Article: Is Terry Ryan Leaving Gardenhire Hung Out to Dry?

[Dez Tobin]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=1276-Is-Terry-Ryan-Leaving-Gardenhire-Hung-Out-to-Dry

[Brock Beauchamp]

Great write-up.

[Danchat]

Outside of Kevin Correia, I think TR had a good offseason. However, I believe we are going to lose 90-plus games again and possibly hit the 100 loss barrier. Gardenhire is being left out to dry if he has to turn around this team in 2013.

[SpantheMan]

How many win do the twins he to get for Gardy to get resigned? I would resign him if the twins get 75 wins. But I think TR will go a different way unless he twins are .500.

[twinsnorth49]

I don't think T.R. is setting up Gardy to fail, in fact I think that notion is ridiculous considering Ryan's principles. Having said that I don't think Gardy is in the plans beyond this year with the focus of the team clearly being the future. What I will find interesting is how Ryan may deal with that if somehow Gardy manages to get this team around .500. A record in and around there would have to be considered a pretty big success and the exit strategy conceivably altered.

[beckmt]

Question is did Gardenhire insist on Rick Anderson being retained and therefore linked the two fates together. I see little chance of the Twins doing well enough to save his job. Look at this list.

1. Hicks or Benson turn into at least serviceable players, so the centerfield hole is filled with Span type numbers.

2. Plouffe turns into be a decent playballer and hits .270 with 25 - 30 homeruns

3. Parmalee proves he can hit major league pitching and hits 30 doubles, 15 homeruns and a .280 BA

4. Mauer and Morneau both have good years and stay off the DL.

5. Twins find that Dozier, Carroll, Floriman are decent defenders all all hit in the .260 - .270 range.

6. Twins starting pitchers ERA is a little over 4, as Rich Harden returns to form and Worley, Diamond, and Gibson are all solid. One of Pelfrey or Correria becomes the #5 starter and the other takes Swarzak's spot.

7. Bullpen is solid as Perkins. Burton, Fien and Duesing all do good jobs out of the pen.

 

This is way to much to expect to get to .500 or slightly over, but it would be great if it happened.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Question is did Gardenhire insist on Rick Anderson being retained and therefore linked the two fates together. I see little chance of the Twins doing well enough to save his job. Look at this list.

1. Hicks or Benson turn into at least serviceable players, so the centerfield hole is filled with Span type numbers.

2. Plouffe turns into be a decent playballer and hits .270 with 25 - 30 homeruns

3. Parmalee proves he can hit major league pitching and hits 30 doubles, 15 homeruns and a .280 BA

4. Mauer and Morneau both have good years and stay off the DL.

5. Twins find that Dozier, Carroll, Floriman are decent defenders all all hit in the .260 - .270 range.

6. Twins starting pitchers ERA is a little over 4, as Rich Harden returns to form and Worley, Diamond, and Gibson are all solid. One of Pelfrey or Correria becomes the #5 starter and the other takes Swarzak's spot.

7. Bullpen is solid as Perkins. Burton, Fien and Duesing all do good jobs out of the pen.

 

This is way to much to expect to get to .500 or slightly over, but it would be great if it happened.

 

If all of these things happen, the Twins would probably be in the hunt for a playoff spot.

[johnnydakota]

How many win do the twins he to get for Gardy to get resigned? I would resign him if the twins get 75 wins. But I think TR will go a different way unless he twins are .500.

 

Unless they win the world series , it is 5 years since Ron needed to find a new job....and needs to take Terry with him

[twinsnorth49]

Unless they win the world series , it is 5 years since Ron needed to find a new job....and needs to take Terry with him

 

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/1056.gif To 364 more days of head scratching posts!

[Kwak]

I think the decision on Garden hire is at least 99% made--but it could be either! Extending him after last year would have caused an uproar--but Ryan could have fired him too, but didn't. Thus, this could go either way--he's gone unless a miracle happens, or he stays if even a bit of progress was shown--it's just not clear.

[Top Gun]

Gardy has at least some control,but where does it leave the Twins fans? TR has put the Twins fans out to dry with his promises. It's just to bad that clev, and KC can improve but we can't., if the present looks bad, what does that say about the future?

[Top Gun]

FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Indians "have had dialogue" with Shaun Marcum.

 

Morosi says "it's not clear yet" whether Cleveland's signing of Brett Myers will affect a potential pursuit of Marcum. The Indians have room in their rotation for another addition, but it remains to be seen if they have enough cash to make it happen. Marcum has also drawn interest from the Royals, Twins and Padres.

[lee_the_twins_fan]

Question is did Gardenhire insist on Rick Anderson being retained and therefore linked the two fates together. I see little chance of the Twins doing well enough to save his job. Look at this list.

1. Hicks or Benson turn into at least serviceable players, so the centerfield hole is filled with Span type numbers.

2. Plouffe turns into be a decent playballer and hits .270 with 25 - 30 homeruns

3. Parmalee proves he can hit major league pitching and hits 30 doubles, 15 homeruns and a .280 BA

4. Mauer and Morneau both have good years and stay off the DL.

5. Twins find that Dozier, Carroll, Floriman are decent defenders all all hit in the .260 - .270 range.

6. Twins starting pitchers ERA is a little over 4, as Rich Harden returns to form and Worley, Diamond, and Gibson are all solid. One of Pelfrey or Correria becomes the #5 starter and the other takes Swarzak's spot.

7. Bullpen is solid as Perkins. Burton, Fien and Duesing all do good jobs out of the pen.

 

This is way to much to expect to get to .500 or slightly over, but it would be great if it happened.

 

If all of those things happened, the Twins would be way better than .500. They'd take second in the conference.

Despite people's aversion to Correia, he's a better pitcher than you think. Their starting pitching will be way better than last year. * *I expect Parmelee to do about the same as last year – not encouraging. He'll be down in AAA with Hicks or Arcia or both in the majors. Harden, Pelfrey and Gibson are the biggest question marks.*

 

If the Twins can gel together and start out strong, they could have a very good season. I believe they will be better than last year. If BeckMT's list of things happen, they're an 88-win team. If not, they're an 80-win team. If the wheels fall off the bus completely – which I don't expect given the players they have signed – they're a 75-win team.

[old nurse]

Gardenhire will be retained or let go by how well he gets the team to play. Coaches were brought in to help with the need to help the pitchers, hitting and catching. If the players that need to show improvement improve, Gardenhire will be kept. If not, he will be gone.

[GoMNTwins]

I think Gardy should be given his walking papers. Not because he's a bad manager, I just think it's time for new blood throughout the organization, including the people above Gardenhire in the front office. I just think that if Gardenhire is held accountable for Ryan's complete lack of effort and is ultimately let go, it's just going to make Ryan and the Pohlads look bad, worse than they do already.

[Blackjack]

Gardenhire will be retained or let go by how well he gets the team to play. Coaches were brought in to help with the need to help the pitchers, hitting and catching. If the players that need to show improvement improve, Gardenhire will be kept. If not, he will be gone.

 

I agree, if the team plays hard all season, he'll stay - if he wants too. You gotta think that three losing seasons would wear on him, hes banked some good coin, he may want to go the Tom Kelly route and just go back to coaching.

 

Speaking of coaches, I like Gardy but I am dispointed that he didn't show some spine, when TR fired HIS coaches, Gardy should have said "I'm out of here".

[Blackjack]

Question is did Gardenhire insist on Rick Anderson being retained and therefore linked the two fates together. I see little chance of the Twins doing well enough to save his job. Look at this list.

1. Hicks or Benson turn into at least serviceable players, so the centerfield hole is filled with Span type numbers.

2. Plouffe turns into be a decent playballer and hits .270 with 25 - 30 homeruns

3. Parmalee proves he can hit major league pitching and hits 30 doubles, 15 homeruns and a .280 BA

4. Mauer and Morneau both have good years and stay off the DL.

5. Twins find that Dozier, Carroll, Floriman are decent defenders all all hit in the .260 - .270 range.

6. Twins starting pitchers ERA is a little over 4, as Rich Harden returns to form and Worley, Diamond, and Gibson are all solid. One of Pelfrey or Correria becomes the #5 starter and the other takes Swarzak's spot.

7. Bullpen is solid as Perkins. Burton, Fien and Duesing all do good jobs out of the pen.

 

This is way to much to expect to get to .500 or slightly over, but it would be great if it happened.

 

Isn't this the way the Twins are always built, meaning all the pieces have to fall together, stay away from injuries, have the stars align just right, in order to win?? When was the last time that they had enough talent to be overwhelming favorites going into a season??

[Brock Beauchamp]

Isn't this the way the Twins are always built, meaning all the pieces have to fall together, stay away from injuries, have the stars align just right, in order to win?? When was the last time that they had enough talent to be overwhelming favorites going into a season??

 

I think you're underestimating how much talent the Twins have had in past years, particularly 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2010. Teams don't just blindly stumble into five 90 win seasons in a decade through dumb luck.

[JB_Iowa]

There is always another possibility. Maybe, despite his public comments, Gardenhire intends to step aside after the 2013 season (step aside as in retire or move to another position with the club). I know that is contrary to everything he has said in public but given his age and health (I keep remembering his brother's heart-related death), it is not inconceivable to me.

 

If that is not his intention, I still don't know that a losing season means that Gardenhire is gone. There would probably be some public demand for Gardenhire to resign but perhaps not as much as there would be for Ryan to resign. Giving Gardenhire such mediocrity to work with may actually be protecting his job as long as the results are in the mediocre range (losses about 90 or less).

[Jim Crikket]

I actually suspect that Gardenhire and Ryan have already agreed that this will be his final year, regardless of results. He'll move in to a "consulting" role after this season. I don't think Ryan would have left Gardy twisting in the wind and then not given him a legit MLB roster (and I don't think Gardy would have been so laid back about that happening) if they hadn't already come to an agreement about what's going to happen next year.

[Mike Sixel]

If pitching free agents do not want to come here, why would Gardy want to stay? There will be options for him if he wants them, I believe.

[beckmt]

I wrote the piece as a way to show how bad a hand Gardenhire has for this year. Pitching rates to be better, but to trade Span and Revere and expect the hitting will improve is asking way to much. Pitching wins, but the Twins could have below average offense in Right Field, Center Field, Third Base and Shortstop(this is giving Carroll a pass as a full time second baseman and hoping he will be average). It could be difficult for the 6th hitter in the Twins order to produce, because he will be pitched around and the 7,8 and 9 hitters do not seem to be a threat to competent pitchers. I could be one of the lower order could come through, but the Twins pitching is not good enough to give 2 - 3 innings a game away for the hitting.

[jay]

If not, they're an 80-win team. If the wheels fall off the bus completely – which I don't expect given the players they have signed – they're a 75-win team.

 

We certainly haven't upgraded the offense or bullpen with acquisitions. I'm not so sure I think Harden, Pelfrey, and Correia will net the Twins 14 wins even if the wheels 'stay on'.

[chagen]

I don't believe Terry Ryan is hanging Gardenhire out to dry on purpose. Terry realizes how the Twins do is just as much if not more a reflection on him and how he acquires talent to play with.

 

Now do I believe he's done a great job on acquiring talent the shore answer is NO!

[James]

I actually suspect that Gardenhire and Ryan have already agreed that this will be his final year, regardless of results. He'll move in to a "consulting" role after this season. I don't think Ryan would have left Gardy twisting in the wind and then not given him a legit MLB roster (and I don't think Gardy would have been so laid back about that happening) if they hadn't already come to an agreement about what's going to happen next year.

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one. I can't see the Twins firing a manager, especially not the beloved Gardy (I know that not everyone loves him, but he's generally well liked by fans). I'm pretty sure that they told him they weren't going to renew his contract, but they weren't going to directly fire him, giving him a chance to stay with the organization in another role. It's going to be very Minnesota passive/aggressive.

[Boom Boom]

I'm pretty sure that Gardy will get a 2 or 3 year contract after this season, regardless of how the team performs. Not giving him an extension this offseason is just a smokescreen to convince fans that the Twins really will hold their manager accountable.

 

The 2013 Twins still look bad on paper and I don't think that's going to change a whole lot before the start of the season. If the Twins march to 95+ losses again, I'm sure we'll hear how Gardy just wasn't given enough to work with.

[cmathewson]

TR has had a solid offseason. I'd say it was a very good offseason if he'd chosen to sign McCarthy instead of Correia. But that's my only quibble, really. They've got $20 million in the bank in case they surprise some people and remain in the hunt in July. If not, let the rebuilding continue with Willingham and possibly Morneau.

 

I don't think winning is TR's main goal this year. He wants to build for the future. In that context, the thing Gardy needs to do to keep his job is what has has not done in his managing career: Develop a young infield. Gardy's main weakness, relative to his predecessor, is his impatience with young players, especially infielders. Three of the four infield spots have been revolving doors since Guzy, Rivas and Koskie left. His intolerance of mistakes have scuttled the careers of several promising infield prospects. His patience will be tried this year. He won't have a job at the end of the year if he keeps the doors revolving at second, short and third.

[Thrylos]

I actually suspect that Gardenhire and Ryan have already agreed that this will be his final year, regardless of results. He'll move in to a "consulting" role after this season. I don't think Ryan would have left Gardy twisting in the wind and then not given him a legit MLB roster (and I don't think Gardy would have been so laid back about that happening) if they hadn't already come to an agreement about what's going to happen next year.

 

That.

 

The Twins were very charitable in bringing in Gardy back after 99 and 96 losses and kept his buddies as coaches (other than shuffling the deck). The changes after those 2 awful seasons in a row were very small and Gardy and Co were unscratched. (Like Stelly and Jerry were the 2 who needed to be thrown under the bus...)

 

I also thing that if the Twins are not respectable, Ryan will probably go away too... he is part of the mess as well.

 

Gardy will resign after the season and pick up another hobby (like TK did with horses)

[Thrylos]

Gardy's main weakness, relative to his predecessor, is his impatience with young players, especially infielders. .

 

I don't think that anyone who watched TK towards the end would agree with this statement

Agreed. TK of the late 80s was great with the kids, not the one of the late 90s.

 

Gardy's main weakness, relative to his predecessor, is his ineffectiveness in the postseason. TK hit home runs both times he got the Twins' there. Gardy (with better teams; including one that had both the CY and MVP winners) was one and out often and early.

[Rosterman]

TR has had a solid offseason. I'd say it was a very good offseason if he'd chosen to sign McCarthy instead of Correia. But that's my only quibble, really. They've got $20 million in the bank in case they surprise some people and remain in the hunt in July. If not, let the rebuilding continue with Willingham and possibly Morneau.

 

I don't think winning is TR's main goal this year. He wants to build for the future. In that context, the thing Gardy needs to do to keep his job is what has has not done in his managing career: Develop a young infield. Gardy's main weakness, relative to his predecessor, is his impatience with young players, especially infielders. Three of the four infield spots have been revolving doors since Guzy, Rivas and Koskie left. His intolerance of mistakes have scuttled the careers of several promising infield prospects. His patience will be tried this year. He won't have a job at the end of the year if he keeps the doors revolving at second, short and third.

 

Well, I don't think TR can sit back and NOT say that winning is everything. In this market now (with the Vikings), in this stage of the game (a new Target Field), and the supposed higher economics to work with to staff the team, winning is everything...if you want to put and keep butts in the seats.If the Twins hover around 2 million fans this season, it will speak loads about what Minnesota baseball fans think. I mean, I'm still disgusted with the whole marketing campaign when target Field opened that revolved around the Field, and not the team, in general.

 

People will readily agree that MOST of the team the Twins have parlayed their offseason into putting together a competitive team, watching what happens within the division. But this offseason, that has been all but thrown out the window (you can't spend more than $5 million on a pitcher when you need one or two or three and they are available?). We see the Royals improving and making a play...or at least upping their competition. We see Cleveland trying to stay in the game while rebuilding. We see the Twins telling us they want to be in the game, but clearly aren't.

 

It will be a long 2013. Gardy may wish he had taken his walking papers. But he had another year on his contract. And like Blackburn, the Twins will TRY and get another penny of work out of him before parting ways.