Post by Commissioner Erick on Jun 3, 2020 13:36:19 GMT -5
It's instructive to look at championship teams and take note of how they were assembled. Discovering patterns can help us all find the magic formula to success, revealing a genius transaction can breed inspiration into us all, and finding some moves succeeded simply due to dumb luck reminds us how capricious the baseball gods are.
Now the third example in the examination of championship team blueprints, the Minnesota Twins show a third path compared to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals. While Washington made sure to keep a promising core and make bold moves to add talent, and Arizona meticulously developed a young core, Minnesota showed an ability to find talent on the margins and in controversial trades to build a title team.
Players
Defaulted Into
Alex Kirilloff
Akil Baddoo
Osiris German
Jake Reed
Felix Jorge
Kerby Camacho
Minnesota defaulted into all of these minor leaguers though all were prospects when the league began. Alex Kirilloff was never incredibly well regarded, but always hit in the minors until he was called up to the majors with a 20-home run rookie year in 97 games. Despite producing in the minors, Kirilloff wasn't traded when Minnesota made the playoffs in 2019.
Akil Baddoo never had a big offensive season in the minors, and had only one standout year when he put up a 4.9 WAR season in High-A on the backs of an impressive defensive and baserunning campaign. He had a middling rookie year in a partial season last year. Nonetheless, Minnesota saw enough in him to give him a chance as a starting outfielder to begin the year and he had a huge start to his season with 39 RBIs by May. Minnesota lucked into Baddoo turning into an All-Star, but all title teams need a little luck.
Osiris German was used as a mediocre reliever throughout his minor league and early major league career until being tested as a starter last year. He kept his strikeout ratio despite not going major innings and was deployed again as a starter this year. He had a very strong regular season and an excellent postseason despite being deployed in a controversial role.
Jake Reed was a young inconsistent reliever in the early days of the PBA, but improved quickly. As a middle-reliever he was cheap enough to hold on to, eventually becoming a cost-controlled closer. Outside of an awful 2020, Jorge has been a solid mid-rotation arm with peripherals better than his results. Those poor results kept his cost down in arbitration, but with a better team this year, he was a valuable asset to their run.
Camacho was a competent cheap, backup catcher who held his own as a starter early in the year. He contributed 1.1 WAR in 96 games.
Draft
Hunter Greene (2017 1st Round Draft Pick, 1st Overall)
The Number 1 overall pick in 2017, Greene developed slowly but always figured to be a major part of Minnesota's future. In his second year in the majors, Greene's wildness kept him out of the rotation, but he allowed only three home runs in 96 innings and struck out 137 batters in relief. He also allowed only 67 hits in 96 frames as hitters would reach base via walk and would be stuck there. Greene's ability to provide depth out of the pen was a key resource, especially with some Minnesota starters unable to provide depth.
Trades
Wessell Russchen
Dan Straily (11/23/20 - Traded along with Thomas Dillard, Brandon Finnegan, Forrest Whitley, Nick Allen, Frederick de la Cruz, and a 1st round pick [Phil Plechaty] from the Athletics for Jose Berrios and Byron Buxton)
Luis Robert
Edward Cabrera (11/30/20 - Traded along with Welbin Bautista and a 2nd round pick [Ernesto Rueda] from the Marlins for Nick Gordon and Nick Burdi)
Denyi Reyes (12/31/20 - Traded along with Dexter Fowler from the Mariners for $1)
Nicky Lopez
Dalton Rone (12/8/22 - Traded along with Steve Mulvey from the Rays for Nick Allen and Lewin Diaz)
Sam Travis (12/15/22 - Traded from the Indians for Dai-Lin Chang and Guadalupe Barrientos)
Jerad Eickoff (1/9/23 - Traded from the Reds for Jordan Luplow)
Nick Kingham (4/17/23 - Traded from the Rays for Pat Clemens and a 5th round pick [Mark Swafford])
Yoan Moncada (7/10/23 - Traded from the Rays for Michael Perez and Ernesto Roca)
Buster Posey (7/17/23 - Traded from the Orioles for Amari Toure)
There were two time periods of major trade activity that helped shape the roster. The most recent one after Ben Nuzzo took over, and an earlier period after Aaron Dunham took over the Twins. The first period came after Minnesota made it to the ALDS in 2019 before a disappointing 2020. Despite a pretty young roster, Minnesota traded away two talented players in the prime of their career to rebuild.
The traditional narrative is that veterans get traded for young stars that fuel the next elite team, but the Berrios and Buxton trade didn't quite work out that way. Wessell Russchen will be a superstar in the future, but he was too young to impact the Twins in 2023. Dan Straily wasn't anything more than a middling depth piece. Thomas Dillard moved on, Brandon Finnegan was cut, Phil Plechaty, Forrest Whitley and Frederick de la Cruz never left Triple-A, and Nick Allen was traded away. The trade may pay dividends for future Minnesota success, but had surprisingly little impact on this year's title.
The Luis Robert and Edward Cabrera trade also had little impact as Robert was injured for most of the season and Cabrera was mostly a minor leaguer. Nick Burdi had an outstanding season as a reliever and Nick Gordon was a solid player for Miami. This trade also looks like a loss in hindsight.
What those trades did do is clear up space for the Twins to take on salary to acquire talent. They took on Dexter Fowler's terrible contract for free to add Denyi Reyes, who was a useful starter during the season.
The next series of trades were made by Ben Nuzzo before the 2023 season started. He took Lewin Diaz coming off a terrific year, and young Nick Allen and swapped them for Dalton Rone, Nicky Lopez, and Steve Mulvey. Both Diaz and Allen struggled this year, but Rone and Lopez did too. It did save money for the Twins and added depth, but it was honestly, probably a bad deal for the Twins.
They did rectify their new opening at First Base by trading for the unheralded Sam Travis. An older hitter without crazy power, Travis wasn't in high demand by the rest of the league. He provided competent play and his ability to make contact, smack doubles, and play good defense fit into Minnesota's ethos of a defensive team who put the ball in play. The cost to take Travis on were two teenagers who will likely never play in the upper minors.
With a strong outfield and needing pitching depth, Minnesota dealt Jordan Luplow for Jerad Eickoff. It wasn't a move that made a difference in the playoffs, but Eickoff served as depth in the regular season and gave the fans a magical moment when he pitched a Perfect Game. Minnesota then added more depth by moving a 5th round pick early in the season to acquire Nick Kingham. Kingham also helped with Minnesota's regular season depth, and had a terrific postseason too.
The real trades that catapulted Minnesota over the top came in July. Surprisingly in the AL Central lead, Minnesota made moves to bolster their chances of holding off Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City. Armed with surplus payroll, the Twins traded a nice pitching prospect in Amari Toure to bolster their Catcher position. They gave up some talented prospects in Ernesto Roca and Michael Perez to take on Yoan Moncada on the cheap. The deals shored up offensive weak spots and gave the club a pair of dynamic hitters to add to the lineup. Moncada struggled a bit in the postseason, but stole a base essentially every two days over the regular season and had 20 doubles as well. Posey, meanwhile, had an .886 OPS for the Twins in just 48 games, and had several big postseason hits. Largely the traded players didn't play like stars in the postseason, but even competence is fine when built in to a strong supporting roster.
Free Agents
Connor Bennett (5/2/18 - Minor League Free Agent, extended 1 year, $791K in title year)
Brian W. Anderson (1/8/23 - 1 Year, $1.25 Million)
Giovanni Soto (1/22/23 - 1 Year, $950K)
Christian Jones (6/14/23 - Minor League Free Agent)
Only four players of significance for the Twins were signed as free agents. Each was a reliever or backup, two were minor league free agents, and a third signed for under a million dollars.
Despite struggling in prior years with the Giants and Brewers, Jones had a solid partial season with Minnesota before struggling in the playoffs. Soto had a nice strikeout rate and proved useful as well as a plus reliever, and his regular season success translated a little better to the playoffs.
Anderson was brought on to be a platoon piece at third. While he hit better against righties than lefties, he provided 1.3 WAR in roughly a third of a season.
Bennett was scooped up in 2018 after being cut by the Reds organization. The Twins scooped him up and after a rocky beginning, he produced results in the mid-minors for three seasons. Ben Nuzzo gave Bennett a shot in the majors this year and despite being homer prone Bennett was able to work to a 3.46 ERA, plus a 1.04 mark in the postseason.
The Twins didn't break open the bank or use free agency to find stars. They merely took fliers on depth pieces, and identified guys who would be useful for them in certain niches.
Rule V Draft
Jared Miller (2019)
Gilberto Celestino (2021)
Bryan Martelo (2021)
Michael Busch (2023)
Kaleb Fleck (2023)
The real story of the Minnesota Twins has been the team's identity to find stars in the Rule V draft and accept short-term punishment for long term gain.
Gilberto Celestino hit .243 with a .369 slugging percentage his rookie season in 2021, struggling to produce positive WAR. He turned into a solid regular in 2022 before busting out as an All-Star with a .281 average, 21 home runs, 101 RBIs, and 34 steals.
Martelo didn't actually need a learning curve. He bashed 35 home runs his rookie season in 2021, had a sophomore slump with 17 in 2022, and rebounded to a 28 home run campaign this year. All Minnesota needed for him was to identify his potential and have a 40-man roster spot open.
Miller has bounced around Minnesota's majors, minors, and injured list, only really appearing in two seasons. He struck out 74 in 55.1 innings this year as a high-risk, high-reward proposition before being injured for the playoffs.
Like Miller before him, Fleck is another volatile reliever plucked from Arizona. He's a veteran who flamed out in San Diego, but Ben Nuzzo liked his stuff. Fleck kept the ball in the park better than before and worked to a 3.53 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP.
Busch was a real win for the Twins. Grabbed out of Houston, Busch turned in a magnificent defensive season and hit .288 in the process. As a result of his two-way prowess, Busch was named an All-Star this year, joining Martelo and Celestino as three players who have made an All Star game after being picked in the Rule V draft, which is a huge win for Minnesota's scouting department.
Waivers
Eucebio Arias (1/8/21)
Arias was claimed from Baltimore back in 2021 and after moving to the bullpen this year find his role in the majors. Like the crop of Rule V Players, he's another depth piece identified by Aaron Dunham without needing much work done.
Staff
Assistant GM Frank Wren
Wren was brought on to assist Ben Nuzzo with decisions and deserves a lot of praise. Considering the eye needed to identify all the Rule V player players and minor league free agents Minnesota signed, Wren went above and beyond his duties. It was a fitting end to his career and he retired as soon as Minnesota captured the title.
Bench Coach: Kibichei Suitani
Suitani was a personable bench coach who fostered a good relationship with a lot of Minnesota's players, helping them feel comfortable as they grew in the majors. There's some criticism about his development style, but after the season Minnesota has, those criticisms ring hollow. Suitana favored a smallball approach which was favorable to Ben Nuzzo's goals. The Twins defended well, ran often, and their youngsters played, all goals in line with Sultani's vision. Despite the small ball approach, Suitani still favored some power in his lineup and let his sluggers mash. It was an excellent pairing of roster with tactician and the Twins reaped the benefits.
Hitting Coach Rick Schu
Schu was the Washington manager for a pair of decent Washington campaigns in 2017 and 2018, but was let go with Washington disappointing each season. Injuries played a huge role, so Schu was able to land on his feet in Minnesota in 2019, overseeing Minnesota's first playoff berth.
He stuck around as Minnesota had a few middling seasons, with their offense in the middle of the pack from 2020 to 2022. Nonetheless he was a man who was good with youngsters and a guy who worked well with power hitters. With Suitani crafting the overall vision, Schu made sure when his hitters weren't stealing or hit-and-running, they were clubbing the ball over the fence.
Pitching Coach: Andrew A Brown
Scouting Director: Rick Allison
Team Trainer: Mike Aristondo
Minnesota surprisingly cleaned house after their 2019 playoff run, leaving the team needing a Pitching Coach, a Scouting Director, and a Team Trainer. For their pitching coach, no doubt influenced by Jose Berrios' presence on the club, they inked Andrew A. Brown to a contract. Brown made the playoffs in one of two seasons with Pensacola in the Southern League and had a good track record working with young power arms. While Berrios was traded away and the club's philosophy with pitchers changed, Brown was able to maximize the fortunes of their two power arms on the club. Hunter Greene began to break out as a terrific relief option and Osiris German was sensational in the playoffs. Brown has a fantastic relationship with the pair and may be due for an extension.
Tom Allison was signed to oversee the club's scouting department and so many of the terrific finds were identified by Allison's keen eye. He's excellent at scouting the minors, a significant asset in identifying those Rule V draftees.
Finally, Mike Aristondo was added as a trainer. Minnesota was middle of the pack of injuries, with Luis Robert being a main player lost. He suffered arm and abdominal injuries, and Aristondo was poor at preventing arm injuries. The club had a share of arm and leg injuries, but virtually all were minor. Aristondo was excellent at healing arms and legs so while the Twins had to call upon relievers a bit more than usual, no significant issues manifested.
Summary: The main drivers of Minnesota's success from a managerial perspective are organizational discipline and an eye for acquiring overlooked players. Despite having a successful club for most of the decade, Minnesota resisted the urge to cash in prospects for short-term gains until Ben Nuzzo recognized he had a true contender on his hands, and the cost was relatively low. The Twins made a lot of trades that may have had an effect on their 2023 team, but the club's ability to pilfer other franchise's minor leagues is what really drove the club. Minnesota had three high-level players obtained for free in the Rule V draft, and featured numerous other players acquired for cheap. The Twins are a huge success for major and minor league scouting and major league development. It's perhaps the toughest road to build a team, but one Minnesota navigated flawlessly.
Now the third example in the examination of championship team blueprints, the Minnesota Twins show a third path compared to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals. While Washington made sure to keep a promising core and make bold moves to add talent, and Arizona meticulously developed a young core, Minnesota showed an ability to find talent on the margins and in controversial trades to build a title team.
Players
Defaulted Into
Alex Kirilloff
Akil Baddoo
Osiris German
Jake Reed
Felix Jorge
Kerby Camacho
Minnesota defaulted into all of these minor leaguers though all were prospects when the league began. Alex Kirilloff was never incredibly well regarded, but always hit in the minors until he was called up to the majors with a 20-home run rookie year in 97 games. Despite producing in the minors, Kirilloff wasn't traded when Minnesota made the playoffs in 2019.
Akil Baddoo never had a big offensive season in the minors, and had only one standout year when he put up a 4.9 WAR season in High-A on the backs of an impressive defensive and baserunning campaign. He had a middling rookie year in a partial season last year. Nonetheless, Minnesota saw enough in him to give him a chance as a starting outfielder to begin the year and he had a huge start to his season with 39 RBIs by May. Minnesota lucked into Baddoo turning into an All-Star, but all title teams need a little luck.
Osiris German was used as a mediocre reliever throughout his minor league and early major league career until being tested as a starter last year. He kept his strikeout ratio despite not going major innings and was deployed again as a starter this year. He had a very strong regular season and an excellent postseason despite being deployed in a controversial role.
Jake Reed was a young inconsistent reliever in the early days of the PBA, but improved quickly. As a middle-reliever he was cheap enough to hold on to, eventually becoming a cost-controlled closer. Outside of an awful 2020, Jorge has been a solid mid-rotation arm with peripherals better than his results. Those poor results kept his cost down in arbitration, but with a better team this year, he was a valuable asset to their run.
Camacho was a competent cheap, backup catcher who held his own as a starter early in the year. He contributed 1.1 WAR in 96 games.
Draft
Hunter Greene (2017 1st Round Draft Pick, 1st Overall)
The Number 1 overall pick in 2017, Greene developed slowly but always figured to be a major part of Minnesota's future. In his second year in the majors, Greene's wildness kept him out of the rotation, but he allowed only three home runs in 96 innings and struck out 137 batters in relief. He also allowed only 67 hits in 96 frames as hitters would reach base via walk and would be stuck there. Greene's ability to provide depth out of the pen was a key resource, especially with some Minnesota starters unable to provide depth.
Trades
Wessell Russchen
Dan Straily (11/23/20 - Traded along with Thomas Dillard, Brandon Finnegan, Forrest Whitley, Nick Allen, Frederick de la Cruz, and a 1st round pick [Phil Plechaty] from the Athletics for Jose Berrios and Byron Buxton)
Luis Robert
Edward Cabrera (11/30/20 - Traded along with Welbin Bautista and a 2nd round pick [Ernesto Rueda] from the Marlins for Nick Gordon and Nick Burdi)
Denyi Reyes (12/31/20 - Traded along with Dexter Fowler from the Mariners for $1)
Nicky Lopez
Dalton Rone (12/8/22 - Traded along with Steve Mulvey from the Rays for Nick Allen and Lewin Diaz)
Sam Travis (12/15/22 - Traded from the Indians for Dai-Lin Chang and Guadalupe Barrientos)
Jerad Eickoff (1/9/23 - Traded from the Reds for Jordan Luplow)
Nick Kingham (4/17/23 - Traded from the Rays for Pat Clemens and a 5th round pick [Mark Swafford])
Yoan Moncada (7/10/23 - Traded from the Rays for Michael Perez and Ernesto Roca)
Buster Posey (7/17/23 - Traded from the Orioles for Amari Toure)
There were two time periods of major trade activity that helped shape the roster. The most recent one after Ben Nuzzo took over, and an earlier period after Aaron Dunham took over the Twins. The first period came after Minnesota made it to the ALDS in 2019 before a disappointing 2020. Despite a pretty young roster, Minnesota traded away two talented players in the prime of their career to rebuild.
The traditional narrative is that veterans get traded for young stars that fuel the next elite team, but the Berrios and Buxton trade didn't quite work out that way. Wessell Russchen will be a superstar in the future, but he was too young to impact the Twins in 2023. Dan Straily wasn't anything more than a middling depth piece. Thomas Dillard moved on, Brandon Finnegan was cut, Phil Plechaty, Forrest Whitley and Frederick de la Cruz never left Triple-A, and Nick Allen was traded away. The trade may pay dividends for future Minnesota success, but had surprisingly little impact on this year's title.
The Luis Robert and Edward Cabrera trade also had little impact as Robert was injured for most of the season and Cabrera was mostly a minor leaguer. Nick Burdi had an outstanding season as a reliever and Nick Gordon was a solid player for Miami. This trade also looks like a loss in hindsight.
What those trades did do is clear up space for the Twins to take on salary to acquire talent. They took on Dexter Fowler's terrible contract for free to add Denyi Reyes, who was a useful starter during the season.
The next series of trades were made by Ben Nuzzo before the 2023 season started. He took Lewin Diaz coming off a terrific year, and young Nick Allen and swapped them for Dalton Rone, Nicky Lopez, and Steve Mulvey. Both Diaz and Allen struggled this year, but Rone and Lopez did too. It did save money for the Twins and added depth, but it was honestly, probably a bad deal for the Twins.
They did rectify their new opening at First Base by trading for the unheralded Sam Travis. An older hitter without crazy power, Travis wasn't in high demand by the rest of the league. He provided competent play and his ability to make contact, smack doubles, and play good defense fit into Minnesota's ethos of a defensive team who put the ball in play. The cost to take Travis on were two teenagers who will likely never play in the upper minors.
With a strong outfield and needing pitching depth, Minnesota dealt Jordan Luplow for Jerad Eickoff. It wasn't a move that made a difference in the playoffs, but Eickoff served as depth in the regular season and gave the fans a magical moment when he pitched a Perfect Game. Minnesota then added more depth by moving a 5th round pick early in the season to acquire Nick Kingham. Kingham also helped with Minnesota's regular season depth, and had a terrific postseason too.
The real trades that catapulted Minnesota over the top came in July. Surprisingly in the AL Central lead, Minnesota made moves to bolster their chances of holding off Chicago, Detroit, and Kansas City. Armed with surplus payroll, the Twins traded a nice pitching prospect in Amari Toure to bolster their Catcher position. They gave up some talented prospects in Ernesto Roca and Michael Perez to take on Yoan Moncada on the cheap. The deals shored up offensive weak spots and gave the club a pair of dynamic hitters to add to the lineup. Moncada struggled a bit in the postseason, but stole a base essentially every two days over the regular season and had 20 doubles as well. Posey, meanwhile, had an .886 OPS for the Twins in just 48 games, and had several big postseason hits. Largely the traded players didn't play like stars in the postseason, but even competence is fine when built in to a strong supporting roster.
Free Agents
Connor Bennett (5/2/18 - Minor League Free Agent, extended 1 year, $791K in title year)
Brian W. Anderson (1/8/23 - 1 Year, $1.25 Million)
Giovanni Soto (1/22/23 - 1 Year, $950K)
Christian Jones (6/14/23 - Minor League Free Agent)
Only four players of significance for the Twins were signed as free agents. Each was a reliever or backup, two were minor league free agents, and a third signed for under a million dollars.
Despite struggling in prior years with the Giants and Brewers, Jones had a solid partial season with Minnesota before struggling in the playoffs. Soto had a nice strikeout rate and proved useful as well as a plus reliever, and his regular season success translated a little better to the playoffs.
Anderson was brought on to be a platoon piece at third. While he hit better against righties than lefties, he provided 1.3 WAR in roughly a third of a season.
Bennett was scooped up in 2018 after being cut by the Reds organization. The Twins scooped him up and after a rocky beginning, he produced results in the mid-minors for three seasons. Ben Nuzzo gave Bennett a shot in the majors this year and despite being homer prone Bennett was able to work to a 3.46 ERA, plus a 1.04 mark in the postseason.
The Twins didn't break open the bank or use free agency to find stars. They merely took fliers on depth pieces, and identified guys who would be useful for them in certain niches.
Rule V Draft
Jared Miller (2019)
Gilberto Celestino (2021)
Bryan Martelo (2021)
Michael Busch (2023)
Kaleb Fleck (2023)
The real story of the Minnesota Twins has been the team's identity to find stars in the Rule V draft and accept short-term punishment for long term gain.
Gilberto Celestino hit .243 with a .369 slugging percentage his rookie season in 2021, struggling to produce positive WAR. He turned into a solid regular in 2022 before busting out as an All-Star with a .281 average, 21 home runs, 101 RBIs, and 34 steals.
Martelo didn't actually need a learning curve. He bashed 35 home runs his rookie season in 2021, had a sophomore slump with 17 in 2022, and rebounded to a 28 home run campaign this year. All Minnesota needed for him was to identify his potential and have a 40-man roster spot open.
Miller has bounced around Minnesota's majors, minors, and injured list, only really appearing in two seasons. He struck out 74 in 55.1 innings this year as a high-risk, high-reward proposition before being injured for the playoffs.
Like Miller before him, Fleck is another volatile reliever plucked from Arizona. He's a veteran who flamed out in San Diego, but Ben Nuzzo liked his stuff. Fleck kept the ball in the park better than before and worked to a 3.53 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP.
Busch was a real win for the Twins. Grabbed out of Houston, Busch turned in a magnificent defensive season and hit .288 in the process. As a result of his two-way prowess, Busch was named an All-Star this year, joining Martelo and Celestino as three players who have made an All Star game after being picked in the Rule V draft, which is a huge win for Minnesota's scouting department.
Waivers
Eucebio Arias (1/8/21)
Arias was claimed from Baltimore back in 2021 and after moving to the bullpen this year find his role in the majors. Like the crop of Rule V Players, he's another depth piece identified by Aaron Dunham without needing much work done.
Staff
Assistant GM Frank Wren
Wren was brought on to assist Ben Nuzzo with decisions and deserves a lot of praise. Considering the eye needed to identify all the Rule V player players and minor league free agents Minnesota signed, Wren went above and beyond his duties. It was a fitting end to his career and he retired as soon as Minnesota captured the title.
Bench Coach: Kibichei Suitani
Suitani was a personable bench coach who fostered a good relationship with a lot of Minnesota's players, helping them feel comfortable as they grew in the majors. There's some criticism about his development style, but after the season Minnesota has, those criticisms ring hollow. Suitana favored a smallball approach which was favorable to Ben Nuzzo's goals. The Twins defended well, ran often, and their youngsters played, all goals in line with Sultani's vision. Despite the small ball approach, Suitani still favored some power in his lineup and let his sluggers mash. It was an excellent pairing of roster with tactician and the Twins reaped the benefits.
Hitting Coach Rick Schu
Schu was the Washington manager for a pair of decent Washington campaigns in 2017 and 2018, but was let go with Washington disappointing each season. Injuries played a huge role, so Schu was able to land on his feet in Minnesota in 2019, overseeing Minnesota's first playoff berth.
He stuck around as Minnesota had a few middling seasons, with their offense in the middle of the pack from 2020 to 2022. Nonetheless he was a man who was good with youngsters and a guy who worked well with power hitters. With Suitani crafting the overall vision, Schu made sure when his hitters weren't stealing or hit-and-running, they were clubbing the ball over the fence.
Pitching Coach: Andrew A Brown
Scouting Director: Rick Allison
Team Trainer: Mike Aristondo
Minnesota surprisingly cleaned house after their 2019 playoff run, leaving the team needing a Pitching Coach, a Scouting Director, and a Team Trainer. For their pitching coach, no doubt influenced by Jose Berrios' presence on the club, they inked Andrew A. Brown to a contract. Brown made the playoffs in one of two seasons with Pensacola in the Southern League and had a good track record working with young power arms. While Berrios was traded away and the club's philosophy with pitchers changed, Brown was able to maximize the fortunes of their two power arms on the club. Hunter Greene began to break out as a terrific relief option and Osiris German was sensational in the playoffs. Brown has a fantastic relationship with the pair and may be due for an extension.
Tom Allison was signed to oversee the club's scouting department and so many of the terrific finds were identified by Allison's keen eye. He's excellent at scouting the minors, a significant asset in identifying those Rule V draftees.
Finally, Mike Aristondo was added as a trainer. Minnesota was middle of the pack of injuries, with Luis Robert being a main player lost. He suffered arm and abdominal injuries, and Aristondo was poor at preventing arm injuries. The club had a share of arm and leg injuries, but virtually all were minor. Aristondo was excellent at healing arms and legs so while the Twins had to call upon relievers a bit more than usual, no significant issues manifested.
Summary: The main drivers of Minnesota's success from a managerial perspective are organizational discipline and an eye for acquiring overlooked players. Despite having a successful club for most of the decade, Minnesota resisted the urge to cash in prospects for short-term gains until Ben Nuzzo recognized he had a true contender on his hands, and the cost was relatively low. The Twins made a lot of trades that may have had an effect on their 2023 team, but the club's ability to pilfer other franchise's minor leagues is what really drove the club. Minnesota had three high-level players obtained for free in the Rule V draft, and featured numerous other players acquired for cheap. The Twins are a huge success for major and minor league scouting and major league development. It's perhaps the toughest road to build a team, but one Minnesota navigated flawlessly.