Ryan, Molitor Eager To Get Twins Back On Winning Track
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WCCO) – As the week goes on, more Minnesota Twins fans and players are arriving in Fort Myers, Fla., as the team starts Spring Training.
Pitchers and catchers started their workouts on Monday, while the rest of the team gets things started on Friday. For years we've heard about the "Twins Way," but it has lost its way the last several years. The team has suffered through at least 90 losses in each of the last four years.
Health issues prevented General Manager Terry Ryan from being at Spring Training last year to watch his team's development, but he's back this year. Whether it's discussing why he switched managers in the offseason and gave the nod to Paul Molitor to fill out his first lineup card, or what needs to be done to improve his beleaguered starting pitching staff, Ryan will speak his mind.
The Twins starting rotation had one of the highest earned run averages in baseball last year and simply needs to get better. One thing Ryan said the organization must not do is lose any more fans.
"Having a team that people gravitate toward and be proud of, that's what we're trying to do here. I don't want any of that where you hear about embarrassed and so forth," Ryan said. "That's a bad feeling when you're running a baseball team. But I feel good about this ball club. We have to go out and prove it obviously and we have to regain the trust of our fanbase."
Ryan said the team's payroll, which currently sits at about $100 million, will not be an issue in making this team better.
Molitor said he wants to win with this team as quickly as possible.
"We all know we're at a bit of a crossroads here and I'm hoping once we start the season we can kind of stop talking about the last four years," Molitor said. "We have to try to get them to understand and believe in what we're doing. I believe we have the talent and we don't feel we're that far away."