Last year 99 losses and the AL’s worst record motivated the Twins to fire general manager Bill Smith a month after the season ended.
This year 96 losses and the AL’s worst record led to immediate and sweeping changes to the coaching staff, as the Twins announced that everyone on Ron Gardenhire’s staff except for pitching coach Rick Anderson has been let go or reassigned to a lesser role within the organization.
During the first 11 seasons with Gardenhire as manager the Twins fired a grand total of one coach, Al Newman. Yesterday alone they fired first base coach Jerry White, third base coach Steve Liddle, and bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek while reassigning hitting coach Joe Vavra and bench coach Scott Ullger to roles described as infield and outfield instructors. Head trainer Rick McWane was also let go.
I’d love to offer some meaningful analysis, but beyond stating the obvious about the need for change after 195 losses in two years it’s difficult to say if specific firings were justified or what the shakeup’s impact will be. Good or bad, evaluating coaches is a lot of guesswork. What’s easier to see is that with a new coaching staff and Gardenhire’s contract up after 2013 the writing is seemingly on the wall for what another 90 losses would lead to this time next year.
