Twins to rebuild, starting with coaching

After two 90+ lose seasons, the Twins made one of there boldest coaching shakeups in recent team history by dismissing Bullpen Coach, Rick Stelmaszek, First Base Coach, Jerry White, and Third Base Coach, Steve Liddle.

Additionally, the team reassigned former Hitting Coach, Joe Vavra, to 3rd Base/Infield Coach and former Bench Coach, Scott Ullger, to 1st Base/Outfield Coach. Manager, Ron Gardenhire, and Pitching Coach, Rick Anderson, were the only two coaches to remain in their former capacity, while Terry Ryan officially became the permanent General Manager after serving as “Interim” during 2012.

The new coaching staff shakes up like this:

Manager: Ron Gardenhire

Hitting Coach: Tom Brunansky

Bench Coach/Catching Instructor: Terry Steinbach

1st Base Coach/Outfield Instructor: Scott Ullger

3rd Base Coach/Infield Instructor: Joe Vavra

Pitching Coach: Rick Anderson

Bullpen Coach: Bobby Cuellar

The coaching shake-up marks a distinct shift in approach by the Twins organization, which has struggled by maintaining a Metrodome-style team in a vastly different new ballpark. Both Brunansky and Steinbach are former Twins known for their right-handed pull hitting during their playing days. Both are former All-Stars and World Series winners.

Varva and the rest of the former staff had preached hitting to all fields and keeping the ball out of the air, which had worked well on the fast artificial turf of the Metrodome. Target Field has proved to be a much slower infield, and the team will need to adjust by hitting the ball more in the air, and perhaps, out of the fences.

Former coaches, Steve Liddle and Jerry White, were very good people and well respected within the organization. However, fundamentals had shown little improvement over the past few years, and neither had World Series experience or a winning “swagger” that is needed within a clubhouse. Most likely, both will at least be offered minor league coaching jobs within the organization.

Rick Stelmaszek was the longest tenyeared coach in team history, at 32 years, and the team had hoped he would retire gracefully. He had been kept on as a mascot of sorts, well liked and very knowledgeable of Twins history. Unfortunately, poor health and age had somewhat limited his abilities, and Rick Anderson simply needed more able help.

Bobby Cuellar was likely on the verge of landing a big league job elsewhere, after patching together a remarkable pitching staff at AAA Rochester. As the big league pitching staff imploded, Cuellar was the season’s unsung hero, by constantly sending up retread pitchers who had surprising success.

Scott Diamond, Cole De Vries, Samuel Deduno and PJ Walters all had career years under Cuellar’s watch, all serving admirably when sent up to the big leagues. Liam Hendricks, Nick Blackburn and others also pitched extremely well while in AAA.

While the team struggled on the field, Ron Gardenhire remained sound in his decision making, and the team made the right move to keep both he and Rich Anderson.

These coaching decisions were not easy to make, but significantly beefs up the staff while retaining enough familiar faces to maintain a sense of continuity with the players. It should be the first step in changing the approach of a stumbling franchise.