I personally don't think any of that matters.  I think he's tied to the FO and he's doing what the FO wants him to do.  So, his seat isn't hot at all unless the FO's is.  And if the FO fires him, they'll just replace him with someone similar.  

Without a division title and at least a playoff win, Rocco needs to demonstrate the ability to develop the young talent he is provided  in order to remain in his position.

2024 is likely going to be a year when a number of our top prospects are finally going to graduate to the Bigs.  Getting this young talent to continually improve is a key, if not the key, to the Twins having a genuine open window for several years.

You can blame Baldelli & you might be right but others say that's not his fault it's FO. No one takes the blame & they won't let you know what the deal is. So we are left in limbo. No matter who's fault it is, the Polhad's love Flavine, so no one is going anywhere. 

Maybe if they really bungle things up after being dealt a great hand (and that's possible). Then they may think about it. 

If he doesn't win at least 81 games he should be gone IMO.

It is go time for Rocco, as in go show what you can do.  For the first time in his tenure the FO has removed many of the easy excuses by building a deep roster on both sides of the ball with reinforcements in the minors to boot.  I don't think he is on the hot seat however.  A poor year this year will make next year the very hot seat.

The in game stuff has to improve.  They are saying the right things and maybe better personnel helps the strategies work out but I've been constantly puzzled in many game situations, like using his pitch hitter in the 6th only for the same spot to obviously come up in a leverage situation later. 

Just because the data says make a move doesn't mean you should make it.  I love the modern analytics as much as anyone but the role of the manager is knowing what data applies in what situations.  Get the damn run in to win in extra innings, it might require a bunt or SB, the horror!

Nice, precise analysis.  Up until this year(or, more precisely Aug. 1, 2022), I couldn't distinguish between the FO's failures or the coaching staff's for the team's underperformance in 2021-22.  As you mention, the 2021/22 seasons foundered on the pen's weaknesses - a fact squarely on the shoulders of the FO.  They refused to spend any money on FA relievers who could have appreciably improved a pen that was subpar.  But at least at the last trade deadline, for the first time in their 6 years, the FO made some trades to bolster a beleagured rotation(Mahle) and pen(Lopez), which only partly made up for their perplexing trade of Rogers and failure to sign any FA but Joe Smith.  Then they follow up this past season by trading for Lopez, resigning CC, signing Vazquez,and greatly improving depth thru addition of Taylor, Farmer, Solano, and Gallo(??).

With this FO turnaround, yes, the heat should be on The Rock to get this team into the playoffs and end the long winless streak,.  Anything less, and ownership should get rid of Rocco first, and the FO quickly thereafter.  Here's hoping the classic Passive Pohlad era has ended with the elevation of Joe.  No guarantees, but for the first time in ages, some hopeful signs have emerged.

As SGD states, the negatives on Baldy's side - lack of fundamentals, inability to manufacture runs, slavish attention to a formulaic approach to the rotation, going along with FO's inexplicable attachment to underperforming players,e.g., Pagan, Colome, Sands, rather than putting the 26 best players on the active list, and any lack of overt leadership/fire that might inspire a team rather than go along with the "Minnesota Nice" attitude that we've seen since TK left- should leave little doubt that if 2023 shows signs of repeating the last 2 seasons, Rocco must take the fall.  If the first 3 months of the new season shows no great improvement, he must be replaced.  No more excuses can be accepted.

I agree this should be Rocco's last year if Twins do not have a winning record. He needs to manage pitching staff better, have his batters move runners over to reduce double plays and to score more runs. Game after game last year the Twins would out hit the other team, but score fewer runs. Good managers can be judged by their record in 1 run games and in extra inning games, but Rocco has had losing record in both. If he doesn't improve in this area then he needs to be replaced with a manager with more experience.

On 3/30/2023 at 11:17 AM, Jocko87 said:

The in game stuff has to improve.  They are saying the right things and maybe better personnel helps the strategies work out but I've been constantly puzzled in many game situations, like using his pitch hitter in the 6th only for the same spot to obviously come up in a leverage situation later.

Point for Rocco yesterday, the lineup setup to use the pinch hitters worked out perfectly and is a great example of how better personnel allows the lineup to be set for attack moves.  Odd coincidence it happened in the 6th but with 21 LOB it looks like it was setup as a 7th inning move and the game flow moved it up.  Either way, good to see.

I think the Twins are set up to win 88+ games this year and win the Central.  If that happens Rocco will be safe.  If that doesn't happen or at least get close, then Rocco will be on the hot seat in '24.  But if the reason for a bad season is massive injuries like last year (which in my belief is the reason we didn't win the division last year) then he will be given another year.  But hey, in baseball, every manager is on the hot seat if they have multiple losing seasons.  A manager can only do so much with the players he is given.  I think he should be given a pass for last year, considering the decent season until the late season AAA squad he had to deal with.

It's Now or Never for Rocco Baldelli 

No it's not...