New era set as Falvey takes over Twins baseball operations
After another dismal baseball season, the Minnesota Twins hope Derek Falvey will put the team back on the path to success. Twins officials formally announced his hiring Monday as head of baseball operations.
Falvey, 33, replaces longtime general manager Terry Ryan, who was fired in July as the team spiraled downward toward the worst record in Major League Baseball.
The Twins finished with 103 losses and only 59 wins, the worst for the franchise since coming to Minnesota. That followed four out of five seasons where the Twins lost 90-plus games.
"I believe the addition of Derek Falvey to the Minnesota Twins will markedly enhance our organizational excellence and bring championship baseball back to Minnesota," Twins owner Jim Pohlad said in a statement.
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Falvey's title will be executive vice president and chief baseball officer. His new role with the Twins will be effective at the conclusion of the Cleveland Indians season. Rob Antony will maintain his role as the Twins interim general manager until Falvey joins the club.
Falvey, 33, has worked for the Indians the past nine seasons, most recently as assistant general manager. He is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., where he played baseball and earned a degree in economics in 2005.
His job with the Twins will be a demanding one in a franchise struggling to regain its footing.
According to the team, "he will oversee all aspects of the department including: major league team, coaches, and support staff, contract negotiations, player development, scouting, research and development, medical and communications.
The Twins have a lot of young talent, including outfielders Byron Buxton and Max Kepler and infielder Miguel Sano. Pitching, however, remains a huge need. Many of the team's efforts to groom young pitchers have fallen short the past few years. Several free-agent pitchers failed to meet their promise.
Despite all the unknowns, Pohlad has said the team will manager Paul Molitor for next season.