It's fun now to speculate where "former" Twins manager Ron Gardenhire will be in 2015 and beyond, but with a few managerial positions already open and a couple more potentially opening up in coming days, I thought it would be fun to guess what Gardy will do in 2015.

I see Gardenhire taking a year off from managing. I could see him being the replacement for Terry Collins, New York Mets Style in 2016. To be honest, if he still has a home in MN, I would like him to be Blyleven's vacation replacement on FSN televised games in 2015. I think he'd be good at it.

I think he'd be good at the color commentary eventually, but I also think he might still be a little too close to this team to be able to talk freely and openly.  In a couple years maybe, but I think next year might be too soon.

 

Can't see him on ESPN, that would just be weird.  My guess is he takes the year off while he and his wife figure out what they want to do at this point.

The Diamondbacks job was just mentioned on mlbtr. I hadn't really thought of that, but makes sense if Tony La Russa wants experience in his candidate.

 

I think it makes sense for Gardy to take a year off, but the risk is that if he waits a year and passes on jobs, the industry might move on from him heading into 2016.

he gets paid regardless. I'd probably take the year off and figure it out. He's got enough success that someone will offer him a job in 2016.

My bet is he ends up on MLB network.

Oh , I saw this elsewhere - but if Gardy insists on bringing along Rick Anderson as his pitching coach, does he have as many options/offers to manage?

He will manage again.

 

EDIT: I think he will manage again, as he almost said as much in the press conference Q&A. And I'd love to be at Target Field for the ovation when his team comes.

Edited October 1, 201412 yr by Hosken Bombo Disco

I see Gardenhire taking a year off from managing. I could see him being the replacement for Terry Collins, New York Mets Style in 2016. To be honest, if he still has a home in MN, I would like him to be Blyleven's vacation replacement on FSN televised games in 2015. I think he'd be good at it.

My thought as well.  Unless the perfect job comes along for 2015, he probably will not manage, and will at least sit on FSN as a guest.  If that goes well, it wouldn't surprise me if he became part of a Blyleven/Smalley/Gardenhire/and possibly some other ex-Twin broadcast rotation, maybe as a career if he really enjoys it.

 

But my guess is that having been a part of the '91 championship but having come up fairly spectacularly short in the postseason as a manager, he would still love to try to take an underachieving veteran, win-now team to the playoffs a couple of times before he hangs it up for good.

Edited October 1, 201412 yr by LaBombo

I came across this SBNAtion blog today:

 

http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/10/10/6921047/detroit-tigers-ron-gardenhire

 

It was titled If Tigers choose to be bold, Ron Gardenhire could be their manager in 2015.

 

It included this assessment of Gardy:

 

 

He is known for being a deft handler of bullpens and a terrific in-game tactician.

 

Really?

Absolutely he is well regarded for handling bullpens, probably top 5 in the game. I invite you to read other blogs and beat writers for some perspective. Every fanbase hates how their manager handles the bullpen.

 

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/08/mlb-managers-bullpen-management-fans-complaints

Absolutely he is well regarded for handling bullpens, probably top 5 in the game. I invite you to read other blogs and beat writers for some perspective. Every fanbase hates how their manager handles the bullpen.

 

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/08/mlb-managers-bullpen-management-fans-complaints

If Phil Hughes had pitched for any other manager, he almost surely would have gotten his bonus. I know one's natural reflex is to go to the pen early when watching Twins starters, but Hughes had the best season any Twins starter had since Santana and he couldn't get through 210 innings. Instead he chose to go to the soft-tossers in the pen time and time again.

 

Gardy also doesn't seem to understand that it's not a great idea to bring in the high contact, low strikeout arms when there's a guy on third and less than two outs. Seems pretty elementary to leave Alex Burnett, Matt Guerrier and Jared Burton in the pen with a runner on third and only one out.

Edited October 11, 201412 yr by nicksaviking

As long as a washed up Joe Nathan is closing games for the Tigers their bullpen is going to blow games. Would Gardy be the guy take him out of that role?

I hope to see a lot of pictures of Gardy fishing wearing shirts that say something about loving women's Japanese soccer, or maybe in Bert's I Love Farts shirt or a classic Tommy Bahahma. I'd also love to have him in the booth for a game or two not and again. Anything besides Dumb and Dumber... I mean Dick and Bert.

 

But yeah, pictures of Gardy with a hilarious graphic T and a trophy big mouth bass. that's what I want. And maybe TK's zubaz.

Who knows maybe Gardy can get the spokesperson gig forTravelocity?

I think he takes a gig with MLB network or fox for a year and ends up managing the Yankees or Mets in 2016

I think he takes a gig with MLB network or fox for a year and ends up managing the Yankees or Mets in 2016

 

It would be fitting to see Gardy head back to the Mets, likely with his bosom buddy Rick Anderson in tow. Maybe TR gets a job there too, get the Mets crew back together in NY. Hey Hey the Gang's all here!