Rocco: "I'm not frustrated at all"

[howeda7]

 

Wonder in another world if Rocco was manager of the 91 Twins?? omg, he would have taken Jack Morris out in the 5th inning!

And Jack Morris would have been arrested for assaulting him on the mound. I think the only reason TK didn't take him out after the 9th was he was afraid they would throw down.

[howeda7]

 

I have no problem with what he said, mainly because he's staying on message.

 

Rocco's done this all year. He's been quiet, full of praise, and has never criticized the efforts of his players in front of the media. For him to do an about-face on that after this series would have been shocking. He's developing a reputation as a players' manager, which I think is a good thing.

 

After such a sickening series, I don't know if there's anything that Rocco could have said that would have made fans happy, frankly.

No one's asking him to start naming players and throwing them under the bus. But acknowledge the frustration the players and fans clearly felt.

[howeda7]

 

So you are saying it might be an organizational thing?

 

Hmmm, who knew!?

Total system failure. Bilateral system failure if you will.

[ewen21]

Scherzer threw 109 pitches last night for Washington. Two days after he pitched in relief.

 

There's no reason Berrios couldn't have pitched at least 5 innings in game one. He had one bad inning that was mostly caused by crappy defense behind him.

Pardon me, but did you see the way the Yankees were making contact off him? Had he gone out for the 5th he would have never made it through.

[ewen21]

I'm not a Rocco guy...yet. Kinda think almost anyone could have managed this club to a 95-win season. The team was very good offensively (obviously)...and the schedule really was that bad. It. Just. Was. Only 32 wins against +500 teams to get to a total of 101...unprecedented, for sure. Adrianza hitting home runs off Verlander in May not withstanding, there isn't anybody (objective and rational) that EXPECTED the Twins to beat either the Yankees or the Astros in this post-season. So, we're angry because it was more noncompetitive than we expected?

 

OK. But why does Rocco have to apologize for frustration based on the history? One of the posts above (with which many seem to agree) literally states Rocco should have said "I sucked and I apologize that you fans had to go through this again". Again? Rocco's lost one series here. If it's anyone's job to do a mia culpa, it would probably be the Polad's in the Twins current circumstance.

 

My two cent...the only thing a player or manager ever has to apologize for is lack of effort or preparation. And even when those apologies are in order, they don't make me feel better. Just fix it.

The statement in question is "I'm not frustrated at all"

 

Is that you? Forgive me if I am. Maybe you aren't, but knowing you're a longtime Twins fan I'm not sure how that is.

 

I have a friend who insists that he never gets stressed. He also is 55 years old, lives in a tiny apartment and lives paycheck to paycheck.

 

So Rocco isn't frustrated. Hooray for him. I'll cop to saying I am and he should understand there are a great many people who are. I have been a Rocco supporter, but his statement is stupid

[bird]

I agree with RB and others who think it's a bit unfair to completely crucify Baldelli for that one unfortunate sentence. But it WAS an unfortunate phrase.

 

As for his pressers, my beef isn't about what he says. It's about the fact that he often uses lots and lots of words to essentially reveal nothing at all. So, if for example a player fails to run a ball out to first and Rocco gets called on it? Sure, don't rip the guy to shreds. Go ahead and frame it up by saying how the guy is a hard worker and usually give his teammates max effort. But then, go ahead and say, yeah we want our guys to run those out, and I'm sure X player regrets his lapse. Instead, Rocco at times kinda insults us rabid fans with a hailstorm of innocuous positivity.

 

Using Polanco as an analogy, Baldelli performs well on balance, just like Polanco. But it's not just an infrequent throw in the dirt. His pressers have been bad throws, period. He can learn to say more with fewer of those pollyanna platitudes and still be his players' protector.

 

 

As for letting Wes Johnson, Jeremy Hefner, and Rocco off the hook regarding the preparation of the pitching staff for this series? No. When two or more players talk about how the INTENTION was to throw pitches that start off in the zone and end up off the plate and expecting the Yankee hitters to chase? That was just not a smart idea, as we so painfully saw. Was Berrios locating that low breaking ball in warmups? One would hope they'd catch that and try to adjust right then and there? 

[mrtwinsfan]

 

I have no problem with what he said, mainly because he's staying on message.

 

Rocco's done this all year. He's been quiet, full of praise, and has never criticized the efforts of his players in front of the media. For him to do an about-face on that after this series would have been shocking. He's developing a reputation as a players' manager, which I think is a good thing.

 

After such a sickening series, I don't know if there's anything that Rocco could have said that would have made fans happy, frankly.

How about, in the case of Twins Territory he gets it and will keep trying for everyone in Twins Ville

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Don't contact me. 

 

I'll give him bad advice to try and tear those Patriots down. 

 

Then perhaps he should reach out to you. 

[jkcarew]

The statement in question is "I'm not frustrated at all"

Is that you? Forgive me if I am. Maybe you aren't, but knowing you're a longtime Twins fan I'm not sure how that is.

I have a friend who insists that he never gets stressed. He also is 55 years old, lives in a tiny apartment and lives paycheck to paycheck.

So Rocco isn't frustrated. Hooray for him. I'll cop to saying I am and he should understand there are a great many people who are. I have been a Rocco supporter, but his statement is stupid

OK...Yep...should have chosen different words there. The rest of what I’m reading in this thread I don’t agree with. It’s not Rocco’s job to share in the psychotic angst of Twins fans based on history that he wasn’t a part of. And I would feel patronized more than anything else if he went out of his way to act like he shared our angst. That particular choice of words notwithstanding, his job is winning games, not PR. The only person I care that he admits his mistakes and feelings of failure to...is himself.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Pardon me, but did you see the way the Yankees were making contact off him? Had he gone out for the 5th he would have never made it through.

Yeah, there's a lot of second guessing of Rocco and I'm not quite sure why. Berrios got the quick hook for a reason... a big part of that was the Yankees hitters ratcheting up his pitch count... and yeah, they were hitting him hard. A big inning wasn't that far a way and the game was still in reach.

 

As for Littell, I don't think Rocco knew Littell would break down like that... If he did, he wouldn't have been out there.

 

Did he make mistakes? Yes (see Gibson, Kyle)… but I really don't think he was the reason they lost those games. If Arraez doesn't have that bad inning (or perhaps Schoope was playing instead), that entire first game goes quite a bit different I suspect. 

 

Personally, I see a team that put up a good fight game 1, but pretty much wilted after that. 

[Platoon]

I agree with RB and others who think it's a bit unfair to completely crucify Baldelli for that one unfortunate sentence. But it WAS an unfortunate phrase.

 

As for his pressers, my beef isn't about what he says. It's about the fact that he often uses lots and lots of words to essentially reveal nothing at all. So, if for example a player fails to run a ball out to first and Rocco gets called on it? Sure, don't rip the guy to shreds. Go ahead and frame it up by saying how the guy is a hard worker and usually give his teammates max effort. But then, go ahead and say, yeah we want our guys to run those out, and I'm sure X player regrets his lapse. Instead, Rocco at times kinda insults us rabid fans with a hailstorm of innocuous positivity.

 

Using Polanco as an analogy, Baldelli performs well on balance, just like Polanco. But it's not just an infrequent throw in the dirt. His pressers have been bad throws, period. He can learn to say more with fewer of those pollyanna platitudes and still be his players' protector.

 

 

As for letting Wes Johnson, Jeremy Hefner, and Rocco off the hook regarding the preparation of the pitching staff for this series? No. When two or more players talk about how the INTENTION was to throw pitches that start off in the zone and end up off the plate and expecting the Yankee hitters to chase? That was just not a smart idea, as we so painfully saw. Was Berrios locating that low breaking ball in warmups? One would hope they'd catch that and try to adjust right then and there?

 

I read endless comments all year about Rocco's lack of depth in his comments. I just got done listening to a pre series podcast by a noted curmudgeon sportscaster about the futility of listening to anything Rocco said. This gentleman also opined that Rocco can talk for twenty minutes and not say a singe thing. I listened to him a couple times, and since he didn't ever say anything of substance, I simply spent my time learning to knit. I wouldn't walk across the street to hear whether he thought it would rain today. 45 minutes into the discussion, in the rain, he still wouldn't have told you what he really thought. Therefore I simply can't understand the angst and surprise that he didn't turn into an orator. This is what he is, and that is one of the reasons they hired him. Frankly I think he is moreso 33% of the management team, rather than an actual manager in the historical sense of the word.

[mrtwinsfan]

Tampa Bay Bombas,  - killing Verlander

[rkevin]

 

Be honest with yourself, what you want is for him to express himself honestly. Then after he does, you want to take those honest words and bang him over the head with them again and again.  

 

Rocco's post-game didn't impress me but I am also not upset or shocked about any of it. Pretty much straight from the PR playbook, as you succinctly noted. I quoted you on the paragraph above because I believe he could have been "honest" and made a point about how poorly the team played, compared to the majority of the season...and how he perhaps made some moves that were poor decisions...and how he knows some guys didn't play to the excpectations we all had coming into the series...and how the breaks, rightfully so, just did not go their way...and that maybe there is some mystique about the Yankees and Twins but that this Twins franchise will overcome that by just playing better baseball...and he could have just said I am sorry about the outcome but I am also happy and proud of this season and the team's accomplishments. None of that is throwing someone or the franchise under the bus and I don't believe the fans, the good fans, the supporters of this team, the majority, and possibly even the media, would want to bang those statements on his head over and over. I think Rocco tried hard to use the PR playbook but he missed when he didn't acknowledge that we, the FANS, are frustrated, even if he truly isn't. That acknowledgment would be good Public Relations.

[Bandit34]

 

I shouldn't be surprised but still find myself surprised that we have people here who don't recognize PR. 

 

Public Relations is a pretty big field these days. They offer degrees in Public Relations at Universities and Colleges around the country. 

 

The reason you need public relations is because over time it has become clear that every time you walk up to a public microphone, the public will inflate the words you use to problematic levels. 

 

He is not going to stand in front of the public and point out mistakes made by the front office, the players or himself. Because if he does... the public will make him eat those words and they will be spoon fed back to him as long as he remains in a public position.

 

If you don't believe that will happen... you simply don't recognize this behavior in yourself. Universities and Colleges around the country would have no reason to offer degrees in this field. 

 

How anyone is shocked by positive comments, cliches, measured statements out of the PR playbook in this day and age is what is truly shocking.

 

Be honest with yourself, what you want is for him to express himself honestly. Then after he does, you want to take those honest words and bang him over the head with them again and again.  

 

 

The real conversations happen inside the offices of 1 Twins Way and that's where the real conversation should happen because we have proven time and time again that we can't handle the truth.  

Then why bother even having a press conference? Either tell me how you REALLY think behind the microphone or tell the press that you are not going to take any questions. Simple. 

[Bandit34]

That's what impressed me about Bobby Knight. He thought it, he said it. It used to be called honesty. Now it's called bad public relations. 

[KirbyDome89]

 

I shouldn't be surprised but still find myself surprised that we have people here who don't recognize PR. 

 

The reason you need public relations is because over time it has become clear that every time you walk up to a public microphone, the public will inflate the words you use to problematic levels. 

 

He is not going to stand in front of the public and point out mistakes made by the front office, the players or himself. Because if he does... the public will make him eat those words and they will be spoon fed back to him as long as he remains in a public position.

 

If you don't believe that will happen... you simply don't recognize this behavior in yourself. Universities and Colleges around the country would have no reason to offer degrees in this field. 

 

How anyone is shocked by positive comments, cliches, measured statements out of the PR playbook in this day and age is what is truly shocking.

 

Be honest with yourself, what you want is for him to express himself honestly. Then after he does, you want to take those honest words and bang him over the head with them again and again.  

 

The real conversations happen inside the offices of 1 Twins Way and that's where the real conversation should happen because we have proven time and time again that we can't handle the truth.  

I think the frustration is with the PR, not an inability to recognize it. Nobody is surprised by it anymore. 

 

Those that want ammunition (words to twist) are going to find them, no matter how careful Rocco is. Those that want to "beat him over the head again and again," will do so regardless of whatever media clip he provides. We see it daily in our media cover all arenas. Rocco doesn't need to bear his soul to press, that isn't what's being asked of him, but avoiding the meltdown that was this series by pointing to regular season success and talking about how proud he is of this group is borderline insulting and certainly lacks accountability. We all saw what happened on the field. PR is less of a protective measure, and more of a way to obfuscate objective reality at that point. 

 

You said it yourself, the punches are going to come after such a deflating series. I don't think the criticism of the "I'm not frustrated," motto proves any point at all. Nothing Rocco will say is going to appease the fan base, but something needs to be said. Personally I think it's easier to respect, and move forward with somebody who offers honest insight rather than hollow cliches. Protecting your players and keeping the clubhouse isn't mutually exclusive from providing honest critique. 

 

I'm not really bothered by Rocco's postgame presser. On the list of things to be irritated over I think it's pretty low. I will say that 9 minutes of spin following a series beatdown doesn't exactly quell frustration. 

[ewen21]

OK...Yep...should have chosen different words there. The rest of what I’m reading in this thread I don’t agree with. It’s not Rocco’s job to share in the psychotic angst of Twins fans based on history that he wasn’t a part of. And I would feel patronized more than anything else if he went out of his way to act like he shared our angst. That particular choice of words notwithstanding, his job is winning games, not PR. The only person I care that he admits his mistakes and feelings of failure to...is himself.

"Psychotic angst"??

 

Are you kidding me?

For me personally its in perspective. It's just baseball and I separate it from everything else when I'm in it. To be frustrated and ticked off about these weak chicken-hearted efforts is "psychotic angst" to you? A good rant is "psychotic angst"? Heck, I like reading a good rant--what's wrong with that?

 

I take wha you said as a broad accusation directed at a number of people here. And it completely mischaracterizes probably most all of those you just labeled. Not cool.

 

You seem like a reasonable dude. I enjoy reading your stuff by this kind of thing irritates me. You're a fan yourself. That's disrespectful to anyone who justly criticizes this team's absolutely atrocious efforts in the playoffs. And if someone goes off and tries for style points? Whatever.

If it's over the top it gets deleted anyway. Are you talking about what's left up on the board?

 

It's not "psychotic" it's just not your cup of tea

[Riverbrian]

Rocco's post-game didn't impress me but I am also not upset or shocked about any of it. Pretty much straight from the PR playbook, as you succinctly noted. I quoted you on the paragraph above because I believe he could have been "honest" and made a point about how poorly the team played, compared to the majority of the season...and how he perhaps made some moves that were poor decisions...and how he knows some guys didn't play to the excpectations we all had coming into the series...and how the breaks, rightfully so, just did not go their way...and that maybe there is some mystique about the Yankees and Twins but that this Twins franchise will overcome that by just playing better baseball...and he could have just said I am sorry about the outcome but I am also happy and proud of this season and the team's accomplishments. None of that is throwing someone or the franchise under the bus and I don't believe the fans, the good fans, the supporters of this team, the majority, and possibly even the media, would want to bang those statements on his head over and over. I think Rocco tried hard to use the PR playbook but he missed when he didn't acknowledge that we, the FANS, are frustrated, even if he truly isn't. That acknowledgment would be good Public Relations.

I came home one day and the garage door wouldn’t open.

 

I grabbed the ladder and the tool box, up I went.

 

Keep in mind... I don’t know what a wrench does. I’ve been a home owner for quite some time and household repairs don’t repair themselves I’ve learned but I tend to wait for that to happen because I don’t know what I’m doing. My wife would love it if I could fix stuff but she stopped dreaming of the day.

 

So... I went up the ladder and I stared at this contraption... looked at my tool choices... wiggled some things with my fingers and the garage door opener started to work again. As I started down the ladder, I reached for the tool box and accidentally knocked if off the ladder, it landed on the roof of my wife’s car.

 

She’s hears everything, so the clatter drew her to the garage, she immediately sees a dent in her car.

 

There was an immediate press conference right there at that moment between us. The first thing out of my mouth was... “I never thought I could do this but look honey, I fixed the garage door opener!!!” Under different circumstances this would have been a big deal.

 

Turns out tho’ I said the wrong thing at that moment, it was indeed a great achievement for me but the timing wasn’t right. Turns out, I probably should have taken a different approach.

 

I’ve told that story to other friends and they are all able to tell me a story of a time where they themselves have said the wrong thing. Some major... some minor, It just typically doesn’t happen with TV cameras on us.

 

Could he have done it better? I sure hope so. Could Lavine have been a little smarter about his statements about service time last year... I absolutely believe so. Mistakes happen.

 

You make some great suggestions on how he could have handled it differently but you’ve also had more time to think and craft that suggestion and you are not doing it in a live press conference with no do-overs or the possibility of weighing the pros and cons before hand,

 

I simply have much better uses for my emotions then to waste it on someone who didn’t express themselves perfectly.

 

I shake my head because we are actually pissed because he tried to express that he was still proud of his team. And simply didn’t say it perfectly or even well for that matter.

 

Is this really how the world works? Sadly, it is and has for quite sometime now.

 

And that’s why we need public relations, that’s why they speak in cliche. That’s why Politicians don’t say anything on the campaign trail, that’s why negative ads work during elections, thats why the police chief can’t say that he thinks “Bob did it”, that’s why the National Enquirer has a circulation.

 

It’s Us. We are the reason. We are jerks.

[Riverbrian]

Then why bother even having a press conference? Either tell me how you REALLY think behind the microphone or tell the press that you are not going to take any questions. Simple.

 

Nobody has told you what they think in a long long time using this format. Are you still watching or listening to them or reading the quotes in the paper. If you are... they will continue.

 

Actually, I take that back. Tommy Pham was honest. Said what was on his mind with no regrets. Got ran out of St. Louis as a result.

 

There have been moments of honesty. It is usually followed by public apology.

[insagt1]

What is frustrating if you are a Twins fan is that a team like Tampa, who was not expected to win even one game from the powerful Astros, fell behind 2 games to none and came back to win the next two. They never gave an inch and they played hard and smart. They may not win game 5 but at least they gave what few fans they have a little hope and post season excitement.

 

Twins didn't do any of that. Why? Is Rocco 'happy' with what he got? Are we? Could the Twins have done what the Rays have done against a superior team?

 

Or is it simply the Twins cannot beat the Yankees....no matter who wears either uniform?

[Platoon]

Like everybody, I like managers who let it all hang out at pressers. And pregame interviews. Let's the fans and players know exactly where they stand. The White Sox had one a few years ago, he was really forthright. But I think he retired or something, haven't seen him in quite awhile?

[MABB1959]

All that waiting and it was over in a blink of an eye with absolutely nothing to cheer about.  One and done is just as bad as not making the playoffs at all. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

As far as Baldelli being a rookie manager:

 

Cash, Shildt, and Martinez are all rookie *playoff* managers this year. And they seem to be doing all right. (Shildt was in his first full regular season too.)

 

Counsell and Snitker were rookie playoff managers last year. (I'll leave out the larger market first years too.) Counsell's team had a deep run, and Snitker's team at least managed a win versus the mighty Dodgers.

[Longdistancetwins]

It's the trend now, but I'm still not a fan of skippers taking on an MLB team without managing experience.  Managing in the minors is fine experience, as far as I'm concerned:  that's the difference between Tom Kelly and some of these current rookie managers.  Even going back, I wasn't a fan of Frank Quilici as a manager and felt relief when Gene Mauch took over.  

[Longdistancetwins]

 

Like everybody, I like managers who let it all hang out at pressers. And pregame interviews. Let's the fans and players know exactly where they stand. The White Sox had one a few years ago, he was really forthright. But I think he retired or something, haven't seen him in quite awhile?

You mean Ozzie Guillien .  He was a trip,and I miss him, too.  He may have even invented the term "piranhas" to describe the Twins teams of that era.  He meant it as a compliment.  For that reason, I could never hate the Mighty Whitey's as everyone else does (full disclosure:  I have a good friend who is a White Sox fan).

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

That's what impressed me about Bobby Knight. He thought it, he said it. It used to be called honesty. Now it's called bad public relations. 

Yeah, I was always impressed by how Knight so honestly and earnestly choked players and verbally abused those around him.

 

What a great guy!

 

https://www.chron.com/sports/college-basketball-men/article/List-of-incidents-involving-Bob-Knight-1849372.php

[twinsguy45]

He should be happy about the future. But if you asked my how I felt about how my team played this series. I would have flat out said we sucked, I sucked and I apologize that you fans had to go through this again. We WILL be better, I WILL be better. And stick with us because this team is going to be hard to beat going forward.

Honesty is cool. Acting like it was ok and "just happy to be here" isn't the thing to say to a fanbase that has watched their team get smoked in the playoffs time and time again.

Couldn't have said it better so I won't try.

 

 

[jkcarew]

 

"Psychotic angst"??

Are you kidding me?
For me personally its in perspective. It's just baseball and I separate it from everything else when I'm in it. To be frustrated and ticked off about these weak chicken-hearted efforts is "psychotic angst" to you? A good rant is "psychotic angst"? Heck, I like reading a good rant--what's wrong with that?

I take wha you said as a broad accusation directed at a number of people here. And it completely mischaracterizes probably most all of those you just labeled. Not cool.

You seem like a reasonable dude. I enjoy reading your stuff by this kind of thing irritates me. You're a fan yourself. That's disrespectful to anyone who justly criticizes this team's absolutely atrocious efforts in the playoffs. And if someone goes off and tries for style points? Whatever.
If it's over the top it gets deleted anyway. Are you talking about what's left up on the board?

It's not "psychotic" it's just not your cup of tea

 

If you really believe effort/urgency/caring were the fundamental issue in this year's post-season (your post includes strong language to that effect), then we've discovered a reason your 'frustration' (and that of those that share that view) would be 'different' than mine. I think it's much more likely that several players and the manager were trying way TOO hard, made a ton of mistakes in the process, and were quickly overwhelmed by a team that was a little bit better and a little bit more experienced. 

 

Look, I've acknowledged the "I'm not frustrated at all" comment was a poor choice.

But, IMO, a lot of the sentiment in this thread (broader thread) goes beyond the perspective of what should/shouldn't have been said in a 2019 post-game presser...and just feels more like people being so mad at the outcomes...including irrelevant past failures...that they're looking for almost anything that helps them express their outrage. I 'get it' as a fan. But I'm not agreeing with it. It was a post-game presser, not a press conference to summarize the season...and it was pretty much identical to every post-game presser he's ever done...huge win or horrible loss.

[Riverbrian]

Like everybody, I like managers who let it all hang out at pressers. And pregame interviews. Let's the fans and players know exactly where they stand. The White Sox had one a few years ago, he was really forthright. But I think he retired or something, haven't seen him in quite awhile?

Yep Ozzie was run out of South Florida for letting all hang out.

 

I agree with you. I wish they could speak their mind but they can’t and this discussion is a living breathing undeniable example of why they can’t and won’t.

 

We really don’t know what we do when we do this. But we do it.

 

And we must all lie in the bad we made.

[USAFChief]

Yep Ozzie was run out of South Florida for letting all hang out.

 

I agree with you. I wish they could speak their mind but they can’t and this discussion is a living breathing undeniable example of why they can’t and won’t.

 

We really don’t know what we do when we do this. But we do it.

 

And we must all lie in the bad we made.

Ozzie managed over 1400 big league games. Took a while for him to get run out of anywhere.