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With the appointment of Neil Allen, Paul Molitor's staff is just two coaches shy of a full complement as the Twins are still looking for a first base coach and a bench coach. Here's a brief run-down for the six guys who are filling out the staff so far. (We'll continue to fill this out as the last two roles are filled.)
Manager: Paul Molitor
Molitor served as a coach for Tom Kelly in 2000 and 2001. After turning down the manager's job for the Twins when Kelly retired after the 2001 season, Molitor wouldn't officially return to the organization's coaching ranks until 2013. Even then it felt as though the club was tabbing him as Ron Gardenhire's eventual replacement, whenever that may have been. He was considered one of the organization's favorite candidates for the job, and by the end it would have been a surprise had it been anyone but Molitor.
Hitting Coach: Tom Brunansky
Bruno served as the hitting coach for Ron Gardenhire in both 2013 and 2014. His contract was up at the end of the year, along with every other coach on Gardenhire's staff, but there was a strong belief that if anyone from the previous regime could hold onto their job, it would be Brunansky. Given credit for how he works with younger hitters, this could be an ideal situation for the starting right fielder from the 1987 Wold Series championship team.
Pitching Coach: Neil Allen
A bullpen coach for the Yankees in 2005 before heading to Tampa Bay in 2007, Allen has been in the Rays' organization for the last eight seasons. Since 2011 he has been the pitching coach for Triple-A Durham, where he coached notable young starters such as Chris Archer and Alex Cobb, among others. In spite of his many years experience as a coach, his only Major League experience was with the Bomber's in '05.
Bench Coach: Joe Vavra
Now in his third coaching position with the Minnesota Twins since coming on board as the team's hitting coach in 2006, Vavra joins Brunansky as hold-overs from Ron Gardenhire's staff. He served as Minnesota's hitting coach for seven seasons, through 2012, and in the last two seasons was Gardy's third base coach. There seems to be a good deal of faith being placed in Vavra, not just from the Twins but from Molitor as well. Often praised for his baseball intelligence, we'll see if that translates into a steady job for Vavra off the bench.
Third Base Coach: Gene Glynn
Glynn was most recently the manager of Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, where he's been for the last three seasons. His record there was a combined 226-206. In spite of this success, he never appeared to be a finalist for the Twins' managerial vacancy. Between 1986 and 1992 he managed for six minor league teams in A-level affiliates, before spending the 12 years between 1994 and 2006 as first and third base coaches for the Rockies, Expos, Cubs, and Giants.
First Base Coach: Butch Davis
In spite of being the last role filled, Davis' job will also be quite diverse. In addition to coaching first base he'll also be instructing outfield play, baserunning, and bunting. His previous coaching experience includes stints at Double and Triple-A, managerial experience in the lower levels in the late 90s, and in more recnet years has been a minor league roving outfield and bunting instructor. In 2013 and 2014, he was a field coach for Baltimore's Single-A affiliate in Bowie.
Assistant Hitting Coach: Rudy Hernandez
Hernandez was the manager one or the other of Minnesota's Rookie Ball affiliates from 2001 to 2003. In 2013 and 2014 he was again back with the organization, coaching with the GCL Twins.
Bullpen Coach: Eddie Guardado
Everyday Eddie has no coaching experience in either the Major or Minor leagues, but he has been an instructor for the Twins in spring training for the last couple years. He has never been shy of enthusiasm, and with his teaching abilities on display in spring training the organization and Paul Molitor clearly have seen something they liked. The lack of experience is more irrelevant in this role than it might otherwise be; the bullpen coach's job during games is to answer the phones, meaning his actual impact on a game is virtually zero. Between games is where the bullpen coach makes his money, teaching and working with pitchers - and that is exactly what Guardado has already been doing.