Sinker: It's time for the Twins to replace Ron Gardenhire

[Willihammer]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/blogs/268719462.html

 

I think the reader email that Sinker quotes hits the nail on the head

 

 

"As the weeks and months of mediocrity in Minneapolis drag on, there is one thing that we have learned that Ron Gardenhire is NOT: He's not an innovator. He can't pull any tricks that he hasn't already pulled. He has no secret weapons and no master plan. Finally, a couple of days ago, I realized where it stands for me: I feel the same way about Ron Gardenhire as the Twins feel about Matt Guerrier.

 

"The Twins loved Matt Guerrier, and I think most Twins fans understood why. This past week, though, it became clear that Matt Guerrier just didn't represent the same stability and success that he once did.

 

[goulik]

Unfortunately, I agree. It has been a goood run but I think the time has come for a fresh voice.

[curt1965]

A well written article, which reflects, unfortunately, the opinion of all Twins fans, IMO.

[Pius Jefferson]

The two sides should have parted ways after least season ended. 

[old nurse]

A well written article, which reflects, unfortunately, the opinion of all Twins fans, IMO.

My mom loves Gardenhire. So I guess the all in your statement wil always be incorrect.

[Thrylos]

A well written article, which reflects, unfortunately, the opinion of all Twins fans, IMO.

 

I don't think that's correct.  There will always be people who are not willing to move on for whatever reasons they may have.   I think that Gardy is done and there are plenty of signs out there that this is happening sooner than later...

 

The trick is for Gardy's departure to bring something new in the organization, because if not, it will work as well as the last time the Twins rearranged coaching chairs (and fired Stelly and Jerry.)  And everyone who is a major league coach there (with maybe the exception of Molitor because he has not been there long and he brought in something new this season - defensive shifts) should go.  No Andy, no Vavrey, no Scotty, no Steiny, no Bruno.  Sorry.  They got their chances.

 

We shall see.

[stringer bell]

I thought it was time for Gardy to ride into the sunset last year.  I accepted the team's decision reluctantly mostly because they changed the subject and signed some free agents.  Gardenhire is a good baseball man, but the pattern has been set--similar rosters with similar swoons and no way to break out of it with the current front office and field staff. 

[Seth Stohs]

Even I acknowledge that at this point I think there needs to be a change in manager.

 

Don't confuse that with me saying that Ron Gardenhire is a bad manager. He's not. He's experienced a lot of successes. I just think it's time for a change.

[Mike Sixel]

I agree with Seth. He does some things really well, but it is time. I hope they go young, not Molitor, frankly.

[drjim]

I also agree it is time - it was time two years ago.

 

I also agree that Gardy is not a bad manager, and if he wants to manage again I suspect he would find a job in the next two years (possibly the Mets?). There is a time when a change in leadership is necessary, there is a reason so few managers make it on one team for over a decade.

 

People will kill him for his playoff record, and perhaps justifiably so, but he had a really good for a decade.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to cleaning out the whole staff, but turning over half would still be acceptable to me. I'm not sure Cuellar, Steinbach, Bruno, Molitor really need to go, they've only been here two years.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The letter writer in the OP got it right - Gardy doesn't have any new tricks. Sabermetrics. Gardy doesn't understand how teams use statistics to beat us and hardly even understands the importance of platoon splits or batting average (Florimon anyone?). I think Molitor is open to how the game is changing. Age not such a factor.

[D. Hocking]

At this point, I wonder if part of him would be relieved to be released from this job.  It has had to be a very long 4 years.  He always seems a bit weary and worn (understandably) when interviewed.  Although that might be just his persona, because I remember thinking that when they were doing well in 2010. 

 

As has pretty much been said already, I don't think he is to blame for a lot of the problems, but I think they need a different approach to climb out of the cellar.  This is a topic for a different thread (and has already discussed in great detail), but I wonder if they should have brought in new blood when replacing Billy Smith.  I don't necessarily blame Terry (or Gardy), but while promoting from within and being loyal can be good, there are times when you need to bring in fresh ideas and perspectives and people who might be able to look at the organization with a bit more objectivity and not view that is clouded by a long history and loyalty to the team and staff and players etc.

 

I am probably not the person qualified to be making any of these statements since it took me about 12 hours to remember my password to log into the new and improved page.

[whydidnt]

Agree, and it's refreshing to hear someone in the mainstream media finally say so. Sad to ever wish for someone to lose their job, and I don't think Gardy has always been a bad manager. However, he is not and has not been a good manager for the current Twins. Truth is he hasn't had much to work with. However, we don't have anyway of knowing if that's all lack of talent, or if it's lack of proper development and instruction from the organization and their steadfast commitment to the "Twins Way", that Gardy is so fond of. Just seems like guys such as Dozier that actually improve after the reach the major league level or the exception instead of the rule and you have to hold the coaching staff somewhat responsible for that. 

[Monkeypaws]

Could the Twins play better with their current roster? I think they could. They are playing fundamentally bad baseball, and for that I think Gardy should go.

[Guest USAFChief]

It was past time for a new manager last offseason, IMO. Whether or not Gardy WAS a good manager is beside the point. The question is, is he the right guy to break the culture of losing that has become the new normal for this org. I don't think so.

 

And I prefer not to repeat the "manager emeritus for life" status of Tom Kelly, too. Severe all ties...the last thing the new guy needs is another voice in top of Kelly's to compete with.

 

If Gardy is as good as many believe, he'll get a job somewhere.

 

Time for the Twins to move on.

[beckmt]

This may not be all Gardy's fault. That being said the Twins seem to hit the wall at the same time every year.  If this year is the same, (there have been many more injuries to the pitching staff this year), it will be time for a change.  Do not know if it will happen, because Twins also might have to replace TR to do it. That probably will not be a good thing.

[TKGuy]

I am a big Gardy supporter, but I too, have come to the conclusion that there has to be a change at manager and with the coaching staff. I think I would keep Bruno since he has worked with the guys coming up the system. As for GM, Ryan has built the minor league system back into a powerhouse. Now was that because of skill or just bad records and high picks? I don't know. If Gardy goes, I wouldn't be shocked if TR steps down to tend to his health, however, I want him to stay actually.

 

Ownership showed Billy Smith the door (sort of) and Jim P does not happy in his latest public comments. Do you let Gardy finish the season?

[DocBauer]

First and foremost, I have to state that I am a Gardenhire fan. I think he's a good guy, a good baseball manager, overall.

 

I honestly think highly of the majority of his coaches as well, Bruno, Molitor, Cuellar, Steinbach and yes, even Anderson, especially when you look at the bullpens he's helped assemble over the years, and some staffs that weren't as talented as other playoff/winning rosters but seemed to squeeze max value out of most. I maintain the major hole is the presence of a quality Latin coach and baseball guy for a number of the Twins young players, and those on their way.

 

I also maintain Gardy and his staff get a mulligan for 2011 as the Twins returned most of the team from the 95 win, division winning team of 2010. A couple things didn't work, and the team was absolutely devastated by injuries that no-one could have planned or worked for. I also it's really easy to blame the manager/head coach after a couple and seasons or three. Every season brings about SOME injuries and poor performances, and you have to be able to work through and around those issues. Everyone does. But you can also only manage what you've been given to work with. And without question, there have been holes and questionable to wrong personnel groupings to expect Gardenhire or anyone else to have to work with. Ryan himself has shouldered some of that blame, and deservedly so. Gardy undoubtedly shares some of this blame as well as I doubt Ryan builds a roster in a solely inhabited vacuum. Again, forgetting 2011, 2012 & 2013, to me, felt as though there was a collective lack of proper vision.

 

All that being said, I also believe it is probably time now to make a change. I was generally pleased when Gardy was brought back this year, but I also would have been fine if the change had taken place last year. There can simply be times when the message of a manager and staff can become lost. There can be times when a manager simply doesn't connect with the players he has now, or he himself gets bogged down when things start to go wrong. Sometimes, that new voice, that new perspective is necessary to jump start a program. Or, more to the point in the Twins case, someone who might simply communicate and work better with prospects.

 

I'm not necessarily sold on going "outside" the organization as Molitor may have the stuff to be a quality manager. Former Twin Mike Redmond, were he suddenly made available, might be an excellent choice. In the minors, soon if not now, I think Mauer and Dougie Baseball may have to chops to do well. I think there's a difference from JUST hiring from within, as opposed to actually having a quality candidate, or more, available to or from your organization.