MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 5, 2022

Rocco Baldelli

Minnesota Twins

Press Conference

Q. How different is it trying to sell yourselves to Correa over an offseason versus 14 hours in March?

ROCCO BALDELLI: Oh, it's different. I mean, both of those different situations, I don't think I had ever seen before. Very, very kind of unique circumstances -- a 10:30 p.m. Zoom call in the middle of the spring.

And right now, going to dinner, grabbed a very nice dinner with Carlos this week. And we're able to talk about things. We get to get to the point and talk about the things we want.

We're very comfortable with each other. He's a guy that we obviously want and care a lot about and think can be an enormous factor for us for a long time, playing at shortstop and leading.

This is kind of where Carlos has set himself up for guys who do what he does, they set themselves up for the future, and they set themselves up to have great options going forward. And we think we've positioned ourselves well to be one of the highest priority options for him. So we feel good about that. We just have to let things play out and become comfortable doing that, which we're doing right now.

Q. Obviously money is a big thing, but do you have a sense for what else he values the most in what he's looking for on a team?

ROCCO BALDELLI: That's an easy one. He values winning. That's the thing that I think he's obsessed with and dedicated to. And that's what we want from our players. That's why we're sitting here talking about him and we'll continue to talk about him. Even hopefully after he signs we'll continue to talk about him. But that's all his life revolves around, setting himself and his teammates and his organization up to win baseball games and have continued success. It's what he thrives on. He's desirous of that continually. That's where discussions and more conversations with him generally lead to. They all lead back to that.

Q. Do you feel like there's a pitch to be made along those lines, like here's why we think we're going to be a winning situation? Or do you think him being around for a year, like he knows as well as anybody what the situation is?

ROCCO BALDELLI: He is so aware of what's going on around him that he understands our situation well. He understands our young minor league players that are coming now and where each of them are at in their careers and probably has his own way of kind of thinking about those guys and valuing them in his mind and how they're going to help the team in the future. He understands all these things really well.

For a 28-year-old guy, we've talked about that many times, but it's pretty amazing the sense he has for those things. No, it's not necessarily the introduction -- you're not necessarily selling -- you're getting feedback. And I think it's him still kind of digging deeper in those conversations and us getting feedback from him.

But it's a pretty good back and forth where I think both sides value what the other side is talking about in those conversations.

Q. How did he help shape kind of the culture of the clubhouse, the culture of the team last year, what were some of the things he introduced, I guess?

ROCCO BALDELLI: I think there is a sense of discipline that everything he kind of talks about kind of funnels towards. He's a guy that's really dedicated his life to winning games. And we've seen other players do something like it. He does it very well. Not every player in the big leagues lives like that.

And there are some really great players that don't. But to give yourself the best chance of being successful and succeeding and having your group coming together and winning, there's some of those things that you can't do without. You need guys like that. He exhibits that every day.

So he's the wake up in the morning until the moment he goes to bed at night, he's doing things all the time, even things you wouldn't think of, things in the back of his mind, they're all geared towards getting his body and his mind ready to play that night.

He doesn't do many things that take him away from that. So getting others kind of thinking along those lines. You're not trying to make everyone exactly like you, but he's thinking, you know, these are things I can help with. And he does.

Q. Do you get a sense that he wants to leave his mark and some ideas for where the organization can go that he's experienced over his career?

ROCCO BALDELLI: Oh, he has -- honestly, he has a ton of thoughts. And it's not all just related to -- it's everything. I mean, he understands the game from many different sides. And he can speak in depth on all those things, on many levels.

It's not just the drill work and how we work on the field. It's not just what the lineup looks like and where he's hitting. Those are for him some of the elementary things that he talks about. He goes deep into pretty much all aspects of the game. And he enjoys the game.

It's not hard for him to do all these things. He's very passionate about being a successful player in a successful organization.

Q. Obviously a lot of different ways a team can pivot in an offseason, there are a lot of good free agents still unsigned. But how much do you value known the commodity, you've seen it firsthand for a season, versus you may be able to take a word from other people how someone is in the clubhouse, but you don't know for certain about.

ROCCO BALDELLI: That's why we've wanted him from the start. We've gone after him and we know what he offers. And what he offers, we want and need. And we want him here. So I think we've made that clear.

He's been pretty engaging, too, even since the season ended, he's a guy that reaches out still to everyone, staff and players, with the Twins.

All that said, bigger picture-wise, we look around. We know we need to continue to get better. We know we need to have all avenues open and that includes signing some of the best free agents available. He's certainly at the very top of the list, and there are some other very good guys out there, too. But we need to stay nimble and be ready.

Adding a shortstop like him is very important. And it's one of the highest priorities that we have this offseason.

Q. You'll keep in touch with you. How does he sort of message the opt out? I'm sure we all kind of knew it was coming. How did that conversation go down?

ROCCO BALDELLI: It wasn't really a conversation as far as that. I think, like I said, he's put himself in a great position to be able to basically do whatever he would like.

And he's earned that. And we know that. And we respect that. So the thought that he was or wasn't going to opt out, it wasn't really something that -- I didn't assume he was going to opt in after the great year he had.

I think just having as many options as he could going into the offseason made the most sense. That I didn't talk to him that much about. But he talks to everyone. I mean, I've said this before, I don't know how he -- he does he figures out a way to do it all, prepare, get all his work in every day, gym, baseball skill work everything and connect with all the people that he does, because he talks to a lot of guys regularly.

Staff members, Dave Popkins, our hitting coach. He talks to a ton of people. And even though at this moment he's not a Twin, he's still pushing a lot of the guys in a lot of ways and kind of just keeping them going as the offseason kind of moves on.

Q. With the shortstop as a priority, how do you see Kyle Farmer kind of fitting in? Obviously played shortstop for two years.

ROCCO BALDELLI: Kyle, he's been a good player. I think he's going to be one of those versatile infielders that can play what's the most demanding spot in the infield at shortstop, but also move and play other spots for us, too.

I think he's going to find a way to get plenty at-bats and contribute in a lot of different ways.

What our roster looks like in spring training and once the season starts, we don't know. So all of our guys know that. We have multiple guys that they could end up playing a different spot than maybe what they're anticipating right now or how they're going to get their at-bats.

But we generally find a way to get all of our guys involved. And right now we have -- you can look at it and say we have enough infielders but we don't because we know that's not how the game works and we're going to need to move guys around and get them in there.

Q. Do you know if Jose is still going down to Houston to visit Carlos? And how comfortable do you feel with having Jose at third every day?

ROCCO BALDELLI: I'm comfortable and I'm also more comfortable knowing the work that he's putting in right now this offseason. He's doing a lot of work on his body, which I think will help him the way he moves around and range-wise and first step and things like that.

I think they actually are connecting this offseason. I'm not sure exactly where that's going to happen. But from Carlos, I think he did say that that was still going to happen.

Q. Regardless of whether you're able to keep Carlos or not, what was the impact that he had on all of your young players? And how do you think that helps those players develop going forward?

ROCCO BALDELLI: He brought in kind of a different level of -- I say discipline earlier, but his conversations from day one were so pointed towards detail-oriented work that -- we have guys that have routines like Carlos. We had Nelson Cruz who led in our clubhouse for a few years in so many different ways.

I think Carlos is another version of that type of elite player that brings just a ton of credibility and you see the intensity in the way he not just works himself but the way he discusses these things, and the care that he shows for his teammate.

So he brought that in from day one. First day he signs, he didn't come in, like, looking for his bats and trying to see what the layout of the -- he came in ready to sit down and talk.

And he brought that level of care every day, through to the very end of the year, even through the year, the parts of the year we're playing well, and even towards the end when we were a little broken down and things weren't going well, he stays. He doesn't change much. He stays exceptionally positive. He's the guy that's encouraging through the tougher times of the season.

The rest of the guys, and he's always the guy looking to move forward and what's coming next and what we need to do next. He's kind of forward-looking in that way.

Q. How is Kenta doing now and what is your expectation of him?

ROCCO BALDELLI: Kenta's doing great. He's going to have a full offseason to get ready for spring training. I anticipate him being ready to go the first week of the season whenever he's ready to make his first start.

There was a realistic chance that he might have pitched at the end of the year. For a few reasons we kind of pushed him back a little bit. And that kind of led us to October, which kind of shut his year down.

But he did great physically. He commented to me that he actually really enjoyed his time in Florida being able to get his work done. He said he liked being around the young players and watching them and kind of working with them and pushing them and stuff. And they kind of pushed him back.

I think the energy of the young guys running around was good for him. But he was able to get all of his work in down there in a good environment. And he said, I feel fantastic. He's got a young body, too, for a guy that's in his 30s. He takes care of himself really well.

So I anticipate him being full bore, ready to go, first week in April.

Q. Wanted to ask you about Matt Quatraro being named the manager of Kansas City. What's your reaction to him getting that spot, that opportunity?

ROCCO BALDELLI: I love that you asked me. A good friend of mine. Goes all the way back to being a teammate of mine when I was coming up and I was in Triple-A with the Durham Bulls. The season ended. And you know who drove me home? Matt Quatraro from Durham to Albany. And my dad picked me up in Albany and we drove back to Rhode Island.

We've known each other a long time. He's one of my favorite people in the game. Extraordinarily thoughtful guy. He spent a lot of time in the Tampa Bay organization, a little bit in Cleveland. He's so capable, hardworking. He's got a lot to offer the Royals. And I think the players are going to eat it up.

He's very deliberate in the way that he conveys things. And he knows what he wants to do and he lays it out. He's good at putting a plan together and executing it. I think -- when I talked to him before he accepted the job, he went dark for a few days; I couldn't get a hold of him.

But all that said, as we were kind of chatting about it, I'm, like, if that job was available to you and I knew he was going through the process, I said I think it would be just a great place for you to be.

And it ended up being the case, and I think it's going to go well for him and for the team.

Q. As a (indiscernible) player, because obviously getting close to tend for him, I think he was in sort of that role where he was more of a role guy than a prospect. But what was sort of like his demeanor, his personality as that guy back then as far as a teammate?

ROCCO BALDELLI: I think you knew he was going to coach at some point. I think that was pretty obvious. I think he always had kind of -- he was a pretty wise guy, not a "wise guy," but there was some wisdom there all along the way.

Everyone always liked being around him. He's dry. You'll get that. He's going to be a little dry but it's going to work. He's always been one of those guys that people have really enjoyed, whether they were staff or players, guys he played with, being around him.

I think having a good culture and being able to talk to people and communicate with people well and people being comfortable in that clubhouse, that stuff is going to be important to him. He's going to spend a lot of time on it.

I don't know, he may end up pounding a few tables every once in a while but I don't see that being the main part of what he does on a daily basis. I think he's going to work through the details with everyone really well and spending time on that.

Q. Did you guys switch off, did he drive all the way?

ROCCO BALDELLI: I wasn't driving at that time. I don't think he would let me touch the wheel at that point. We had a good time. That drive went pretty quick, actually. Good guy to sit next to.

Q. What was your reaction seeing Charlie Montoyo return (indiscernible)?

ROCCO BALDELLI: Another guy that went dark for a few days. It's amazing how this works. I couldn't get a hold any of these people. They're my friends, I think.

I think he's going to serve that group really well. He's a friend. Even Charlie, (indiscernible) a little bit of an age gap, a true long time friend of mine going back to my playing days when he was managing me.

And he's mellowed out maybe since flipping tables in Bakersfield and the chess pieces and sandwiches, peanut butter flying around. But he's a guy that understands the game very well. He understands people very well.

And I was really excited to see him getting this opportunity right here. I'm glad he has the connection with Pedro. And I think it will be something that works out for everyone, but I think they're bringing in the right guy.

We talk experience all the time, but like it's not just the word. He brings a lot of life experience to the table and a guy I trust with my life. So they're getting a good one.

Q. Someone who comes to you with experience (indiscernible), first-time manager. You think that's suited his character to serve in that role?

ROCCO BALDELLI: When I went through that, every situation is obviously different. But when I went through it, I had Shelty next to me, Derek Shelton. And having someone that has been around the game for a long time, has seen and done a lot of different things, you just know how to react to so many different situations.

It's not just during the game and making in-game decisions. That's obviously important. But that's only one part of it. And Charlie is someone that he has done a lot and seen a lot and he's handled it all very well.

That's a guy that I used to sit next to in Tampa Bay and just talk the game when Kevin was doing his Kevin stuff and I'd sit there with Charlie and just talk through every spot.

And he's been helpful and someone that I've leaned on throughout the years. Continually, too.

Q. Have you had a chance to sit through, sit down and just think through how some of the rule changes will impact what you're going to do and what jumps out at you about that challenge?

ROCCO BALDELLI: We're going to have to manage and coach in some ways we hadn't had to think about until this point. But I do think the rule changes will help our game. I actually do overall think this is going to be the case.

We work through the details. Our players, they'll adapt, they adapt to everything. It's not exciting to talk about that as like a storyline. But players figure things out. And that's kind of why they're here.

So sometimes I -- all the rule changes, when I try to list them out in my head, I forget about them. But you've got the pitch clock. I think it's going to be fine.

I think we're going to see an occasional situation where it runs out and someone will be mad and we'll work through it. Late-inning relievers more than anyone will have to figure some things out and make some adjustments. But the base stealing, maybe being a little bit more of a thing going forward, the shifting, left-handed hitters, it's going to help them, period.

I don't know any other way to say it. That's something we're going to see what does it do, how do we adapt in any way.

I don't know, guys with some range in the infield, their abilities and contributions are probably going to play up, spread everyone out and fan them out, they're going to have to make plays that maybe they haven't had to make before. So all of these things considered, yes, one, we're spending time on it.

We've had some group staff organizational meetings. Some of the meetings are to give us some things to look at and some thoughts and some ideas. And then now we sit down as a staff and actually work through what we're going to do, how we're going to handle these things.

So we kind of break that up into two different discussions, but that's what we're currently doing right now. I'm not in any rush to finish those discussions. I think a lot of it does have to wait until we get to spring training and see how it's functioning and that's what we'll do. We'll probably spend a lot of hours at the complex sitting there late in the afternoon talking through all this and kind of ironing everything out.