Do we need a Bench Coach now?

[Doctor Gast]

After the ill fated death of Bell, the Twins decided to fore go a bench coach this season. This sad event happened after everyone had their staff cemented in. Thus making it impossible to seek out a replacement in the league. 1st person I thought of was trying to coax Rowland back through an promotion. But he won't be available until next season. Can we wait that long for an replacement?

 

When Baldelli became our rookie manager, he heavily depended on Sheldon and I'm sure he valued Bell's input last year. Being a MLB manager isn't easy especially yet being young at it. Having someone as a sounding board and help to carry the burden, is very valuable. I remember when they wanted to send Buxton down again but Rowland put his foot down, knowing it'd be a big mistake. Sometimes they need to know when they are wrong.

 

I think that Baldelli needs a temporary bench coach. I don't know if Gardy is available or if he'd counter well with Baldelli. So what you think? Do you think we need one now? Who would be a good choice?

[Doctor Gast]

Sorry I made a spelling mistake. Hitting coach was Rowson, not Rowland.

[ashbury]

1st person I thought of was trying to coax Rowland back through an promotion.

James Rowson is bench coach for the Marlins. What you propose would be only a lateral move, which tends to be frowned upon in MLB.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

James Rowson is bench coach for the Marlins. What you propose would be only a lateral move, which tends to be frowned upon in MLB.
 

But, interestingly, that is how he left the Twins - on a lateral move

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Sorry I made a spelling mistake. Hitting coach was Rowson, not Rowland.

I appreciate your recollection of Rowson going to bat for Buxton in 2017. Really, that was huge. The front office was going to demote Buxton to the minors that summer, and Rowson basically said, "over my dead body. this kid is ready to break out. You have to give it a little more time."

 

On July 1 that season, Buxton was batting .195 with 4 homers.

 

Buxton finished the season with MVP votes.

 

Unfortunately for Twins fans, it sounds like the front office finally took Rowson up on his offer to leave. Nothing against the current coaches.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Also, RIP Mike Bell.

 

In a nice gesture, LaMonte Wade Jr. of the Giants brought the lineup card out to Reds manager David Bell and to offer his condolences to Bell for the passing of his brother, earlier this season when the Giants played the Reds.

 

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/4/13/22381215/san-francisco-giants-lamonte-wade-jr-mike-bell-david-bell

 

Baldelli mentioned that it was Bell who liked Arraez batting at the top of the order. Batting Arraez at the top makes too much sense. I’m glad Baldelli has gone back to doing that.

[Halsey Hall]

I’d like to see Rowson back.

[IndianaTwin]

 

But, interestingly, that is how he left the Twins - on a lateral move

 

It wasn’t a lateral move, was it? Didn’t he go from hitting coach to bench coach, and isn’t that considered a promotion?

[Dave The Dastardly]

To answer the question; yes, Rocco needs a bench coach. Who? I don't know, but someone with a better feel for the game, better at using the bull pen, better at pushing the players to sharpen their skills, better at "head" coaching...

 

Wait a minute. Maybe we just need a new manager.

[ashbury]

It wasn’t a lateral move, was it? Didn’t he go from hitting coach to bench coach, and isn’t that considered a promotion?

Wikipedia, that bastion of fact-checking, also happens to confirm my memory:

 

"Rowson was hired to be the hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins in 2017. In the offseason following the 2019 season, Rowson left the Twins to become the Marlins' bench coach."

 

[notoriousgod71]

They could always just try taking away Rocco's spreadsheets.

[Doctor Gast]

James Rowson is bench coach for the Marlins. What you propose would be only a lateral move, which tends to be frowned upon in MLB.

 

Thanks for that information. Twins released Rowson to pursue that position out of courtesy, only shortly losing our bench coach (Sheldon) which Rowson could've filled. Out of courtesy the Marlins could release Rowson back to us. Nevertheless my main concern is the present condition.

[jorgenswest]

A bench coach would help but I think it would need to be someone without a job in major league baseball.

 

That really shrinks the group. Did anyone hire Lloyd McClendon? Rick Renteria? Would either help? 

[twinssporto]

Bring in Gardy for a year. Just a thought...

 

Don't judge me.

[jorgenswest]

Gardy would know the central as would McClendon and Renteria.

[Dodecahedron]

Baldelli needs some help, yes. Whether that's a bench coach or some other position, I wouldn't pretend to know the answer. But when it feels like most of the people on a forum could do a better job managing games, it's time to do something.

[RedBull34]

 

Bring in Gardy for a year. Just a thought...

 

Don't judge me.

I heard they did offer him the job, but he turned it down because he couldn't figure out a nickname for Baldelli.

[nicksaviking]

I have to think Gardy would have needed more time away before he signed up for something like this.

 

Honestly, TK would seem like a more likely candidate since he's still fairly Twins-adjacent. Though still very unlikely. 

 

Maybe Gene Glynn. Is he still with the Marlins? Last I remember he was only an instructor of some kind. Local guy, familiar with the club.

[spanman2]

I would say yes we do...TK in my opinion would be a no way.  Gardy not this season...maybe just maybe he would next year.  I could be way off but I think he is too competitive to not be the manager on any team.  Terrible loss in Bell's passing away at such a young age.  Losing Shelton/Rowson also huge loses.  They had some success and other teams wanted a piece of that action.  In the end these guys are big league players for a reason.  They need to look in the mirror and figure out what is going on.  It might be physical or between the ears.  You can't fake your way to the big leagues.  Time to get it together boys!

[adjacent]

 

I heard they did offer him the job, but he turned it down because he couldn't figure out a nickname for Baldelli.

Yeah. He thought of Baldy, but the PR people didn't like it

[bighat]

I think this team needs a hot-head/firebrand type of guy, BUT typically, the bench coach plays the "good cop" role and we've already got Baldelli in that spot.

 

Lloyd McClendon would be great - someone who won't give them excuses. McClendon has typically been handed bad or rebuilding teams, would be fun to see him inherit a talented, soft group like the Twins for a change. But with Rocco I don't see how he fits.

 

Regardless, clearly Rocco needs someone to help him out. The 2021 failure to launch mostly is not his fault, but he does bear some of the blame.

[Rosterman]

Whoever it is, they need to work with Rocco. That is job #1.

[chaderic20]

Toby Gardenhire is probably a more likely candidate than Ron.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I heard they did offer him the job, but he turned it down because he couldn't figure out a nickname for Baldelli.

 

 

Yeah. He thought of Baldy, but the PR people didn't like it

 

Would have been accurate, though:

 

[Doctor Gast]

Baldelli got the Bomba Squad out was great to see them. But I think our greatest need is to change Baldelli's mindsets. Decisions he makes that doesn't make sense and conflicts stats. These decisions causes many of our loses.

 

#1- Cave is the greatest Buxton replacement- Stats have shown that we have lost a great majority of our games yet he still goes with Cave and leaves our best option (Broxton) off the roster.

 

#2- Colume' is our closer- In the beginning Baldelli stated that there's no set closer yet he constantly goes to him even when he has been ineffective. Confronted with this fact, he concluded that he'd put Colume' in low leverage situations. So he puts him in the 8th inning in which he actually closed out the game with a loss.

 

#3- Dobnak isn't a starter.- Dobnak was very impressive coming off a hot ST. Deserving a starter position yet was put in the BP. In the 1st game was an excellent opportunity to use a hot Dobnak in a long relief role with the opportunity to win the game. But Baldelli instead thought it'd be nice to use all his high leverage relievers with Colume tying the game in the 9th. Without any high leverage relievers they thought they'd use Dobnak as the fall guy. They have continued to waste Dobnak in a mop up role when there many opportunities where Dobnak could've been used to win the games we lost. The last game that Dobnak was wasted as mop up, would have been ideal for Colume to work out his problems.

 

#4- Polanco is the greatest SS no need for an upgrade.- This has been taken out of hands and hopefully not ever be an option.

 

Again, we need a bench coach to take care of routine duties so Baldelli can focus on the game, keep him from making boneheaded mistakes and confront his wrong mindsets.