by making the Twins wait an entire month.
With their loss Wednesday, Falvey now turns his attention to the Twins. His biggest accomplishment with Cleveland was his help in building the pitching staff that just put up five shutouts against baseball’s best. Included were three out of four straight games against the Blue Jays and Cubs.
He’ll have his work cut out for him, as he inherits a team that posted the second-highest ERA in all the league (5.08), a mere seven runs better than the other team that celebrated their 25th anniversary team this past season, the Atlanta Braves.
In addition to Falvey, the Twins also put all the Thad Levine rumors to rest by naming him as their new GM. Both Levine and Falvey will be introduced at a news conference at Target Field Monday at 11:30 AM. While Falvey helped with Cleveland’s run this year, Thad Levine is no stranger to the World Series.
He was the assistant GM on the first Texas Rangers teams to ever appear in a World Series, and prior to 2010, the Rangers never had even advanced to an ALCS. Under General Manager Jon Daniels and Levine, the Rangers have won four AL West titles in the past seven years, including this year as Texas won a surprising 95 games before getting swept by the Blue Jays in the first round.
Texas fell in five games to the San Francisco Giants in the 2010 World Series, and were one strike away twice in Game 6 the following year from their first-ever title against St. Louis, before falling short in extra innings and in Game 7.
Next: Minnesota Twins Post-Season News
NOTES: With the completion of the World Series, Kurt Suzuki and the Twins have five days to try to hammer out a new deal. If nothing is worked out by Tuesday at 12:01 AM, Suzuki will become a free agent.