Rocco Baldelli and the Case of the Missing Lever

[John Bonnes]

Major-league managers have few direct levers with which to impact their team’s performance, but one at their disposal is at-bats. After reflecting on some of the performances that led to last year’s dismal finish, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli entered the season planning to use that lever—but it's been missing. 

Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images

“Jose is going to be in a position where he’s going to go out there, earn his at-bats, earn his opportunities like many other guys on our roster,” Rocco Baldelli said, when asked about Jose Miranda’s role early in spring training. Then, he extended that answer to others on the team.

“You could probably turn to two or three or four other players who have done some good things at the major-league level and ask a similar question, and it would make sense.

“I keep saying this but it’s a healthy thing for an organization to have motivated guys that are going out there and want to earn their spot and their opportunities and their at-bats,” Baldelli continued. “The hungrier players are, a lot of times, the better version of them you get.”

But Baldelli hasn’t really had that lever during the Twins' cold start this spring. Looking at the bottom of the roster or in St. Paul, one has trouble finding anyone who can pressure or replace those regulars in the lineup who were not producing. As you review the 13 position players on the roster and their status, his options look pretty bleak. You can break them down into four essential groups. 

Six players started the season with enough currency that they have started almost every day:

• Carlos Correa started at shortstop for the first 15 games and finally got a game off on Sunday.
• Byron Buxton has started in center field for all of the Twins' games, except for the two for which he had to leave the team due to a death in his family.
• Matt Wallner has started all 15 of the games in which the Twins have faced a right-handed starting pitcher, 14 of them in right field. He sat versus two left-handed starting pitchers.
• Ty France has started 16 of 17 games, playing first base for all of them.
• Willi Castro has started at second base, third base, left field, and shortstop, but one way or the other, he’s been in the lineup for 16 of the 17 games.
• Trevor Larnach has split his 16 starts evenly between left field and designated hitter.

The second group is the Twins' catchers, with a 50/50 timeshare split. If either Ryan Jeffers or Christian Vazquez start to hit, it’s possible Baldelli could reward one or the other with additional starts, though the Twins have been consistent with starting each one every other game for almost two years. On the other hand, desperate times…

The third group is two players who are mostly just role players right now. DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (only one start this year) is primarily a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. Mickey Gasper (only five starts this year) has only two hits in his 21 plate appearances, so he’s worked himself out of any regular starts. 

Finally, we have the group where at-bats are earned on a day-to-day basis. This is the group that Miranda was in, and it’s why it should not have been a surprise to see him sent down over the weekend. Sure, the baserunning gaffe on Saturday was inexcusable, and a demotion would be justified just for that. But tracking his at-bats, it was clear he had been trending into dangerous territory. After starting the first five games of the year, he started in only four of the next 10. He quickly slipped from an everyday player to someone who needed to earn at-bats. 

With Miranda now in St. Paul, there are three players in this group and two spots left in the lineup every day:

Edouard Julien might not even belong in this group anymore; he might belong in the everyday group. He’s started in 12 of the last 13 games, has a 1.000+ OPS over the last week, and has been leading off for the last two games.

“He has a good skillset for that because he can get on base,” Baldelli said before Monday’s game. “He can lock in on a certain part of the plate and eliminate other parts of the plate. And so when you have a guy with good on-base skills who can also do some damage for you, and he looks like he’s in a good place, you want to get him up in a good spot in the lineup.”

The Twins may intend Brooks Lee to be an everyday guy, at least initially. Since his recall from Triple A, he’s started both games at third base. The Twins have confidence in him being able to handle that position defensively, and they don’t have a ton of other options. With Royce Lewis hurt and Miranda in St. Paul, Castro is the only other third baseman on the roster, so Lee will get plenty of opportunities to earn more at-bats. His performance at the plate will determine if he continues to get them. 

Finally, Harrison Bader has started 12 of 17 games. It’s somewhat surprising that he’s started in 10 of the Twins' 15 games versus right-handed pitchers, as the right-handed hitting Bader has a career OPS of just .673 against them. Some of those starts can be attributed to the occasional day off for Larnach, Wallner, and Buxton. But mostly, it’s because an open designated hitter spot allows Baldelli to upgrade his defense with Bader in left field (where he has eight starts) and still keep Larnach in the lineup at DH. 

If Lee shows he can hit at this level, the Twins would essentially have nine hitters for eight non-catcher spots. The open spot at DH and the presence of play-everywhere Castro give Baldelli flexibility to give anyone a day off for rest, a reset, or a reward. 

It also is the exact minimum a lineup needs if the manager plans to try to encourage players to earn at-bats. Any less, and there is no roster crunch, and there is no pressure. With Miranda struggling, that was basically the case just three days ago. If any of the Twins players take a step backward or get hurt, that will be the case again. 

One solution would be to have another player or two who could also apply some pressure to a lineup that entered yesterday’s game hitting just .208. That those players don’t exist in the organization is an indictment on the entire organization, whether it be ownership, drafting, scouting, development, or coaching. But Baldelli will take most of the heat for it, even though the lever upon which he was relying has been missing.

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What levers should Rocco Baldelli be using? Let us know in the comments below.

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[Parfigliano]

Mickey Gasper his 2 hits in his MLB career.  His being on the roster is unimpeachable proof TC is not a serious organization.

[mikelink45]

11 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

Mickey Gasper his 2 hits in his MLB career.  His being on the roster is unimpeachable proof TC is not a serious organization.

He fills the famous Margot slot - maybe he sits between the bench coaches and does nothing, just like them.

[ToddlerHarmon]

While it wouldn't shake the world, and his performance to date has not demanded it, bringing Martin up to replace Gasper could theoretically create an option.

If Keaschall and Rodriguez were being held down for any reason other than injury, that would be a mistake.

So, yeah. Like Rocco, I got nothing

 

[mikelink45]

I would hope that Gaspar is the next to go, but who knows what Baldelli will decide.  I would give Keirsey more starts - like five in a row and see what he can do.  Since Bader has come back to his normal production, Keirsey can provide the fielding and maybe he can get his bat going.  

I am ready to see Keaschall pushed up to the Twins, and I would put McCusker at DH - these two push the envelop and that is what this article is about.  And maybe put Carmargo at C for a week and give him a chance to push.  

But no more sitting like Keirsey, no ABs, just getting rust.  Young players need to play and prove their value.

[Whitey333]

Twins continue to show they aren't serious about fielding a winning team.  Their payroll is way too high for a team that is just plain unwatchable.  Only 10,240 showed up Monday against a good Mets team.  The smallest no  covid crowd at Target Field history.  

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

I was over Rocco last year and so far, this season has been even worse. He has zero feel for this team and based on some of his recent post-game pressers, there's a giant disconnect between his comments and what's happening on the field. The Pohlad's aren't going to fire him in-season so things will get worse before they get better.

[Whitey333]

Twins continue to show they aren't serious about fielding a winning team.  Their payroll is way too high for a team that is just plain unwatchable.  Only 10,240 showed up Monday against a good Mets team.  The smallest no  covid crowd at Target Field history.  I fully expect a salary dump coming this spring or summer.

[Riverbrian]

Gasper and Keirsey are levers. Good ones? Bad Ones? I don't know but they are levers. 

If the manager does not believe that they are legitimate levers. If the manager believes that they would be worse. They need to be replaced by players that the manager will allow to pressure the under performing chosen ones. 

It's a bad combination

A. A team hitting a collective .601 OPS

and

B. Two players on the roster that the manager would rather suffer through bad play with others then allow to step in. 

 

[CRF]

Wow! Just a brutal excuse for a major league baseball team. Firing Rocco probably isn't going to change much, but it has to happen....I don't care how much Falvey loves the guy, he has to go. 

[matt]

Has he tried the make the pitchers get on the field an hour early and practice fielding their position lever?

[TwinsDr2021]

44 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

I was over Rocco last year and so far, this season has been even worse. He has zero feel for this team and based on some of his recent post-game pressers, there's a giant disconnect between his comments and what's happening on the field. The Pohlad's aren't going to fire him in-season so things will get worse before they get better.

I have been saying this since after the 2019 season, Rocco isn't a good manager, to he credit he has gotten better over time but that has just gotten him to slightly below average.

[rv78]

Maybe it's time to put Correa and Buck on the bench and let Lee and Keirsey have some playing time at SS and CF. It couldn't be any worse and it wouldn't hurt for Correa and Buck to feel the lever too.

[tony&rodney]

5 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Maybe it's time to put Correa and Buck on the bench and let Lee and Keirsey have some playing time at SS and CF. It couldn't be any worse and it wouldn't hurt for Correa and Buck to feel the lever too.

The Twins seasons are pretty closely tied to Buck and Carlos. They are the two best defenders and potentially the offensive sparks too. Right now Baldelli should give both of them a little vacation and put them back in the lineup in Atlanta on Friday. Maybe a bit of a reset could help.

[In My La Z boy]

Leadership is the issue. It starts with Pohlad, goes to Falvey, to Rocco, and then to Buxton & Correa. These 5 men are to blame in descending order. Interchanging the components below these 5 men gets us nothing. Championship baseball / Quality baseball takes more than the most talented and productive 26 men. We lack leadership.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

23 minutes ago, In My La Z boy said:

Leadership is the issue. It starts with Pohlad, goes to Falvey, to Rocco, and then to Buxton & Correa. These 5 men are to blame in descending order. Interchanging the components below these 5 men gets us nothing. Championship baseball / Quality baseball takes more than the most talented and productive 26 men. We lack leadership.

Yeah, I'm incredibly disappointed in Correa and Buxton. Morneau hinted at it on Sunday - sometimes its up to the players to create energy and a positive attitude. Correa looks like he's checked out and Buxton just looks totally lost at the plate. If they were playing at even their career average, the Twins are probably hovering around .500 - which isn't great, but which isn't hopeless either.

[Jocko87]

29 minutes ago, In My La Z boy said:

Leadership is the issue. It starts with Pohlad, goes to Falvey, to Rocco, and then to Buxton & Correa. These 5 men are to blame in descending order. Interchanging the components below these 5 men gets us nothing. Championship baseball / Quality baseball takes more than the most talented and productive 26 men. We lack leadership.

The thing that bothers me most is there is no urgency, no reaction, no anger, no outward sense of any individual pushing against the malaise.

It does not matter what the circumstances are, this is the group they have.

You are putting this crap on tape and had this crap been on your tape coming up you wouldn't be here.

Somebody do something. Somebody maximize their talent.

I need to hear about something getting broken in the clubhouse. The kinder gentler "lever" of at bats is what got us here.

I'm the first to make the excuse that we have no idea what's going on behind closed doors and I still will here. But whatever it is, it's obviously not working.

[mickster]

2 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

I would hope that Gaspar is the next to go, but who knows what Baldelli will decide.  I would give Keirsey more starts - like five in a row and see what he can do.  Since Bader has come back to his normal production, Keirsey can provide the fielding and maybe he can get his bat going.  

I am ready to see Keaschall pushed up to the Twins, and I would put McCusker at DH - these two push the envelop and that is what this article is about.  And maybe put Carmargo at C for a week and give him a chance to push.  

But no more sitting like Keirsey, no ABs, just getting rust.  Young players need to play and prove their value.

Players not on the 40 man won't be added until a trade or DFA happens.    DFA for Gasper has to be coming so one add can happen.    Keirseys role is what it is and won't change unless an injury pops up

[chpettit19]

This offense lacks talent. That shouldn't be super surprising to anyone. When Buxton and Correa faceplant out of the gate and Lewis is on the IL they're going to struggle to score runs more often than not.

This is worse than it should be, but not by much. Isn't this what many of us spent the whole offseason saying? They didn't add any real offensive upgrades. Bader was brought in to be more than just a platoon bat and isn't worthy of being an essentially everyday corner bat. France has been as good as anybody could've hoped. Gasper has been a 29-year-old rookie. The rest of the lineup is what it is.

Wallner has been short on HRs but has been as expected. Miranda, Castro, Larnach, Jeffers, Julien have been inconsistent with some towards the bad end of their inconsistency to start the year and some towards the good. Vazquez has been awful. Keirsey hasn't played. Lee just got here. 

If Rocco thought he was going to have this particular lever to pull, him and Falvey were fooling themselves. This is who this team always was from a talent standpoint. This team isn't young. They shouldn't need this "earn their spot" strategy (at least in the way I'm reading it). Jose Miranda is 26 years old and turns 27 during the season. Julien is 26. Wallner is 27. Larnach is 28. Keirsey is almost 28. Jeffers is almost 28. Castro is 28. Lewis is touching 26. Martin is 26. These guys are in their primes. They should be established by now. This is part of the problem with the combination of giving average at best vets so much run over actually young players and injuries to your young players. You're still trying to decide if guys in their primes are worthy of everyday jobs. If you weren't/aren't sold on these guys by now you should've been doing way more to replace them than you did. You should've done way more to reform this roster.

[Woof Bronzer]

2 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Mickey Gasper his 2 hits in his MLB career.  His being on the roster is unimpeachable proof TC is not a serious organization.

The dude started a game as DESIGNATED HITTER.   Joke team.  

[USAFChief]

41 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

This offense lacks talent. That shouldn't be super surprising to anyone. When Buxton and Correa faceplant out of the gate and Lewis is on the IL they're going to struggle to score runs more often than not.

This is worse than it should be, but not by much. Isn't this what many of us spent the whole offseason saying? They didn't add any real offensive upgrades. Bader was brought in to be more than just a platoon bat and isn't worthy of being an essentially everyday corner bat. France has been as good as anybody could've hoped. Gasper has been a 29-year-old rookie. The rest of the lineup is what it is.

Wallner has been short on HRs but has been as expected. Miranda, Castro, Larnach, Jeffers, Julien have been inconsistent with some towards the bad end of their inconsistency to start the year and some towards the good. Vazquez has been awful. Keirsey hasn't played. Lee just got here. 

If Rocco thought he was going to have this particular lever to pull him and Falvey were fooling themselves. This is who this team always was from a talent standpoint. This team isn't young. They shouldn't need this "earn their spot" strategy (at least in the way I'm reading it). Jose Miranda is 26 years old and turns 27 during the season. Julien is 26. Wallner is 27. Larnach is 28. Keirsey is almost 28. Jeffers is almost 28. Castro is 28. Lewis is touching 26. Martin is 26. These guys are in their primes. They should be established by now. This is part of the problem with the combination of giving average at best vets so much run over actually young players and injuries to your young players. You're still trying to decide if guys in their primes are worthy of everyday jobs. If you weren't/aren't sold on these guys by now you should've been doing way more to replace them than you did. You should've done way more to reform this roster.

Add to that basically none of these 26-29 year olds get to the big leagues with a position to play. Freeking Royce Lewis, a number 1 overall pick, the star of your minor leagues for over half a decade, with several years of big league time now, STILL doesn't have an established position. 

Criminal  

[Doctor Gast]

Ever since Julien was declared the Twins' 2Bman in '24, the Twins have floundered there & the whole team has floundered as a whole. After the Twins broke the '25 camp & Baldelli announced Julien & Gasper on the roster with France as the primary 1Bman in a very fragile INF, I predicted that the Twins would rival CWS for the cellar. One member kinda agreed with me but said "Rival CWS? Twins can't be that bad!" But here we are where CWS have been ahead of us. There's a big gap between MN/ CWS & the rest of AL Central with  CWS & us tied.

Our right side INF is horrible plus the way that Falvey/ Baldelli has handled this team has sapped the fire & chemistry from this team. Correa, normally very vocal, is quiet. The whole team isn't performing close to their potential. Why? I don't expect them to change, I don't expect them to fire Falvey, I don't expect Falvey to fire Baldelli. If they did, Tingler is worse & he'd hire another Baldelli because Falvey's mind is stuck in same direction.

[Linus]

The well is dry - there are no levers. At the beginning of the year I said this season was pivotal to the careers of Lewis Larnach Wallner Miranda Julien Jeffers and Martin. My guess was half these guys would take a step forward and half wouldn’t. Wallner looks like he is a keeper, maybe Julien. We will find out about Royce if he gets healthy but right now these guys, who are in their primes, have spit the bit. 
This lineup needs a makeover. I have zero trust in Falvey being the right guy for that job. 

[LambchoP]

I think if Correa and Buxton continue to hit like blind people, they should go on a "rehab" assignment all the way down to A ball like they did with Sano few years back. Get their swing and confidence back and hopefully jump start something because right now they are nothing more than expensive liabilities, especially Correa and his league leading GIDP. I say trade off any expiring contracts and vets at the deadline, get whatever we can for them and let the kids play. Give Keirsey starts instead of warming the bench. Call up Rodriguez, Keaschal, Mccusker, Martin and Camargo. Give starts to Zebby, Festa and Morris. Get the kids some valuable experience and get a good idea of what we've got to work with next year and where they have to go out and aquire new real players. New ownership would help. At the very least a new manager. There is no way Rocco can keep his job after last year's collapse and this years impression of the 24 White Sox.....

[ziggy]

Promoting supposedly high upside minor leaguers before they are dominating the minor leagues is a desperation move made by teams with no chance of post season play.

When Lewis is ready to play Rocco will have 1 lever to play, hopefully Castro can be super-sub instead of everyday Willie.

If the Twins are out of contention by the trade deadline they have very few tradeable assets that will bring a premium return, but they will need to be done for a reset. 

The Twins are back to being Calvin Ball, hoping the drafted minor leaguers will develop and be better than the other teams draftees and free agents combined.

[MGM4706]

That Miranda play encapsulates the resume of Rocco Baldelli since being with the Twins!
He doesn't focus on the basics like prior Twins Managers and it shows. Base running-Horrible, Throwing to correct bases-Horrible, Pitchers fielding their position - Horrible! A Cyber Metrics Mgr! No FEEL for the team. Only what his Dugout Binder tells him!!

[Trov]

3 hours ago, ToddlerHarmon said:

While it wouldn't shake the world, and his performance to date has not demanded it, bringing Martin up to replace Gasper could theoretically create an option.

If Keaschall and Rodriguez were being held down for any reason other than injury, that would be a mistake.

So, yeah. Like Rocco, I got nothing

 

Pretty sure Martin pulled a hamstring the other day and expected to miss several weeks. 

[TwinsDr2021]

33 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

I think if Correa and Buxton continue to hit like blind people, they should go on a "rehab" assignment all the way down to A ball like they did with Sano few years back. Get their swing and confidence back and hopefully jump start something because right now they are nothing more than expensive liabilities, especially Correa and his league leading GIDP. I say trade off any expiring contracts and vets at the deadline, get whatever we can for them and let the kids play. Give Keirsey starts instead of warming the bench. Call up Rodriguez, Keaschal, Mccusker, Martin and Camargo. Give starts to Zebby, Festa and Morris. Get the kids some valuable experience and get a good idea of what we've got to work with next year and where they have to go out and aquire new real players. New ownership would help. At the very least a new manager. There is no way Rocco can keep his job after last year's collapse and this years impression of the 24 White Sox.....

First there is no way the union would allow the Twins to sent Buxton or Correa down without a real injury.

Second you say let the kids play. Keirsey turns 28 in less than a month, McCusker turns 27 in less than a month, Camargo turns 26 July 1 (not horribly old for a catcher but still not a kid), Martin just turned 26.  If you think these guys are solutions to this team, things are worse then they even look now.

As far as the pitching, while younger still aren't really young, but agree they need to get them pitching against major league players sooner than later, and it makes it easier after SWR so far has proven last year wasn't a fluke, we will see more on Festa this week, and I would give Paddack one more start before moving him to the pen and giving Matthews a chance. That way they could shop Lopez, Ober and.or Ryan this trade deadline.

[spanman2]

3 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Twins continue to show they aren't serious about fielding a winning team.  Their payroll is way too high for a team that is just plain unwatchable.  Only 10,240 showed up Monday against a good Mets team.  The smallest no  covid crowd at Target Field history.  I fully expect a salary dump coming this spring or summer.

Would it surprise us if Buxton and Correa's names are thrown out there near the trade deadline to dump said $$$ attached to the payroll?  

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Answers are tough to find when there are this many players who are either injured or playing poorly, but there aren't a bunch of guys beating down the door for more playing time.  Keirsey?  It seems unlikely he's going to be a great hitter and is probably being used to best effect as a pinch runner/late inning fielding replacement. Gasper?  Seemed like a cool story, but probably the definition of a AAAA guy.  Those two are basically invisible.  Probably DFA time.  The problem is with Martin injured, there aren't really any guys ready to go at AAA who are beating down the door to fill the spots.  Hopefully Lee helps, but he had his own issues last season.  Maybe Miranda starts destroying AAA pitching.  That would also help a lot. Keaschall, ERod, and McCusker need some time (for various reasons).  Overmatching them in the big leagues isn't going to do them or the team any favors.

The much maligned Mr. Julien has been playing well the past few games.  Has he actually turned a corner?  Good question, but I'm willing to ride the wave at the moment to find out.  Buxton and Correa aren't hitting.  They are here to stay and as the Twins best players, we have to trust that they will figure things out eventually.  Both of them certainly are aware of what it takes to play well. 

It's so easy to complain about the "lack of fire" or the need to practice this or that.  Aside from the Miranda brain fart the other day, most of the issues are simply players not executing.  These are professionals, not kids.  They are well aware of what they did wrong and aren't going to be moved by some good old fashioned yelling.  Some players are emotional.  Others aren't -- ever -- when things are great or terrible.  That's a style issue, not a character flaw.  Fake enthusiasm doesn't really impress me.

The solution really is that some players need to play better.  Period.  I'm hoping that we can regress (progress to the mean?  Is that a thing?) to the mean and things will improve, but it may not.  Time to play the hand we have and see how it shakes out.