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ANAHEIM http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-colome-jersey , Calif. (AP) — For the first time in the 21st century, the Los Angeles Angels are looking for a manager.The person who lands the job will play a major role in determining whether the Angels keep Mike Trout, get the most out of Shohei Ohtani — and finally end a nine-year postseason victory drought for this big-budget underachiever of a baseball club.A day after the Angels finished 80-82 and missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, general manager Billy Eppler set no timetables and confirmed no candidates as he began what’s expected to be a lengthy process to identify the successor to Mike Scioscia, who stepped down Sunday after 19 seasons in the Big A’s home dugout.Eppler praised Scioscia as “a lighthouse for this organization” and touted the manager as a Hall of Fame candidate. The GM also gave a few indications of what he’s seeking in a leader when he puts his numerous managerial candidates through a lengthy interview process.“What we’re looking for in that next manager is connectivity with the players,” Eppler said. “We’re looking for somebody who can think with a probability-based mindset. We’re going to look for someone that’s eager to grow (and) evolve. Someone that can develop a culture that will put the welfare of the team above any singular person.”Although the Angels still haven’t posted a winning record during Eppler’s three seasons in charge, the GM feels his new manager will have the ingredients to create a winner, and he plans to get more talent in the free-agent market.The Angels haven’t won a playoff game since 2009, and they’re in a streak of three consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1994 — but any organization that can build around Trout and Ohtani has a firm foundation, and Eppler is eager to continue the work he’s been doing.“We need to win for our fans,” Eppler said. “Win for our fans, win for our owner. That’s where the mindset is.”More things to watch during the long offseason in Anaheim:INJURIOUS EPIDEMICInjuries were the root of almost every problem for the Angels this season, with a jaw-dropping 25 players missing a significant amount of playing time. The Angels ended the season with 11 players on the DL, including key contributors such as slugger Albert Pujols, former ace Garrett Richards, free-agent signee Zack Cozart and former closer Keynan Middleton. They had to use 16 starting pitchers during a season in which they lost seven potentially important big-league starters to arm surgery, including Ohtani. Although there appears to be no common thread in this enormous tapestry of injury, Eppler said the Angels will try some new things next season in an effort to preserve their players’ health — but Eppler declined to say exactly what those things would be.FOR STARTERSDurable starting pitchers will be atop Eppler’s list of desired free agents James Paxton Jersey , but he also emerged happy with Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs and surprising rookie Jaime Barria. All three made at least 24 starts for an otherwise patchwork rotation — and while they weren’t stars, they were solid. “It was difficult to navigate,” Eppler said. “There was some instances where we were looking for starters the night before games sometimes, and we tested our depth. We tested the airport, we were in there so much running guys back and forth. But what our goal is is to get through the season with five or six starters next season. That would be great.”UP WITH OBPEven with a lineup featuring talents like Trout, Andrelton Simmons, Pujols, Justin Upton and Ohtani, the Angels scored only 721 runs — good for just 15th in the big leagues. Eppler distilled his plans for the Angels’ 2019 offense to one key statistic: “Our team on-base percentage (.313) was low. It was too low, simply put. We were seventh in home runs in baseball (214). All the teams in front of us were in the postseason except one (Toronto). We were 20th in on-base percentage, which is why we were only 15th in runs scored. A lot of solo home runs. We need to be on base. It is the only statistic that correlates with runs scored.”TROUT’S FUTURETrout will be at least 28 years old before he wins his first playoff game, and the amiable outfielder is frustrated by losing. But he has remained publicly content with Eppler’s efforts to build a winner around him while restocking a farm system left bare by previous GM Jerry Dipoto. Trout was the highest-paid player in baseball this season under a contract that runs through 2020, and Eppler declined to say anything Monday about the Angels’ reported desire to lock up the two-time AL MVP to an even longer-term, more lucrative contract. Trout batted .312 with 39 homers and 79 RBIs in 140 games this season, and he led the majors with a .460 on-base percentage and a 1.088 OPS.SHOHEI’S RECOVERYOhtani had Tommy John surgery on Monday, less than 24 hours after he singled in the final at-bat of his unique rookie season. Although the two-way star has many months of rehabilitation ahead, Eppler remains confident Ohtani will hit for the Angels in 2019 before he resumes his pitching career in 2020. Ohtani will spend plenty of time in Southern California during the winter http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , and he is a top candidate for the AL Rookie of the Year award. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two years ago, the Minnesota Twins made Derek Falvey their chief baseball officer with the precondition that Paul Molitor remain as manager.Molitor presided over a playoff team and won the American League Manager of the Year award in 2017, but the Twins slipped backward this season. Last week, Falvey and general manager Thad Levine decided the time was right to hire their own manager.Citing pursuit of more productive development by their younger players, Falvey and Levine fired Molitor on Tuesday while offering him an opportunity to remain with the organization in an undefined position in baseball operations.“This wasn’t about our record this year. This is about what we think is best as we continue to grow a young team in the direction toward being a championship contender,” Falvey said.Falvey and other club executives expressed confidence that Molitor would stay with the Twins beyond the 20 years he has already worked for them in various roles, including the final three seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career.“I fully respect that decision,” Molitor said in a statement distributed by the team. “I will forever be grateful for the opportunity they gave me to serve in the role as manager for these past four years. I’m going to consider their genuine offer to serve in a different capacity to positively impact the Twins from a different role.”The Twins went 305-343 under the 62-year-old Molitor, with one appearance in the playoffs in 2017. They were 78-84 this year, long out of postseason contention after a series of early setbacks to several key players.Falvey and Levine, in a news conference at Target Field to announce the change, didn’t articulate specific reasons for firing Molitor or desired qualities they’re seeking with his replacement. The 20-minute session with reporters was largely filled with praise of Molitor’s acumen and attitude, including a willingness to employ data-driven, new-age strategy like defensive shifts and starting a game with a relief pitcher.With a backdrop of the struggles this year by center fielder Byron Buxton and third baseman Miguel Sano, the players long targeted as franchise cornerstones, the Twins have a need for new approaches and voices for their prospects that stretches beyond the main man in the dugout, however. Soon after Molitor was dismissed from his post, the Twins announced the firing of seven minor-league coaches and two strength and conditioning coaches from the major league staff.“In conversation with Paul last year at that time Miles Mikolas Jersey , we did look at what the future could look like if he wasn’t managing,” Falvey said. “It’s never the right time to make a difficult decision, and it’s never easy. You have to weigh all the factors that we learned about this team this year, where we are and what need to do moving forward. We felt like now was the time to have that conversation with Paul.”After the Twins went 85-77 and reached the wild-card game last season, Molitor was given a new three-year contract. Before Minnesota edged into the postseason, there was buzz that Molitor might’ve been let got at the end of last season.“I don’t really think that that was a huge roadblock to them,” Pohlad said. “I mean, everybody wanted the situation to work out, and I did too, because Paul’s a personal friend and he’s done so much for our organization and is so important to our community. So I feel good about that decision.”Executives often prefer to pick their own managers, though, and Falvey and Levine will now undertake that task. They’re willing to wait until after the World Series to decide, they said, in case a candidate is still participating.“This is an eye toward the future,” team president Dave St. Peter said. “What puts us in the best position to dig out of this hole that we’re in?”The Twins acquired relievers Fernando Rodney, Addison Reed and Zach Duke, starting pitchers Lance Lynn and Jake Odorizzi and designated hitter Logan Morrison over the winter, but Rodney and Duke were the only additions who couldn’t be considered disappointments on the field.Shortstop Jorge Polanco was hit with an 80-game suspension to start the season for a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance Bud Norris Jersey , and starting pitcher Ervin Santana’s recovery from surgery on his middle finger was painfully slow. Catcher Jason Castro suffered a season-ending knee injury. Second baseman Brian Dozier labored through the summer with substandard production. Rodney, Duke, Lynn and Dozier, along with shortstop Eduardo Escobar and relief pitcher Ryan Pressly, were all traded to contenders in July and August.Molitor, who spent the final three seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career with his hometown team, held several roles within the organization before he was named the 13th manager of the Twins for 2015.Molitor was a roving minor league instructor, focusing on baserunning and infielding, from 2003 through 2013 with a one-year stint as hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners in between. He was bench coach for the Twins under manager Tom Kelly in 2000 and 2001 and then an assistant coach under manager Ron Gardenhire in 2014 with emphases on baserunning, bunting, infielding and in-game strategy.“What we’re aspirational of controlling is identifying that young core of players we’ve talked about for years, in this community, and applying ourselves this offseason to try to have those guys collectively take a step forward,” Levine said. “And I think if we do that, the wins and losses will probably take care of themselves, and the gap we see right now between ourselves and the Cleveland Indians will start closing pretty rapidly.”