Twins’ incompetent front office needs to go
Mr. Jim Pohlad:
I’m a former Minnesota Twins season ticket holder who’s losing interest in the organization and the game of baseball. I’m already making the jump to hockey and the Minnesota Wild because they provide a better product year after year, market it well, and make the tough decisions that are necessary to be successful. When they fired Mike Yeo mid-season, they made the right decision and made the playoffs. When Terry Ryan traded for Kevin Jepsen last year, the Twins missed the playoffs and lost a more valuable asset in starter Chih-
I have seen your blindingly white, over-the-hill, and incompetent front office create a pathetic product, squander assets, and alienate customers, and I urge you to fire the following administrators for the reasons stated.
Terry Ryan, Executive Vice President and General Manager
I was pleased to receive a letter from your office stating Bill Smith would not return as general manager just after I pleaded publicly for his resignation. But Terry Ryan has only continued the downward spiral resulting from Smith’s dealings. He’s even repeating the same mistakes, which probably has to do with the fact you hired Smith back to be a special assistant to the general manager. Ryan’s trade for Kevin Jepsen is strikingly similar to Smith’s trade for Matt Capps. Also like Smith, Ryan seems to have a knack for overpaying mediocre players having career years instead of trading those assets at their highest value. Think of Phil Hughes, Kurt Suzuki, Glen Perkins, and Brian Dozier and hope that Ryan doesn’t do the same with Eduardo Nuñez, Miguel Sano, and Byron Buxton.
Bill Smith, Special Assistant to the President and General Manager
This should be self-explanatory. You don’t fire a general manager and give him a job advising your new general manager. You think any other GM candidate would have wanted the advice of Bill Smith? Had you looked outside the organization to fill this position that didn’t exist until you fired Smith, you would have had better perspective.
Rob Antony, Assistant General Manager
Rob is also on the hook for the decisions made in the last few years because he obviously either endorsed the decisions made or disagreed and no one listened. Regardless, he needs to go.
Mary Giesler, Vice President, General Counsel
Mary is another voice in the room either being ignored or echoing the opinions of Ryan. Her counsel obviously hasn’t persuaded Ryan to make better decisions.
Mike Radcliff, Vice President, Player Personnel
The Twins are terrible because the personnel is terrible. How do you end up with so many mediocre starting pitchers locked up for so many years and being paid so much money? Did you really think signing Ricky Nolasco to the largest free agent deal in Twins’ history was a good idea? Did Mike?
Raenell Dorn, Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity
Of the 35 positions you have in administration and baseball operations, two are filled by minorities from what I can see. That’s nearly 95 percent white. Minnesota is 85 percent white, but I think your organization should strive to be as diverse as the product on the field. It’s not, and while other organizations’ front offices are also blindingly white, that’s no excuse. Also, many of your executives have been in their positions or in the front office far too long to be effective in today’s game, but that falls on you, not Dorn.
Nancy O’Brien, Vice President, Brand Marketing
Asking with which car brand customers associate the last-place Minnesota Twins was insensitive and unacceptable, especially since there was no “broken down wreck that’s been parked in front of my house for years” option.
Dave St. Peter, President
For allowing these transgressions, Dave St. Peter must also go. I have nothing against St. Peter. He’s made himself available to the media, even the online media, and has spoken candidly about the organization. But with fresh faces come new ideas and more creative ways to improve the product, and while St. Peter knows and understands Twins Territory, he is still accountable for the actions of the administrators under him.
I sincerely hope you consider these suggestions and replace these administrators with competent candidates that improve the diversity of the workplace and the effectiveness of the organization.
Seriously,
Anthony Varriano
