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Twins Analyst Questions Rocco Baldelli’s Managerial Strategy
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- Twins Analyst Questions Rocco Baldelli’s Managerial Strategy
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Last season the Minnesota Twins absolutely failed down the stretch. Despite a regular season that saw them contend for most of the year, Rocco Baldelli watched his group fall apart while it mattered. He also struggled to pull the right strings.
The rigidity of Minnesota's desire to find matchups was prevalent all season. Manuel Margot was among the worst acquisitions in recent history, but that didn't stop the manager from consistenly calling his number. Cory Provus took note of that and wonders if the plan won't be different this time around.
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Cory Provus wonders if MN Twins will operate differently this year
Last year there was a clear understanding as to how Rocco Baldelli would have the Minnesota Twins line up. Pitcher handedness dictated the lineup and that led to him making wholesale changes mid-game. Analyst Cory Provus obviously wasn't a fan.
"What I am more interested in, is what will change if anything, is what will change philosophically. Where I kept watching the last two, three weeks of the regular season with the Tigers and the Guardians, and seeing left-handed hitters face left-handed pitchers early in the game. I wonder if Rocco shifts a little bit on that and doesn't pull Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, and Eddie [Edouard] Julien in the 4th inning. He says, you know what, I may lose this round but this matchup is going to look better in the 7th, 8th, or 9th inning…They were easy to manage against."
What Provus is talking about couldn't have been more obvious for Minnesota last season. Rocco Baldelli had a level of rigidity to his lineups based on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher. The unfortunate fallout meant that late game situations often had less talented players as the only option.
The Twins acquired Manuel Margot with the though that he could be a backup outfield option with utility in centerfield. He also batted from the right side of the plate. Unfortunately he posted negative defensive numbers and was even worse offensively.
Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Margot's 76 OPS+ was a career low. He went 0-for-30 as a pinch hitter and Baldelli found himself looking genuinely insane for continuing to run him out in those situations.
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This season the Twins don't have a straightforward answer as a right-handed outfield option. That could mean they allow their lefties to play a bit more despite platoon disadvantages. Regardless, there is no reason for Baldelli to be so extremely rigid with his decision making and the man calling the games agrees.
