Ron Gardenhire

2010 was a sweet summer for the Minnesota Twins and their fans. Target Field opened and the return of outdoor baseball seemed to have everyone in town excited. The Twins went 94-68 — including a 53-28 record at their new grassy, un-domed home — during the regular season. They won the American League Central and Ron Gardenhire was honored with a Manager of the Year award that was long overdue. Of course, we were swept in three games in the opening round of the playoffs by the New York Yankees (for the second consecutive year), but there was sense that good things lie in the future beneath...

Ron Gardenhire was one of the most successful managers in Twins history. He led the team to six AL Central Division titles, three of them in his first three seasons. He had stars such as Johan Santana, Torii Hunter, Denard Spahn, Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer play for him over his 13 years at the helm as skipper. Now, Gardenhire is no longer the Minnesota Twins manager. Thanks to four consecutive 90 loss seasons, Gardenhire was relieved of his managerial duties the other day. ...

Matt Guerrier was designated for assignment last week by the Minnesota Twins. This means your services are no longer needed. When you’re nearly 36-years-old, have been on three teams in one calendar year, and you pitch middle relief, you wake up each day knowing this could be the last day you put on the uniform. That’s part of the business.

Pitching middle relief is a thankless job in baseball, you don’t get many wins, you certainly don’t get saves, you just eat innings until the higher priced hurlers make their way into...

It’s gone on long enough. We’ve seen enough at-bats frittered away and men left on base. Aaron Hicks doesn’t have the physical skills to be a major league ballplayer, and more importantly, he lacks that mental drive one needs to play in the major leagues. His most recent comments clearly illustrate this. On May 30th Aaron Hicks told Ron Gardenhire he didn’t want to see anymore breaking balls during batting practice.

To his credit, Gardenhire told the media he “asked” the Yankees if they would be throwing any breaking balls...

Surprisingly Jason Bartlett has made the Minnesota Twins opening day roster. He hit .083 in 39 plate appearances this spring, but this was enough for Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire to bring him north to Target Field. According to Gardenhire, the 34-year-old Bartlett will help make the clubhouse more loose and provide leadership because he's a winner. The fact Bartlett hasn't played a game in the minors or the majors since May 14, 2012 apparently isn't important. Fans reacted to the Bartlett news on Twitter with disdain for the Twins and how performance seems to have taken a backseat when it comes to the opening day roster. Unfortunately debating Bartlett's merit is what happens when a team's payroll is only $89 million. Just six teams have a lower payroll going into the 2014 season. Remember the 2009 Minnesota Twins of "Game 163" fame and the final Twins team to play in the Metrodome?  Their payroll was also $89 million. Target Field was supposed to bring an increased payroll to the Twins,...

Mike Pelfrey went 5-13 last year with a 5.19 ERA — I'm no expert, but that's bad. Despite his troubles, as a reward for his service, the Twins re-signed him to a 2-year contract due to pay him a total of $11 million in 2014 and 2015. Is it just me, or does $5.5 million a year for a guy who won five games last season — with a +5 ERA—seem a little steep? Maybe the Twins are paying some of that big salary for Pelfrey's positive attitude and its effect on morale in the clubhouse? The video from ...

Sure the Twins most likely will not be competing for the AL Central Crown in 2014 -- the Tigers seem to have that on lock down with their mighty roster -- but that doesn't mean Minnesota Twins fans have nothing to cheer about. Aside from the revamped pitching staff, Mauer moving to first base, and some other ...

Ron Gardenhire and the Minnesota Twins have back to back to back seasons of 90+ losses. With that in mind, many thought the second-longest tenured manager in baseball was at risk of being fired come season's end -- however, reports have confirmed the Twins and Gardenhire have reached a two-year extension. I'm sure most Twins fans will greet this news with disgust -- I can't say I'm in that boat, though I have been extremely disappointed...