Reports: Twins to Hire Rocco Baldelli as Manager

Love it. 

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I have no opinion on this - like most, I lack any real information beyond this article to make a judgment.  The thing I am happy about is that Shelton did not get the job or any of the others already on this team.  I see collective guilt for the team and if Molitor had to take the fall his right hand man, bench coach, should be seen as part of the same problem or why was he there?  I do not like Shelton and he might be great somewhere, but it would not have been the right hire here. 

Agreed. How much you can put on Shelton is up for debate but it's just bad optics more than anything to let the current leader go and then bring his right hand man up. It feels then like a change wasn't really made

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Meh, overated IMO.

He seems as good as any of the other candidates. I'll form an opinion in a couple years, but his success will be based on players. The last time Minnesota hired a "hot commodity" to keep him from signing elsewhere we got Brad Childress. Please don't be Chilly, Rocco.

As a player, this guy was Christian Yelich before Christian Yelich was Christian Yelich.  The injuries were so unfortunate.  He was a talent.  Now, let's hope he's the right guy for this job.  He certainly sounds like it.  Talent still wins, however, and when you watch teams like Boston and Houston you see just how far the Twins would have to go to be a WS contender.  First, let's just get them to being an AL Central contender.

Hope he's good.  I would think we can expect some growing pains as would be expected with anyone new to the role.  I'll be pulling for him, for sure.

Like that they went outside the organization.

Bold move to bring in someone who's career was cut short due to channelopathy to win the cold hearts of a fan base willing to deride a generational talent over bi-lateral leg weakness.  

Seems fine. I doubt there's a managerial candidate out there that would make me go, "Wow, this is a huge win! We are KILLING it in the managerial search!"

But Rocco seems like a reasonable choice. Should be on board with the front office's approach, should be able to relate with and work with young players. Hopefully he can handle the tactical situations well and improve bullpen and lineup useage.

Rocco seems like a solid choice. In-line with other recently hired young managers who have been very successful.  Hopefully the players respond and the front office makes a few big moves in the off season. 

My only question is what kind of track record does he have with Hispanic players?  If he is light in that area, a coach on his staff needs to have the ability to communicate well with and get the most out of Hispanic players given the critical role will play in the Twins future.

Can't say I know much about Baldelli, other than he was a great player in MVP 2005. Great speed, defense, and some power.

But hey, if Plouffe thinks he'll be a good fit, I'll take his word for it.

The name Rocco engenders more confidence than Bam Bam, don't you think? And far more than Molitorsie.

Good hire, FO now owns this, so will see if he is the manager who gets the most out of his talent.

I like his story, his pedigree, and his name.  Well done, Twins.

Looks like the Pohlads have a nice plane.

The Minnesota Twins took a major hit from many of us in the state who follow baseball closely but not uncritically when two inexperienced front office executives who remind us more of automatons than human beings fired reigning Manager of the Year Paul Molitor because they could. We don't hold the decision against Baldelli, their new manager, but many of us aren't likely to buy tickets next year unless Molitor gets another managerial job. There are way too many other things to do in Minneapolis and St. Paul, truly great cities, than support a Chicken-Soup-Is-Goo-For-The-Soul franchise. Their systems analysis approach to baseball is something like Robert Mcnamara's approach to the Vietnam quagmire in the Sixties. And we all know how that turned out.  

<< I look forward to seeing this club become Rocco's Modern Baseball Team. >>

Hmmm. If Rocco is Rocco, I wonder who are Heff, Filburt and Spunky?

We can change Target Field to O-Town Park.

Watch out for Mr. Bighead.

Worked out pretty darn well the last time the Twins hired a manager in his 30s...