clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Rocco Baldelli introduced as Twins manager; Rays snubbed from Gold Glove nominations

Chaim Bloom one of two finalists for Mets GM.

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Minnesota Twins Introduce Rocco Baldelli Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

Rays legend and new Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was introduced to the Twins media on Thursday, and made an incredible first impression.

Here’s a couple tweets from that event:

Oh, and there was this:

For more Rocco, you can revisit my interview with him in 2015 here.

Meanwhile, Rays bench coach Charlie Montoyo has been named the Blue Jays manager. His introduction has not yet been scheduled.

Rays News

  • Exactly zero Tampa Bay Rays received Gold Glove nominations, despite having multiple players perform well in defensive metrics last season. Kevin Kiermaier led American League center fielders in Defensive Runs Saved (14 DRS in 741.1 innings), Joey Wendle ranked fourth among AL second basemen (5 DRS in 771.1 innings), Carlos Gomez ranked fourth among AL right fielders (8 DRS in 798.2 innings), and, for what it’s worth, Blake Snell graded favorably as well (3 DRS in 180.2 innings).
  • Rays VP of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom is one of two finalists for Mets GM (his competition is a baseball agent).
  • Bloom declined to meet with the media after his interview, “out of respect for his current role” with the Rays:
  • Rays helium prospect Moises Gomez is doing his thang down in Venezuela
  • Oh and this is just fun:

Other links

  • Read Mike Bates on Baldelli for Baseball Prospectus, and on Baseball Norms for The Hardball Times
  • When longtime baseball folks arrive in the news, random articles get brought up from forever ago. If you dig a little, you can find the beginning of Montoyo’s coaching days in this article on Vlad Guerrero Sr. from 2013 where Montoyo is also at the same meal as the reporter and Vlad.
  • And with that, I leave you with this story from 2015 on Montoyo: