Gardy's Culture
Entry posted by jtkoupal ·
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The day has to be coming, doesn't it? This is the 4th year in a row that could be heading toward 90+ losses. For most managers or coaches in any sport, 1 or 2 poor seasons spells the end of their days with that team. Ron Gardenhire, however, has managed to keep his job during a dark time when a change is necessary. To make matters worse, much of the coaching staff has stuck around as well. One of these days, a change has to happen.
The root of the problem is a front office that is tethered to Gardy. If not sooner, Gardy should have been out the door when his contract was up after 2013. Of course, pathetic Pohlad's, St. Pete, and Terrry Ryan thought Gardy was "the right man to turn things around". The Front Office has almost a seemingly unhealthy relationship with Gardenhire. A relationship that, all things considered, comes across as a "friendship" and not a working relationship.
As expected, the plan failed miserably and we are left with another coin toss on whether Gardy returns. How many former Twins need to make the All-Star Game to wake people up and make them realize that much of that falls back on the culture that Gardy creates. As with any business, from Professional a Baseball to Fast Food, the manager sets the tone. A lackadaisical manager like Gardy is going to produce a lackadaisical team like the Twins have been recently.
Another problem with Gardy is is in-game decisions. He always leaves pitchers in the game a few batters too long. I could only imagine how many wins he would have if he were a more intelligent manager. We've given him new players, we've shaken up the coaching staff a little bit, and things have gotten worse instead of better. The managerial ineptitude is the only explanation for what we've seen the past 3 years.
In my opinion, Gardy isn't a horrible manager. His problem is that he doesn't know how to get through to the young players. In his earlier years, he made the playoffs often with players developed under Tom Kelly (Morneau, Mauer, Cuddyer, etc.), but no that most of them are gone, he's left with a bunch of guys that are his responsibility. He hasn't found a way to motivate the young players. In my opinion, his problem is that he's too far in the Stone Age. He's too old-fashioned. The game has changed and he needs to realize that. You can't manage 25 year olds in 2014 like you could manage older veterans back in the day. The game is different and people are different.
Gardy's loosing culture in the dugout is a reason why I support the Twins' decision to keep Meyer and May in Rochester. Calling them up now is setting these kids up for failure. Putting guys like Pino, Johnson and a few veterans in the rotation is fine by me until Gardy is gone. I quiver at the thought of our young pitching prospects being part of Gardy's unmotivating culture that has led to so many flops for our guys and success for everyone who leaves. Get Gardy out of there and call these kids up to play for Paul Molitor (or the 6-0 Terry Steinbach...just kidding). Paul Molitor has more leadership potential than Gardy. Gardy has his buddies (Matt Lecroy, his bowling buddy, who we kept over Big Papi) and often doesn't recognize the talent that's there.
If there is one thing clear, it's that changes need to be made. These kids can't possibly amount to a World Series contender under a manager who boasts a career 6-21 record in the postseason, including being swept in the first round 3 times and only advancing past the ALDS once, in 2002 when we lost to the Angels 4-1 in the series, and never really so much as threatening a World Series appearance. He couldn't find a way to go deep into the postseason with 2 MVP's, a Cy Young, and a Gold Glove center fielder who could hit pretty darn well, too.
Maybe Gardy will leave and be a World Series manager somewhere else, it would fit the ex-Twin mold, but there is no use for him in Minnesota. I've thought it's been time to move on for 6 years, but now, I know that we're well passed due. I'm not from Minnesota, but many of you are, and you all deserve better than this. If winning is of any interest to the Front Office, then Gardy's a Goner. If he stays, then it shows that this is not about winning, it's about some secret agenda that we will never figure out.
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