Gardenhire gets two-year extension
Posted on November 13th, 2008 – 9:39 AMBy Joe Christensen
The Twins have signed manager Ron Gardenhire to a two-year extension, which will keep him under contract through 2011, the team announced today.
Gardenhire’s previous extension had him under contract through next season, so this one will cover the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Gardenhire’s coaches were also given two-year contracts. Bench coach Steve Liddle, pitching coach Rick Anderson, hitting coach Joe Vavra, third-base coach Scott Ullger, first-base coach Jerry White and bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek are signed through 2010, along with trainers Rick McWane and Dave Pruemer and strength and conditioning coach Perry Castellano.
“Ron and his staff have done an outstanding job over the last seven years, and none was better than the 2008 season,” Twins General Manager Bill Smith said in a statement. “We had a lot of new players and a lot of young players, and our major league staff did a marvelous job with a changing cast of players.
“Continuity has been a great strength of the Twins organization for two decades. The current staff has played an important role in the design and development of the Target Field facilities, and these agreements will carry the staff into the new ballpark in 2010.”
Gardenhire, 51, has posted a 622-512 (.549) record and won four division titles since being named Twins manager on Jan. 4, 2002. He finished second in the American League Manager of the Year voting on Wednesday for the fourth time.
147 Responses to "Gardenhire gets two-year extension"
Love Gardy. Any chance he could be the Bo Jackson of coaching and replace Brad Childress?
Good for them, they’ve earned it.
Certainly doesn’t deserve it. If there’s been a more overrated manager in recent memory, I can’t remember who it was.
The fact he’s lost 13 of his last 15 playoff games shows what a real loser he is.
Good enough to win division titles when the division is mediocre. A complete and utter failure in the playoffs.
That’s too bad, they will never win with Gardenhire at the helms. He does not know how to play the players or pitching staff. But that is typical of the Twins because they don’t want to pay any big money to get a decent coach or players.
Congrats Gardy & Staff, as for the nae sayers get a clue, how many teams haven’t even played in 15 playoff games in the last 8 years? It get’s kinda difficult when you have an owner that is so tight he squeaks, hopefully this year they will get some more pop on the left side of the infield to help Gardy out.
Smith has only worked for the Twins. How can he say the staff is “outstanding” if they don’t win the World Series. I say broom everyone, including Smith.
I’m not convinced Gardy is great, but I gave him a ton of credit for the team’s success last year. nearly every move the FO made bombed, they lost one of the best pitchers ever, and their third best hitter, and were one game away from being in the playoffs. Gardy and the coaches deserve some of the credit for that.
As for the trainers, not so sure. Injuries have been mounting (at least that is my pereception) on this team the last few years….
Wow, I’m suprised by the negativity. I agree that Gardy has made a couple of bad decisions but overall he hasn’t been horrible.
good for gardy, these other people dont know what ther talking about
If only the Twins won 100% of their games. Then maybe they’d be good enough.
Evan: What other divisions in baseball have a 4-team deep race (other than AL East with the surprise Tampa Rays) that legitimately have any one of those four teams take the title? When Gardy’s staff came in 7 years ago, I’ll agree the AL Central was one of the weakest in baseball. Going into 2009, I do think it’s one of the strongest. The Twins’ model has been implimented in Cleveland and Chicago on varying degrees. Detroit is in trouble with age and over-blown contracts, but could also surprise on any given year… and one of these years, KC is going to suprise everyone. This really is a 4 team race, and has been for the last 4 seasons. Congrats to Gardy and his staff - like coaching on any level - continuity is key.
Gardy is overrated. Given his miserable playoff record I think he should have been replaced.
This tells me Smith and the Pohlads are content with not making another serious World Series bid.
Gardy is trash……
Dump him with the garage he
calls a team.
The Twins once again show that mediocrity will be rewarded in a state with low expectations. This guy has shown a penchant for losing big games to good teams, stubbornly mishandling pitching staffs and imploding in the post-season. Just two or three fewer bone-headed moves and they win the division in 2008. As overrated as they come. This, of course, hardly matters to Minnesotans, who’ll gladly settle a winning home record and nothing more. Now I suppose we’ll get to see a LNP extension on top of this.
Jay,
You got it. A big extension for Gardenhire means more effen Punto. Count on it.
He hasn’t had much postseason success, but the front office has not made any moves to put this team over the top. The fact that Gardy has finished 2nd in manager of the year voting four times shows just how much respect he has around the league.
Don’t worry about Punto. He’ll sign with another team in the next few weeks.
Screw Obama Bin Laden LNP for president.
I agree with what Aaron Gleeman wrote in response to a question on Gardy’s playoff record during his online chat yesterday:
“I’m not the biggest Gardenhire fan, but citing someone’s record in 22 playoff games spread over multiple seasons is pointless.”
[…] Around the Majors – […]
[…] http://www.startribune.com – […]
[…] and in other Gardy-related news, he finally got his extension. Good for him. As expected, it’s a two year deal, and also as expected, it wasn’t […]
This is in response to Mike wants wins comment. Your perseption is wrong about the trainers and that is a very ignorant thing to say. Take a look at the Twins DL last year compared to all of the other teams. It is almost the lowest! Also, injuries are not caused by the trainers, they are caused on the field. Check your facts before you make yourself look like your back side!
On the Gardenhire thing: He drives me nuts with some of his ingame moves, however, he has presided over a mostly winning period of time that is the longest in my Twins fandom lifetime. Other than 2006, the Twins have been the underdog in every series they have played in. I just don’t see how the team gets better with another manager alone.
What’s with all the negative stuff? There is a lot of temas that would like to have thier record. Remember the Yankees have proved you can win with money—While Bill Smith had a bad year IO do hope the Twins DON’T GO TO BIG MONEY.I think they are doing fine and put a respectable product on the field. All you get with the big money is ego’s
The negativity expressed by many here is sad. No other MLB manager and staff have gotten more out of their team with less over the past several years than Gardy and his guys. The expectations of the nay sayers is totally unrealistic. Despite being a samll market team with meager fan support, every year the Twins have at least a chance to win. It is interesting to see how Joe Maddon is looked at as some sort of genious. Wait a few years when Tampa starts dumping players they can’t afford and they are no longer getting the top draft pick every year. The Twins front office has made some bone head moves, but the field management some how keeps the team winning.
Some of you people act like they signed him to a lifetime contract. He signed a 2 year extension that keeps him with the Twins for a total of 3 more years. Let’s say the Twins crap the bed next year and completely tank, the Twins can still fire him.
The Twins have had one of the best winning percentages in the majors over the last eight years, and have done so while dealing with a lot of roster turnover. And the simple fact that EVERY OTHER MANAGER in the AL talks about how good of a manager Gardy is should be enough to shut up everyone who is complaining about him. He has turned the franchise around since he became manager and the Twins would be stupid to get rid of him any time soon
Hey at least one of the Minnesota sports teams hires the right coach!
so bill smith says if the twins were to trade delmon they would need to get equal value back.
since the twins were rumored to be in on yunel escobar (that is if he is not dealt to the padres for peavy)
would anyone here do delmon for yunel?
i vote yes
“The Twins front office has made some bone head moves, but the field management some how keeps the team winning”
That is because Gardenhire has some mad skills to reverse the effects of Pohlads plan to shortchange the fans and his plot to somehow destroy the Twins and eventually contract the team. But Gardy won’t allow this to happen even though tight wad and no good evil Selig have concocted a blue print plan.
Bill Smith On Trading Delmon Young
By Tim Dierkes [November 13, 2008 at 10:38am CST]
Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune has a quote from Twins GM Bill Smith on Delmon Young: “He is a 22-year-old outfielder with a bright future, and if we were going to trade him, we would have to get equal value.” Young may not be easy to pry loose, but it doesn’t sound like he’s untouchable. There haven’t been many serious trade rumors about Young yet.
In other Twins notes, Hartman says the team doesn’t plan on retaining free agent Eddie Guardado but hopes to re-sign Dennys Reyes.
justin says:
November 13th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hey at least one of the Minnesota sports teams hires the right coach!
Who Tubby Smith. All the other coaches in MN sports are worse then lousy. Ok can anyone help me out if something is just plain awefull what word could be best used to describe a word which means worse then awefull. Like in McFail’s case.
The players like playing for him apparently. Not a great in-game mind however. Not sure how many better options there are out there though. I remember they had the Yankees on the ropes in October one year and S.Stewart was coming up short tracking down gappers on bad wheels, and Lew Ford was DH with more healthy wheels at the time. I know S.Stewart can wipe the floor with L.Fords career all day long…but…situation called for some guts there, and it didn’t happen. Twins ball, the Twins way is fine to a point, but it gets over-used too much.
Ever since the Vikings fired Denny, we’ve been to the playoffs once. I think firing Gardy will have the same effect on the Twins. Moral of the story, don’t get rid of Gardy. We at least have a chance to play ball in October…
wow, mature response. I stated it was a perception, not a fact. but, thanks for the insightful and respectful reply to my post.
Yeah Gardy does suck in the playoffs.
I mean how could he give up 10 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning in game 5 of the 2002 ALCS? I mean was his fastball not working?
In 2003, 2004, and 2006 I mean how could Gardy let his bat get icy cold like that? I mean he was just standing up there in the batters’ box like a tool.
Wait a min, Gardy didn’t do any of that…
Good for Gardy et al - I put a lot more stock in the praise and opinions of his peers over the message board chowders.
All you haters go take out your mad managerial skills to the local kids orgs - the parents will have you crying within weeks.
I like the guy overall, but another thing that bugs me is inserting Redmond in the 3 hole when Mauer is taking a day off. C’mon. I know Red Dog has been known to flick hits down the RF line now and then, but that whole static top half of the order (even when switching catchers) borders on Babe Ruth league.
It’s amazing Stelly will wear a Twins uniform in all three of the ballparks the club has played in. That’s a great career.
Gardy makes some decisions that drive me nuts, but I would have given him a 3 or 4 year extension.
Good Lord! Dump Gardy? And his Staff? And Billy? You people are IDIOTS! They understand it’s a marathon, not a sprint. When you’ve got all the young kids that they do, they’ve got to control emotions AND egos. How many World Series had they won before they came out of nowhere in ‘87? Who expected ‘91? TK hadn’t won a playoff series untill they “got on a roll” in ‘87. Now he’s a potential Hall of Famer. How “dumb” was Terry Ryan for passing on Mark Prior? all of you nay-sayers thought it was a bad move! The Twins way of taking care of business works!! I truly believe that the way the Twins “build from within” will prove itself once again.
Good for Gardy and the gang!!
What’t the alternateive?? New coaching staff?????
Yeah, that would really help improve our situation.
Can’t we just focus on getting some infield and bullpen help?
Good deal! Gardy’s ability to take a group of raw players and mold them into a functioning team year after year is simply amazing.
At some point the Twins payroll has to go up. You have to be able to afford to put a decent product on the field for the people and the state of Minnesnowta. The budget given to him is chincy.
Well deserved!!! Apparently alot of fans have forgotten, or didn’t experience the doldrums this franchise went through during the 70’s and most of the 80’s. For those of us that do it is a great feeling going into every season knowing the Twins have a shot at making it to the Series. Gardy can take the lions share of the credit for that!!!
Gardy has value as a manager that were worth keeping. He seems to motivate well, works hard on fundamentals (With exception to plate discipline) and encourages hustle. I’ve been particularly impressed with his handling of young pitchers in terms of appropriate pitch count limitations. For the most part, the Twins have experienced good health on the mound as a result (Liriano and Neshek the exceptions).
That being said, his personnel decisions are nothing short of head scratching more often than not. For this team, it seems to work, however.
Gardy has been a pretty good manager for the Twins, especially considering some of the junk veterans he has been stuck with. Bill Smith is the guy whose judgment I question. Tell me again why you thought Harris could play shortstop?
Are you people on drugs? Gardy is a great manager. If the front office would give this guy the tools to win in the playoffs he would. As it is now they keep loading him up with has-beens and never will be’s every year and he still turns us into a contender! Playoff winners and world series champions sign the big free agents and make the mid-season aquisition to put them over the top. Gardy has NEVER had this luxury and he still finds a way to win. Every year we sign the Livans, Batista’s, Everett’s, Boone’s, Lamb’s, and Castro’s of the world and he still finds a way to make this team good. If we got an owner who acually cared about the team and brought in a couple of all-star caliber players (I.E. Atkins, Hardy) then we will see what kind of manager he really is!
And yes. Harris is a godawful feilder and a subpar hitter, If he starts opening day it is a bad sign…
This is the best signing have made in the last three years. Gardy deserves tons of credit and the playoffs are a crap shoot.
The only coach who needs to go in Minnesoate is Les Steckle Jr over with the Vikes!
OMG - Twins are happy to stay at .500 to .549 baseball and NO World Series appearances. Okay, no we really know.
Ha, ha, ha you silly fools think I care about the Twins. I am just slowly lowering the payroll while still making the playoffs. Pretty soon I will make us the lowest paid team in all of MLB then I will contract the team and sell the new stadium to the Vikings and Wilfs. LOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLO
Year over year, Gardy and crew have been given overall average talent to work with and yet he has helped them overachieve and win the division 4 times in 7 years. Yes, the Twins haven’t gone far in the playoffs, but his teams have less talent than those they have lost too.
I think his best years were 2006 (remember what the front office gave him to work with that year: Tony Batista, Juan Castro, Rondell White, Phil Nevin. Gardy had to accept them but eventually replace them all in time to win the division on the last day). Second 2008 (again he was given poor free agents by the front office: Lamb, Everett, Monroe AND also lost Santana and Hunter… and yet managed to mold the team and new young players into a team that tied for the division title).
This team has been at least 2 talented players short of being a division winning team for Gardy’s entire tenure and he has still made them winners in many ways.
I for one am NOT content with just contending for the division title and not going far in the playoffs. The fact is that has been the Twins pattern is MUCH more a reflection on two things: 1) The owners reluctance to spend money and 2) the front office inability to sign/keep better players.
The on field coaching has been excellent as well as the off field and clubhouse reputation this team has. This is a “Vikings” town and yet look at the atrocious coaching we’ve had there as well as the continuous flow of off-field problems. Hard to believe this continues to be a Vikings town.
The Vikings and the NFL are an embarassment in my opinion. I don’t watch them anymore. I much rather enjoy being a Twins fan since both the on-field and off-field product for the past 10 years has been far superior to the Beloved Purple.
I think, and I am not alone, that Gardy is awesome. He has done a fantastic job with what has been handed to him. The best part of this deal is that he will be our manager and not one of the boneheads that have posted the negative comments. The boneheads think they know baseball. The boneheads should come up from the basement because your mom has some hot soup for you.
Just you wait and see what I do in free agency for 3rd base. Remember Mike Lamb well everyone you ain’t seen nothing yet. I am going to have gardy move harris to 3rd. Or better yet Toby Gardenhire will now be our promoted within player next to be called up. Ha, ha, ha Casey Blake coming here over my cheap broke almost decaying body. Pipe dream everyone. LOL. Time to trim the fat on the Twins books.
There will be no soup for anyone I won’t allow it. I will not purchase any soup for anyone. Or my name isn’t CPohlad.
Agreed on this state’s fascination with the Vikings even when they have been about the biggest bunch of embarassing losers for a decade now.
I would much rather take Gardy and his bag of hammers over the purple circus any day. And NO, I’m not a closet Packers fan. Plus, the Twins have been more competitive than the Vikings for a decade now - does anyone in this town even realize that?
Next year we will have sponsors patches on the Twins uniforms. 1st up is getting that Chico’s bail bonds sewn onto the back of each and every players jersey
Year after year Gardy takes average talent and manages to contend. I think the solution is to fire Gardy and hire a crappy manager. This will finally force the Twins to go out and sign better players. As long as Gardenhire is around, his managerial skill will compensate for the front office’s failures in signing big-time playes.
You’ll get plenty of “bail bond” customers as long as the Vikings are still in town….
Congrats to Gardy and the gang. Anyone who says they suck does not know baseball. Try being a cubs fan haha! Or how about the orioles. Yes, this group of commenters must be too young to remember the 70s and early 80s when not making the playoffs was a fact of life. Gardy works miracles with the resources he has.
PS as always I wonder why people who hate the Twins read Twins articles and blogs and bother to comment.
Walt, do you think the Twins could bring Kevin McHale over to manage the squad? That might be the perfect solution to your “crappy” management theory.
We’d probably end up getting both JJ Hardy and A-Rod then. Maybe it’d be worth it!
Year after year Gardy takes average talent and manages to contend.
here is a quote:
“[Bill] James lists the Minnesota Twins as the #1 team in all of baseball for young talent, even though they don’t have a single young player in the top 25: “But they have 6 players in the top 100, 8 in the top 120, and 10 in the top 150. The average team has 5 players in the top 150; the Twins have 10—Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Justin Morneau, Kevin Slowey, Scott Baker, Carlos Gomez, Nick Blackburn, Jason Kubel, Denard Span and Glen Perkins. And then they have Michael Cuddyer, and Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser, and Craig Breslow, and then they have a bunch of other guys. The Twins rank seventh in the majors in young pitching talent, and first in non-pitching talent. The Twins ranked 11th on this list last year, and moved forward basically because of the development of the young pitchers. They’re loaded.”
from here:
http://sportsmedianews.com/10/bill-james-names-mlbs-top-young-talent/
The excuse that the Twins do not have talent and it is all Gardy and his magic does not cut it any more…
It would be funny to see McHale in the Twins dugout. He’d get mad and stand up, hit his head on the ceiling, get knocked out, fall down on floor and wake up with spit and sunflower seeds stuck to his cheek…
Priceless!
I see we have some idiots on here saying Gardy is no good and should be fired. If we use their logic, every year 29 managers should be fired because they don’t win the World Series. You negative people know nothing about baseball.
Thry, you can’t tell me that the Twins line up you outlined above can compete with the line up of the Angels, Red Sox, etc….
The Twins level of talent will keep them from going very far in the playoffs. Unless we get lucky like the ‘87 Twins did. They won with some younger and more average level talent. However, I wouldn’t suspect that is a formula that will succeed very often regardless of who coaches the team.
I do think Gardy and team have overachieved. I would have been very surprised if the talent over the last 7 years would have gone any farther than they have and I have been surprised they got as far as they did in many years.
ok
a perennial gold glove CF, a perennial cy young candidate in johan, a now 2 time batting champ, a mvp winner and one of the best, if not thee best closer right now. and liriano?
mediocore talent? average talent?
what team has everyone been watching the past few years?
the twins obviously are one of the more talented teams out there. even with the loss of hunter and johan
gardy is doing his job. and he is doing a pretty d*mn good job. but he also has plenty of talent to work with
problem comes in when its the trade deadline and this team never makes a move to improve its weaknesses.
Gardy gets the most out of his players,Anderson gets the most out of his pitchers. You people who are upset should find another team to enjoy. You truly don’t get it. GO AWAY!
thrylos98,
Yes, the Twins have YOUNG TALENT, meaning up-and-coming talent. That is not the same thing as proven, veteran talent that other teams go out and get to complete their roster.
he over manages. left against right right, right against left, etc. stay in the dugout and catch some sleep. he must think he looks good walking out to the mound.
One or two superstars (which the Twins have no doubt had in recent seasons) is not enough to carry a team through the post season. Alot of great players never played on championship teams. Do the Twins have talent? Of course.
It’s not the manager’s fault they never trade for decent talent at the trade deadline. All they needed this year was 1 good starting pitcher and another big bopper and they would have made it to the World Series. If anyone should be booted it should be the Pohlad’s and the way they do business…the banker way! Screw the little guy!
going back to an earlyier post,does anybody really think that the twins were really be contracted, I sure don,t,, it was just a ploy, for a new park. sure fooled lots folks tho,many of us are sure suckers,, like you Gardy bashers, oh he surely did make some pretty bonehead moves, but all in all he pretty good mgr. and not his fault for not winning in play-offs, 90/ percent is all on the players.
Agree with Walter. A two superstar team usually will not compete well against a 4-6 superstar team. That’s why the Twins sometimes make it through the division only to get crushed in the playoffs.
jim leyland sure did alot with the tigers this season..
randolph and his replacement certainly made mets fans proud.
girardi showed us what a giant payroll can get you.
so again.. what exactly did gardy do wrong?
if the twins win the coin flip they almost certainly end up in the playoffs.
E7,
You also can’t buy your way into the playoffs every year even though lots of teams try. The diffence between the Twins and a team that spends big on free agents is the Twins will have 4 or 5 talented home-grown players and no free agent talent and the other team will have 4 or 5 outstanding free agent signings but no home-grown impact players.
Ron is the reason the Twins haven’t won a World Series yet. He is a terrible in game manager, especially playoff time. It’s unfortunate that he’ll be around another 2 years.
However, there is no chance of Ron looking bad this year until playoff time comes once again. I looked over this year’s schedule last night, and it’s quite possibly the easiest MLB schedule I have ever seen. If the Twins even win a single game less then 95 this season is a failure. A 96-66 record is easily achieved this year. I can’t stress enough how easy this year’s schedule is.
Walter, I agree with your last post as well. I think the challenge for the Twins is the 4-5 talented home-grown players to complement the 2 superstars are what you classified earlier as YOUNG TALENT. Younger talent is still emerging in terms of ability and confidence to win against the big guns. They don’t always rise to the occasion at the right time or same time to string together a playoff run.
The Rays were the closest thing to that scenario this year. I’d rather see a team emerge that way than to see the Yankees do it on overpriced, older talent.
Perhaps the Rays give us Twins fans some hope we will get lucky with a developing team one of these years again. It just hurts to see we supplied them with the extra young talent that got them over the hump this year.
Do you think they’d take Delmon back?
Dan,,,are you knew to the baseball world,,this is not football,,
One penny, two penny, three penny, four penny, five penny exchange for a nickel and into my sock drawer. Again one penny, two penny, three penny, four penny, five penny exchange for a nickel and into my sock drawer
If the Twins sign one, two, or six Free Agents, the field staff will feel forced to play them to justify the signing regardless of how badly they perform. (ala Livan, Lamb, Monroe, Everett in 2008)
As a result, players like Liriano, Casilla, Span, Blackburn, Perkins and Buscher will be waiting for the Twins to give up on the failed FA’s and the Twins will lose crucial games in the process.
Lesson for 2009:
DON’T SIGN ANY FREE AGENTS UNLESS THEY ARE SLAM-DUNKS!
Play the kids and don’t let them rot like last year, while waiting for the Free Agent corpses to be buried.
I would like to see the twins get Blake and trade for a SS.
To all of the bashers out there…. Gardy learned from one of the best… T.K. The main difference between them is the fact that T.K. had 4 BIG bats in the lineup…Herbie, Bruno, Gaetti, and Puckett. Each one of them hit over 20 home runs a season. What do you think Gardy’s record would be if he had that luxury? I think he would have a couple of championships by now too.
I’m starting to believe that the Wisconsin fans are right about MN fans…maybe we are whiners, especially after reading the negative posts regarding Gardy and staff. I met Gardy on a plane and he was just a great ambassador for the Twins; and he’s a terrific manager with the resources given to him via a handcuffed budget.
sane,
I agree whole-heartedly. If you aren’t going to sign an impact-type free agent, don’t even bother, unless you have a major hole in the lineup that can’t be filled by someone in the system. If you are going to “take a chance” on a free agent, it should be taking a chance a proven player has a sub-par year. Not taking a chance an aveerage player has a break out year.
I noticed that also when I met him, Sportsdog. Someone mentioned the only better winning pct. was by Billy Martin. When he came to South Dakota hunting, he wanted to start a fight!
I’m with you, sane. Although the free agents lately were kind of handy to have so the young guys didn’t have to start on opening day and could earn their job. Very expensive plan though, IMHO.
Would signing Blake to a 3 year contract be a slam dunk? He has been good enough the past few years, but at his age is he worth a 3 year contract? I saw Aaron Gleemon’s recent post that a platoon of Buscher/Harris might be just about as good as Blake and much cheaper.
In either above scenario, at least we’re not giving up players. So - would we then be able to give up some players to get JJ Hardy? Is there anyone we have they would realistically take in a trade? (Besides Morneau, Mauer, Nathan?). I think it would be great to get him, I just am not optimistic we really have enough to give them for a bona fide, stud SS.
“E7 I saw Aaron Gleemon’s recent post that a platoon of Buscher/Harris might be just about as good as Blake and much cheaper.”
It’s not how good of a player the Twins can get for a given position. It is how cheap they can fill the need. Maybe we can get batista back to play 3rd again or maybe we can get some players to fill needs from the Tijuana league.
I have met Gardy as well, multiple times. He seems like a great guy. However, that alone doesn’t mean he should be a manager.
I don’t always like his in-game decisions, but i think overall he has done a decent job. Thrylos is right on the talent issue. If Gardy doesn’t win in the next couple, i wouldn’t keep him past 2010.
Best job security in the world to be a yes man at the helm of the Twins. Don’t rock the boat and demand players that could actually make a difference but be the ultimate mediocre manager who wouldn’t know how to play them even if he had them. Santana wanted out for a reason.
Sign Blake for three years and trade him when it becomes convenient. Barring inury or major suckage I’m sure some team would be willing to take over his salary.
E7,
IMO Blake is NOT a slam-dunk for a 3-year contract.
IMOO, JJ Hardy would cost the Twins Liriano OR Baker OR Slowey (maybe plus Cuddyer who is expendable).
Worth it?
Maybe.
I guess my real question wasn’t around how we can spend less, but address 3B while having enough players to offer in a trade to get a REALLY GOOD shortstop like Hardy.
So, if we don’t part with any players to fill 3B, what realistic combination of players do we really have to offer the Brewers. Sure, everyone can say a package of Boof, Punto and Vavra - but realistically, what do we have that they would actually bite on…? Secondly, what you do that trade if you were the GM?
E7 says:
November 13th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Would signing Blake to a 3 year contract be a slam dunk? He has been good enough the past few years, but at his age is he worth a 3 year contract? I saw Aaron Gleemon’s recent post that a platoon of Buscher/Harris might be just about as good as Blake and much cheaper.
1. Gleeman is an incompetent fool.
2. Unless Harris is played at 3rd every game, the upgrade in fielding from Buscher to Blake is immense.
Here is some food for thought:
career numbers
Casey Blake (35) .264/.334/.447
Mike Lamb (33) .277/.333/.417
Brendan Harris (28) .269/.330/.408
anyone thinks that Blake is that much of an improvement from Harris or that much different from a washed up Lamb?
The best solution would be to sign Orlando Hudson and move Casilla to short, and trade for Garrett Atkins.
thrylos98,
Include the HR numbers. That’s what we are looking to add.
Dan,
I would be curious to know the easy game the Twins have in 2009.
When I am Wrigley Field on June 12 and 13 watching the Twins I just don’t seem them smacking the Cubs around.
I think if the Brewers don’t end up with either or both C.C. and Sheets then we have a shot. But I think we’d have to give up 2 young arms in the process.
Probably some combo of two of the following: Baker, Liriano, Slowey, Mijares.
IMHO I would pull the trigger on trading Liriano (still have my uncertainties about him) and Slowey (could be another Radke or just another .500 pitcher). I think Baker is the real deal and our bullpen drastically needs a live arm like Mijares so I would not part with those two.
Would be great if they would take Blackburn or Perkins, but I really doubt it…
marlins traded greg to the cubs for a minor leaguer. not sure we need bullpen help tho!
Liriano and Slowey for JJ Hardy…. I’d have to think about it - but yes, maybe.
Perkins, Humber and Mulvey for JJ Hardy. I have the best idea in the whole wide world that would only cost us $$$ and not good young cheap pitchers. Pick up and sign Blake as a free agent
Gleeman seems to be a very popular incompetent fool
E7,
Who do we use to fill those two spots near the top of the rotation if we trade both Liriano and Slowey? I don’t want to go into 2009 with a rotation of Baker, Blackburn, Perkins, Bonser, and Humber. Hardy better hit .400/50/160.
Okay, sign Blake to cover third - but if Casilla is left at 2B….then what would you give up for Hardy?
I’d give up Perkins, Humber, Mulvey, and 3 other stiffs for Hardy too, but I don’t think the Brewers would part with a great young short stop for any of those guys.
Who then…?
Evan and Linman are complete idiots. Do you two know anything about baseball? The reason the Twins haven’t done well in the playoffs has jack____ to do w/ the coaching staff. It has to do w/ Pohlad being scared to lose a few buck in order to bring home a ring. Gardy is hands down the best manager in baseball. Obviously you Evan and Linman need to watch more baseball this season.
Chances of casey Blake earning his FA signing money for three years is not good.
Third basemen have a job description that includes colliding with hard batted baseballs, hard ground, hard walls chasing popups, hard baserunners and sometimes hard dugout steps.
Not a good life for an old man.
If he would sign a large one-year-contract, it would make more sense for the Twins.
kevin gregg to the cubbies
Okay, if I had to play fantasy Twins GM for a day to get JJ Hardy….who would I trade that they would relaitically take?
I think they want to avoid the collapse of the past 2 seasons and would not give up Hardy for anything short of a train robbery.
Too bad we can’t give them one of our extra outfielders. Okay, maybe - why not…I’d package Slowey and Gomez and move Span to CF to have Hardy at SS.
Anyone else have a better (and realistic) idea?
If only the Twins won 100% of their games. Then maybe they’d be good enough.
No. Then they wouldn’t be winning by enough.
As I said before, IMO the Brewers would take ONE of Liriano OR Baker OR Slowey plus change (Cuddyer?) for Hardy.
Unbelievable! Span, Mulvey and Humber.
Cuddy, Mulvey and Humber. Buscher, Boof, Mulvey and Humber.
sane Baker and Buscher or Baker and Cuddy
No. Then they wouldn’t be winning by enough.
And you’d still be here to put people in their place.
No. Then they wouldn’t be winning by enough.
LOL
Jimmy bee, who would you trade if you had to part with one: Span or Gomez?
Span
why
Gomez is quicker. Gomez gets to more flyballs. Gomez is 6 ft 4 and power numbers will rise. More raw talent. Gomez keep over Span.
Gomez is a disruptive force on the basepaths
nick swisher to the yanks!
I will say one thing though I am not holding my breath for the Twins to make a Good trade. II would have to be rushed to the Hospital if I held my breath that long.
would miguel tajada be worth a yr if he came cheap enough, astro’s may be cutting payroll. have to be cheap.
Jimmy Bee, normally I agree on the probability of no trade from the Twins …but I still think Billy is newer in the job and still trying to make a splash. I just don’t trust his judgement very much…
GGG Cheap is Carl “Cheap” Pohlads middle name
stark team needs:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3699827&type=story
right or wrong, with the Twins emphasis on personality, clubhouse fit, etc… I think Tejada is a doubtful just like Bonds would be.
…but then again, we did trade for Delmon Young
trying to come up with a ss that won’t cost half the team. just don’t want nicky back! probably end up resigning everett!
how about kerry wood for the 8th?
Unbelievable! Every year it’s the same thing. I see holes in our team. Next I read SI or ESPN and read about all of these neat and exciting players going to other teams. I say to myself wow we needed a new this or a new that. Or I say wow we could have used him in the lineup. Then if this even happens I wait till the season is about to start and we either get a has been who is injury prone and he is cheap or the player is to old to play anymore. Or we just sit on our hands and build from within. I don’t know it sure is frustrating though
“how about kerry wood for the 8th?”
Injury prone he would be a great fit and he is probably cheap.
And you’d still be here to put people in their place.
Yep. Cause I’m the only person on the blogs that disagrees with anybody.
Riiiight.
Jim bee, true you can be outguessed either way…frustrating -
I think the only thing that sticks with me right now is that we do have that young emerging core similar to the ‘87-’91 run but need that 1-2 more star level players to hit our peak in maybe ‘10-’11?
We may have some young guys really turn into something in the next year or two, but just for once I’d like to see us get one bona-fide stud from the free agency market that would time out with our “core.” I don’t know, is that a Matt Holliday that just came and went or is that a JJ Hardy that might come available..? …just, no more Lambs, Livans, Monroes…please!
Perhaps wishful thinking but I would hope the new projected revenue of the new stadium would force an uncharacteristic move for the Twins in the current free agency market.
I should clarify - free agents or via trade this off season…
Unbelievable! I would crap my pants and have to leave work early if we actually got a player like a Holliday or a David Wright. Maybe we would get a stars injury prone brother or something. Why do we get so used to dissapointment being a Twins fan.
E7 says:
November 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Liriano and Slowey for JJ Hardy…. I’d have to think about it - but yes, maybe.
just Liriano or just Slowey is too much to give up for Hardy. No chance your goofy trade would happen.
E7 says:
November 13th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Liriano and Slowey for JJ Hardy…. I’d have to think about it - but yes, maybe.
just Liriano or just Slowey is too much to give up for Hardy. No chance your goofy trade would happen.
Dan, give E7 a break. He wanted to use a package of Boof, Punto, and Vavra as trade bait earlier. That one made my day.
I don’t think Hardy is available unless the Brewers get some truly outstanding player in return. I know they want to make room for a young SS coming up. They can do this by moving Hardy to 3B in place of Bill Hall. To trade Hardy and keep Hall would be foolHardy, unless get an impact player, not three or four mediocre players and prospects.
[…] http://www.startribune.com – […]
If Gardenhire could win at Yankee Stadium, Fenway, or in the playoffs, this would be a better move.
I think it’s funny how much praise he gets for beating expectations and making Division Winners so often, but doesn’t take almost any media flak for losing in the playoffs and getting embarrassed time and time again on the East Coast.
It’s like Minnesota thinks it’s ok to lose in New York because we’re just the lowly Twins and we’re not supposed to be able to handle the “big bad Yankees.”
I tend to think it’s stupid in general to give managers credit when a team wins or loses, but if Gardy’s going to get all this praise, the media shouldn’t hesitate to criticize him when it’s well-deserved either.
Our performances against the AL East and in the playoffs are downright pathetic.
Yep, Gardy is a playoff failure. And winning the division against crappy teams doesn’t mean he is a great manager. However his dismal playoff record does show that the better teams can wipe his arse. And as for Billy Smith, what a waste of a paycheck. He made McHale like terrible trades and his free agent signing could have been done by the janitor at the Metrodome. Smith is a real problem for the Twins.
Great, we can expect more of the same. Mismanaged pitchers, a different lineup everyday, babied pitchers, going to the bull pen in the sixth inning and worst of all being happy with finishing in second place. Yep, if you are happy to finish in second place give Gardy a lifetime deal.
The lose List.
These stiffs should be gone in 2009
1.) Everett
2.) Boof
3.) Geurrier
4.) Reyes
5.) Cuddyer
6.) Bass
I’m going to take an educated guess that the harsher the Gardy blasts here, the less that they follow or care about baseball. Just disruptive trolls. 4 of 7 years, 2nd place for manager of year. Consistent performance. If the Rays wouldn’t have been outrageous this year, then the award is Gardys.
I am a White Sox fan who admires and follows the Twins due to the fact that Gardy is the best manager in the AL. The people who bash won’t realize what they have until he’s gone. Then we can get rid of Ozzie and bring in Gardy !!Too bad the Cubs don’t have a manager like him, see what he could do with all that talent. WOW !!
