BREAKING: Twins Dismiss Manager Rocco Baldelli

[TheLeviathan]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

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. 

Ok, so let's assume he got a raise from that?  9M would put him between Gary Sanchez and Max Kepler.

[AceWrigley]

8 hours ago, The Great Hambino said:

The more I think about this, the more I'm shocked that he wasn't fired at the trade deadline.

The right time to fire Rocco was the day after the season ended last year. But instead they kept him and the inability to right the ship after last seasons collapse has hung on ever since.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

4 hours 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.

That would be a massive red flag.

Not that we need any additional red flags to form a judgment on this management and ownership group. 

[dxpavelka]

8 hours ago, SF Twins Fan said:

This was the correct move.  Hopefully the next manager doesn't currently work for the Twins or their minor league affiliates. 

The last guy before Rocco that they hired from outside the organization was Ray Miller.  My guess is they stay in house this time.  Think Tingler or Toby.  I suppose Derek Shelton would be considered outside the organization although he was here before he got the Pittsburgh job.  There will be the obligatory talk of big names like Bochy, Melvin, Mattingly, Hinch, Snitker but the last time they went big name was Gene Mauch and that feels like a long time ago. The only thing I really care about is that they don't let possible fan perceptions impact the decision.  Like hiring someone like Torii Hunter or Justin Morneau.  Or Joe Mauer.  

[Twinkie in Deutschland]

The Twins are really learning from the Cleveland Browns School of Learning. Unbelieveable. The Pohlads are deadset on rebuilding from the basement up. If they have any decency, they would hire someone who is deadset on winning the World Series from the getgo and put a bunsen burner under every ass of the players to get them to be ultra competitive. Anything less than that and we may never see another World Series title in MN. 

[twinstalker]

Yeah, Baldelli was flawed.  I have zero hope they'll hire someone better, though.  Beyond that I have zero expectation that it will matter.

We'll still somehow have people wondering why a guy with good minor league stats sucks.

[howeda7]

9 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

There is nothing more on-brand for the 2025 Twins than for the team to have handed Rocco an extension, talked up their long-term partnership.....and then fire him two months later.

I'm fine moving on.  I'm a bit shocked the owners are about to pay two managers at the same time and/or eat the buyout.  That's "Sailors on Shore Leave" kind of wild spending from the misers in charge......but I hope they find someone who can help this team shape an identity and mold the young players into a contender.

I'm not sure if Rocco was that guy or if he was being held back by the organization and their system-wide failures.  I guess we'll find out what the new guy can do and how much it deviates.

The "extension" was one year for 2026 and probably picked up in April. I know the Pohlads can be cheap, but nearly every coach that's ever been fired had at least one year left on their contract.  Very rarely do they just coach out the contract and walk away. The buyout had zero impact on this. 

[howeda7]

8 hours ago, IndyTwinsFan said:

Might it mean he may soon be relieved of his POBO responsibilities??

It would make much more sense to relieve him on the business side. He never had any business taking Dave St Peter's job in addition to his own. 

[howeda7]

7 hours ago, RpR said:

He is another Gardenhire, nice guy, lousy coach.

It's your opinion that Ron Gardenhire was a lousy manager? 

[howeda7]

5 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

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).

Those mid-90's teams had zero chance. If the Twins really do cut payroll to $70 million for 2026, that will be like what TK had every year from 1993-2000. TK still got more wins out of them than anyone else would have. He could manage circles around Rocco in his prime. Not even close. 

[UK Twin]

I've always thought we could do a lot worse than promote Tingler. He seemed to do a decent job covering for Rocco and he has MLB managerial experience.

[William K Johnson]

He wasn't the total problem, but he did not help the matter.    Falvey needs to be the next one to go, followed hopefully by new ownership so that this franchise can regain its footing.

[old nurse]

13 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Yes, he most definitely is. Gardenhire was specifically chosen to replace Kelly because he was the teacher on Tom Kelly's staff and the young players responded to him. Before becoming a manager Paul Molitor freely went to spring training for decades after retiring as a player to teach and instruct the young players. It is not a coincidence that they got way more out of their young players than Baldelli ever has out of his. 

Gardenhire was fired for not developing talent. Those 90 loss teams were all the fault of Gardenhire not developing talent.  It was all right here on this site,  Now he was great at developing talent. 

[mikelink45]

I know MLB manager jobs are difficult to get, but what kind of individual can we attract after these two years and the changes and roster?  

[old nurse]

2 months ago a large group of players were traded, Outside of Bader, which player wasn’t developed or blossomed as a Twin?  Either the angst of trading is misplaced or the Rocco doesn’t develop players is misplaced. Did Joe Ryan come here as a Cy Young candidate?  Last spring on thes very same pages Bailey Ober was touted as a Cy Young candidate. Is it on the manager he wasn’t even close to being in the discussion this year.  Did Pablo Lopez come here as a Cy Young candidate ?   With a new manager is Edouard Julian going to become a GG candidate as well as silver slugger? The real Larnach is going to be a 30/30 guy and hit .300 with Brooks Lee not far behind?  Perhaps the new manager will explain pitch counts to the TD people who wonder why pitchers are not pitching high number of innings 

[old nurse]

19 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I know MLB manager jobs are difficult to get, but what kind of individual can we attract after these two years and the changes and roster?  

If the talent level remains the same, the type of candidate will be one that is labeled as can’t develop talent nor handle a pitching staff.  If Gonzalez, Emma, and Culpepper come up and shine, it is the manager’s doing. Do you think they are going to hire someone who is not on the same thought pattern as. Falvey.? 

[Squirrel]

10 hours ago, USAFChief said:

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.

 

 

I don’t disagree. I did say he failed and should be fired. My point is, if we want a WS, and I do, it’s not going to happen with a new manager when the leadership above and ownership don’t change or don’t alter their course any. A new manager should move the needle, it just won’t be what it needs to be,

[Squirrel]

9 hours ago, 1985Fan said:

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. 

The whole point is to win the WS. While I agree with the firing, we are still a long way out from that given who is calling the shots. I’m just saying that even if the right call, even if they did it two years ago, I don’t believe it moves the needle much. I want more than a few games that should have been won. 

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

I know MLB manager jobs are difficult to get, but what kind of individual can we attract after these two years and the changes and roster?  

It won't be hard for someone who wants to be a MLB manager to talk themselves into the upside and ignore the downside. You pass on one of these jobs and the window might close faster than you might think.

[USAFChief]

13 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I don’t disagree. I did say he failed and should be fired. My point is, if we want a WS, and I do, it’s not going to happen with a new manager when the leadership above and ownership don’t change or don’t alter their course any. A new manager should move the needle, it just won’t be what it needs to be,

I don't disagree. 

But I'm still happy that one of the things that needs doing was done.

[USAFChief]

6 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

  There will be the obligatory talk of big names like Bochy, Melvin, Mattingly, Hinch, Snitker 

There should be no talk of hiring existing managers away from their current jobs.

That's not happening. 

[Doctor Wu]

9 hours ago, glunn said:

Someone from the Brewers organization?

That might be a good idea. I also read a short article on ESPN today that said the Twins might  look at a few coaches in the Cleveland organization. Either way, a winning culture would be a plus. 

[Doctor Wu]

2 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

I know MLB manager jobs are difficult to get, but what kind of individual can we attract after these two years and the changes and roster?  

Hopefully, there are eager candidates out there who can be both patient and inspiring. I don't have any names for you, but let the interviews begin! One thing I hope the front office DOES do is consult Buxton about the candidates for the job. If Buck remains our team leader going forward, his opinion should be considered in this process. 

[mike8791]

Not much to add after this lengthy chain, other than amen to the relief that Rocco is history.  He was never a leader that a winning team needs to succeed, not to mention his weird strategy decisions.  At least this is a step in favor of change.

As a lifelong Twins/Senators fan,  I want to see a return to relevance, meaning a team that has at least a decent chance at WS competitiveness.   While chances are bleak it's going to happen in 2026, there's at least some chance progress will be made, especially in the rotational depth, weeding out of unproductive players, 1 or2 FA pickups to head the bullpen,  one or two rookies who raise the bar on offense,  plus a significant addition of a true cleanup hitter acquired thru trade of either Ryan or Lopez(preferrably).

Hiring the right manager is critical to this hoped-for turnaround, not only in team performance, but also in fan enthusiasm.  I can think of no better candidate than Tom kelly.  Yes, he's old(75) and maybe not interested in returning to the field, but he is the one man who could restore credibility to this franchise.  Sure, new ownership, coupled with a new POBO, would be ideal but improbable in the next year or two.  Bringing Kelly back would instill more discipline and would better ensure independence from ownership/ Falvey.  he would have a free hand in picking his coaching staff,  including a young bench coach he could groom for taking over from Kelly within 2 years.  Perhaps a pipe dream, but this is my #1  choice for new manager next year.

[Twodogs]

15 hours ago, Piranyas said:

 

 With Pohlad ownership, we're in a chicken-and-egg situation, with the Pohlad's unwilling (perhaps unable) to spend money and a fan base that's not likely to return until the team starts winning again.  

 

I never thought about it like this!!  I like the perhaps unable!!!  Many rich people don't like to be told they simply can't do something??  Maybe the Twins Daily and the Tribune writers need to change their approach?  Keep writing articles about how the Pohlads are not rich or wealthy enough to put a winning team out there?  Keep using that narrative over and over.  Instead of saying they don't care, many rich people could care less if people think they don't care.  But if the people actually think they are too poor to field a decent team that may get under their skin enough to just go out there and prove everyone wrong???  Hey I like it, even though I know better.  The Pohlads are really hoping the team can get sold because they are just to financially strapped, they are too poor to actually sign a free agent or two.  We know the rest of the owners across baseball are all extremely rich and can actually afford to own a team, these guys are not their father, they just are too poor to actually own an MLB franchise.   There, maybe they'll prove me wrong??  Ha ha

[DJL44]

14 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Correa had a .785 OPS for the Astros. Better than his '25 Twins numbers for sure, but not up to his career numbers.

If Correa has a .785 OPS before the trade, the Twins might not have had to eat $30M.

[DJL44]

10 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

interviews would be much more interesting than the Rocco bore-a-thons

Any bets whether Rocco ends up sitting next to Cory Provus as the color guy?

[old nurse]

54 minutes ago, Twodogs said:

I never thought about it like this!!  I like the perhaps unable!!!  Many rich people don't like to be told they simply can't do something??  Maybe the Twins Daily and the Tribune writers need to change their approach?  Keep writing articles about how the Pohlads are not rich or wealthy enough to put a winning team out there?  Keep using that narrative over and over.  Instead of saying they don't care, many rich people could care less if people think they don't care.  But if the people actually think they are too poor to field a decent team that may get under their skin enough to just go out there and prove everyone wrong???  Hey I like it, even though I know better.  The Pohlads are really hoping the team can get sold because they are just to financially strapped, they are too poor to actually sign a free agent or two.  We know the rest of the owners across baseball are all extremely rich and can actually afford to own a team, these guys are not their father, they just are too poor to actually own an MLB franchise.   There, maybe they'll prove me wrong??  Ha ha

The myth that any billionaire is spending their own money on the benevolence of the community for a winning team is pretty much pie in the sky thinking.  The Mets make 1/3 the money the Yankees do. If Cohen can make the Mets as relevant to New York as the Yankees and make that kind of money he will have doubled his investment.  The Twins are not in the Yankees or Mets city or circumstances. San Diego spent to build a contender and it worked. The fans came out, it is the only pro game in town.  When the owner died and the tv contract did, they retrenched some of the spending.  The fans still came out. That is not the Twins’ situation nor fan base. 

[old nurse]

41 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

If Correa has a .785 OPS before the trade, the Twins might not have had to eat $30M.

Perhaps iff Correa had a career OPS and playing time as a Twin, not only would the Twins not have to eat the money, Rocco would still have a job 

[jmlease1]

23 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Any bets whether Rocco ends up sitting next to Cory Provus as the color guy?

I will take all that action. It will absolutely, positively, never-ever happen in the next 2 years, minimum. There's just no planet where anyone (and count Provus on this) would hire on the fired manager to do analysis on the air. 

You'd instantly piss off the new manager and their staff, probably upset any holdover players who would worry about whether they might get sold out, and infuriate the fanbase. Good grief, no one wants the old boss around.