BREAKING: Twins Dismiss Manager Rocco Baldelli

[Doctor Gast]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Twins need a leader, Hunter would be a good leader; he knows baseball & good baseball people to help with coaching. I also like Skip Schumaker. Will Falvey hire these guys & give them free rein? Probably not.

On Skors North Twins, Falvey said that he'll help out the manager to select the coaching staff. So I don't expect much of a change. Bummer.

[JADBP]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

I agree with your points.   And I think it paints a larger picture of concern than just the manager -  It goes all the way through the core of the Twins' system of player development. IMO, a player that gets called up to the Major Leagues better have a pretty firm grasp of how to play their position or run the bases.  I wouldn't think a ML manager has time to run a baseball fundamentals school on the side in the midst of a season.

He is the head coach.  All of these systemic failures land at his desk.  He is the one fully responsible.  Remember TK went through every team in the minors to get everyone, coaches, managers, players, all on the same page as the Twins.  Did Rocco ever do that?  

We all keep saying it is a tremendous jump from AAA to the big leagues.  Its true.  Almost every player comes up and immediately slows down because of the jump in talent and skill levels in MLB.  Its the coaches job to help that player with the transition.  Period. 

Rocco may have handed off these responsibilities to other coaches working for him, but that doesn't absolve him of responsibility!  He still has to make sure they are getting the job done. 

For player performance, the buck stops at Rocco's desk.    

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, MNBearCat said:

I like Rocco, I think he is a solid manager, but it is the right move. 

Agreed. I've been a Rocco defender but this is the right move. Look, a a manger's job is to at least win at the talent level of the players he's given. It would be great to elevate that level, but the minimum is to meet that level. Rocco didn't meet that standard last year and he didn't through July of this year.  Add to that, his sweet spot is managing a veteran team not managing a team of developing younger players. I like the guy and felt like he got a raw deal from ownership, but he just get the most of what he was given and he's the wrong guy for where this team is headed. It was time. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, Dave Borton said:

Only thing tougher than being a Twins fan is being an Angels fan.

I live in LA and you are soooo right. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Rocco wasn’t the biggest problem in the organization- still the Pohlads - but there was very little to indicate Rocco is a solution for a rebuilding team. It’s time for Falvey to go too. 

I don't think Falvey will get fired so I'm hoping he will get out of baseball operations and be ST. Peter running the business. I don't know that Zoll will be better but at least he's different. 

[JADBP]

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Twins need a leader, Hunter would be a good leader; he knows baseball & good baseball people to help with coaching. I also like Skip Schumaker. Will Falvey hire these guys & give them free rein? Probably not.

I like Hunter too, But not sure he has enough experience coaching.  Skip is a very interesting choice.  He was manager of the year in 2023 but took 24 off for a family emergency.  But then again, Rocco did well in his first year....so there is not a lot of history there.   

One change I would like to see is more of a "brain trust" surrounding the new coach.   Rocco just seemed somewhat insular.  He made all the decisions in his internal spreadsheet--seemingly without input from others on the bench.  A couple of Head Coach advisers might have helped keep him from constantly pulling Wallner every time a LHP cam up or bouncing players from position to position.  

[Doctor Gast]

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

Very funny & we need to laugh as not to cry, but it's not a laughing matter. Since Falvey wasn't the 1st axe to fall, Baldelli became another sacrificial lamb to Falvey's incompetent regime. While Falvey is in charge nothing will change, just like the many sacrificial lambs before. I absolutely don't want Falvey leading this mess that he has created. I expect a manager worse than Baldelli if Falvey is the one choosing. I am not celebrating.

“This game is ultimately measured by results, and over the past two seasons, we did not reach the goals we set,” Falvey said. “I take personal responsibility for that.

IMO, it's poppycock. If he were serious about taking personal responsibility for the past failures (which he should), he would have resigned, not fire anyone.

[rv78]

1 minute ago, Doctor Gast said:

“This game is ultimately measured by results, and over the past two seasons, we did not reach the goals we set,” Falvey said. “I take personal responsibility for that.

IMO, it's poppycock. If he were serious about taking personal responsibility for the past failures (which he should), he would have resigned, not fire anyone.

Close, but Rocco needed to go as well. I look at it as the old baseball saying goes: 1 down 2 to go.

Rocco down, Falvey and the Pohlads to go. Then we can all celebrate.

[GNess]

4 hours ago, UK Twin said:

Correct call. Had some great moments under his management but the last 13-14 months have been a car crash. With all the trades that happened a completely fresh start had to happen.

I have no doubt that Rocco is a really decent guy though and wish him nothing but the best for the future.

Agreed Rocco seems to be a quality person, but the on-field results are what they are. 

[thelanges5]

Torii Hunter or Skip Schumaker?

[Old Crow]

4 hours ago, RpR said:

With Baldelli gone, some at TD will have to limit their whining to the owners and FO.😅

I think Baldelli treated most players like little brothers that are not bad just not quite where he thought they could be, as most stayed with the organization for a long time.

I wonder what type of manager the newbie will be, Martin/Mauch type or another Gardenhire/Baldelli.

T K   type  maybe

[OBX 3 6 28 29 34]

I'm just repeating what I heard on MLB radio today when the discussion turned to Rocco being let go (and some research I just did). I believe it was either CJ Nitkowski or Ryan Spilborghs who said that Rocco had fewer off-field coaches at his disposal than most MLB teams and that some of these coaches/assistants are specifically assigned to the development of players' hitting, pitching, baserunning, strength and conditioning, etc. All teams are restricted to the traditional on-field coaches (hitting instructor, etc) but apparently there is no limit on off-field coaches and assistants other than organization resources which of course has always been a challenge for the Twins and which is now under further pressure. 

[twinssporto]

2 hours ago, Aggies7 said:

Why in the world did they pick up his option so early on in the season? Has that ever been explained 

I read today that the Twins and Rocco never confirmed that extension....I don't think one was officially signed.

[Doctor Gast]

14 minutes ago, rv78 said:

Close, but Rocco needed to go as well. I look at it as the old baseball saying goes: 1 down 2 to go.

Rocco down, Falvey and the Pohlads to go. Then we can all celebrate.

True, but if Falvey goes, everybody goes when the new guy takes over. That is my point. Basically, not taking personal responsibility (in deed not talk) & setting up scapegoats is a bad look.

[Woof Bronzer]

1 hour ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

It was reported in June. We don’t know when the contract was signed, may have been the offseason.

Yes in fact it was "reported" that night the Red Sox squeaked by the Twins 13-1.  Which was bizarre - the news didn't come from the Twins, and I don't think they ever officially announced it.  So that means someone leaked the info - either someone in the org a bit unhappy with the club's performance, or maybe I guess Rocco, to make it harder to get fired in season?  It makes no sense.  

What makes even less sense is, if Falvey did really extend him in the offseason, why wouldn't he announce it?  Falvey loves Baldelli, and their AI machine needs as much practice as it can get, why wouldn't they use that for some harmless PR points?  "We wanted to get this done so Rocco can focus on leading the team to a championship this year."  

 So yeah I would love to know more about the timing of the extension.

[VivaBomboRivera!]

4 hours ago, CRF said:

I'm thinking they promote Toby Gardenhire to the big chair now. He'll be cheap, and he knows the players. 

Then we will once again truly be the farm team for the major leagues

[Squirrel]

2 hours ago, USAFChief said:

Long overdue canning. It's one critical step on the road back to respectability. 

I think he failed to get the most out of his teams. I agree with the firing. That said, even if he got the most out of his teams, I still don’t think they win a WS. While I think this firing moves the needle, it won’t enough. And maybe I’m just finally jaded enough.

[sweetmusicviola16]

I like Rocco as a person. But he needed to be gone. Not for how he managed a game. He's mostly typical. But young players didn't develop here. But the bigger problem remains. Falvey. This is the team that he built and it failed in epic proportions.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 hour ago, strumdatjag said:

Some of you can do better than me:

THE Fired Guys: Bob Melvin, Don Mattingly, Skip Schumacher, Brandon Hyde (Bruce Bochy?). 
Looking at the great first 2/3rds of 2024 and the later collapse - as well as the 13 game winning streak in 2025 surrounded by poorer playing on either side,  it may be appropriate for the Twins manager to be Mr. Hyde (to go with a Jekyll alter-ego).

Maybe the Twins go after a former Twin who has been a manager and bench coach (albeit for the always underperforming Marlins and Rockies), Mike Redmond.   Could they bring back “naked man”.??? 
Doug Mientkiewicz is only 51, has minor league managing experience and has been managing MLB and USA Baseball’s prospect development league since 2022.   He had a falling out with the Twins but was a candidate for manager back when Paul Molitor was hired.   I suspect Dougie B would have a different approach from Rocco.  It would be entertaining watching him tango with the Pohlads and the FO. 

Dougie Baseball would be the worst possible MLB manager in modern baseball in the last 30 years by a wide margin.

[Woof Bronzer]

35 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

“This game is ultimately measured by results, and over the past two seasons, we did not reach the goals we set,” Falvey said. “I take personal responsibility for that.

IMO, it's poppycock. If he were serious about taking personal responsibility for the past failures (which he should), he would have resigned, not fire anyone.

Yeah it feels like he actually meant to say "I take NO personal responsibility for that."  Slip of the tongue, maybe.

[Rhyno006]

3 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

 I am not celebrating.

I don't think any of us are celebrating, my dude. This whole organization is in shambles with zero signs of improvement any time soon. I'm not even sure we've hit rock bottom yet. I'm just choosing sarcasm as a blanket of protection. 

[Blyleven2011]

I just had a thought on the extension of Rocco after the 13 game winning streak ...

It's never been confirmed that the twins did extend Rocco's contract  , it's a good guess they did ...

By the end of June they realized that was probably a mistake  , so pohlads go to falvey and says get rid of Rocco and at any cost  ( and the cost eventually was the fans  ) , so falvey devised a plan to have Rocco resign as manager at the cost of the fans , at the deadline he goes to Rocco and says we are selling off the bullpen  , everyone that will get a return and all impending free agents , so falvey hoping Rocco would say , I can't win with no bullpen and some lineup pieces so I'm going to resign as manager  ...

If rocco had resigned as manager after the deadline implosion he would have forfeited his remaining salary and salary for 2026 and saved the pohlads some money if he was actually given the extension  ... 

Does this theory have any merit on how the owners and front office would operate  , because that's how I see the owners and front office , sleazy , stab you in the back just to save a buck ...

Twins daily , please don't sell my identity to the twins , they'll just lose another loyal fan  ...

[twinssporto]

I’m glad the decision on Rocco was finally made today.

As someone who’s followed baseball for nearly 40 years, he always struck me as more of a “let’s all get along” type than a true leader. I never saw the confidence, fire, or strategic edge you want in a manager.

I was at the ’87 and ’91 World Series runs and saw Tom Kelly in action. He wasn’t perfect, but he demanded accountability. He didn’t tolerate sloppy defense, mental mistakes, or half-hearted play. That’s what a real manager does — sets the standard and enforces it.

The past 6+ years under Rocco, I’ve rarely seen pride, urgency, or chemistry from this team. A good leader builds a culture where players push themselves and each other. I never saw that spark.

Look at the greats across sports: Casey Stengel, Joe Torre, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Jimmy Johnson, Scotty Bowman, Gregg Popovich, Sparky Anderson, Tony La Russa. Different sports, same truth, the best managers and coaches demand excellence and get the most out of their players.

And the excuse that today’s managers don’t have time for fundamentals? Nonsense. Tom Kelly worked drills in his Zubaz right alongside his players. Ron Washington still does legendary first base drills himself. That’s leadership. That’s teaching.

I’m ready for new energy in the Twins dugout. Could not be happier to turn the page.

 

[USAFChief]

20 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I think he failed to get the most out of his teams. I agree with the firing. That said, even if he got the most out of his teams, I still don’t think they win a WS. While I think this firing moves the needle, it won’t enough. And maybe I’m just finally jaded enough.

I doubt anyone thinks he should have won a WS with this crew.

He should have won more than he did. His teams routinely sucked at the parts of the game a manager has direct control over.

Winning 82 with a team that should win 88 is as bad as winning 92 with a team that should win 98.

We need a guy who wins more than he should. Not less.

 

 

[Blyleven2011]

14 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I think he failed to get the most out of his teams. I agree with the firing. That said, even if he got the most out of his teams, I still don’t think they win a WS. While I think this firing moves the needle, it won’t enough. And maybe I’m just finally jaded enough.

You've been reading my posts over the years ,   I've been saying for 6 years after 2019 playoffs that this team will never win with Rocco and falvey and their plan  ...

Every year was the same , never a contender  , just a team constructed to win enough games to draw fans to target field  ...

lousy pitching , good hitting teams ...

then we finally build a solid rotation and some bullpen arms and then have no hitting ...

The front office can not build a team with consistency  , even though they were given the highest payroll in our division and spent foolishly 

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, TheLeviathan said:

Probably asking the wrong guy, I think baseball managers don't move the needle much.

I think organizations win in baseball today.  It's why Milwaukee moved on from Counsell and continue to excel.  Dodgers would win 90 with a potted plant on the top step.

Fans believe managers are high impact, but teams don't pay like they believe in that differential.

Right? if the best manager was worth 10 wins over the average one, he'd get 10 million a year w/o an eyeblink. Teams (and manager agents) don't think they make that big a difference or they'd get more money.

[cheeseheadgophfan]

I will take some of what the Brewer's got cooking.....

Give me Rickie Weeks....

[Mike Sixel]

18 minutes ago, twinssporto said:

 

I’m glad the decision on Rocco was finally made today.

As someone who’s followed baseball for nearly 40 years, he always struck me as more of a “let’s all get along” type than a true leader. I never saw the confidence, fire, or strategic edge you want in a manager.

I was at the ’87 and ’91 World Series runs and saw Tom Kelly in action. He wasn’t perfect, but he demanded accountability. He didn’t tolerate sloppy defense, mental mistakes, or half-hearted play. That’s what a real manager does — sets the standard and enforces it.

The past 6+ years under Rocco, I’ve rarely seen pride, urgency, or chemistry from this team. A good leader builds a culture where players push themselves and each other. I never saw that spark.

Look at the greats across sports: Casey Stengel, Joe Torre, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, Jimmy Johnson, Scotty Bowman, Gregg Popovich, Sparky Anderson, Tony La Russa. Different sports, same truth, the best managers and coaches demand excellence and get the most out of their players.

And the excuse that today’s managers don’t have time for fundamentals? Nonsense. Tom Kelly worked drills in his Zubaz right alongside his players. Ron Washington still does legendary first base drills himself. That’s leadership. That’s teaching.

I’m ready for new energy in the Twins dugout. Could not be happier to turn the page.

 

Tom Kelly's teams, outside the 2-4 great years, didn't win many games......I think people remember 87 and 91 and forget the bad years. Rocco never got that much time (and I don't think he should have).

[Fatbat]

Change is good. Can we change ownership yet?

[thelanges5]

Promote Brian Dinkelman.