49 thoughts on “November 5, 2014: So Much Blood”

  2. I won't link to it but Souhan has another doozy of an article. Basically Molitor's going to make all those pussy Twins player's play through injuries. You injured your brain Mauer? Too effin bad. Drop and give me 40, then grab your glove and go out and play like a man.

    2. Ha. Molitor, the guy who missed approximately 4 seasons worth of at-bats over his career due to injuries.

            1. For the most part I agree, but it bothers me when people (as Calcaterra does here) characterize something unpleasant about another person as rooted in a "mental health issue" or similar medical concern. That's unhelpful hyperbole and an inapporpriate comparision. It seems to me that it is more likely – at least as far as his attitude toward the health and well-being of others is concerned – that Jim Souhan is a callous, ignorant, and intentionally malicious media asshole. It'd be far better if Calcaterra just said that instead of raising the mental health issue.

          3. The Twins clubhouse became a place where you could collect a check without actually taking the field.

            I'm thinking that the StarTrib is a place you could collect a check without actually "taking the field"

            1. my favorite part from the comments:

              timberwolvesbrisin - Nov 5, 2014 at 9:29 AM

              What does “bi-lateral leg weakness” have to do with a concussion? Joe Mauer’s softness goes well beyond his concussions.
              Log in to Reply

              aboutamoo - Nov 5, 2014 at 10:12 AM

              “the bilateral leg weakness … was ultimately traced back to a rare viral infection.”

              I find reading the articles to be helpful in addressing questions of this nature.

              1. I also enjoyed the commenter who knows that " 4HR from your 23 million 1b Is beyond unacceptable."

                Maybe 9 HRs would have been enough to be acceptable? Like, say, playoff hero and rising star Eric Hosmer, who hit a robust 270/318/398 on the season?

                1. baseball games too long already
                  9 HR way too long.
                  9 innings should be over in less than 3 HR
                  too many tv breaks replays commercials ect today

                  for the record 23m <<<< 1b

      3. I happened to be in the car during that segment. Phil Mackey was incredibly gifted at politely telling Top Jimmy he's full of shit.

  3. I find myself quite a bit more curious about the coaching staff Molitor assembles than the managerial search (perhaps in part because he was clearly the favorite going in to the process). Managers customarily get to hire their own coaches, but the Twins have a few (Brunansky, Steinbach, Cuellar) I think are well-liked within the organization and seem to be fairly decent coaches. I wouldn't mind any of them continuing on in their current roles. That said, I'm particularly curious to see if Molitor hires any former Blue Jays or Brewers teammates as coaches.

    The Mientkiewicz situation also interests me. Jake Mauer seemed at one point to be on track for a shot at the big-leauge job at some point, but Mientkiewicz might have just vaulted over him if he gets the managing gig in Chattanooga. I can't imagine Mientkiewicz taking a coaching job in Rochester over a chance to manage at a higher level.

    1. I'm hoping that Bruno and Cuellar are a part of the staff, and I am tentatively excited to see how the rest of the staff rounds out. Definitely interested in who will be the pitching coach.

      1. Yeah. That would make things really uncomfortable with the local media even if it wouldn't affect their relationship

        1. My prognostication is that Jake Mauer hits the big league managing ranks in 10-15 years. He is welcomed with open arms by the fans and media. When his time is done he'll be considered a much bigger success than his brother.

    3. I would imagine the Twins would want Molitor to have at least one coach on his staff that's an experience manager at some level if not the major league, just to help Molitor since he's never been a manager at any level. TR might recommend Gene Glynn and then have Mientkiewicz take over in Rochester to groom the top prospects. I'm curious to see who the pitching coach might be. Would Molitor consider Blyleven? He had some limited success being a pitching coach for the Dutch team and seems to have good insight into pitching in the booth. Plus, it would improve the TV viewing for all. Maybe they could have Carew as a base coach and base running coach to make it a HOF staff.

    4. Managers customarily get to hire their own coaches, but the Twins have a few (Brunansky, Steinbach, Cuellar) I think are well-liked within the organization and seem to be fairly decent coaches.

      I'm not saying you are wrong, but how can you tell? I feel utterly clueless about which coaches are good or not. I feel like I am just repeating things I have read elsewhere.

      1. That's a good point. I've often thought that about Rick Anderson. When the Twins had good pitchers, he was considered a really good pitching coach. In recent years, he's gotten some criticism. Has he changed? Was he never that good in the first place, but just got the benefit of having people like Santana and Radke on the staff? Or is he still good, but just doesn't have anything to work with? As an outsider, there's really no way to tell.

        1. Or did his coaching style work well for Radke, Santana, Liriano, Rincon, and Nathan, but not with the new guys?

    1. He was out of the bigs in 2006 so I naturally would have assumed he retired long ago, but he was in AA just three years ago.

      "No word on cause of death at this time"...I doubt this is going to be much fun to hear.

  5. Had my first interview today. I have another one tomorrow for a less-than-part-time position. But hey! Good thoughts and prayers appreciated.

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