There's more news on the Twins search for a president of baseball operations.
Updates on the Twins executive search as they face the Mets
Jose Berrios is on the mound opposite of the venerable Bartolo Colon as the Twins open a three-game series at Citi Field.
September 16, 2016 at 10:13PM
Earlier media reports have the Twins being interested in Tampa Bay Rays exec Chaim Bloom for the position. He joins J.J. Picollo, Derek Falvey and Jason McLeod as known candidates.
I'll throw a couple more more nuggets into the mix.
The Twins are interested in speaking with Mets exec John Ricco, who currently is their vice president and assistant GM. This is interesting. Ricco easily looks to be the heir apparent to Sandy Alderson there. Also, former Twins GM Terry Ryan has ties to the Mets from his days as a scout there. He knows the Wilpon family. And he has a good relationship with Alderson.
According to a source, the Twins have not yet approached the Mets for permission to speak with Ricco. But I expect that to happen.
Also, current interim GM Rob Antony, according to sources, interviewed for the president role last week.
So this situation is fluid. Based on what we know, the Twins are looking at candidates with an analytical bent. The other thing: None of these candidates have never been a GM, so it looks like they would be making a double jump to becoming a president of a baseball department. Once again, these are just the names we are aware of.
By coincidence, we are at Citi Field tonight for the Twins-Mets throwdown. The Mets are beginning a homestand during which they play the Twins, Braves and Phillies. They will be looking to fire out tonight and secure one of the two NL wild-card berths.
The Mets are the only team that Paul Molitor has never faced as a player, coach or manager.
Jose Berrios was 2 years and 11 months old when Bartolo Colon made his major league debut.
Colon is the only active pitcher Molitor has faced.
Molitor joked before the game that it was strange that he had more at-bats against Colon than any of the players he managed. Actually, Kurt Suzuki has him beat, 13 at bats to eight.
I was all for Berrios getting another start, but I'm looking at the 104 home runs the Mets have in the 2-3-4-5 spots and realizing the significance.
Twins
Brian Dozier, 2B
Joe Mauer, 1B
Jorge Polanco, SS
Max Kepler, RF
Kurt Suzuki, C
Eduardo Escobar, 3B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Byron Buxton, CF
Jose Berrios, RHP
Mets
Jose Reyes, 3B
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Curtis Granderson, CF
Jay Bruce, RF
T.J. Rivera, 2B
James Loney, 1B
Travis d'Arnaud, C
Bartolo Colon, RHP
Gerrit Cole gave up his opt-out right on Monday and will remain with the New York Yankees under a contract that runs through 2028 rather than become a free agent.
