Lynn Native Derek Falvey has been named the executive vice president and chief baseball officer for the Minnesota Twins.
By Steve Krause
Derek Falvey, a former East Lynn Little Leaguer and Babe Ruth all-star, has been named the executive vice president and chief baseball officer for the Minnesota Twins.
Falvey, who went onto play high school ball at Governor’s Academy and college at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., will begin his duties once his current employer, the Cleveland Indians, who just got through sweeping the Red Sox in the American League Division Series, conclude their playoff run.
“It’s a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead the Twins baseball operation,” Falvey said in a statement upon the announcement of his hiring. “This is a proud, resilient franchise, and I’m eager to return championship-caliber baseball to the Twin Cities.
“We will work diligently and collectively to select and develop top performers, advance our processes, and nurture a progressive culture that will make fans across Twins Territory proud,” said Falvey, whose uncle, Jake, was the baseball coach for Everett High in the 1990s and 2000s.
Falvey, who is 33, is reflective of the youth movement that swept baseball a decade ago, beginning with Theo Epstein, who is now the head of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs and was general manager of the Red Sox.
Falvey, who is considered an expert on pitching analytics, comes highly recommended by his former employer.
“We always looked at where someone could come in and make an impact and make a difference and Derek forged his path with the Indians by coming in and making a significant impact in our pitching identification, development and philosophy,” Mark Shapiro, president and CEO of the Blue Jays, told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Shapiro ran the Indians when Falvey was hired as an intern in 2007.
“He did a lot of research, spent a lot of time and made a big impact,” Shapiro said.
Falvey’s concentration on pitching paid dividends this year in Cleveland, where the Indians rode their staff to a Central Division title and a sweep of the Red Sox in ALDS.
He will definitely have some projects when he gets to Minneapolis. The Twins’ pitching staff had the second-worst team ERA in the majors at 5.08. Minnesota’s pitching staff was ranked 19th last season, and 29th, 29th, 28th and 29th the years before that. The club believes Falvey is the person to undertake a change in philosophy when it comes to pitching.
“Derek joins the Twins following a nine-year stint in Cleveland where he has positively impacted all aspects of their baseball operations, including the development of an organization-wide pitching philosophy,” the team said in a letter to its season ticket holders.
Falvey’s hiring reflects several changes in philosophy for the Twins. They have been known as a “promote-from-within” organization. The last time they hired anyone outside the organization for this position was in 1986, when Andy MacPhail came on board. The next year, the Twins won the first of their two World Series titles.
Falvey also replaces 62-year-old Terry Ryan, who was executive VP and general manager. While Falvey’s title is different, he is expected to have the same duties as Ryan.
“I think (Falvey) has all the skills necessary to not just do the job but to excel at that job,” Shapiro said. “His ability to communicate, to go into some very tough cultures and tough environments and very quickly both win people over and do it in a way that was respectful. His ability to build respectful, trusting relationships across very diverse groups with a baseball operation was quickly evident.”
“We believe Derek represents the next generation of dynamic, game-changing MLB leaders,” Twins President Dave St. Peter said in a statement. “We expect Derek to create positive change directed at restoring our winning tradition.”