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Carl Willis and Neil Allen finalists for pitching coach; Guardado in as bullpen coach?

The Twins are closer to filling two of their most important remaining coaching roles.

By Jesse Lund
Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Eddie Guardado: bullpen coach?

Per MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger, Guardado could be the Twins' new bullpen coach. Guardado doesn't have any coaching experience, but he's been a pitching instructor in spring training for Minnesota the last few years. He saved 116 games for the Twins and was the club's primary closer in 2002 and 2003. His 116 saves were second in franchise history, behind Rick Aguilera's 254, until Joe Nathan took over the role from 2004 to 2011 and surpassed them both.

To the best of my knowledge this move isn't written in stone yet, but if Bollinger is free to post it on the Twins' official website it's probably a good bet to be a done deal.

Carl Willis, Neil Allen finalists for pitching coach

Willis was a reliever for the Twins from 1991 through 1994, plus a couple of appearances in 1995. He made 204 appearances for Minnesota with a 3.65 ERA. He was most effective from '91 through '93, owning a 2.78 ERA in those three seasons as one of Tom Kelly's favorite options in front of Aguilera. He was a pitching coach for the Indians from 2003 - 2009, and since 2010 has been the pitching coach for the Mariners.

Allen was a bullpen coach for the Yankees in 2005, but his current position is as a pitching coach for Tampa Bay's Triple-A affiliate in Durham where he's been since 2007. Both players have a great deal of experience in coaching pitchers, which is exactly what Paul Molitor needs.

If Guardado does indeed own the bullpen coach's job, the pitching coach is the last major role to fill for Molitor's staff. Do you have any preference for which guy gets the job?

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