BREAKING: Twins Dismiss Manager Rocco Baldelli

[1985Fan]

31 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.

It wasn’t about winning a WS. It’s one thing to watch a team lose by getting beat by a better team. I can tolerate that. It’s another thing to watch a team beat themselves with fundamental errors in the field, on the bases, and at the plate. Then add in the managers mistakes and constant dumb decisions and you’re watching the baseball version of the Keystone Cops or Three Stooges. Pohlads finally woke up and saw the fan apathy and understood that fans aren’t buying this BS anymore. He should have been fired last offseason. 

[Otaknam]

Falvey put this team together, not Rocco, so why isn’t he gone too? Rocco’s dogmatic adherence to analytics, especially with starting pitchers who had their innings limited even if pitching well, was always a head scratcher. Also, the team seldom utilized the running game, until half the roster was traded. All of a sudden Rocco discovered that a team that hit poorly with RISP might have success stealing bases. And so they stole a lot of bases after the trades. 

[Blyleven2011]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

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.

Here we go again , why can't he just keep his nose out the selection  , you hire someone that you feel is capable  , you show your trust in that person and let him or her make their selection  ( the her might just be a possibility ) ...

[mluebker]

Most managers don’t select the players they put on the field. Their success (or lack of it) depends on what they accomplish with what they’re given. After eight years of good rosters and bad, of playing musical chairs at almost every position, and counting pitches instead of evaluating pitchers’ performance, Baldelli has little to show for his tenure beyond inexplicable longevity. 

[TopGunn#22]

The fact that we as fans are even discussing whether the FO extended Rocco or not just shines a bright spotlight on how in over their heads our ownership and FO have been for a number of years.  This is not something that should be speculated about.  It's something the fanbase should know without ANY confusion.

We need new ownership in the worst way.  We may not get our wish in the near, or not too distant future.  One thing is certain:  The Pohlad family have been one of the most inept ownership groups I've ever seen in sports regarding Public Relations.  It's clear they have no idea how to manage public opinion based on the people they've hired to execute it.   

We need a new FO for sure.  Many of us on TD have shared our thoughts about what "moves" the Twins need to make to be competitive in the tepid A.L. Central.  But very few of us (none of us??) has any confidence in Falvey having the ability to make the deals that could re-balance and enhance our roster.  That's a very sad state to be left in as a fan.

Finally, Rocco had to go.  My frustrations with him have been well chronicled on TD.  I do think he's a fine human being and I hope he can find employment soon.  He may not be a manager right away, but maybe a step back for a couple of years as a bench coach or 3rd base coach will give him some time to unwind where he thought things went wrong.  

I don't see him as a "running game coordinator."  It took him half a season to wake up to the rules changes.  I'm glad he's no longer OUR Manager, but I still wish him well.   

It's to early to start speculating who the new manager could be.  We have to see who is available first. I would prefer someone from OUTSIDE the current Twins organization.

One ominous development is that Falvey is pledging to help our new manager choose his coaching staff.  Good Grief !  I can't believe that statement by Falvey.  He's admitting he would hire a manager who would look him in the eye and tell him in an interview "Gosh Mr. Falvey, I've really got no idea who I'd like to have on my coaching staff !!  Did you help Rocco?  Can you help me like you helped Rocco ??  

Falvey really IS in way over his head.  

[mluebker]

On 9/29/2025 at 7:56 PM, 1985Fan said:

Pohlads finally woke up and saw the fan apathy and understood that fans aren’t buying this BS anymore. He should have been fired last offseason. 

I’m not sure anything has or will ever wake up the Pohlads, but I’m glad they decided it was time for a change. 

[Mike Sixel]

35 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

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.

I'm amused, but not surprised, at the downvotes for this.....but if a great manager could take an 82 win team to a 92 win team, he'd be PAID AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY......insane. 

[T.O.]

29 minutes ago, Fatbat said:

Change is good. Can we change ownership yet?

Not until the owners get this kind of change.

[mluebker]

17 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

Falvey put this team together, not Rocco, so why isn’t he gone too?

I’d suspect Falvey is the one who decided to make the change, hoping it would take the heat off of him. Hopefully someone higher up the food chain will do the same for him. 

[Vanimal46]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm amused, but not surprised, at the downvotes for this.....but if a great manager could take an 82 win team to a 92 win team, he'd be PAID AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY......insane. 

We don’t really know what managers are paid. Maybe the best are. Terry Francona may be worth 8 WAR taking the Reds to the playoffs in year 1 

[David HK]

Ozzie!  Ozzie!  Ozzie!

or even... Torii!  Torii!  Torii!

but it'll probably be Toby Toby Toby.

[Muppet]

Congrats Rocco. You’re free.

I predict he is hired by the Rockies and leads them into the playoffs next year. 

[SteveLV]

Rocco was a risky hire in the sense that he had zero prior managerial experience.  I think he is a thoughtful, calm personality type.  I have no idea if he can actually coach, teach or inspire anyone else.  I did not see evidence of it on the field, but, of course, have no idea what was happening off the field in practice, spring training, etc.

I would hope this next hire would be a different type of manager.  I would look for experience, proven teaching/coaching ability, and some frickin' fire when it is needed.  Rocco was so dead-pan he made Bud Grant seem like Earl Weaver pissed at an ump's call.

The advantage TK had with the WS teams was that he had actually coached and developed a number of the core players in the minors before he was promoted to ML Manager.  They obviously respected him, and he must have taught them something because they were a darn good set of young players.

If there is someone coaching in the Twins' minor league system who is worthy, I would have no problem with an internal promotion.  I just don't have enough knowledge as to whom that might be.

This will be an interesting hire....

[Permanent Twins Fan]

24 minutes ago, T.O. said:

Not until the owners get this kind of change.

I'm pretty sure that's a picture of their debt

[1985Fan]

24 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm amused, but not surprised, at the downvotes for this.....but if a great manager could take an 82 win team to a 92 win team, he'd be PAID AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY......insane. 

It has happened before. Most recent example I can recall is the Phillies a few years ago. They fired Joe Girardi and Rob Thomsen took over. He turned that team around and they went to the WS. 

[Mike Sixel]

7 minutes ago, 1985Fan said:

It has happened before. Most recent example I can recall is the Phillies a few years ago. They fired Joe Girardi and Rob Thomsen took over. He turned that team around and they went to the WS. 

Just because it happened after doesn't mean it's because. 

[jorgenswest]

3 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

The players quit hitting from mid-August on …… can’t Nanage your way out of that.

How’d the Mets hit this past weekend?

August 15 and after among AL teams 

8th of 15 in runs scored

7th of 15 home runs

1st of 15 stolen bases

[1985Fan]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

Just because it happened after doesn't mean it's because. 

He got credit for turning it around from the players, so I think that’s about as good as fact. Jack McKeon did the same with the Marlins in 2003. He also was credited by the players with installing a winning style of play and attitude. 

[Robert Gauthier]

Rocco will have a year of salary to land somewhere else, I am guessing he is relieved.  I think the Twins are way more cash strapped than we knew (one source said almost illiquid by trading deadline) and that is and was going to be our future, so at least he wont have to bear that while trying to make a team out of air and hope.

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, thelanges5 said:

Promote Brian Dinkelman. 

He’s also my choice if they choose an internal candidate. But I hope they look outside this diseased organization. 

[jmlease1]

46 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Just because it happened after doesn't mean it's because. 

Post hoc ergo propter hoc...

[strumdatjag]

2 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

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

But Dougie’s interviews would be much more interesting than the Rocco bore-a-thons.  
Even better, bring back AJ.   

[glunn]

7 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Developing and getting the most out of young emerging talent is really the only way a small/mid-market team can hope to be continuously competitive.  This was never Rocco’s forte - and it needs to be for whoever may be his replacement.  

Someone from the Brewers organization?

[glunn]

I find it difficult to evaluate a lot of this, because I don't know how much control Rocco had over rosters, player development and game strategy.

Do we know for sure that Rocco had the final decisions about who would play on a given date, what positions and how they would develop? Is it possible that some algorithm impacted or controlled game strategy regarding base stealing? The more Rocco was a puppet for the FO, the more I feel sorry for him being blamed for major mistakes of the FO and ownership

Extending Rocco then canning him seems like the latest example for the proposition that the FO and Pohlad family are not good at business decisions. 

All of that said, I cannot stand little league defense, and I blame Rocco for that.

[RaoulDuke]

I think Rocco can be a good head coach with a good roster.  He is a players manager that can keep clubhouse morale high by being a friend to the players while still implementing some more analytical new school stuff.  Being a somewhat recent player and one that had a ton of talent and a ton of struggles injury wise is a good place to start from.  Think Bomba Squad days where Nelson Cruz is napping and all the vibes are high.

I don't think he was a good head coach when things got bad.  I think he lost the club house at the end of 2024 and it re appeared in 2025.  

The state of the Twins organization is not his fault but he does get to be a fall guy.  

The owners and Falvey are the real problem. 

    

 

 

[glunn]

7 hours ago, djvang said:

Three playoff teams - Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Cleveland, had lower payroll than the Twins.

I think that this is a good point, but these other teams did not have Correa.

[mluebker]

4 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

I suspect Dougie B would have a different approach from Rocco.  It would be entertaining watching him tango with the Pohlads and the FO. 

Love it—it could be Billy Martin and Calvin Griffith 2.0. And we know he knows how to motivate young players, something the Twins now have in abundance. 

[TheLeviathan]

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

We don’t really know what managers are paid. Maybe the best are. Terry Francona may be worth 8 WAR taking the Reds to the playoffs in year 1 

Well, we think it was an increase from the 2023 contract he had at 4.5M no?

Let's say he got a 33% raise and is up to 6M.   That means, on the open market, teams thought him equal to 2025 Justin Turner.  A part-time player at the age of 40.

Not a ringing endorsement on how the position is valued.

[Vanimal46]

2 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Well, we think it was an increase from the 2023 contract he had at 4.5M no?

Let's say he got a 33% raise and is up to 6M.   That means, on the open market, teams thought him equal to 2025 Justin Turner.  A part-time player at the age of 40.

Not a ringing endorsement on how the position is valued.

Fair. I forgot Craig Counsell was announced as MLB’s highest paid manager at $8 per year when he moved to the Cubs in 2024. 

[AceWrigley]

8 hours ago, Rigby said:

Wouldn't surprise to go through the dog and pony and land on Shelton. 

And, to save money, he could be his own bench coach.