10-25-2018, 02:16 PM
https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/rocco-baldelli-hired-as-twins-manager/c-299659010
Rocco Baldelli has accepted the Twins' offer to fill their managerial vacancy, the club announced today.
The Twins will introduce their new skipper during a 3 p.m. CT news conference today at Target Field.
Baldelli,
37, replaces Paul Molitor, who had a record of 305-343 (.471) in four
seasons at the helm in Minnesota, including one postseason appearance,
when he led the Twins to the American League Wild Card Game, which they
lost to the Yankees. That trip to the playoffs was part of a 26-win
improvement (59 wins to 85), which earned Molitor the AL Manager of the
Year Award. Minnesota regressed to 78-84 this season and never really
came close to contending, which prompted the club to make a change.
Baldelli,
who has no managerial experience, had been the Rays' Major League field
coordinator. Prior to that, he was Tampa Bay's first-base coach after
working in the team's front office for four years. An outfielder in his
playing days, Baldelli was the sixth overall selection in the 2000 Draft
by the Rays out of high school, and he hit .278/.323/.443 with 60 home
runs over parts of seven seasons before retiring at age 29 after dealing
with a muscle disorder that often left him fatigued.
Baldelli is the first manager the Twins have hired from outside the organization since Ray Miller in 1985.
When
the Twins decided to replace Molitor on Oct. 2, they offered him a
chance to stay with the organization in an unspecified role in the
baseball operations department. Molitor -- who was born in St. Paul and
attended the University of Minnesota -- has yet to announce whether he
will remain with the club. The local legend spent the final three
seasons of his playing career with the Twins, collecting his 3,000th hit
while playing for his hometown team. He retired following the 1998
season and finished with 3,319 hits, which ranks 10th on the all-time
list. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
"At this
moment in time, we felt this was the move for this baseball team, both
in the short-term here and as we build for the long-term future," chief
baseball officer Derek Falvey said in early October when announcing the
managerial change. "When we made this decision, it wasn't just about
wins and losses. Right now, at this moment, it was about where our club
is for the present and the future."
Other vacant managerial
positions have recently been filled in Cincinnati (David Bell is the
Reds' new manager) and Los Angeles (Brad Ausmus is the new manager of
the Angels). Three teams -- the Orioles, Rangers and Blue Jays -- are
continuing their managerial searches.
Rocco Baldelli has accepted the Twins' offer to fill their managerial vacancy, the club announced today.
The Twins will introduce their new skipper during a 3 p.m. CT news conference today at Target Field.
Baldelli,
37, replaces Paul Molitor, who had a record of 305-343 (.471) in four
seasons at the helm in Minnesota, including one postseason appearance,
when he led the Twins to the American League Wild Card Game, which they
lost to the Yankees. That trip to the playoffs was part of a 26-win
improvement (59 wins to 85), which earned Molitor the AL Manager of the
Year Award. Minnesota regressed to 78-84 this season and never really
came close to contending, which prompted the club to make a change.
Baldelli,
who has no managerial experience, had been the Rays' Major League field
coordinator. Prior to that, he was Tampa Bay's first-base coach after
working in the team's front office for four years. An outfielder in his
playing days, Baldelli was the sixth overall selection in the 2000 Draft
by the Rays out of high school, and he hit .278/.323/.443 with 60 home
runs over parts of seven seasons before retiring at age 29 after dealing
with a muscle disorder that often left him fatigued.
Baldelli is the first manager the Twins have hired from outside the organization since Ray Miller in 1985.
When
the Twins decided to replace Molitor on Oct. 2, they offered him a
chance to stay with the organization in an unspecified role in the
baseball operations department. Molitor -- who was born in St. Paul and
attended the University of Minnesota -- has yet to announce whether he
will remain with the club. The local legend spent the final three
seasons of his playing career with the Twins, collecting his 3,000th hit
while playing for his hometown team. He retired following the 1998
season and finished with 3,319 hits, which ranks 10th on the all-time
list. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
"At this
moment in time, we felt this was the move for this baseball team, both
in the short-term here and as we build for the long-term future," chief
baseball officer Derek Falvey said in early October when announcing the
managerial change. "When we made this decision, it wasn't just about
wins and losses. Right now, at this moment, it was about where our club
is for the present and the future."
Other vacant managerial
positions have recently been filled in Cincinnati (David Bell is the
Reds' new manager) and Los Angeles (Brad Ausmus is the new manager of
the Angels). Three teams -- the Orioles, Rangers and Blue Jays -- are
continuing their managerial searches.