ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.— Calling it "kind of a big day," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said before today's game at Tampa Bay that he's headed home tonight for the birth of his and wife Allie's first child, a daughter, whether the game is over or not.
"The plan is for Allie to be at the hospital and we are going to have a baby," he told reporters before the game at Tropicana Field. "That is all going to come together very quickly tonight and tomorrow. There's nothing better than this and I'm incredibly excited."
Coach and longtime mentor Bill Evers will manage in his absence, which Baldelli said could be all of the four-game series at Cleveland that starts Monday.
Baldelli said he'll leave the dugout today at 4:05 p.m. Tampa time after a 1:10 p.m. start, whether the game is in the eighth inning, ninth inning or completed.
"And that will be that and he'll run the show," Baldelli said of Evers.
Baldelli said he will grab his bags, take a shower and head for the Tampa airport for a dinnertime flight home.
"Born in Minneapolis," Baldelli said. "That point has been made to me a couple times. Forever she will be born in Minneapolis."
Baldelli said the team will be in "exceptionally good hands while I'm gone," with Evers making the decisions. A former catcher and career coach and manager, Evers is 67 and will retire at season's end after these last three seasons reunited from Tampa Bay with Baldelli in the Twins dugout.
"Bill will handle everything," said Baldelli, adding that pitching coach Wes Johnson will handle other matters as well. "This doesn't happen often."
Evers managed a 6-3 victory at Anaheim in May when Baldelli served a one-game suspension. He managed two games for Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon in 2007 and won both.
"This is not the first time he has done this at the major-league level and especially just in general," Baldelli said. "He's very comfortable in the seat and can handle anything that comes up."
Thanks for reading Twins manager Rocco Baldelli will leave Sunday's game early for birth of first child - Minneapolis Star Tribune. Please share...!
0 Comment for "Twins manager Rocco Baldelli will leave Sunday's game early for birth of first child - Minneapolis Star Tribune"