The Minnesota Twins fired manager Rocco Baldelli:
“This is a difficult day because of what Rocco represents to so many people here,” Twins president Derek Falvey said in a statement. “He led with honesty, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to our players and staff. He gave himself fully to this role and I have tremendous respect and gratitude for the way he carried himself and the way he showed up every single day.”
The Twins, who were expected to contend for the AL Central title this season, faltered in June and became active at the trade deadline, sending away 10 players while cutting $26 million from the payroll. The team went 23-43 after the All-Star break to finish fourth in the division with a 70-92 mark.
ESPN.com
It sounds like they are going to rebuild and want someone else to do the building. There are a few interim managers out there, and I suspect Baldelli will get some interest.
I’m not a huge fan of Rocco–I think he’s pretty average, as managers go–but I don’t like him being made the scapegoat for the Twins’ decline. Rocco isn’t the one who decided to cut payroll after the 2023 season. Rocco isn’t the one who traded away half the team, including the entire bullpen, at the trade deadline. Yet he’s the one who gets fired. Derek Falvey said in a statement that he takes “personal responsibility” for the team’s record, yet nothing at all happened to him. How is he taking any responsibility whatsoever, beyond just saying the words?