DEAR ROCCO BALDELLI - I’M SORRY

TwinsBaseball

Sep 23

Written By Ryan Stanzel

Dear Rocco Baldelli,

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry Twins fans and media alike (yours truly included) have shown you so much flack the last few years.

Your team has proved it’s not your fault. Not all your fault, anyways.

I’m sorry you woke up this morning after arriving back from Boston in the wee hours out of a playoff position for the first time in months.

I’m sorry that this team finally won a playoff series last year, and your bosses cut $30 million in payroll.

I’m sorry for ragging you for being conservative with your starting pitchers in the summer. Pablo Lopez sure looked overworked in yesterday’s season-defining doubleheader opener performance.

I’m sorry that even after young arm Joe Ryan wilted down the stretch last season, you weren’t even given a solid third veteran arm and you had to watch Simeon Woods-Richardson run out of stuff too.

I’m sorry that you literally ran out of pitching, and I have no doubt like us all, you saw it coming.

I’m sorry ownership left you high and dry (you may sense a theme here).

They left you high and dry at the trade deadline.

With three oft-injured stars in the lineup, your boss didn’t add a single bat.

With only two bonafide proven starting pitchers and two really good bullpen arms, they gave you Trevor Richards at the deadline. Or is it Travis Richards? Trevor Williams? All the same.

I’m sorry you had to watch Ronny Henriquez try to close out an important game with a two-run, 10th-inning lead in Cleveland in the final two weeks of the season.

I’m sorry in that same game, only one of your three star hitters could make their way into the lineup. Thank you for your service, Carlos Correa.

I’m sorry that you got Coles in your stocking. Cole Irvin and Cole Sands let things get way out of control quickly in back-to-back appearances in Game 2 Sunday.

I’m sorry that in the month of September, your team hit into as many double plays as they had home runs (stat courtesy of The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman).

I’m sorry that you had to keep rolling Manuel Margot out there as a pinch-hitter. Even an analytics guru like you knows 0-for-30 - the most at-bats as a pinch hitter without a hit in MLB history - is just about impossible.

I’m sorry that you’ll ultimately be the fall guy here. Or maybe not. You’re signed through 2025 “at least” (have to love the Pohlad family’s sense of transparency), and we know they don’t want to waste a single penny.

I’m sorry that after living in Tampa and the Twin Cities, your next home could be in West Sacramento or Pittsburgh.

I’m sorry, Rocco. You deserved better. We all did.