Article: He's Ba-ack!

[Seth Stohs]

On Monday afternoon, the Minnesota Twins announced the former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire had accepted a position with the organization.

 

Gardenhire will serve as a Special Assistant to the General Manager, Terry Ryan.Among his duties, according to the press release from the team, will be "traveling to all minor league affiliates serving as a special roving instructor and evaluator."

 

This is a role set up for Gardenhire, and yet it isn't a new role in the Twins organization. In fact, it's a role that Tom Kelly has embraced over the years. Kelly often traveled to the Twins minor league cities and worked with the prospects, but also watched the practices and games to evaluate.

 

Ron Gardenhire, aside from the 2015 season, has been with the Twins organization going back to 1987. He was Tom Kelly's third base coach on the 1991 World Series championship team and remained on the staff until Kelly decided to retire. At the time, Gardenhire was the clear choice to take a young and talented group out of the contraction talk and led them to six division titles. He was the AL Manager of the Year once, though he finished second in the voting five times.

 

In 2014, he became the Twins second manager to reach the 1,000 win plateau, joining Tom Kelly. Following that season, the Twins relieved him of his managerial duties.

 

It was clear at the time that it would be just a matter of time before Gardenhire rejoined the organization. He took 2015 off, and he was in the running for the manager jobs in Washington and San Diego. When San Diego offered him a job in their front office, and he declined, it was inevitable that it was just a matter of time before he would rejoin the Twins.

 

Certainly, there will be some who don't like this move. Some may chose to call it a "bringing back the band" type of move. Sure, there's some of that, just like there is when they ask Torii Hunter, Rick Aguilera and LaTroy Hawkins to come to spring training. Or, when they give similar jobs to the likes of Kent Hrbek, Tony Oliva, Rod Carew and others.

 

The difference is that, like Tom Kelly, they're going to put Gardenhire to work. And that's a good thing. Terry Ryan trusts Gardenhire and they have a good relationship. Ryan will trust any evaluation done by Gardenhire.

 

And, when it comes down to it, Gardenhire got to the big leagues as a player because of hard work. He got to the big leagues as a coach because of hard work and his ability to coach, and teach. And now he's going to be asked to spend some time back in the minor leagues, working and teaching young players. And that's a good thing.

 

It's like when Terry Ryan came back as General Manager. Bill Smith was an obvious choice to bring back to the front office. He had done his job very well for 25 years before becoming the GM, and since his return, he has done a great job with the Hammond Stadium's renovations, with the minor league academy in Ft. Myers and he will be a big part of the new academy going up in the Dominican Republic.

 

Bringing in and keeping good baseball people is important. Gardenhire certainly fits into that category. Soon, I'm certain, he will be inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame. It's great to see that he's back in the fold even before that happens.

 

And finally, Ron Gardenhire has always been a terrific ambassador for Twins baseball and represented the organization well. He's tremendous in the community and will continue to be.

 

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[SirLoin]

I guess we need to rebuild the pitch-to-contact element of our farm system.

[SirLoin]

In related moves....

- Jason Bartlett has been hired as clubhouse dance party DJ

- Nick Punto has been hired as a special scrappiness instructor

- Jason Kubel has been hired as a special fielding consultant for Miguel Sano

 

 

[Seth Stohs]

 

I guess we need to rebuild the pitch-to-contact element of our farm system.

 

They're definitely not doing that. He isn't a pitching coach and doesn't pretend to be.

[Broker]

I am glad he's back. He did a fine job for many years.

[theBOMisthebomb]

Fingers crossed that this is a joke.

[spsdrock]

 

I don't understand this at all.   Gardy pretty much hates working with young players.   He made it very clear when he coached he would rather have older players on the team than younger players.  He has zero patience for them.

 

I can see it now.   Gardy will ask for a special pitching assistant and will higher Anderson.   All he knows is pitch to contact and the pitchers are not doing that. So he needed help on the subject.

 

I was never a Gardy fan and never will be.   But what ever, his name still makes me cringe when i hear it. 

[operation mindcrime]

Wasn't April fools 18 days ago? \m/

[Boom Boom]

Country club is back in business.

[notoriousgod71]

BREAKING NEWS: Rick Anderson named assistant to the special assistant of the general manager.

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

I really don't get how this is a bad move. I mean, doesn't it happen all the time with other jobs where a boss is fired, then rehired because no one else wanted him (the SD front office job, I think we all would agree, counts as no one else wanted him). No well-run organization or company does this.

 

2014 = time to move on. 2016 = time to get reacquainted.

 

The previous posts noting his lack of, say, ability/willingness/concern to connect with younger players during his manager years are spot on reasons why this makes no sense from a value-added standpoint. It's just TR bringing back a guy he likes.

[twinsnorth49]

#overreaction............TR

[Halsey Hall]

I'd of been fine if he never came back, but it is what it is.

[old nurse]

The oft repeated mantra is Gardenhire did not like young players. Throughout his tenure when the team was winning it was with young players. Players were traded before they became free agents when they could get a return. A veteran MI a few times was crucial addition. Otherwise the veteran added were usually jettisoned later. When the team quit winning, the veterans stunk, err stuck around.

[Craig Arko]

I am glad he's back. He did a fine job for many years.

Concur.

[jimmer]

Kind of messed up that my thread breaking this news, which was posted a half an hour before this one was made, gets locked.

Edited April 18, 2016 by jimmer

[Brock Beauchamp]

Kind of messed up that my thread breaking this news, which was posted a half an hour before this one was made, gets locked.

Standard operating procedure. We can't lock the article comments because that's how commenters from the front page access the site (and they vastly outnumber forum visits) and one thread has to be locked because they're about the identical topic.

[Cap'n Piranha]

I can't wait for Molitor to be fired, and then Gardenhire will take over as "interim" manager, only to have the interim tag removed after the season.

 

I'm only half kidding.

[Vanimal46]

It may be a little awkward if Gardy asks for his old office and parking space back.... Sorry Molly, seniority wins 9 times out of 10.

[Platoon]

Hmm, possibly a stepping stone to replace TR someday? GM Gardenhires first announcement will be Nick Punto as manager!

[jokin]

I really don't get how this is a bad move. I mean, doesn't it happen all the time with other jobs where a boss is fired, then rehired because no one else wanted him (the SD front office job, I think we all would agree, counts as no one else wanted him). No well-run organization or company does this.

 

2014 = time to move on. 2016 = time to get reacquainted.

 

The previous posts noting his lack of, say, ability/willingness/concern to connect with younger players during his manager years are spot on reasons why this makes no sense from a value-added standpoint. It's just TR bringing back a guy he likes.

I'm wondering where are all the folks who assured us if in the unlikely event that Gardy was fired, being so universally respected around the League... he'd be hired by somebody else in a New York minute.

 

So now with this development it seems readily apparent, the only club in a 30 team organization that is MLB- that has any interest, is the one that fired him.

Edited April 18, 2016 by jokin

[COtwin]

As long as he is never around the guys when we play the Yankees.

[sane16]

"Sorry sane, but Gardy is much better at giving out nicknames. Just a few changes I know he'd make:

4. Santany -> I'd have to think Gardy would come up with Ervie all by himself."

 

Or he could ask Gilda Radnor for help, and come up with:

Danny Roseanne RoseannadannaSantanadanna

[sane16]

"Sorry sane, but Gardy is much better at giving out nicknames. Just a few changes I know he'd make:

4. Santany -> I'd have to think Gardy would come up with Ervie all by himself."

 

Or he could ask Gilda Radnor for help, and come up with:

Danny Roseanne RoseannadannaSantanadanna

or for short..

Danny Santanadanna Roseannadanna

[Darius]

Just what this organization needs...some now blood. /s

 

The country club mentality this franchise has had since the early 90s is one of the main reasons why they're never successful, IMO.

[Mike Sixel]

As a Scout, he thought Danny Santana was going to be great. Scouting is part of his job now......

[Mike Sixel]

Kind of hard to continue the discussion here.

[DiscGolfer]

your therapy will go much easier if you just accept the fact that in a few years Gardy will be the new GM

[Twinfan & Dad]

WOW! Matter of days before the recommendation from Gardy to move all 1st year players back to AAA for more seasoning. After all he had no patience with rookies when he managed. So much for new blood in the systems thinking.

[Han Joelo]

Nice right up, Seth. Happy to have him back.