FORT MYERS, FLA. – Rocco Baldelli typically chooses his words deliberately, careful to use precise language in order to illuminate (or sometimes obscure) his opinion. Which is why, when he addressed the entire 2020 Twins roster for the first time on Monday, he caught his audience's attention with a conspicuously selected two-word phrase.
World Series.
"It was a good feeling to hear him say that. He said, 'We're here to win a World Series,' and it makes you say, yeah, we can do that," said righthander Jose Berrios. "Last year we made the ALDS, and it's a really good team. So why not? We can move forward."
A new season begun in the shadow of 101 wins, of a record 307 home runs, of their first AL Central championship in nine years figured to add the weight of high expectations, and Baldelli isn't shying away from them. One observer said the manager's oratory produced goose bumps.
The manager said he wants the Twins to harness the momentum they built in 2019.
"We proved to ourselves a little bit [by] going out there and having a very successful year. But we want to do better," Baldelli said. "We don't want to go out there and have a successful year. We want to go out and do more than that."
Few franchises understand better than the Twins how difficult that is to achieve. Minnesota, celebrating its 60th anniversary in the major leagues this year, has appeared in three World Series, in 1965, 1987 and 1991. Only six of the other 29 teams — the Orioles, A's, Mariners, Pirates, Reds and Brewers — have not reached the World Series more recently than the Twins. And these modern Twins are in the midst of a 16-game postseason losing streak.
Baldelli addressed the team shortly before the players took the field for their first full-squad workout of the spring. Over the next 35 days, they will hold 33 more workouts, play 33 Grapefruit League or exhibition games, then open Baldelli's second season as manager on March 26 in Oakland.
