Phil Miller: players want Gardy back

[LaBombo]

And Shane, I think it's possible that retaining Gardenhire isn't an act of pity or niceness, but instead is because the team thinks he's a good manager that has had bad teams. I think we can agree that isn't a wholly crazy viewpoint.

If that's the Twins' viewpoint, it's... well, at least a little crazy, going by how incredibly rare it is for a manager to amass nearly 300 losses in three years and keep his job, and the fact that those rare instances have mostly produced 100 or so losses and an in-season manager change the following year.

[darin617]

The current roster loves Gardy and his pals and Terry, because in other teams they would be collecting AAA paychecks and not the $400K minimum MLB salary.

 

I took long enough but Thrylos finally wrote something that I can completely agree with. Actually quite a few of them would be in Independent Leagues.

[CharacterGroove]

I would be infuriated if the powers that be put any real consideration into "what the players want" when deciding on Gardenhire.

[CharacterGroove]

I was in there on Saturday, and there's no question that the players want to play for and want to win with Gardenhire. There's no questioning the effort of the coaches and manager. There's no questioning how much everyone cares. There's no questioning the effort of the players.

 

It's absolutely fair to question "the effort" and "how much everyone cares." This goes beyond hustling to first base.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I would be infuriated if the powers that be put any real consideration into "what the players want" when deciding on Gardenhire.

 

I wouldn't. I don't think the players' feelings should be the deciding factor but it should certainly be factored into the decision.

 

More than any other sport, clubhouse attitude and morale plays a role in baseball. These guys live together nearly full-time for seven months of the year. They deserve to be heard when it comes to whether they like their boss or not and whether he should be fired.

[DJL44]

I think the problem is the inability to relate to/get the most out of players who have large egos or personalities.

 

This is a problem. Many, many talented professional athletes have large egos. If he can't handle players with a big ego then he's in the wrong line of work.

[CharacterGroove]

I wouldn't. I don't think the players' feelings should be the deciding factor but it should certainly be factored into the decision.

 

More than any other sport, clubhouse attitude and morale plays a role in baseball. These guys live together nearly full-time for seven months of the year. They deserve to be heard when it comes to whether they like their boss or not and whether he should be fired.

 

With the exception of a very small few, these "players" will not be a part of the Twins future if they ever intend to win 70 or more games again. As others have noted, I have no doubt many respect Ron Gardenhire and the opportunity he's provided them. Heck, they might respect him because he's a genuinely good guy. But so what? Is that what's under dispute?

 

The "clubhouse attitude and morale" is at the bottom of the Twins' concerns. If it was bad, then that was to be expected, and if it was good, then there are larger questions to be answered.

 

Regardless, I reject the notion that baseball players are entitled to a voice on their manager because they showed up for work.