MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins fired Triple-A Rochester manager Tom Nieto and hitting coach Floyd Rayford on Friday, the first collateral damage from the big club’s massively disappointing season.
Nieto, a former Twins catcher, lost at least 90 games in both of his seasons at the helm. He finished with a record of 102-186, including 53-91 in 2011.
With the big club ravaged by injuries this season, the Twins had to dip into the talent at Triple-A early and often just to field a healthy team at Target Field.
Youngsters like infielders Luke Hughes and Trevor Plouffe have logged heavy time in the majors, making it difficult for Nieto to come up with a competitive lineup in Triple-A.
