Rocco Baldelli got one third-place vote for AL Manager of the Year

This was an interesting pick by a BBWAA voter from Texas.

Sep 22, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli (5) before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians' Stephen Vogt was named the American League Manager of the Year, as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America, following his first season in the role. He's the first manager in the AL to do that since Rocco Baldelli in 2019. The Royals' Matt Quatraro and the Tigers' A.J. Hinch rounded out the top three in voting. It was a big year for AL Central managers.

Speaking of Baldelli, The Twins' manager received a singular third-place vote on one of the 30 ballots for AL MOY. It came from Lawrence Dow of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas and essentially ties Baldelli for seventh in the voting. Ballots were cast prior to the start of the postseason.

2024 AL Manager of the Year voting / BBWAA.com

Including Baldelli on a ballot, even with a third-place vote, is an...interesting choice. Not even the two BBWAA voters who cover the Twins (MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park and the Minnesota Star Tribune's Phil Miller) had Baldelli among their top three.

The Twins had projected playoff odds of nearly 96 percent in early September and still managed to miss out, thanks to a stunning late-season collapse. They were 70-53 on August 17th but finished 12-27 over the final 39 games and were left on the outside looking in when the playoffs began.

Was that Baldelli's fault? Not really. I've made the argument that he deserves less blame than the ownership, the players, and the front office. But he also isn't completely blame-free. As the manager, he has to bear some portion of the responsibility for such a catastrophic six-week stretch of baseball. Could he have made different lineup or pitching moves? Could he have been more of a strong-handed force in the clubhouse? It's hard to say.

Baldelli will be back as the Twins' manager in 2025, and deservedly so. But he and the entire organization need to be better next year.