Thread: Time for a change

I doubt that Tony Larussa and Dave Duncan would have a much better record with this bunch. Change for the sake of change will only happen if the Twins believe it will result in fannies in the seat. I don't think Molitor wants the job. Names with recognition to the Twins fans and winning records as a manager are few and far between.
Gaetti manager, Redman bench coach, Viola pitching coach, Bruno hitting, Al Newman first base, Liddle and Stelly stay. All ex Twin coaches for the homers. All with some degree of experience. BTW Gman only if he comes back as the Rat

I still think the major problem with this team is that the highest paid players are not the type that will carry a team on their backs. They have played well, but not the type that will take over. No coach will win until they get a leader out of the position players.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

If someone wants to research this, I'd love to see it....

What are Gardy's teams' records in August and September when they're chasing a playoff spot versus when they are totally out of it. From my memory, they have almost been historically good with the former and historically bad with the latter. Personally, I have mixed feelings about that.....

If I was going to a time to be really good, that's what I would choose. And it was a result of extra motivation or drive or whatever, then I want that in a manager when the team is good and I could care less about it when a team is bad. But I'll admit - it's hard to watch this team right now.

Meh. You know what? After thinking about it, I'm keeping him. The problem with last year was a nearly historic level of injuries. The problem this year is a rotation that has several #7 starters. As I watched Duensing get punched out today, I didn't blame Gardy. I blamed Duensing just like Im blaming a lot of these starters. It's not like they need any other motivation - they have a golden opportunity to establish a major league career. They just aren't that good. And Gardy can't make them that good. It's unreasonable to expect him too.

There is more wrong with the way the Twins play than just the starting pitching.

It's not entirely Gardy's job to "make them good"--although, in the end, who else's job is it?--but it certainly IS his job to get them prepared to play the best they can. To get them to come to the ballpark each day expecting to win, and prepared to do what it takes to win. To consistently get the most from the players he has. Make good lineup decisions, make good pitching decisions.

I no longer see any of that on a regular basis. The product on the field is not only losing because of talent, it's also losing because losing has become the norm. Losing has become expected.

Losing, or winning, is not entirely about talent.

I thank Gardy for a good decade. He was, in the past, a good manager, and the right man for the job. I've defended him on many issues, in many places. That doesn't mean lifetime tenure should be a reward for that.

If Gardy really isn't getting through to his players, then its time for a change. If thats not the problem, then its not his fault and he can't really do anything to make the pitching better

At least we don't have Valentine.

Let me start off by saying I haven't read all the posts so I may be repeating a couple of points. I've been fuming about Gardy's poor decisions for years now but to be honest I've never gone on forums til now and am still a newbie at this.

Today just really ticked me off. Just another game where Gardy almost lost the game. Winning a 6-2 game in where we've lost 5 in a row and 14 of 16 in desperate need of a win.. heading back home.. he puts in Jeff Gray to pitch against the heart of the order of the best lineup in the majors. Not only is it the heart of the order.. The first 2 batters are left handed batters. As a fan even I know how bad Gray is against left handers(OPS over .1000!!!!!) (he is actually respectable against right handers). Knowing that the available pitchers were Fien, Gray, Burton, and Perkins wouldn't it make sense to line up your better middle reliever against the heart of the order and use Gray against the bottom of the lineup? Instead Gray gets all the fault.. Which ticks me off even more. We all know he's not a good pitcher.. But it isn't his fault he's on the roster. So while he is on the roster.. It's the manager's job to put his players in spots where he has the best chance to succeed.

How many times in close games do we not see Glen Perkins.. and then a day or two later we see him in a non contested game because he needs work. His last 5 appearances before today have been in games where we lost by 4 runs or more! We can't get a sacrifice bunt down to save our life, we're terrible at situational hitting, and we're constantly making bonehead plays. I can go on and on but I've already said too much. The Astros canned their manager for having the worst record in the NL.. Well we have the worst record in the AL and have double the payroll! At some point shouldn't the manager be held accountable?

The only statement firing Gardy in mid-season would make is that you are interested in humiliating him, which means you're a prick.

So yes, let's string him up. While we're at it, let's string that racist Dick Bremer up too.