A.J. Pierzynski
The idea that Rocco Baldelli should be fired for the Twins collapsing is a bit ridiciulous, so let's take a moment to fully lean into that ridiculousness. No disrespect to the man, but nothing personifies how ridiculous letting Rocco go could be than A.J. Pierzynski being hired as the team's next manager.
Pierzynski was loved by Twins fans as a main cog of a team that made Minnesota's last AL Championship Series appearance to date in 2002. He was a first-time All-Star that season, batting .300 in just his second year as starting catcher.
Pierzynski was shipped off to San Francisco after the 2003 season as the Twins ushered in the Joe Mauer era behind the plate. After one year with the Giants, he joined the White Sox and immediately became loathed by the majority of the Minnesota fanbase.
Known as a consummate "love him if he's on your team, hate him if he's an opponent" player, Pierzynski became an accomplished media celebrity and noted student of the game as a Fox MLB analyst and host of the Foul Territory podcast.
Pierzynski has no managerial experience, but rates high for baseball IQ. A number of former MLB catchers have gone on to managerial careers of varying success. One needs to look no further than Cleveland to see a catcher with no managerial experience succeeding wildly in his first season at the helm with the Guardians.
The 47-year-old Pierzynski has made it known thathe is interested in the prospect of becoming a manager someday. While most figure that he could end up coaching the woebegone White Sox perhaps as soon as next season, he has made critical comments about the team currently pursuing modern-day mark for MLB's worst record, which may have poisoned the waters on the South Side of Chicago.
Could Pierzynski's shot at managing come with the team he began his playing career with, where he was lauded as a scrappy hero before being decried as a treacherous villain? Would Minnesota fans forgive and forget the eight years that he spearheaded the enemy? It's ridiculous, wild, and as unlikley as the team firing Rocco should be.