This week WCCO Radio’s Mike Max was in Fort Myers reporting on Minnesota Twins Spring Training. He got a chance to sit down with Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli to get his feelings on his team this spring, his newest player Carlos Correa, and how changes in his personal life have changed the way he manages the team.
Mike Max: Rocco, you're all of a sudden in your fourth spring training as a manager. How is it different in year four than in year one?
Baldelli: Well, they're all different. I will tell you that whether you're talking the roster and the players themselves, expectations and just the way that we operate, the way we run our camp, we're always trying to adjust and figure things out even though we know we never have everything figured out. The camp has been great. Players are highly motivated and they spent the lockout really taking care of themselves.
Mike Max: How is it different?
Baldelli: I didn't know too many names the first time around and I was still learning a lot, every single day. But you know, I'm still learning a lot just in a lot of different ways. So I'm looking forward to a good year and the guys will be prepared when the time comes.
Mike Max: Carlos Correa, give us the profile. What do you see?
Baldelli: You see a lot. One of the best players in the game. A real connection, I think, with the Twins organization. I think he was pretty pumped to be joining our group. He does his research, he knows our players, he knows the area, he knows the staff. It's all really important to him. He is a winner through and through, the way that he prepares and talks about the game is second to none and you know you're getting a star when you bring a guy like that. And so I'm just looking forward to getting him out there and running him through his first workout tomorrow.
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Mike Max: When Correa walks into the clubhouse here, he's just a natural leader. When he played you guys in the playoffs a couple years ago, you watched him and you go, that's the guy. What is there about him? Is that something you guys work at?
Baldelli: Well, I think he knows what he's doing. He works very hard and he demands a lot of himself. So therefore I think in turn, he demands a lot from the people around him to do things the right way. And he's not here to be pretty good. He's not here to be very good. He's here to be the best possible player that he can be and he best player in baseball essentially.
But along with that, he's also here to have the best possible team. He's here to win a World Series is what he's here to do. You see it in literally everything that he does. It's all very authentic and the way that he goes about his business. He's very, very in tune with everything around him and doing things the right way and he wants everyone else to do them the right way too.
And that's music to my ears.
Mike Max: Since you took over, Rocco Baldelli has gotten married, he's a father. A lots happened in your life since you became Minnesota Twins manager. How is that different? Just having a family as opposed to that kind of singular vision we all get to have until that?
Baldelli: Yeah. You know, you can't be selfish anymore, that's for sure. It's not about it's not about me, it's about everybody else. I'll take that, that's my life is good. Things have changed and my perspectives changed on every on things as time has gone on, but that's just life. I’m very lucky to be here, I'm very lucky to be with the Twins and I'm very lucky to have my family.