MEET THE MANAGER
Local native Rocco Baldelli named manager of MLB’s Minnesota Twins
WOONSOCKET – Somebody had to stay behind and mind the store at 100 Bernon St. Not everyone could join native son Rocco Baldelli in Minnesota on Thursday afternoon for an introductory press conference that formally announced the former big leaguer as the new manager of the Twins.
A.B.A.L. Check Cashing, Inc. was certainly a much quieter place without proud father Dan “Rocky” Baldelli or Roc- co’s best friend Minh Pham. On Thursday they were part of a traveling party, along with Rocco’s mother Michelle, and his two brothers Nick and Dante, that boarded a plane to the Twin Cities. From his desk inside A.B.A.L., Karl Allaire beamed with pride.
“It’s definitely great news and an exciting time for the family,” said Allaire, a Woonsocket native himself who like Baldelli is also wellversed in the pro baseball language, having spent nine
seasons in the minors. “The ex-teammates I keep in touch with, they all think Rocco will do great and so do I.”
“It’s awesome. I’m really happy for him and I’m sure he’ll do very well,” said Ed Holloway, Baldelli’s baseball head coach at Bishop Hendricken High School.
For someone who hasn’t been an MLB coach for very long – Baldelli served as Tampa Bay’s first-base coach for three straight years prior to this past season, which saw him take on a newly created position as the Rays’ major-league field coordinator – the local lad piqued the interest of just about all the front offices who were in the managerial market. Allaire confirmed that besides the Twins, Baldelli also interviewed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, and Cincinnati Reds.
“He’s very level headed and that opens up a lot of doors,” said Allaire.
Clearly, no one was scared by Baldelli’s age. The Twins and the rest of the teams that expressed strong interest to a 37-year-old who will likely be the youngest skipper in today’s game.
Baldelli was seen as suiting the needs and demands for today’s game – someone who can blend numbers with common sense; someone who understands the importance of launch angle but isn’t completely married to the idea of strictly going by a stack of papers that are tucked neatly inside a three-ring binder.
“Just from the analytics side, he epitomizes this new wave in baseball. He’s got a lot to offer and brings a lot to the table. That’s why he was so sought after. He has the ability to really change a lot of lives in the game,” said Allaire. “For someone who’s never had any managerial experience, let alone a lot of coaching experience, that’s very impressive and says a lot about him as an individual.”
Added Holloway, “He’s young enough and he’ll be able to relate to the players. He has the right temperament and that will allow him to continue to have a bright future in the game.”
The path that groomed Baldelli for his new assignment with Minnesota also included a stint in Tampa Bay’s front office. Knowing Baldelli like he does, Holloway always envisioned his former star player being more involved in a baseball capacity that stressed player personnel over in-game strategy.
“I always thought he would be a general manager. He’s so smart,” said Holloway, “but playing in the majors and then coaching for a number of years, (managing) was clearly the next step for him.”
Joining Minnesota means a new home for Baldelli, who save for the one season he played for the Red Sox, has spent most of his adult life in the Tampa Bay organization, as either a player, scout or coach. During his first media session at Target Field, Baldelli seemed at ease when asked about having the ultimate voice inside the clubhouse. Players and coaches alike, they’ll now be looking to him for guidance and answers.
“The respect he carries in the game along with his knowledge will carry him a long way,” said Allaire. “Wins don’t automatically come about right away in some places that you go, but I think the players will become better just by playing under him. He’ll definitely bring a different aspect to the game.”
Usually, Baldelli by now has made his way to his native state to reconnect with family and friends following a long season. Given the whirlwind interview tour he embarked upon and is now tasked with picking a coaching staff, plus getting to know the returning Minnesota players, “I’m going to guess he won’t be home for another couple more weeks,” said Allaire.
The last Rhode Island native to land a big-league managerial gig was East Providence’s Davey Lopes.