Article: Ron Gardenhire Out As Twins Manager

[James]

I'm sorry to see him go, and I thank him for what he has done with the organization.  

 

But I also agree that it is time to go a new direction.  This wasn't a decision about next year, but rather for the future of the club beyond 2015.  

 

I wish Gardy the best of luck in any future endeavors. 

[Platoon]

First off... Thanks Ron for all the years of service. You were one of us... Same team I belong to... Same Goals... Same Wishes and Hopes... Congrats on all your successes... Thanks for all your efforts... Good luck in the future.. I'm sure you'll get a fresh start somewhere if you want it.

2nd off... It was time... We need a fresh everything.... I'm sad for Ron yet... Still more optimistic now then I am with Ron.

3rd Off... I have no specific names on who I'd like the next manager to be. I just know the type... I want an out of the box guy who will know how to use an entire 25 man roster and know now to rotate Santana and Escobar so we get the most out of everyone... A Joe Maddon type is what I'd like to see.

4th Off... If you can't find that guy... I'll take the job. Contact me day or night... It's OK.

I was going to hit "I like this". Until I got to point #4 !

[70charger]

I'm not hugely surprised. I am little surprised that this thread isn't already full of gloating. (But I'm happy about it - let's keep it that way.)

 

To Gardy: Best of luck in your future endeavors, be it golfing or managing the Diamondbacks. You had some great seasons at the helm of the Twins, and I hope you'll be remembered for more than the last few years. I will at least.

[Shane Wahl]

This is a good thing.

[tobi0040]

Not surprised.

 

1.  They are going to have enough trouble selling tix this winter as it is without trying to sell "same old, same old.  Nobody ever loses their job with the Twins!"

 

2.  He deserved to be fired.

 

3.  He wasn't going to get another contract after 2015, so what's the point of bringing him back for 2014?

 

4.  It doesn't take nostradamus to see how this would have played out in 2015 if they retained him and they stumble out of the gate.  He would have been a dead man walking and they would have been forced to fire him in-season.

 

They had no choice.

 

I could list off at least four reasons why we have no choice but needing to add Lester or Scherzer....but it will still be a huge shock to me if we actually did it.

 

Maybe this is just a tad of optimism on my side, but maybe the days of having a huge gap between what the Twins should do and what they will do is closing?

[whydidnt]

 

When Terry Ryan told Sid a few weeks ago that he expected Gardenhire to be back, I believe he meant what he said.  

 

I suspect that either the Twins told Gardenhire that some of his coaches wouldn't be brought back and Gardy decided to go with them, or the word came down from Jim Pohlad that the change had to be made.

 

 

My thoughts as well.

[stringer bell]

I'll echo those who had no animosity and wished Gardy well.  He is a good baseball guy and did a good job.  However, it was more than time for a change.  I hope the new manager brings in some guys from outside and some guys who have worked for the club in the minors.  Those in Gardy' real or imagined doghouse will get a new chance to shine. 

[pierre75275]

Really surprised. Didnt see this coming. I wonder who all goes with him. anderson for sure but who else

[zenser]

If anyone knows where to submit an application, please forward me the address. My resume is updated.

[Winston Smith]

A report says they let all the coaches go as well and will look outside and inside for a replacement.

[D. Hocking]

Yes - this is from Lavelle.  I suppose some could be rehired by the new manager:

 

LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal  31m
Holy moly, the entire coaching staff is not being brought back!

[DJL44]

Is the Okie getting calls from the Rangers right now?

[Platoon]

I am not sure the gloating is that excessive. I desperately wanted him gone... But I also said to my wife (she cares as much about my input as the Twins do), that Gardy needs a veteran team to manage. He is not the guy for the upcoming Twins. So part A is done. Now comes the kicker. Getting the right replacement. It's going to be the biggest decision TR makes for the rest of his career. He gets it right, the new guy will outlast him. If not.................

I hope the new guy is creative, flexible, and stresses fundamentals, and I don't mean just at a press conference either. Get back to the basics. That has been sorely missing lately.

[whydidnt]

Have to echo many of the comment here.  I feel bad for Gardy as a person because he does truly seem to be a good guy. However, it's the right thing for the Twins to do. Like many people that have held the same job for many years, it's too easy to get in a rut of doing things just like you always have. Even though there may now be a better way to do things. It seemed to me that summed up Gardenhire's last couple of years. Other teams were taking advantage of all of the new information provided by technology and Gardy was still managing by his gut.

 

I do think he would make a heck of a bench coach for a team that has a manager that is more of a numbers guy and needs someone to help communicating with the players, since I think that was one of his strengths.

 

I also fear that Terry Ryan has fallen into the same trap, but am hoping this is the start of him embracing some change and we see significant organizational change and priorities this offseason. We can't spend the next decade managing the roster for "next year". Sooner or later we have to try and put a truly competitive team on the field.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Yes - this is from Lavelle.  I suppose some could be rehired by the new manager:

 

LaVelle E. Neal III ‏@LaVelleNeal  31m

Holy moly, the entire coaching staff is not being brought back!

 

Great reaction Lavelle.  

 

Or you know, he could pretend he is a reporter for a day, and say something like :"According to _____, entire coaching staff also not brought back."

[COtwin]

I will be a little surprised if Bruno is not retained somehow.  We had a top ten offense in most important categories, and we were actually improving at the end.  Molitor gone as well is surprising.  They really don't want the infection to spread, if neither of these guys return.

[Mike Sixel]

Color me shocked. I am not a huge fan of his on field decisions, but he clearly does something right in the clubhouse most of the time. I feel bad for the person, but I did feel it was time. Every organization needs new voices after a while. 

 

Good luck to Mr. Gardenhire in whatever he decides to do next. Good luck to all of the other coaches also. Finally, good luck to the team in finding replacements.

[tobi0040]

I will be a little surprised if Bruno is not retained somehow.  We had a top ten offense in most important categories, and we were actually improving at the end.  Molitor gone as well is surprising.  They really don't want the infection to spread, if neither of these guys return.

 

This could be just a statement thing and the next manager could have conditions on his hiring, like you need to hire Molitor and Bruno.

[Monkeypaws]

I guess he'll have to change his name to Gardenfire.

 

No hard feelings Gardy, but it was time.

[Tibs]

Kinda sad to see him go, but this probably needed to happen. Thanks for everything, Gardy.

 

On a more serious note, I'm young, have managerial experience, read a book about sabrmetrics, and also took four years of Spanish in high school. I'm pretty qualified for the job, right?

[Thegrin]

It makes me sad.  I'm sure Gardy will have his pick of managing jobs in the near future. Thank you Gardy and good luck to you..

[Winston Smith]

They have to let the new guy or gal pick the coaches and not start out interfering right from the get go.

[Riverbrian]

I will be a little surprised if Bruno is not retained somehow.  We had a top ten offense in most important categories, and we were actually improving at the end.  Molitor gone as well is surprising.  They really don't want the infection to spread, if neither of these guys return.

My guess... Would be... If a new manager is coming in... He will want to hire his own coaching staff... Therefore the entire staff must go.

[nicksaviking]

I say we wait to see if Tony La Russa interviews any of these guys for gigs in AZ, and if he does and offers them a position, than the Twins swoop in and retain the guy.  I'm OK with using La Russa's expertise to do our dirty work.

 

I do want wholesale change though, so I would be torn if La Russa saw something in one of our guys.

Edited September 29, 2014 by nicksaviking

[Mike Sixel]

They have to let the new guy or gal pick the coaches and not start out interfering right from the get go.

 

I think I agree with this, though if there was a coach I had STRONG feelings about one way or the other, I'd certainly let the new gal know.

[Danchat]

This was inevitable. It's a good step in the right direction... but the big question is who will be the new manager? It appears that there isn't a favorite yet. This could potentially be very good or very bad for the Twins...

[Winston Smith]

I think JB or ChiTown should at least get an interview!

[COtwin]

Tom Kelly???            

[SweetOne69]

A report says they let all the coaches go as well and will look outside and inside for a replacement.

 

Generally, the new manager gets to pick his coaching staff.  Ryan will have input and may recommend that some be hired (Bruno, Molitor, Steinbach, Cuellar).

[CharacterGroove]

I hope it comes out that Gardenhire did the right thing and resigned. That would be commendable. It should have happened last year.

 

I also wish him the best of luck in the future. He'll get another managerial job if he wants it. He's a good one.