Need to point someone in the direction of a quick-and-easy Who's Who for the new Twins coaching staff? Twinkie Town has you covered.
With the appointment of Neil Allen, Paul Molitor's staff is just two coaches shy of a full complement. With the pitching coach's role filled, the Twins are looking for a first base coach and a bench coach. Here's a brief run-down for the six guys who are filling out the staff so far. (We'll continue to fill this out as the last two roles are filled.)
Manager: Paul Molitor
Molitor served as a coach for Tom Kelly in 2000 and 2001. After turning down the manager's job for the Twins when Kelly retired after the 2001 season, Molitor wouldn't officially return to the organization's coaching ranks until 2013. Even then it felt as though the club was tabbing him as Ron Gardenhire's eventual replacement, whenever that may have been. He was considered one of the organization's favorite candidates for the job, and by the end it would have been a surprise had it been anyone but Molitor.
Hitting Coach: Tom Brunansky
Bruno served as the hitting coach for Ron Gardenhire in both 2013 and 2014. His contract was up at the end of the year, along with every other coach on Gardenhire's staff, but there was a strong belief that if anyone from the previous regime could hold onto their job, it would be Brunansky. Given credit for how he works with younger hitters, this could be an ideal situation for the starting right fielder from the 1987 Wold Series championship team.
Pitching Coach: Neil Allen
A bullpen coach for the Yankees in 2005 before heading to Tampa Bay in 2007, Allen has been in the Rays' organization for the last eight seasons. Since 2011 he has been the pitching coach for Triple-A Durham, where he coached notable young starters such as Chris Archer and Alex Cobb, among others. In spite of his many years experience as a coach, his only Major League experience was with the Bomber's in '05.
Bench Coach: TBD
Third Base Coach: Gene Glynn
Glynn was most recently the manager of Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, where he's been for the last three seasons. His record there was a combined 226-206. In spite of this success, he never appeared to be a finalist for the Twins' managerial vacancy. Between 1986 and 1992 he managed for six minor league teams in A-level affiliates, before spending the 12 years between 1994 and 2006 as first and third base coaches for the Rockies, Expos, Cubs, and Giants.
First Base Coach: TBD
Assistant Hitting Coach: Rudy Hernandez
Hernandez was the manager one or the other of Minnesota's Rookie Ball affiliates from 2001 to 2003. In 2013 and 2014 he was again back with the organization, coaching with the GCL Twins.
Bullpen Coach: Eddie Guardado
Everyday Eddie has no coaching experience in either the Major or Minor leagues, but he has been an instructor for the Twins in spring training for the last couple years. He has never been shy of enthusiasm, and with his teaching abilities on display in spring training the organization and Paul Molitor clearly have seen something they liked. The lack of experience is more irrelevant in this role than it might otherwise be; the bullpen coach's job during games is to answer the phones, meaning his actual impact on a game is virtually zero. Between games is where the bullpen coach makes his money, teaching and working with pitchers - and that is exactly what Guardado has already been doing.
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