Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo is receiving a second interview for the Twins managerial job, sources say, and he appears to be the main threat to the favored Paul Molitor for the position.
All along it has seemed likely that the Twins would stay inside the organization to replace Ron Gardenhire (as is generally their way), but Lovullo, the well respected Red Sox coach, appears to be the one outside candidate that remains a threat to upset Molitor for the job. Lovullo, a former big-league infielder, managed in the minors for the Indians and was a Blue Jays coach before going with John Farrell to Boston, where they won the 2013 World Series.
LaVelle Neal of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Lovullo was meeting today with the Twins. Molitor also received two interviews, and the papers suggested both men would have an audience with Twins owner Jim Pohlad, with a hiring likely slated for sometime this week.
Doug Mientkiewicz, who won the Florida State League title for Class A Fort Myers, was reported to receive two interviews, but he's more likely seen as a future candidate for such a top position as he is seen as needing more seasoning.
There never was much of a belief that former Rays manager Joe Maddon would be a serious candidate for the Twins, as he'll have many excellent choices, if not now then later. And no surprise, Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 in the Twin Cities suggested it wouldn't be Maddon in Minnesota. The Cubs seem much more realistic for Maddon if he decides to manage now.
Molitor, the Hall-of-Fame player who served as Twins coach this year, has always been seen as the favorite, as an accomplished player and coach who is from the Twin Cities (St. Paul) and played for the Twins.
Whoever gets the job is in for some rebuilding as the Twins have lost at least 90 games in four straight seasons, leading to the well-liked Gardenhire's ousting after 13 years.
