In the second major Minnesota sports announcement of the day, the Minnesota Twins and team president Derek Falvey agreed to part ways less than two weeks before the start of spring training. Earlier in the day, the Minnesota Vikings informed the public that they were parting ways with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Twins’ announcement sent shockwaves through the Major League Baseball (MLB) community and at Twins headquarters, where employees were completely caught off guard.

Falvey’s departure comes just six weeks after the team installed Tom Pohlad as the new executive chair, replacing his brother Joe. And of course, it comes six months after Minnesota jettisoned 11 players at the MLB trade deadline, which paved the way for the team’s firing of veteran manager Rocco Baldelli. The Twins also announced that general manager Jeremy Zoll would continue to lead baseball operations, and that Pohlad would oversee the business side on an interim basis.

Club Announcement on Falvey’s Departure

Tom Pohlad made this announcement today regarding Derek Falvey. “As I’ve stepped into my new role and both Derek and I have discussed the future of this organization, we came to an agreement that a change is what is in the best interest of both the Twins and of Derek. On behalf of my family and the Minnesota Twins, I want to thank Derek for the indelible mark that he made on this organization.

“We believe that the best structure going forward is a president of business and a president of baseball. I think what’s best for this organization right now is all the energy and focus in those two departments being 100 percent committed right now. Yes, there is an element here where I’m a different leader in how I want to engage with this organization than in the past. You wrap all those things together, and I think that’s what’s best moving forward.”

Organization in Turmoil

This is the last thing the franchise needed after two and a half years of payroll cuts, lackluster baseball, and a massive player exodus. Falvey was promoted to team president 14 months ago in a move intended to help a new ownership group transition into team management, should the Pohlad’s decide to sell the team. Falvey apparently clashed with Tom Pohlad’s hands-on management style, which differed from that of his brother Joe and from Jim Pohlad, his uncle, who was the longtime chair.

Falvey said this about his departure. “Joe and I had a different plan and working dynamic. Tom wants to run it a little differently. … Sometimes it’s just a feel that you get where both sides kind of sit there and say, ‘OK, is this the right match for what we need going forward?’ And if you get to a place where you don’t think it (fits) perfectly, you have to have really honest conversations and dialogue about it, and we did.”

Picking Up the Pieces

With an undermanned team and a shocked front office, the Twins are ill-prepared for the grueling MLB season. And Twin Cities sports fans are left speculating about the future direction of their two oldest professional sports franchises. Where this all ends up is anyone’s guess.