Dad Duty is Not Optional for Minnesota Twins Players

The Minnesota Twins won their second-straight game , on Wednesday. Both wins were desperately needed, in order to stop one of the worst slumps of the season… at the worst possible time.

After the skid, the Twins find themselves in a much different position than what they were, in early August. No longer are they worried about catching the Cleveland Guardians, in the American League Central standings , or snagging a first round bye in the MLB Playoffs. Now, they are just trying to hang on to an AL Wildcard spot.

Entering Thursday, the Twins sit 6 games back of Cleveland, for 1st place in the division. No chance. They’re currently locked in as the third and final wildcard team, but they’re only 3 games up on the Detroit Tigers. Right behind the Motor City Kitties, 4 games back, are both the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox, the latter of which Minnesota has on their schedule next week.

Rocco Baldelli ordered Christian Vazquez to attend the birth of his son

In other words, the pressure is on, right now. The cushion Minnesota built in the wildcard race, earlier this summer, is pretty much gone. That’s why the rally sausage is back, and Byron Buxton is returning before his hip feels healthy. It’s also why catcher Christian Vazquez was planning to skip the birth of his recent child, on Monday.

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Vasquez showed up for work on Monday, while his wife was in labor with their son. Christian just couldn’t leave his teammates hanging, as they were stumbling toward the finish line. That’s why the 34-year-old catcher had made up his mind. He was going to play baseball, and skip the birth of his child.

Well, that was until his aforementioned manager found out. Christian may have had the best of intentions, but Rocco wasn’t having it. Instead, Baldelli took the decision out of Vazquez’ hands and made him leave.

Christian Vázquez also returned to the team, two days after the birth of his son Diland …

“Initially, [Vázquez] wasn’t going to take a day” on the paternity list, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Then I told him he was not welcome here.”

Star Tribune

Minnesota Twins are family first

There’s always been a debate amongst fans on whether or not professional athletes should miss games for the birth of children. Pro athletes are split on it, too. Some leave their teams, others don’t.

Honestly, I love this. It’s difficult for outsiders to understand the type of “team-first” mentality that is built into major professional sports. These guys’ livelihood depends on the success of their teammates, in most cases.

Related: The Return of Byron Buxton is Finally Upon Us (for Real This Time)

That’s why Christian Vazquez probably felt too much loyalty and/or guilt to ‘leave his teammates hanging’. At least, that’s how it felt in his own mind. So, instead of letting that decision eat him up now, or cause regret in the future, Rocco took the decision right out of his hands.

Your family here will be fine. Your family at home needs you. Rocco Baldelli gets a lot of heat, and deserves plenty of it, but it’s stuff like this that makes him so well-liked in the clubhouse, and at the executive level. He’s a human first, and a manager second. There are plenty of fans who may not like that, but it’s who he is.

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