Souhan: Twins’ brain drain continues with departure of Derek Falvey

In October 2023, the Twins lineup of key decisionmakers looked like this:

President: Dave St. Peter. Baseball boss: Derek Falvey. GM: Thad Levine. Manager: Rocco Baldelli. Hitting coach: David Popkins. Pitching coach: Pete Maki.

With Falvey leaving the organization, here’s the new Twins lineup of key decisionmakers: President(ish): Tom Pohlad. Baseball boss/GM: Jeremy Zoll. Manager: Derek Shelton. Hitting coach: Keith Beauregard. Pitching coach: Pete Maki.

Note to Mr. Maki: Rent, don’t buy.

In October 2023, the Twins won their first postseason series since 2002. From the time Falvey hired Baldelli, before the 2019 season, through the end of 2023, the former brain trust won 101 games in a season, won three division titles in five seasons, and created the high point in the history of Target Field by winning that playoff series against Toronto.

In 2024, the Twins collapsed down the stretch, and Falvey felt obligated to make a change. So he fired Popkins, who would go on to help the Blue Jays come within an out or two of a World Series title.

When the Twins stunk in 2025, Falvey fired Baldelli, even though Baldelli had nothing to do with prospects showing up in the big leagues unprepared to win.

Sports are unpredictable. This new group might surprise us. But their resumes offer nothing that would indicate that they are about to lead a Twins’ rebirth.

Tom Pohlad has yet to say anything that would inspire confidence in a discerning fan. During a Zoom news conference on Jan. 30, he asked that we stop obsessing over payroll size. He also said that if the Twins win this year, then the payroll will go up. Which ignores the fact that sometimes you have to increase the payroll to win.

Zoll is highly regarded in the organization, but he will have to operate a low-budget franchise without help from Falvey, his mentor. Terry Ryan developed into an excellent general manager, but under similar circumstances he oversaw six straight losing seasons before figuring out how to win on a budget.

Shelton, like Zoll, is well thought of by his peers. As manager of the Pirates, another financially challenged organization, he had a record of 306-440.

Popkins proved himself during the Blue Jays’ playoff run. Beauregard appears to have done good work with the Tigers, but the Twins made an obvious mistake in firing Popkins.

Are Tom Pohlad, Zoll and Shelton going to be able to elevate a franchise coming off two terrible finishes without spending money?

Here’s a better question: What would the Twins have accomplished the past two seasons if they had retained Popkins and spent more money?

When you don’t spend much, you’re always one bad moment away from collapse.

Take the championship Twins teams. They won the World Series in 1987 and 1991. Late in the 1992 season, they were leading their division again and widely regarded as baseball’s model franchise.

On July 29, 1992, star closer Rick Aguilera allowed a decisive three-run homer to an A’s journeyman named Eric Fox. The Twins collapsed after that, losing the division by six games, then didn’t post another winning record until 2001.

The Pohlads are this decade’s Eric Fox — masters of disaster.