The Big Question: Rocco Baldelli’s Management

[Ted Schwerzler]

Regarding the 2024 Minnesota Twins coaching staff, things remain essentially unchanged. Rocco Baldelli is still in the driver’s seat but will make some adjustments from 2023 that will be worth watching.

Image courtesy of © Kyle Schwab-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota stayed the course following a successful 2023 season. David Popkins is back as the head man of three hitting coaches, while Tommy Watkins, Hank Conger, and Jayce Tingler also return to their posts. Nick Paparesta will look to keep the guys healthy again, and it will be on Rocco Baldelli to put the pieces together.

The most significant shift this season could be how the bullpen and starting rotation are utilized. If something has been regarded as an erroneous fact over the past two seasons, it’s how Baldelli utilizes his pitchers. Whether commenting on short starts, bullpen usage, or how Sonny Gray felt about his innings, most of the quips have been misguided.

Baldelli is tasked with managing his team on a yearly basis. Regarding the lineup, that has often meant utilizing platoons and moving players around. That should be expected to continue this season, considering the additions of Manuel Margot and Carlos Santana. It’s on the mound where things may change, though.

2022 included plenty of short starts from the Twins rotation because the group featured mediocre arms like Chris Archer, Dylan Bundy, and Devin Smeltzer. 2023 included plenty of long starts because the group featured arms like Pablo Lopez, a Cy Young version of Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober. Much of the better group remains this season, but Chris Paddack and Anthony DeSclafani bring availability concerns to the rotation.

There shouldn’t be a shock when either Paddack or DeSclafani are routinely lifted before traversing the order a third time, and that means much more responsibility will be placed on the bullpen. With that reality sitting out there, it’s also not a shock why Derek Falvey has focused on adding depth to the relief corps. Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, and Brock Stewart aren’t going to enter games in the 5th or 6th inning routinely, but to get them in during the later stages, the lower-leverage arms have to do some heavy lifting.

Minnesota will rely heavily upon arms like Justin Topa, Jay Jackson, Steven Okert, and Josh Staumont to bridge the gap between their starter and shutdown relievers. That group has differing levels of questions to it, but who gets the biggest chances and how long of a leash each has is something that Baldelli will need to dissect as the season goes along. Where the rotation seemed to have depth a season ago, the bullpen appears to have taken over this time.

If there’s something often most straightforward to criticize a manager about, it is their bullpen usage. Baldelli has often left that door open during his tenure, and he’ll now need to tighten up which strings he and Pete Maki are pulling and when. If the execution is there from the dugout, and the faith is replicated on the mound, the Twins should have one of the best units in all of baseball.

Coming in as the most senior manager amongst the division as a whole. Baldelli has a strong idea as to what the competition looks like. At the same time, A.J. Hinch is the more-decorated skipper; Detroit should be assumed to be at least a few years away. The Cleveland Guardians go from Terry Francona to a completely green Stephen Vogt, which puts both of the chief competition for Minnesota in something of an interesting position.

This may be a season in which Baldelli could perform his greatest job yet, and that resulting in a high level of success at season’s end wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest.

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[Karbo]

IMO Rocco has been learning on the job, and has seemed to improve some each year. Of course, he can only work with the pieces the FO gives him. I had a lot of confidence going into the season, but after all the injuries and a dreadful record in ST (worse in the grapefruit league) I'm quite a bit more anxious. I didn't have the confidence in the pen others did before all the early injuries, and am really nervous about it now. Still, I can't wait to start watching meaningful games on Thursday. Go Twins and good luck!

[Doctor Gast]

I'm happy to see Baldelli going from only 1 & done RPs (burning out the BP which in turn burns out the rotation) to a little more long relief which helps the pitching staff healthier going into the postseason and contributes to our last season's success. I appreciate analytics but I like more gut reactions to go with it. 

I really don't like the 1B coaching combined with catching. The catching coach should be focused & dedicated to only catching. IMO way too much attention is given to 1B & way too little is given to catching. IMO a good catching coach knows everything about catching & nothing about 1B.

[Jocko87]

The more I see of this group in the behinds the scene videos and interviews the more impressed I am with them.  From a leadership perspective they do so many things right.  The culture is what gets you through a long season. 

Early warning for the game thread lineup and move complainers.  I'll be heavy on reminding that the regular season is not the postseason and is managed differently.  Look at how they used the roster in the postseason to know what they really think and who they trust in situations.  Lo and behold, Rocco almost fell perfectly in line with the Twins Daily lineup card police when push came to shove.  The regular season has may different factors so we will see lots of odd lineups and moves. 

I probably wont actually say anything, but I couldn't give less than a crap about who bats 7th vs 9th in June.  Built for October and all that stuff.  This team could easily win 95+ games if they stay on the pedal but the luxury of a bad division will skew the over and under.  The priority for this staff is setting up for a postseason run. 

[bean5302]

It's been interesting to follow the front office and Baldelli over the years. I think the real takeaway from watching the organization as a whole is that they're all on the same page. It's pretty rare when a specific person (Baldelli, Falvey) presents an idea as "theirs."

I couldn't care less about Spring Training W-L records. Spring training is about getting mechanics in order, getting some daily work in, to adapt play styles, pitches, swing conditions, etc. It's practice.

[Hubie29]

1 hour ago, Karbo said:

IMO Rocco has been learning on the job, and has seemed to improve some each year. Of course, he can only work with the pieces the FO gives him. I had a lot of confidence going into the season, but after all the injuries and a dreadful record in ST (worse in the grapefruit league) I'm quite a bit more anxious. I didn't have the confidence in the pen others did before all the early injuries, and am really nervous about it now. Still, I can't wait to start watching meaningful games on Thursday. Go Twins and good luck!

I am with you. Weeks ago I said we added to the bull pen with reclamation projects and cast offs.  Now we don't even have that.  We needed to sign at least 1 big time bullpen arm and a number 1 or 2 starter.  Not optimistic in this pitching staff so far. 

[Doctor Wu]

18 hours ago, Hubie29 said:

I am with you. Weeks ago I said we added to the bull pen with reclamation projects and cast offs.  Now we don't even have that.  We needed to sign at least 1 big time bullpen arm and a number 1 or 2 starter.  Not optimistic in this pitching staff so far. 

Well, we  added several new arms to the bullpen, but the jury is still out as to whether they will truly be effective arms or more players we send packing before the all-star break. So yeah, I'm still a bit skeptical about how we are going to do, especially now with the injuries to Duran and the other players. Never enough depth, right? As far as the starting rotation, well, it looks good on paper but not too terribly great, and once again we are maybe injury to a key arm away from disaster. Let's hope some of those arms that are ready and waiting in AAA are ready to contribute. 

[mikelink45]

The article needs adjustments with Duran, Thielbar, DeScaflani, and Topa all injured.  The SP comments work, but the use of the BP no matter how many arms are out there will depend on the quality that those arms achieve.  I am not ready to crown Staumont, Okert, and Jackson as high leverage until we see them perform.  The three we lost will create a real challenge for Rocco.