Latest news with #Baldelli
New York Times
14-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Who won the Sox-Sox revenge game? Plus, Mike Trout's Mookie Betts moment
The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic's MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox. Sox vs. Sox was a revenge game, but for whom? Plus: Mike Trout's Mookie Betts moment, really bad news for the Cubs and Ken takes the temperature of some managerial hot seats. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup! It is very much a trope in big-league clubhouses: The first time a player faces their old team after a trade, some member of the assembled press asks, 'Does it mean a little more to face your old team?' It's nowhere near unanimous, but it is surprising how often the answer is some iteration of: 'Well … yeah, a little bit.' Advertisement Here's a recipe: Start with the team that lost a historic number of games last year. Mix in one of the best pitchers in the league, and stir in a dash of 'added motivation.' Mix it together and watch the 4-11 White Sox go seven-plus innings without a hit yesterday. Garrett Crochet's final line against his old team: 7 1/3 innings, one hit, one walk, 11 strikeouts. Not a bad 'How do you like me now?' But would you like to guess who got that one hit, with one out in the eighth inning? It was Chase Meidroth, one of the four players whom the Red Sox traded to the White Sox for the guy whose no-hitter he broke up. It got a little dicey after Crochet left the game, with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position against reliever Garrett Whitlock. But the rally fell short — the Red Sox later added an insurance run and avoided the sweep, winning 3-1. From my latest column about managers who might be in trouble: Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins After the Twins stumbled to a 12-27 finish last season, blowing a 92 percent chance of making the playoffs, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said of Baldelli, 'I believe in his process. I believe in him. I believe in the partnership I have with him.' And now? Falvey, like virtually everyone else interviewed for this column, declined comment, and for good reason. The Twins, fighting declining attendance and trying to sell a new direct-to-consumer streaming product, were perhaps the team most in need of a strong start. They changed hitting coaches. Baldelli took a firmer approach. Yet at 5-11, their malaise from the end of 2024 has extended into the start of '25. Fans are frustrated with the lack of commitment by the Pohlad ownership. The injury-related absences of third baseman Royce Lewis, right-hander Pablo López and, until yesterday, infielder Brooks Lee, are part of the Twins' problem. But for arguably the most talented team in the AL Central, the injury excuse goes only so far. Advertisement Oli Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals The Cardinals are in an odd place, using the 2025 season to transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as their head of baseball operations. Marmol, hired by Mozeliak, is under contract through '26. It stands to reason Bloom will want his own man. But who? Two former Cardinals greats, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols, have made no secret of their desire to manage. Both have done it in the Dominican Winter League, and Molina will manage Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team for the second time in 2026. The Cardinals, though, might not want to choose between two of their legends. And Bloom, after his experience with Alex Cora in Boston, will be especially careful with his choice. Friends of Bloom, who spoke on condition of anonymity in exchange for their candor, believe Cora was not as supportive of Bloom as he could have been. Skip Schumaker, another former Cardinal who was a member of Marmol's initial staff in 2022 before leaving to manage the Miami Marlins, might be a safer pick. Now working as a senior adviser to Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, Schumaker would be the logical successor to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. But if Bochy, who turns 70 on Wednesday, wants to manage beyond this season, Schumaker might prefer to accept an immediate opening rather than stay off the field another year. More here. At this time last year, we could honestly say, 'I've never seen anything like this.' But after an almost identical thing happened to Mookie Betts in the World Series last year, I guess we have to go with, 'I've only ever seen anything like this one time.' Mike Trout appeared to make a phenomenal play Saturday in Houston, soaring through the air and reaching over the right field wall to catch a foul ball. Here, watch: An Astros fan ripped the ball out of Mike Trout's glove. Umpires ruled it a foul ball — Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 12, 2025 The similarities between this and that infamous World Series Game 4 fan interference incident are pretty stark on first glance, but there's a major difference if you compare them closely. In New York, the fans appeared to be gleeful about having stripped Betts of the ball (also, that one was ruled fan interference). In this one … watch the fan's face. That is an immediate 'OH NO I am so sorry, Mr. Trout, can I offer you this baseball back as penance??' face. Advertisement Also, it was somehow ruled to be a foul ball. The fan said he was simply trying to protect his son from the ball, which seems iffy in slow motion, but *shrugs* life doesn't happen in slow motion. The powers that be seemed to agree; the fan wasn't removed (but was relocated). And Trout met with the man and his son after the game, even signing the ball. If they're all cool with it, I'm certainly not going to be the one guy on the internet arguing for more punitive action. More Trout: The oft-injured superstar says he knows he has 'a lot of support' as he attempts to put together a full healthy season. Justin Steele wasn't technically the Cubs' Opening Day starter — that was Shota Imanaga in the Tokyo Series. But when the Cubs began the remaining stateside 160, it was Steele who took the mound, getting the team's first win in Arizona. He won't pitch again this year. After pitching seven shutout innings against the Rangers a week ago, Steele experienced some pain in his elbow. Yesterday afternoon, it was announced that he would be undergoing reconstructive surgery on his left (throwing) elbow to address his flexor tendon and UCL. It's a huge blow for the Cubs (11-7), who are facing increased pressure to make the postseason this year. Their pitching depth isn't bad, with Colin Rea taking Steele's place and Javier Assad currently on rehab assignment. But consulting the crystal ball, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Cubs target starting pitching at the trade deadline. Also: We don't know whether Steele, 29, will undergo a full Tommy John surgery (it would be his second) or the 'internal brace' procedure, which could shorten the return time. Either way, we're looking at sometime in 2026 for the lefty. More Cubs: The team and Pete Crow-Armstrong have tabled extension talks for now. All Crow-Armstrong did last night was homer twice, with a triple for good measure. It appears the Angels are funding Eric Kay's legal costs. Why? Sam Blum investigates. Our writers spoke to multiple agents about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s contract, and the aftershocks it will have on baseball's finances. Recent experiments in the Atlantic League include the ABS 'robot ump' system we saw in spring training (seems hopeful) and the moved-back mound and 'double hook' that seem dead in the water. The league's latest experiment: QR codes on baseballs. Jayson Stark examines the possibilities. Advertisement The Cubs beat the Dodgers 16-0 on Saturday, featuring an entertaining moment in which position-player-pitching Miguel Rojas imitated the deliveries of a few Dodgers pitchers. The silver lining: Roki Sasaki allowed just one run in five innings before the bullpen opened the floodgates. If for no other reason than track record, it seems likely the Marlins will *gasp* trade their best player. But teams looking to acquire Sandy Alcantara will have to wait a little longer, says Will Sammon. Ten years ago, Wilmer Flores famously battled tears at news the Mets might be trading him. Now it's hard to imagine him playing for anyone but the Giants. Speaking of the Giants: Jung-Hoo Lee is playing like the star San Francisco has been waiting for. Who's going to be the leadoff hitter for the Yankees? I guess they have three, including Ben Rice, who appears to be having a breakout season. The question of their fifth starter is a bit murkier. Zach McKinstry has gone from 'Is my roster spot in danger?' to a pivotal cog in the Tigers' machine. The A's hoped to bring a big-league experience to a minor-league park. Update on that: A medical cart broke down on the field, and the game was delayed. Jim Bowden has a list of Day 1 draft picks who are showing signs of a breakout in 2025. Andrew Painter last pitched in a game in late 2022. He hit 100 in his first game action this year. How long 'til he's in Philadelphia? Most-clicked in our last newsletter: Britt Ghiroli's piece on what MLB players do with all their old team swag. 📫 Love The Windup? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
New York Times
14-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
9 MLB managers whose job status could be in question by the end of the season
In baseball's Age of Collaboration, the hot seat for managers should be viewed more as an oversized sofa, with front-office executives and statistical analysts all squeezing in. Firing the manager when others bear responsibility for shaping rosters and influencing decisions often amounts to blatant scapegoating. Perhaps that is one reason early dismissals are becoming less common. Advertisement Only three managers have been dumped before the All-Star break since 2018, all in 2022. The Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies went on to reach the postseason after making changes that year, but the trend did not last. Teams take pride in removing emotion from decisions and loathe making moves that can be interpreted as reactionary. Not that managers are safe — 14 teams, comprising nearly half the league, have introduced new skippers since the end of the '22 season. Most of those changes, though, came during the offseason. Clubs that never were expected to contend usually are disinclined to make a change before the All-Star break. Teams with loftier aspirations, though, might view the possibility of cracking an expanded postseason field as justification for a dramatic move. Here is a look at nine managers whose statuses could be in question, not necessarily right away, but by the end of the season: After the Twins stumbled to a 12-27 finish last season, blowing a 92 percent chance of making the playoffs, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said of Baldelli, 'I believe in his process. I believe in him. I believe in the partnership I have with him.' And now? Falvey, like virtually everyone else interviewed for this column, declined comment, and for good reason. The Twins, fighting declining attendance and trying to sell a new direct-to-consumer streaming product, were perhaps the team most in need of a strong start. They changed hitting coaches. Baldelli took a firmer approach. Yet at 5-11, their malaise from the end of 2024 has extended into the start of '25. Fans are frustrated with the lack of commitment by the Pohlad ownership. Injuries to third baseman Royce Lewis, right-hander Pablo López and until Sunday, infielder Brooks Lee, are part of the Twins' problem. But for arguably the most talented team in the AL Central, the injury excuse goes only so far. Advertisement With the franchise for sale, the Twins presumably want their on-field product to hold greater appeal. Baldelli is in his seventh season as manager. The end point in his contract is not known. Clearly, though, he needs to win, no matter how close he might be with Falvey. The Cardinals are in an odd place, using the 2025 season to transition from John Mozeliak to Chaim Bloom as their head of baseball operations. Marmol, hired by Mozeliak, is under contract through '26. It stands to reason Bloom will want his own man. But whom? Two former Cardinals greats, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols, have made no secret of their desire to manage. Both have done it in the Dominican Winter League, and Molina will manage Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic team for the second time in 2026. The Cardinals, though, might not want to choose between two of their legends. And Bloom, after his experience with Alex Cora in Boston, will be especially careful with his choice. Friends of Bloom, who spoke on condition of anonymity in exchange for their candor, believe Cora was not as supportive of Bloom as he could have been. Skip Schumaker, another former Cardinal who was a member of Marmol's initial staff in 2022 before leaving to manage the Miami Marlins, might be a safer pick. Now working as a senior adviser to Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young, Schumaker would be the logical successor to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. But if Bochy, who turns 70 on Wednesday, wants to manage beyond this season, Schumaker might prefer to accept an immediate opening rather than stay off the field another year. Schumaker is close with Marmol as well as Cardinals coaches Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay, both of whom were former teammates in St. Louis. It is not out of the question that if the Cardinals named Schumaker manager, Marmol could remain on his staff, with Descalso and Jay also staying put. Descalso and Jay were Cardinals teammates with Molina and Pujols as well. Advertisement Even if Shelton is flawed as a manager, does anyone seriously believe he's the problem? The No. 1 problem is owner Bob Nutting, who runs the Pirates on the tightest of budgets. The No. 2 problem, though a good way down the depth chart, is general manager Ben Cherington, who has not produced the pipeline of young talent necessary for a small-market team to succeed. This is the sixth year of the Cherington-Shelton regime. It will likely be their sixth straight losing season and the team's seventh straight overall. The Pirates signed Shelton to an extension in April 2023, but did not announce its length. Bench coach Don Kelly, a Pittsburgh-area native, would be the obvious replacement if the team chose to make a move. Cherington, who did not respond to a text message seeking comment, does not seem the type to turn on Shelton, knowing that as GM he's the one responsible for dealing his manager a roster of spare parts. Still, Shelton has not extracted the most out of the team's young hitters, and the Pirates, at times, look rather sloppy. So, in theory at least, upper management might push Cherington to install a new manager. Nutting seemed to fire a warning shot the day of the team's home opener, telling the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 'I think that I've done everything that I can to provide the tools and resources to the team. There is a point where it becomes execution.' Whether Nutting's tough talk will translate to action is an open question. Before 2024, Nutting said he expected a 'meaningful step forward.' It didn't happen — the Pirates finished with 76 wins, same as in 2023 — and Nutting brought back Cherington and Shelton anyway. As one former player told The Athletic in 2024, Nutting 'is comfortable being mediocre.' Rockies people think highly of Black, and so do people throughout the industry. Hardly anyone seems comfortable posing the question: As the team skews younger, is Black still the right person for the job? Advertisement The Rockies made the playoffs in Black's first two seasons, 2017 and '18. Since then, they've endured six straight losing seasons, and at 3-12 are well on their way to their seventh. Black, 67, cannot be blamed for all that failure. The Rockies seem to operate in a separate universe from the rest of baseball. But at some point, it stands to reason the team would benefit from a fresh voice. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer, who managed at three levels of the Rockies' organization from 2015 to '22, is the obvious heir apparent. An in-season change seems almost out of the question. There's no need to humiliate Black, and the Rockies continue to play hard for him. But with Black's contract expiring at the end of the season, the team will face a decision. Schaeffer, 40, could be the Rockies' version of Brandon Hyde, taking over the organization at a low point and growing with his young players. The Nationals are an example of how a rebuilding club can descend into a prolonged funk. Since their World Series title in 2019, only the Rockies have lost more games. Martinez was in his second year as manager in '19. COVID-19 shortened the 2020 season. And the Nationals began their teardown in '21, trading Trea Turner and Max Scherzer to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The franchise exists in a state of uncertainty as the Lerner family waffles on whether it wants to sell; the team currently is off the market. The trade of Juan Soto in July 2022 greatly enhanced the club's foundation of young talent. But if the Lerners again want to compete, they will need to be more aggressive in acquiring established veterans. The pressure on Martinez, and general manager Mike Rizzo, for that matter, appears minimal. Martinez is in the last year of his contract. The Nationals hold an option on him for 2026. Martinez's players seem to like him, and they recently took two of three at home from both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Advertisement 'It's all positive,' Rizzo said. 'He's a good manager and a good person. He's doing a good job.' The Jays, off to a 9-7 start, give the look of a team that might be more competitive than expected. They might need to be for Schneider's benefactors, team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, to retain their jobs. Shapiro's contract expires after this season, Atkins' after 2026. And, as reported last week, some in the organization are expressing concern to rival peers that the team will need to reach the postseason to avoid a major front-office overhaul. The Jays hold an option on Schneider for 2026. Shapiro and Atkins previously extended both John Gibbons and Charlie Montoyo at the outsets of their respective contract years. If they have done the same with Schneider, they haven't announced it publicly. During spring training, Shapiro told that Schneider stood a chance of becoming a, 'great, great major-league manager.' That might indeed be the case. But a change in the front office inevitably could lead to a change in manager. Is anyone ever safe under the Angels' mercurial owner, Arte Moreno? Washington, who turns 73 later this month, remains as vibrant as ever, despite being the oldest manager in the majors. He also is the Angels' fifth manager since 2018, and coming off a 99-loss campaign in his first season. Like Schneider, Washington is working in the last guaranteed year of his contract, with the Angels holding a club option on him for 2026. But Moreno last August extended general manager Perry Minasian through '26 with a club option for '27. Minasian during the offseason added a number of veterans with winning backgrounds. And Mike Trout, knock on wood, seems almost back to his old self. Advertisement The extension for Minasian was a step toward greater stability. The team is off to a surprising 9-6 start. But with the season less than one-tenth complete, it's too early to declare Washington safe just yet. The Orioles ended the 2024 regular season in a 34-38 swoon, then were swept at home by the Kansas City Royals in the wild-card round. Like the Twins, they've also started slowly in 2025. But the similarities pretty much end there. General manager Mike Elias stuck with Hyde when the team began to turn around rather than hire a more proven veteran type. The bond between the two remains close, according to a former Orioles person familiar with their relationship. And while the firings of three coaches at the end of last season could be interpreted as a warning shot to Hyde, Elias surely knows the responsibility for the team's current shortcomings falls more on him than his manager. Consider the big picture as well: Since 2023, the Orioles are second in wins only to the Dodgers — and the next closest American League team, the Tampa Bay Rays, is 12 wins behind. But with eight Orioles pitchers currently on the injured list, it's difficult to build on that success, at least this early in the season. Zack Britton's younger brother, Buck, managed many of the Orioles' younger players at Triple A the past three years before joining the major-league staff this season. He ultimately could replace Hyde, but Elias would be foolish to rush into such a move, particularly when the Orioles' pitching, hitting and bench coaches all have less than two years of experience in their current roles. He's not getting fired, no matter how badly the Braves continue to stumble. This is Snitker's 49th year in the organization. He led the team to six straight division crowns between 2018 and '23. And when that streak ended last season, the Braves still made the playoffs, winning more games than they did in 2021, the year they became World Series champions. The Braves will allow Snitker to determine his own fate. The question is how long he wants to continue. Like Bochy, he will celebrate his 70th birthday this year. He has said he will consider retirement at the end of the season, but has been noncommittal about the possibility. Advertisement Fifty years in one organization would be an incredible accomplishment. Snitker can achieve it even if he steps down as manager. The Braves could name him a special assistant, and he probably could hold that position for as long as he'd like — without the daily heartache of managing. (Top photo of Derek Shelton: Joe Sargent / Getty Images)
Washington Post
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli ejected after arguing about pitch clock violation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected during Monday night's loss at Kansas City after Twins pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson was called for a pitch clock violation. There were two outs in the sixth inning when Woods Richardson stepped off the mount and tapped his ear, seemingly indicating he couldn't hear his PitchCom. Umpire Nic Lentz then called a violation that resulted in a walk to Jonathan India. Baldelli told reporters after the game that since Woods Richardson didn't get a response from Lentz after tapping his ear, he realized he needed to try and get the pitch off before the clock expired. 'So he got back on the mound and tried to make a pitch,' Baldelli said. 'What else is he going to do? He was forced to that. And with two seconds left and he's trying to make a pitch on the mound and he gets a pitch clock violation called on him. And the clock hadn't even expired.' Baldelli came out of the dugout and argued with Lentz for a bit before he was ejected. He then continued to talk and gesture to Lentz before crew chief Vic Carapazza got between them. Baldelli continued to complain to both umpires for a bit before eventually leaving the field. 'The umpire could have remedied the situation in a number of ways,' Baldelli said. 'But instead makes him get back on the mound and pitch and then banged him for a violation which hadn't even occurred yet. Anyway, it didn't make sense.' The Twins lost 4-2 to fall to 3-7 this season. ___ AP MLB:
Fox Sports
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli ejected after arguing about pitch clock violation
Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected during Monday night's game at Kansas City after Twins pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson was called for a pitch clock violation. There were two outs in the sixth inning when Woods Richardson tapped his ear, seemingly indicating he couldn't hear his PitchCom. Umpire Nic Lentz then called a violation that resulted in a walk to Jonathan India. Baldelli came out of the dugout and argued with Lentz for a bit before he was ejected. He then continued to talk and gesture to Lentz before crew chief Vic Carapazza got between them. Baldelli continued to complain to both umpires for a bit before eventually leaving the field. The Twins trailed 4-1 when he was tossed. ___ AP MLB: recommended in this topic
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli ejected after arguing about pitch clock violation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli was ejected during Monday night's game at Kansas City after Twins pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson was called for a pitch clock violation. There were two outs in the sixth inning when Woods Richardson tapped his ear, seemingly indicating he couldn't hear his PitchCom. Umpire Nic Lentz then called a violation that resulted in a walk to Jonathan India. Baldelli came out of the dugout and argued with Lentz for a bit before he was ejected. He then continued to talk and gesture to Lentz before crew chief Vic Carapazza got between them. Baldelli continued to complain to both umpires for a bit before eventually leaving the field. The Twins trailed 4-1 when he was tossed. ___
