PERSONAL
Rocco Dan Baldelli...twitter: @roccodbaldelli...2008 winner of the Tony Conigliaro Award, given by the Boston Chapter of the BBWAA to the major league player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage-trademarks of the former Red Sox star outfielder...2004 inductee into the Rhode Island Italian-American Hall of Fame...named all-state in baseball, track, basketball and volleyball at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, RI...remains one of five Rhode Island natives to be selected in the first round of the regular phase of the June Draft, along with pitcher John LaRose (Boston, 1970), infielder Bill Almon (San Diego, 1974), pitcher Pat Combs (Philadelphia, 1988) and infielder Paul Konerko (Los Angeles-NL, 1994)...between 1965-86 the June Draft consisted of two phases.
MANAGERIAL CAREER
2019 marks Baldelli's first career season as a major league manager.
COACHING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2018 marked Baldelli's fourth season as a major league coach and first as Tampa Bay's Major League Field Coordinator, a newly created position that was finalized Nov 17, 2017...in that role, he assisted Manager Kevin Cash and Bench Coach Charlie Montoyo during the game, worked with outfielders and focused on continued development of major league players...he spent the previous three seasons as Tampa Bay's first base coach from 2015-17, and at 33 years old when named to the post on December 19, 2014, he still remains the youngest coach in Rays history, supplanting Billy Hatcher, who was 37 as the first base coach for the inaugural Devil Rays in 1998...prior to joining the coaching staff, he spent four seasons (2011-14) in the Rays organization as a special assistant, baseball operations, a position he accepted in January of 2011 upon retiring from an 11-year career as an outfielder.
PLAYING CAREER
Played seven seasons in the major leagues, six with Tampa Bay (2003-04, 2006-08 & 2010) and one in Boston (2009)...selected by Tampa Bay in the first round (6th overall) of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft ... Finished third in the 2003 AL Rookie of the Year balloting behind Kansas City's Angel Berroa and New York-AL's Hideki Matsui...received five first-place votes...led AL rookies in batting average (.289), runs (89) and triples (8) ... His 27 stolen bases and 184 hits, were each one shy of Ted Williams' rookie season...his .289 average remains the club record for a rookie ... Recorded 39 hits in his first month in the major leagues (April 2003), still a club record for any player in April...is the last rookie to lead the AL in outfield assists (15) and one of only nine to do it since 1931 ... In his first two seasons, hit .285 (329-for-1155) with 27 home runs and 44 stolen bases ... Missed the entire 2005 season due to knee and elbow surgeries, and was limited by injuries for the rest of career...was ultimately forced to retire at the age of 29 in 2010 ... Played final game in Game 1 of the 2010 ALDS vs. Texas ... Drove in the go-ahead run in the Rays 3-1 win in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS vs. Boston a fifth inning single off Jon Lester ... Is one of three players in Rays history to hit a home run in the World Series, coming in Game 5 at Philadelphia in 2008 off Ryan Madson ... His only year outside the organization was 2009 when he signed as a free agent with the Red Sox.