What is going on with our Minnesota Twins? They are only 22 games into the 2025 season and it is already no fun to watch this team play ball. A 7-15 record after 22 games? This team is better than that, I am not saying they are one of the upper echelon teams but they are better than 7-15.
So what ails this team? This past off-season they were bragging about having one of the best bullpens in baseball and so far they look like they have one of the worst bullpens. Hopefully that will will straighten itself out soon but it had better happen soon. What about the hitting? I would rate it between dismal and pathetic, they don’t seem to have anyone that can consistently knock in runs, but then again they have not had one of those players in years. Both of these things could be blamed on the Twins front office and ownership but with the Twins for sale I don’t see the Pohlad’s jettisoning Derek Falvey at his point. So the obvious move is to fire the manager and show the remaining Twins fans that the Twins are still trying to win. Perception is reality after all.
How long is Derek Falvey going to stick with Rocco Baldelli as his manager? Is Rocco totally to blame for this teams dismal play? Probably not, but the players just seem to be going through the motions and there are still 140 games to play. Do you see any players on the field that “are willing to run through a wall” for Rocco, I don’t. You can’t get rid of all the players and changes need to be made so why not send Rocco packing and let’s get a real manager, a baseball guy, that will look at what the computer says and still manage the game like it should be managed, by what he see’s on the field.
Back in the old days, manager’s would fine players for bonehead plays. You don’t see that any more but maybe it should be revived. Over the years Rocco has run spring training as if it was a country club with late starts every day and the so called regulars would coast through spring training . This year at least he started practices earlier in the morning and had more of the regulars getting more at bats and taking a bus to an away game now and then.
I would have loved to see Terry Francona manage here but the Reds snapped him up. Bruce Bochy would have fit in but Texas has him now even though his contract is up after 2025 I think. Buck Showalter is still out there but he is a guy that wants to run the entire show so I don’t think he and Falvey would ever see eye to eye. Alex Cora, Don Mattingly, Mark DeRosa are all available and if we really want to inject some life into the Twins, Ozzie Guillen is still around, now he would give Derek Falvey a run for his money and I think the Twins writers would love him.
If I was Falvey I would fire Rocco Baldelli sooner than later and hire Don Mattingly (before the Yankees do) and tell his it is his team. Mattingly has the experience and know how to turn this team into a winner. Get somebody that knows how it is done. Don’t wait too long Mr. Falvey or you will find yourself looking for work too.