The superstitious will demand that when the Twins move their locker room and offices from the Metrodome to Target Field they must take along the water coolers. The less informed may believe the organization’s winning ways and stubborn will not to give up can be attributed to the water consumed by the front office, manager, coaches and players. In fact, the franchise has a system worthy of study at the University of Minnesota business school, if not Harvard.
After yesterday’s incredible 12 inning tie-breaking win over Detroit, the Twins have now won five Central Division championships in the last eight years. To win the latest title the team had to come back from three games behind the Tigers with four to play on the regular season schedule.
The never-give-up franchise serves up comebacks with the best organizations in baseball. The Twins spent much of 2009 playing less than .500 baseball, but yesterday finished 87 and 76, winning 17 of their last 21 games. They followed the blueprint of comebacks in other seasons when the team started slow including in 2003 when the Twins went 47-31 to win the Central after having a 43-41 record in mid-July.
Characteristics that define winning organizations in business are visible with the Twins. Among those characteristics is a confidence that the franchise knows how to win.
Manager Ron Gardenhire and his staff didn’t panic this season when the pitching staff was imploding because of injuries and poor performance. They didn’t stop teaching players and doing the best they could when problems were also evident at third base, second base and left field.
Pitching coach Rick Anderson rebuilt a staff during the season, offering suggestions and encouragement to some guys not even on the roster at the All-Star break. In the last days of the season the pitching responded remarkably, both among the starters (only two of five remained from the early season rotation) and bullpen.
Gardenhire tightened the defense in September, putting Matt Tolbert at third and Nick Punto at second. That’s the Twins way. Emphasize pitching, defense and always fundamentals in every aspect of baseball. And team play. One guy goes down, another has an opportunity.
Michael Cuddyer moved from right field to first base and went nuts at the plate hitting eight of his 32 home runs and producing 24 of his 92 RBIs in the final weeks of the season. Left fielder Delmon Young emerged as an unlikely hero producing 15 hits in his last 42 at bats including three home runs and 15 RBI.
Substitutes were dramatic in yesterday’s win. Center fielder Carlos Gomez, who scored the winning run in the 6-5 victory, had a .143 batting average during limited play in September. Second baseman Alexi Casilla, who drove in the winning run, hadn’t played since September 29.
A successful organization must be able to evaluate talent, and the team’s front office including general manager Billy Smith deserves credit for a farm system that produced in-season acquisitions like left handed starter Brian Duensing and catcher Jose Morales, plus acquired talent from other major league clubs. While a lot of fans were feeling sorry for themselves when the team acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera in late July, he was a big reason why the Twins were so good late in the season. Front office evaluators brought in additional contributors from other teams in relief pitchers Jon Rauch and Ron Mahay.
Over the years has the organization made personnel mistakes? Moved too slowly to retain players or trade for others? Sure, but this organization has shown a skill for identifying and developing players. For example, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Denard Span, and Cuddyer were all draft choices.
The Twins operate within a system of loyalty and stability. The front office people are usually promoted from within. The players are nurtured and groomed to not only help the franchise win, but also to enhance their careers (encouraged, for example, to learn how to play multiple positions). Patience is usually extended to all concerned.
All of this and more has created an environment that gives the organization the best chance to win. It is classic business management.
Now the Twins must target another 2009 miracle, beat the Yankees in the playoffs. The Yankees had baseball’s best regular season record and have a home field advantage. They must drink some pretty good water, too.