Article: Baldelli’s the Guy, Now What?

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

 

 

The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez.  I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year.  But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink? 

 

Vasquez.

[ashbury]

 

We will, we will,
Rocco you, Rocco you!

[Teddy]

 

How long a leash does he get?  1-2 years?

 

If they don't go in thinking 3-5, they're making a big mistake.

[Teddy]

 

I'm hoping that Rocco will light the fire under this team. Molitor was too laid back for my taste and players made too many base running and fielding errors.

 I felt too often like players didn't have a cohesive plan, or understand how each of them played a role in helping the whole under Molly. I hope that focus changes under Rocco.

[puckstopper1]

I find it interesting that there was no mention of the Baldelli hire on MLB.com.  I understand that the World Series is front and center - and it should be - but you figure they could at least they could have a small news snippet.  ESPN did just that, BTW. 

[USAFChief]

In addition to adding needed talent, set about assembling a staff that, in a relatively short time, will be getting interviews from other teams for bigger and better jobs.

 

 

[joefish]

I also find it unusual for this hire to be done during the W.S. A real effort to keep it low profile. No big splash.

[jmlease1]

 

You asked, now what?  The answer to that has nothing to do with Baldelli, rather the Front Office.  

 

Take a look at the 40 man roster.  There currently are 25 pitchers on that roster (a total of 43 players).  Of those 25, I maintain that nearly half (12) fall into the category of marginal prospects/talent.  Somehow, this number needs to be reduced with some of these players replaced by players you can count on to perform at the major league level in 2019.

 

The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez.  I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year.  But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink? 

 

 

I think if you look at every team's 40-man there's going to be 8-12 guys who fall into what you're calling "marginal" here. A more accurate word would be "unproven". Am I writing in Kohl Stewart or Stephan Gonsalves into the rotation in ink? Hardly, but they're both prospects who just got their first taste of the majors this year. Do I expect them to compete for a slot in the rotation? Absolutely. Guys like Curtiss or Moya are also young players that could be important contributors to the bullpen. These aren't flotsam, junk players with no real hope. These are legit prospects and if we cut them loose tomorrow (which you seem disturbingly comfortable with doing) they'd get snatched up immediately.

 

Do we need to improve the roster? Of course. We're likely moving on from several guys that were on the 25 man for chunks of the season (Morrison, Santana, Mauer, Forsyth spring to mind). Those replacements are where we'll see the immediate gains.

 

the 40-man is in pretty decent shape. It's got a few marginal guys on it, like most clubs, and those will get moved out based on upgrades we sign and on positional needs.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing how the twins dip into the FA market and the trade market. there could be a lot of action for us at the Winter Meetings.

 

Step 1: get a new manager.

Step 2: finalize the coaching staff

Step 3: start re-working the roster at the Winter Meetings

Step 4: arbitration stuff

Step 5: finalize the roster

 

We just finished Step 1?

[Dave The Dastardly]

Rocco Baldelli, you have come asking a favor you know we can’t refuse at this time. This is understandable for you, a paisano. Ambition is often a good thing. But your own territory when you have no experience? This is much to ask. How do we know you are capable of managing this territory in a profitable manner? There will be much competition you understand. Other managers will try to muscle in on your territory, some of your own men will prove unable to stand against them, your own lieutenants, as ambitious as yourself, might scheme against you. We have to know, how will you handle these matters? Will we find these other competitors swimming with the fishes? Or will they own your territory in a year’s time? If one of your lieutenants gives in to entreaties from another manager, will you release him or invite him for a ride down to the river bottoms in the front seat of your car while you ride behind him with a piece of piano wire? If one of your men proves unable to perform up to expectations will you continue to reward him with a prominent role in your organization even though a younger, perhaps better man, awaits his own chance?

 

These are key questions for a man making a request such as yours.

 

And if we grant you this favor, will we need to hide in Sicily for a year or two if any of these bad things should come to pass? The olives are good but the nightlife... well, you don’t want to take a car so there’s a lot of walking involved.

 

We will need to visit with our consiglieri before we can approve your favor. But since we’ve already acquired a horse’s head ( 7th place in a $2,000 claiming race) for his bed, we think he’ll not refuse our offer.

 

Congratulations

 

The Twin Godfathers

[DCtwinsfan]

Please don't compare him to Ray Miller ever again.  That did not work out well.

[rdehring]

 

 

 

 

The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez.  I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year.  But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink? 

 

Vasquez.

 

I agree that Vasquez may have more potential than many on that list.  But is he ready for opening day?  I don't know because he spent such a short time at AA and AAA, then was given very little opportunity to pitch when called up to the Twins.  What was it, 4-5 innings?  Or at least it seemed like it.  I think the best for the team and him is that he starts at Rochester for the first month or two of the season.

[caninatl04]

I wonder if there will be some big league or minor league coaching/managerial changes as a result. Is this Rocco’s staff or Lavine’s

I think the question is not "if" but "which"?

[caninatl04]

He had to be hired because he had the best sounding name. Who wouldn't like being coached by someone named Rocco?

This years 9th round pick Willie Joe, that's whom.

[Longdistancetwins]

 

I also find it unusual for this hire to be done during the W.S. A real effort to keep it low profile. No big splash.

 I think MLB frowns on distracting from the World Series.  So, the low profile/lack of coverage is what we "deserve."

[ptdt430]

Can we at least now get past the notion that the front office gave Molitor a fighting chance with the job.  It was obvious they wanted to put their own 'stamp' on the manager''s position and had to keep Molitor after last year's unexpected run.  The problem I have with the current front office is one of truthfulness, just tell us they wanted to have someone they brought in rather than someone they are told to work with, the misdirection they employed throughout the year really left a sour taste in my mouth.  From the dealings with Molitor to them telling us the team they presented to fans after the Escobar and Pressly trades was the best they have (when clearly we had players in the minors that were better than the AAAA players playing on the roster).

At some point they have to understand that people are a little smarter than they think and that if telling people up front the truthful information, people will give them the latitude to make mistakes and run things.

I wish nothing but the best for Rocco and I hope he is successful but I have my doubts of anything the FO is doing at this time.

[ewen21]

 

From 2017 to 2018, 4 players - Sano, Buxton, Polanco and Castro - combined to log 1,145 fewer plate appearances and netted -8.4 fWAR (9.1 WAR in 2017, 0.7 WAR in 2018). All due to injury and PEDs.  

Sano, Buxton and Castro had bad offensive years and it is not something I will chalk up to injury.  Buxton and Sano are by no means guys you can rely upon to give consistent offensive producion.  A lot of us made the mistake of assuming growith would naturally arrive.  Both players regressed.  Castro just straight up cannot hit.  He never could hit.  MIsssing their at bats did not have as much of an affect on the offense as people would like to believe.

 

Sano and Buxton have a lot to prove and I will not make an assumption/forecast for either.  With the trajectory of their careers thus far I would not be stunned to see either guy (or both) flame out or one reason or another.  I sure as heck hope not, but this is the current reality witb both

[DocBauer]

Dozier in 2018 was better than Dozier in2017?

the plaatoon of CF was better n 2018 than 2017

Sano was better in 2018 than 2017

A half season of Polanco is better than a full one?

Mauer played better in 2018 than 2017? If they got better players you forgot how poorly the others played to take advantage of it.

Kyle Gibson was better in 2018,

Berrios was better in 2018.

Lance Lynn or Big Sexy

Odorizzi or Santana?

overall pitching was a little less than .5 runs, batting was also down by a little more in actual runs, down 7 by wrc*

 

The game is played on the field, of course. But on paper, which is what I believe was being stated, Molitor did, indeed, have a better roster/team in 2018. No question injuries and poor performance shredded that paper to shreds.

 

2018 is done, gone, and lost in the annuals of time, but damn, I would have loved to seen a healthy Castro, Morisson, Reed, Buxton, etc, etc, to see. I guess the good that can come out of it all is the playing time to guys like Garver, Cave, etc. But on paper, yeah, it should have been a better team.

[SF Twins Fan]

 

I'm hoping that Rocco will light the fire under this team.

 

This is one thing I will never understand. If professional players can't get themselves up for a game they're driven to play and are getting paid huge amounts of money for they shouldn't be on the field. Maybe it's just the way I'm wired but throughout my playing days, whether it be baseball, football, lacrosse or any other sport I never relied on any coach, manager or even team member to get me up for a game or make sure I was mentally ready. For me, when it was game time I was ready to go.

[DocBauer]

You asked, now what?  The answer to that has nothing to do with Baldelli, rather the Front Office.  

 

Take a look at the 40 man roster.  There currently are 25 pitchers on that roster (a total of 43 players).  Of those 25, I maintain that nearly half (12) fall into the category of marginal prospects/talent.  Somehow, this number needs to be reduced with some of these players replaced by players you can count on to perform at the major league level in 2019.

 

The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez.  I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year.  But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink? 

 

I think not, thus, the problem.  This year's roster was too heavy with pitchers with as few as 14 or 15 position players at a few points last summer.  Assuming the team shouldn't have more than 22-23 pitchers on the 40-man on opening day, they can't have a dozen who not only aren't worthy of an opening day spot but also aren't top prospects.  And this dozen didn't include Belisle or Santana, who both should be gone next week, or Hildenberger or Reed who struggled during the last part of the year.  

 

So what's next?  I maintain the most important task for the FO will be to re-structure the pitchers on their roster this winter.

 

I liked this post because I agree with you in theory. But I also have to disagree somewhat. Not because I think you are wrong, but because I think it's just so damn complicated. You simply can't protect everyone. For various reasons...guys you have to protect, guys who still show real potential and aren't past the age of "prospect" status, guys who showed you something last year, guys who missed time early in their careers due to injury but who's clock has been ticking, etc, etc...there is going to be a 40 man crunch this off season. And I can guarantee you there will be a guy or two not protected that will go somewhere else and do well.

 

I mean, just look at some of the names you listed. If push comes to shove, I'd have to leave off Magill, Drake and Busenitz. But Magill filled his role well in 2018, flashed a plus FB and slider. With just a little more consistency, he could be a very fine long/middle man. Just as an example. But could Slegers, or someone else, fill that role, potentially, just as well?

 

I just hope they make the right choices. And please, unless there is a REAL STEAL that falls in your lap, just don't waste another 40 man spot on a rule 5 guy!

[yarnivek1972]

You asked, now what? The answer to that has nothing to do with Baldelli, rather the Front Office.

 

Take a look at the 40 man roster. There currently are 25 pitchers on that roster (a total of 43 players). Of those 25, I maintain that nearly half (12) fall into the category of marginal prospects/talent. Somehow, this number needs to be reduced with some of these players replaced by players you can count on to perform at the major league level in 2019.

 

The dozen I consider marginal include Busenitz, Curtiss, De Jong, Drake, Duffey, Gonsalves, Littell, Magill, Moya, Slegers, Stewart, and Vasquez. I expect many of you will disagree and still consider a few of these good prospects who may help the club next year. But really, is there one player in that group you can write into the opening day roster in ink?

 

I think not, thus, the problem. This year's roster was too heavy with pitchers with as few as 14 or 15 position players at a few points last summer. Assuming the team shouldn't have more than 22-23 pitchers on the 40-man on opening day, they can't have a dozen who not only aren't worthy of an opening day spot but also aren't top prospects. And this dozen didn't include Belisle or Santana, who both should be gone next week, or Hildenberger or Reed who struggled during the last part of the year.

 

So what's next? I maintain the most important task for the FO will be to re-structure the pitchers on their roster this winter.

You must mean the 40 man. Because I think the most position players the Twins had active all season was 13 except for the first couple weeks of September I think they had 15 or 16.

 

 

Falvine have a lot to prove IMO as well. Having only 12 healthy active position players for the last 10 days or so of the season (3 of whom are primarily catchers) is inexcusably poor roster management.

[DocBauer]

TO THE POINT: What do I want now?

 

Obviously, Falvey, Levine and Baldelli are seeing eye to eye with some sort of vision, or this hire wouldn't have been made. The hot stove hasn't even been stoked yet, though assuredly someone is preparing the coals behind the scenes. But before that stove starts to really burn, here is what I want to see happen NOW:

 

1] Thoroughly examine the entire coaching staff. Some of these guys were brought in by Falvey and Levine, and from outside the organization. Does Baldelli concur on their choices? EXAMPLE: Rowson drew accolades for his job in 2017, and was often chastised in 2018 for a failed offense. How much of that was injury and various X factors or on him?

 

2] When reviewing the 2019 staff, find at least one good Latin coach to add to your staff. I stress again, "good coach"! Not just because he is Hispanic, but because he can fill a positive role as a coach, as well as being a communicator with all the Latin talent currently on the roster, and those young prospects on their way up. This is such an obvious need that it shouldn't even have to be debated.

 

3] Find and decide on a bench coach that has experience managing a team. No matter how intelligent or say Baldelli may be, be needs a sounding board beside him he can trust. I am not naming names, the potential list could be longer than my arm, potentially. But let's just say there was a "Gardenhire-type" out there who had actual milb and MLB experience running a team. Wouldn't a guy like that be a great resource of experience for a new, young manager?

 

4] Have "special assistant" Hunter meeting with, and working with Buxton this off season. And I've mentioned this previously a few times. Nick wrote an interesting piece about how Baldelli could potentially relate to Buxton. And that's great. But wouldn't Hunter, who went through a lot of what Byron has seen early in his career, be a great ambassador to bridge any gaps in the organization and him, if they exist, and provide perspective on everything from success and failure and approach be a great resource?

 

5] Have someone Sano trusts work with him and monitor him. He put in the work after his demotion/re-set, despite poor results. But results don't always happen overnight. Sano has said all the right things since his demotion and the end of the season. What's wrong with having a positive voice in his ear/head this off season to erase 2018 and prepare for 2019 and beyond?

 

Those are things the Twins can actually control NOW.

 

The rest is roster construction, via 40 man, as well as FA and trades. And that's going to be very interesting.

[glunn]

 

This is one thing I will never understand. If professional players can't get themselves up for a game they're driven to play and are getting paid huge amounts of money for they shouldn't be on the field. Maybe it's just the way I'm wired but throughout my playing days, whether it be baseball, football, lacrosse or any other sport I never relied on any coach, manager or even team member to get me up for a game or make sure I was mentally ready. For me, when it was game time I was ready to go.

Agreed, but with the qualification that 150+ games and travel every 3 to 4 days can wear down some players more than others. Also, one or two bad apples can hurt the team morale.

[ChrisKnutson]

Now let’s go sign his former Red Sox teammate Jed Lowrie.

[rdehring]

 

You must mean the 40 man. Because I think the most position players the Twins had active all season was 13 except for the first couple weeks of September I think they had 15 or 16.


Falvine have a lot to prove IMO as well. Having only 12 healthy active position players for the last 10 days or so of the season (3 of whom are primarily catchers) is inexcusably poor roster management.

Yes, was talking about the 40-man throughout the comment.

[old nurse]

 

You seem to be making his point for him.
The FO can't control how players perform. All they can do is add or subtract talent from the roster.
The feeling, both here and in the media, was that the roster was in a good place heading into the season. Those players underperforming is on the field staff, not the front office.

Player performance is on the player. A manager can try but as in the rest of the world job performance falls on the person performing the job.  If the player can not tell that they are doing poorly any hope is lost. A manager can tell the player what they do not know. If the player is under performing, they probably has the knowledge.  Player injuries are not on the manager.  Molitor may well have better players than he had the year before. Is Molitor to blame for Santana"s injury, Dozier's later claimed injury, Mauer having age catch up to him,

[Platoon]

To get the most out of an existing roster, players have to believe the guy leading them. They have to trust him, but they don't have to "like" him. They may think he is an *^*hole, but they have to think he is everyone's *^*hole. And the very first way a manager starts to lose the clubhouse is with playing favorites, and dishing out out discipline unevenly. That's not about evaluating talent or strategy, that's about managing people. If 12 year old kids can sense this, MLB players certainly can. Next would come strategy which in any sport is always somewhat subjective. No one will agree with every move, but you have to minimize the "WTF" moments. Judging any sports manager, for me, has always been sort of a reverse process. Meaning, I don't think I have ever saw a good manager make a bad team good, but oh lord I have seen an awful lot of poor managers make a good team bad!

[jorgenswest]

How long a leash does he get? 1-2 years?

Falvey is holding the leash. Falvey’s own leash can’t be longer than 2 more years.

Edited October 28, 2018 by jorgenswest

[Riverbrian]

 

This is one thing I will never understand. If professional players can't get themselves up for a game they're driven to play and are getting paid huge amounts of money for they shouldn't be on the field. Maybe it's just the way I'm wired but throughout my playing days, whether it be baseball, football, lacrosse or any other sport I never relied on any coach, manager or even team member to get me up for a game or make sure I was mentally ready. For me, when it was game time I was ready to go.

 

I have no idea what you do for a living but take a look at your co-workers. Take a look at how they are on a routine Wednesday. That's what game 84 is like in the middle of the season. 

 

A clear illustration of the difference is going on right now. 

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/0/5/4/299835054/102718_erod_glove_slam.gif

 

I'm not saying the players are lazy... I'm not saying that they don't try. I am saying that the urgency and effort isn't quite where it could be in June with another game to play tomorrow. And that is just like the guy or gal sitting next to you at work on a routine Wednesday. 

 

You won't see the above type of emotions in June. You will see players lay up on balls instead. 

 

How do you fix it and make them take game 84 as seriously as they are in the GIF above?

 

Take away playing time through open competition. It's the only thing that I can think of. 

 

[yarnivek1972]

Shorten the season. That will help with player focus and likely reduce fatigue related injuries. IMO, somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 is plenty to discern which teams are contenders and which are pretenders.

 

Will it happen? Well, if ratings and attendance keep trending down, yes. I think it is inevitable. Soon? Probably not. Doing so would kind of be a desperation move to keep the league alive. They aren’t there yet. If the numbers continue to go south for another 10-15 years, owners might be ready to try more drastic measures.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I have no idea what you do for a living but take a look at your co-workers. Take a look at how they are on a routine Wednesday. That's what game 84 is like in the middle of the season. 

 

A clear illustration of the difference is going on right now. 

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/0/5/4/299835054/102718_erod_glove_slam.gif

 

I'm not saying the players are lazy... I'm not saying that they don't try. I am saying that the urgency and effort isn't quite where it could be in June with another game to play tomorrow. And that is just like the guy or gal sitting next to you at work on a routine Wednesday. 

 

You won't see the above type of emotions in June. You will see players lay up on balls instead. 

 

How do you fix it and make them take game 84 as seriously as they are in the GIF above?

 

Take away playing time through open competition. It's the only thing that I can think of. 

No one operates at 100% in game 84, not even Pete Rose. Sure, he operated at a higher level than most but no human being operates at 100% all the time. We're literally not wired to work that way, our brains actually can't maintain that kind of frenetic pace in perpetuity (thanks, mammalian ancestry!).

 

Expecting an athlete to maintain 100% intensity for 3 hours a day, 162 games a year is unreasonable.

 

That doesn't give players an excuse to skate or loaf when there's a legitimate chance to make a play but it does mean I don't get too worked up when a guy jogs out an IFFB in June.

 

Give me a good, solid effort 100% of the time. When it really matters that you leg out that extra inch or throw the ball just a little bit harder, lay it out and go for it... but no one should expect the latter effort day in, day out of a 162 game season.