Perhaps because of the difficulty defining the term, clubhouse chemistry is a much-maligned, oft-debated topic in the baseball community.

Despite most of us having been in a work setting or on a sports team whose environment was toxic enough to impact our individual performance, I think a lot of times we discount the idea that this could happen in professional sports. When we only tune in for the 3 hours that the game is played, and the players seem almost robotic, its easy to discount the impact outside influences or a dysfunctional clubhouse could have on their performance. For many of us, its tempting to simply want to put together a roster of 25 analytics-approved bodies and assume the off-the-field stuff will work itself out on its own. Who cares if its 25 players, 25 cabs, right?

As the statistical revolution in baseball took hold, doing just that seemed to be the trend, at least in some organizations. Recently, though, even the most analytically-inclined organizations are returning to the idea that chemistry matters too, and the Twins appear to be one of them. According to these organizations, mastering the intangible is a prerequisite to seeing optimal tangible output.

Although on-field chemistry is critical to success in sports like basketball and hockey, off the field chemistry is perhaps most important in professional baseball, where players spend an inordinate amount of time together during the season. During a homestand, players typically put in 50- to 60-hour weeks, with even more time spent together when on the road. A day game followed by a flight to the east or west coast, for example, often means a 14-hour day. Much of this time, of course, isnt spent playing the actual game, but in clubhouses, planes, and hotels.

Given the vast amount of time players spend together, then, it would seem to be a critical goal of any organization to make sure they actually, you know, get along. In both his words and moves, Twins CBO Derek Falvey has exhibited an appreciation for the importance of fostering a positive clubhouse culture.

We factor it all in. Every aspect. Were not making decisions in a vacuum, Falvey said at the Winter Meetings. We talk about some of the metrics we know and what a players value is. We can quantify some of that, but we cant quantify all of it. Its our job to be thoughtful about that the long-term culture that were looking to build and how it impacts our team. There is a unique mesh in that 25-man team, and the coaching staff, that creates impact in creative ways.

Falvey and the Twins have made several moves throughout the offseason that exemplify the focus on building a strong clubhouse. One is the addition of journeyman reliever Craig Breslow, a Yale graduate with a mind for analyticsand a vision for baseball that seems to parallel Falveys. In adding Breslow, the Twins brass is likely looking to him as both a mentor for young pitchers and a credible voice to communicate complex analytical concepts to players in a digestible way. The Twins also made a strong push for veteran 1B/DH Mike Napoli, despite his on-field redundancy with Joe Mauer, Kennys Vargas and others, in part because of his presumed impact in the locker room.

Talent is an aspect of any decision we make, Falvey told Foxs Ken Rosenthal. But there is an element of clubhouse chemistry that also plays a role in organization-building. Were going to talk about leadership, makeup and how guys fit in our clubhouse along with how we feel they will perform.

In hiring Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer and LaTroy Hawkinsall respected, recently retired players who were seen as clubhouse leaders during their playing days as special advisors, the Twins are looking to organizational icons to further strengthen their culture and chemistry. Hunters presence in the clubhouse in 2015, when the Twins unexpectedly competed for a wild card spot, is perhaps the best recent example of a player having an unquantifiable, but important, impact on a teams performance.

Ill admit to being initially skeptical when the Twins signed Hunter, both because of past comments hes made on social issues with which Ive disagreed, and his declining on-field performance. But throughout 2015 it became abundantly clear that he was able to bring the Twins clubhouse together in a unique way, and comments about the impact of his leadership from Paul Molitor and a number of Twins playersboth rookies and veterans; domestic and international support that idea. Its impossible to know how many games the 2015 Twins would have won with a right fielder who put up similar numbers to Hunters but lacked his leadership, but Im fairly certain the number would be less than 83.

Theres a balancing act here, of course. Putting 12 Craig Breslows on the pitching staff might make for some fascinating clubhouse conversation, but it wouldnt translate into many wins on the field. The foundation for any successful club still must be rooted in talent. But the trend in baseball, even among the most analytically-inclined organizations, to seek out players who can make a meaningful contribution off the field is, in my view, a smart approach.

If a player like Breslow can help a pitcher understand how to utilize data to better attack hitters, or someone like Hunter can help Eddie Rosario understand the strike zone, those are contributions that could make meaningful differences in the development of those players. Filling a couple of roster spots with these kinds of influencers seems like a worthwhile goal, even if the analytics suggest their on-field contributions may be minimal. This is particularly true if the player tasked with this responsibility is clear on his role within the organization.

For Breslow, that appears to be the case. Derek (Falvey) is a really engaging and bright guy with a great vision for the organization, Breslow told Rosenthal. The thing that resonated the most with me was the idea that I could impact the culture and impact the direction of the organization for longer than potentially my stay there might be.

As the Twins embark on an organization-wide shift in culture, their focus on both the quantifiable and unquantifiable should serve as an asset to their growth. The importance given to making additions like Breslow will likely change based on the youth of the club and how likely they are to contend. Either way, a focus on complementing top-end talent with fringe players and advisors who can help cultivate an environment thats optimal for them to succeed is a smart approach to building a long-term contender.

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Chemistry Matters, and the Twins Seem on Board - 1500 ESPN