Reusse: Let Gardy go

[powrwrap]

Again, I want someone like Ryne Sandberg. Someone not affiliated with the current team at all.

 

Intriguing idea. I also would like to see someone completely unaffiliated with the Twins organization take the reins.

[cmb0252]

Again, I want someone like Ryne Sandberg. Someone not affiliated with the current team at all.

 

Sandberg would be a great choice. I'm still hoping for Mike Maddux.

[jorgenswest]

If the replacement is to come from outside the organization, wouldn't it be better to wait until after the season?

[zenser]

If it is an in-house choice, I like Molitor. He was a speaker at our season ticket draft and was asked the question if he would like to manage. He said he currently enjoys what he does in the organization and that door hasn't opened for him yet. That was the short condensed version of his answer. The way I took it was that he would be very interested if approached.

 

I like the idea of going outside the organization if Molitor isn't interested. I do like Sandberg. I hadn't thought about Mike Maddux but he could be interesting too.

[powrwrap]

Sandberg would be a great choice. I'm still hoping for Mike Maddux.

 

Sandberg is currently the third base coach of the Phillies. So wouldn't the Twins need to get permission to talk to him? Why would the Phillies do that?

[Mike Sixel]

Sandberg or the coach from the nationals whose name escapes me.....he was interviewed on fangraphs and sounded like maddon to me. I too think it is time for a new style and voice, very few people can succeed in a sports leadership role forever. It is time IMO.

[Brandon]

Your all wrong. He needs to be resigned. The club is stale not Gardenhire. What is needed is some starting pitching, one more person who can get on base at close to .400 to lead off and a power hitter who can hit HR,s and drive in runs consistantly. That will have a huge impact on the team concept and winning games.

[luckylager]

I have always been pro-Gardy but the time has come to inject some new leadership into that clubhouse. If the Twins already have an in-house replacement in mind, make the move now rather than in the offseason. Might as well let the new guy get his feet wet during a season that is already toast.

[jokin]

Here's a name that I will just toss out there if anyone cares to respond: Sandy Alomar.

 

He mopped up the tail of the Indians 2012 season and is pretty well regarded within the Indians organization. He was considered the 2nd choice only to Tito Francona to take over full-time, former catcher, bilingual. Besides that, I know nothing about him, his philosophy, bullpen management, whether he'd employ defensive shifts, etc.

 

Alomar is an excellent choice, I threw out Pudge's name in the offseason. Dave Duncan would be a perfect interim coach and should now be available with his wife passing last month.

[nicksaviking]

Again, I want someone like Ryne Sandberg. Someone not affiliated with the current team at all.

 

Ryne Sandberg played with Kevin Tapani and his GM was Andy McPhail. He clearly has a Twins affiliation. I'd still interview him though.

[ThePuck]

Ryne Sandberg played with Kevin Tapani and his GM was Andy McPhail. He clearly has a Twins affiliation. I'd still interview him though.

 

That's a stretch :-)

[jokin]

If we must go within the organization, I'd choose Molitor too. However I would prefer an outside presence. Things are stale with this club, and it's not just because of Gardenhire.

 

If the team won't spend on free agents, put that money into the GM position. Go buy Andrew Freidman, he only goes year-to-year with his deal in TB. Make him an offer he can't refuse. He might promote former TB front office mate Gene Glynn. That would be some continuity that some people crave.

 

Hiring any one of the top brass at Tampa Bay (Matt Arnold) is a campaign I've been on for some time, the results of the last 4 days speak for themselves. The Glynn connection should make the club amenable to pursuing the concept further.

[LaBombo]

If we must go within the organization, I'd choose Molitor too. However I would prefer an outside presence. Things are stale with this club, and it's not just because of Gardenhire.

A true 'outsider' would probably be the most interesting choice, but Molitor might be the closest thing to an outsider that the Twins would seriously consider. And he did play most of his pro ball in Milwaukee and has been only loosely affiliated with the Twins system over the past decade since he left the bench coach job.

[nicksaviking]

Your all wrong. He needs to be resigned.

 

What are you talking about, everybody agrees with you, Gardy needs to resign. Perhaps you could help him with his resignation letter.

[Kwak]

It would be merciful to let Gardy go and not force him to be the target of frustrated fans the rest of this year. I sincerely doubt that Ryan would hire a replacement who would publicly say: "The #1 priority of the Twins is to re-sign Nick Punto [or insert someone else]" without having said statement pre-approved. Gardy has done many things well, but he has also contributed to this mess and replacing him is in the best interest of the Twins.

[Ncgo4]

They need a new Manager and a new pitching coach. The team that was famous for executing the fundamentals no longer does that. A great hitter continues to cut his career short by catching. One of the worst pitching staffs over the last several years has been coached to not issue any walks. Let's find someone who can coach them to beat hitters. We've got a whole collection of young talent coming up, we need some new young blood to coach them. Hell bring Doug M in to run the team.

[JB_Iowa]

Your all wrong. He needs to be resigned. The club is stale not Gardenhire. What is needed is some starting pitching, one more person who can get on base at close to .400 to lead off and a power hitter who can hit HR,s and drive in runs consistantly. That will have a huge impact on the team concept and winning games.

 

Brandon, it would probably be better to say retained or signed to a new contract if that's what you mean.

[Highabove]

I actually sympathize with Gardenhire. Ryan handed him a truck load of trash this year.

If Gardenhire goes , Ryan needs to follow.

[Old Twins Cap]

I'm really sick and tired of the argument: It's not Gardy's fault. The FO didn't give him enough talent.

 

You know what, life ain't fair. Some kids are born disabled and some are given a million bucks by their parents. And for sure, any given outcome in a baseball game is not about "fairness".

 

It's not what Gardy has or has not been given that matters. His team is stale. It's putrid. It's like having the same teacher for 10 straight school years. How boring is that? How much of the routine do you just tune out because it's old news? Where's the passion? The fire?

 

There's nothing fair about having to face the Yankees in the playoffs. Nothing fair about Morneau's concussion in the midst of an MVP season. No fairness in the quality of their pitching staff.

 

So life isn't fair. Get over it. Baseball is about winning, and when it ain't happening for the third year in a row, fair or not, it's time to switch coaches. That's what normal functional organizations do.

 

By hanging onto Gardy the Twins are showing, once and for all, that they are a dysfunctional organization, inimical to change, incapable of accountability and just plain afraid of trying something new and different.

 

With that mind-set, good luck trying to rebuild around a new group of young raw talent.

[nicksaviking]

I actually sympathize with Gardenhire. Ryan handed him a truck load of trash this year.

If Gardenhire goes , Ryan needs to follow.

 

Yeah, I've been in the camp that Ryan needs to go. Another GM should decided Gardy's fate though it would likely be the same.

[johnnydakota]

You do realize that if the team was better they would make more money right? They made way more money in 2010 than they will this year. I imagine they would like to return to that.

 

They fired a GM and are about to let the manager go.

 

Really, so there is no payments to the lower tier teams from the lux tax?

there is not extra pick for the lower spending teams?

so by reducing payroll 30 million, while losing 25 million

in ticket sales and consession sales isint a gain?

 

while it will be 40 million by the end of 2013 , the twins will reduce

payroll another 30 million ,and add an extra 25 million in tv revenue.

No one needs to feel sorry for the Pohlad family, when it comes to not

making a profit....

[johnnydakota]

If they did let him go over the break who would take over the rest of the year? There isn't a realistic option in house and not sure who is floating out there.

While i dont believe the Twins will look out side the org. (I happen to think they should)

There is Stienbach, Molitor, Mienkuweuieoiebvoeqvbqekdcbhjsdbch and even Jake Mauer.

[Jerr]

"someone NOT affiliated with the Twins"

[SydneyTwinsFan]

Molitor would be my pick. Dougie Baseball would be an interesting call, but might be a year or two early for that.

[howeda7]

I've been in Gardy's corner, mainly thinking back to TK circa 1999/2000. But it now feels more like Gopher basketball felt with Tubby Smith. Clearly he didn't suddenly lose his ability to manage. But sometimes things just aren't working out and a change is better for both parties. I don't see a tremendous benefit to doing it mid-season. The next manager is not on the staff. But, I guess 'avoiding a death march' is as good a reason as any.

[LastOnePicked]

It's time. Letting Gardy go through the motions for the rest of the seasons sends a bad message to fans, as well as the young players making their way through their first season. This team desperately needs a shift in organizational culture.

 

That said, I don't see it happening. Jim Pohlad doesn't allude to any deep interest in the sport or the team in interviews, and has repeatedly backed Gardenhire for perceptions of previous success. "Change" is not a value of the Minnesota Twins -- and aversion to change is a hallmark of insular organizations.

 

I'll also add that I'd be very surprised to see Gardy manage with another team. I think other clubs are a little savvier than the Twins, and might see his flaws as a coach more clearly than folks in Minnesota. Plus, he's a "Minnesota guy through and through" as some have noted here, and I think he'd be hesitant to join another organization -- particularly one that would demand knowledge of sabermetrics or, well, accountability for on-field success.

 

Looking forward to a new manager in the dugout, but I imagine I've still got quite a long wait ahead of me.

[johnnydakota]

! of 2 things will happen , either Ryan and Gardy are joined at the hip , and as long as Ryan is here so is Gardenhire , or some time after the break they will fire Ron in hopes of increasing ticket sales in august , then hoping for September call ups to also increase sales

 

I also expect jake mauer to be manager or promoted to a coach , so next year we can have double mauer bobble head day

[notoriousgod71]

Dave Martinez

[LaBombo]

Gleeman mentioned Gardy in his last blog post. Boils down to pretty much two points.

 

1. Since 1945 only 4 non-expansion managers have kept their jobs after three straight 90-loss seasons.

 

2. One of the four who did, Tom Kelly, did so under the present ownership family. You have to go back to 1980 to find the last non-expansion guy before Kelly (Joe Torre) to hang on another year, and he was canned the following season.

 

It looks to me that Gleeman is not suggesting whether Kelly should or even could be fired, just that he'd absolutely be gone if he worked for any other franchise in baseball.

[Kwak]

Replacing Gardenhire mid-season isn't as easy (or painless) as it appears. I think there are plans for him to be in "the circle" someday, and firing him makes that problematic. It also assigns (too much) blame to Gardenhire for this season's disappointment. There would need to be some cover story that's makes his departure not appear as the team is displeased with him or his performance--he's not Bobby V. people!