Shuffling the minor league managers

The Twins had a opening in their minor league managerial crew. They filled it in a striking way.

• Mike Quade remains the manager at Triple A Rochester.
• Jake Mauer moves from Low A Cedar Rapids to Double A Chatanooga.
• Doug Mientkiewicz moves down a rung, from Chattanooga to High-A Fort Myers, which was vacated by the elevation of Jeff Smith to the major league staff.
• Tommy Watkins was named manager of Low A Cedar Rapids.

I doubt Mientkiewicz was "demoted." I expect that he preferred to be in Fort Myers.

This is actually the second time in three years that the Twins Double-A manager went down a step. Smith made the same move. As I recall, he asked to be assigned to Fort Myers, closer to his Florida home and family. And I wouldn't be surprised if Mientkiewicz did the same this year.

I don't know how the money differs, but since Baseball Reference says Mientkiewicz made more than $13 million in his playing career, the money may not matter that much to him. Smith didn't play in the majors, so he didn't have that cushion, but he apparently made that choice anyway.

Watkins has been a coach at various levels since ending his playing career, and I am among those pleased to see him get the managerial nob at CR. "The Mayor of Fort Myers" is a popular guy in the Twins organization.