There is a growing belief that computers have taken over baseball and the word analytics is synonymous with the boogeyman. Specifically for the Minnesota Twins, plenty of that onus is directed at former manager Rocco Baldelli.
Unequivocally that’s not true, and again specifically to the Minnesota Twins, it reflects more of the front office influence than it does the manager. A transition of power to a new voice could change that reality, and the coaching staff may help to bridge the gap as well.
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Depending on how things work out for the Twins managerial search, former veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins would be interested in a role, and he wants to do things differently.
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LaTroy Hawkins ready to be an old school coach for MN Twins
The Minnesota Twins have yet to pick a replacement for Rocco Baldelli. They are closing in on a couple of different candidates, but the staff for that manager will take some time to sort of. If LaTroy Hawkins has his druthers, and the ideal leader, he’d be in on stepping into the dugout according to The Athletic’s Dan Hayes.
“Throwing 100 miles an hour, RPMs and vertical break — we’re so caught up in them, We forget there’s a human element to it, the mental part of the game. The numbers don’t tell if you have an argument with your wife or your significant other on the way to the ballpark. They don’t care if your kid is in the hospital. (A player) can sit down and talk to somebody that doesn’t have a PhD behind their name that’s actually been through it. … It humanizes (the situation) for that individual and it gives them an extra (motivation) because somebody else has been through it.
My value was in teaching the young guys from the neck up, understanding that they’re able to talk to somebody who’s been through what they’re gonna go through. Having that trust and that bond of the kids being able to talk to another professional athlete who had the same aspirations that they had at that same age and was able to get to the highest level.”
The Twins will always have plenty of voices that can talk to the nuances of analytical advancement. That is now, and should be forever, a part of the game. Figuring out ways to generate the highest level of development from each individual player is a must.
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Hawkins is old school having ended his career a decade ago. However, he pitched 21 years in the big leagues and survived with a career 4.31 ERA. That wouldn’t have happened without a level of adaptation, and he remains around the game at 52 to understand what is taking place now.
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What gets lost in that fray is marrying the sport with the reality that players are still human beings. The more that there can be a crossover between both ideals, the better the execution and production presents itself as a whole.
So much success for organizations at this point is reflective of communication. The open channels between the front office and dugout, then buy in between staff and players, comes down to trust and understanding. Hawkins already has developed relationships, and can operate as a liaison for multiple different parties.
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Like Minnesota Twins fans, Hawkins will be waiting to see who is hired before getting excited. Going from the broadcasting booth to the dugout is a substantial increase in duties. It sounds like it would be one he’s willing to make under the right circumstances.
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