The ball is on Terry Ryan's court: The aftermath of the firing of Ron Gardenhire by the Twins.

Today Terry Ryan held a press conference, in absentia Jim Pohlad & Dave St. Peter, who apparently had better things to do, to announce that Ron Gardenhire will not be returning as the Twins manager in 2015.   The news were so unusual that might be the reason that former Twins manager Tom Kelly suffered a minor stroke today (best wishes Tom.)  Ron Gardenhire's dismissal was long overdue.  It should had happened after the 2006 post-season.  And, as I indicated previously,  I felt that it was done deal at least a month ago.

There are a few strange things about this and I don't think that they are coincidental:

• The Twins' owner and president were not around in the press conference
• Gardenhire was and allegedly was offered a position within the organization (rumors that it is for the roving grouch instructor are not substantiated.)
• There was no word about his coaches, however their contacts are all expired and no renewals were announced and it looks like they are all gone, pending new manager's whim.
• When asked, Ryan said that he knows what type of manager he wants (and went to a great detail describing characteristics) but admitted that he has no list of candidates.
• The kicker is that Terry Ryan was adamant and on the record as late as 8/22 saying that Gardenhire will be back. 

This does not seem like a General Manager who a. wanted to do this and was ready to do it,  b. has the support of his bosses (who did not even bother attending) and c. is facing a serious health issue.  If Gardenhire's firing was demanded and imposed by Ryan's bosses recently, several things could be explained (especially his unpreparedness for a replacement.)  However,  no matter what, Ryan looks like a liar right now.  I would not be surprised if Terry Ryan resigns shortly, before he names a manager and this will probably be better for both him and the Twins. 

Ron Gardenhire is out as the Twins' manager, now what?

The writing is pretty much on the wall.  From this to this, and everything in between, the biggest question in the Twins' Territory is not if this will be Ron Gardenhire's last season as the Twins' manager, it is when will he be replaced.   Enumerating reasons about Gardenhire's replacement right now will be pointless (it was not after the miserable 2006 post-season, when this place was one of the few week voices suggesting that this team will not go anywhere with Gardenhire and Ryan at its helm.   It took the four most miserable consecutive seasons in franchise history, since the move to Minnesota, to actually have some sort of a majority thinking that this might be the case.)  It did not had to take for Ron Gardenhire to accumulate 1000 losses and be one of only seven managers in baseball history to achieve this feat, for this to happen.

As far as the "when" goes, it looks like it will happen sooner than later.  It might happen as soon as this series is over or it might happen after this season.   I suspect that Gardenhire will be allowed to leave on his own terms and retire riding into the sunset like Clayton Moore, instead of being forced out.  This franchise does things this way (and it is fine.)   For the record, my bet is that Gardenhire does not finish the season and for practical reasons (like not enough bodies to sit in the dugout) they will wait until minor league play is over to do it.  It has a bit more oomph if it is done during the season and that's what I think they will do.  I have never seen so many main press sources either re-iterating how sick and tired Gardenhire is lately, or how sad and "remote" Ryan seems lately.  Something is about to happen, folks, in the land of ten thousand lakes, and it does not involve soaking cod in lye in a bathtub.

The "what" is more important:  What will happen after Gardy is gone?  Potentially, this would be another case of rearranging coaching chairs (c. 2012, when they blamed the lost season on Jerry and Stelly and did a round robin with the rest.)  If Tonto is still around when Kemo Sabe is gone (utterly love the sarcasm of the advertizing copy placement on that shot in so many levels, btw), it will be another failure.   It will also be a failure is Scotty and Vavry and Steiny and Bruno were kept.  They are part of the problem as well.  They need to go.  The jury is still out on Paul Molitor, who has instituted some improvements already, like the defensive shifts, and Bobby Cuellar, who I think has not given an opportunity to do what he can do with this staff in the shade of Anderson.

Fresh thoughts and ideas are needed in this Franchise.  And, of course, this starts in the front office.  I think that Terry Ryan will also retire after this season, and health issues will be sited.  He does have a bigger battle than the Twins' to fight at this point and wishing him the best.  If I were the Pohlads, I would offer someone like Joe Maddon a position similar to what Nolan Ryan had with the Rangers or Tony LaRussa has with the Diamondbacks and give him carte blanche to fix the team (and if he still likes to manage, let him manage as well.)

But this is another long story, better saved for later...

Ron Gardenhire is out as the Twins' manager, now what?

The writing is pretty much on the wall.  From this to this, and everything in between, the biggest question in the Twins' Territory is not if this will be Ron Gardenhire's last season as the Twins' manager, it is when will he be replaced.   Enumerating reasons about Gardenhire's replacement right now will be pointless (it was not after the miserable 2006 post-season, when this place was one of the few week voices suggesting that this team will not go anywhere with Gardenhire and Ryan at its helm.   It took the four most miserable consecutive seasons in franchise history, since the move to Minnesota, to actually have some sort of a majority thinking that this might be the case.)  It did not had to take for Ron Gardenhire to accumulate 1000 losses and be one of only seven managers in baseball history to achieve this feat, for this to happen.

As far as the "when" goes, it looks like it will happen sooner than later.  It might happen as soon as this series is over or it might happen after this season.   I suspect that Gardenhire will be allowed to leave on his own terms and retire riding into the sunset like Clayton Moore, instead of being forced out.  This franchise does things this way (and it is fine.)   For the record, my bet is that Gardenhire does not finish the season and for practical reasons (like not enough bodies to sit in the dugout) they will wait until minor league play is over to do it.  It has a bit more oomph if it is done during the season and that's what I think they will do.  I have never seen so many main press sources either re-iterating how sick and tired Gardenhire is lately, or how sad and "remote" Ryan seems lately.  Something is about to happen, folks, in the land of ten thousand lakes, and it does not involve soaking cod in lye in a bathtub.

The "what" is more important:  What will happen after Gardy is gone?  Potentially, this would be another case of rearranging coaching chairs (c. 2012, when they blamed the lost season on Jerry and Stelly and did a round robin with the rest.)  If Tonto is still around when Kemo Sabe is gone (utterly love the sarcasm of the advertizing copy placement on that shot in so many levels, btw), it will be another failure.   It will also be a failure is Scotty and Vavry and Steiny and Bruno were kept.  They are part of the problem as well.  They need to go.  The jury is still out on Paul Molitor, who has instituted some improvements already, like the defensive shifts, and Bobby Cuellar, who I think has not given an opportunity to do what he can do with this staff in the shade of Anderson.

Fresh thoughts and ideas are needed in this Franchise.  And, of course, this starts in the front office.  I think that Terry Ryan will also retire after this season, and health issues will be sited.  He does have a bigger battle than the Twins' to fight at this point and wishing him the best.  If I were the Pohlads, I would offer someone like Joe Maddon a position similar to what Nolan Ryan had with the Rangers or Tony LaRussa has with the Diamondbacks and give him carte blanche to fix the team (and if he still likes to manage, let him manage as well.)

But this is another long story, better saved for later...

Twins' Ron Gardenhire is in a rare company among managers, and not because of the 1000 losses.

Today Ron Gardenhire achieved his 1000 loss as a Twins' manager.   In an interview with Mike Berardino, Gardenhire said that 1000 losses is an indicative of longevity, as is 1000 wins.   Is it so?

Here is a list of all managers who have lost 1000 games in their career, with Gardenhire being the 50th:

1 Connie Mack (HOF) 3948 - 9 AL Championships, 5 World Championships
2 Tony La Russa (HOF) 2365 - 3 AL Championships, 3 NL Championships, 3 World Championships   
3 Bucky Harris (HOF) 2219 - 3 AL Championships, 2 World Championships   
4 Gene Mauch 2037 -----    Minnesota Twins (1976–1980)   
5 Bobby Cox (HOF) 2001 5 NL Championships, 1 World Championship               
6 Joe Torre (HOF) 1997 6 AL Championships, 4 World Championships
7 John McGraw (HOF) 1948 10 NL Championships, 3 World Championships   
8 Casey Stengel (HOF) 1843 10 AL Championships, 7 World Championships   
9 Sparky Anderson (HOF)    1834 4 NL Championsips, 1 AL Championship, 3 World Championships   
10 Jim Leyland 1769 1 NL Championship, 2 AL Championships, 1 World Championship   
11 Bill McKechnie (HOF)    1723 4 NL Championships, 2 World Championships
12 Lou Piniella    1713  1 NL Championship, 1 World Championship   
13 Leo Durocher (HOF) 1709 3 NL Championships, 1 World Championship
14 Walter Alston (HOF) 1613 74 NL Championships, 4 World Championships   
15 Bruce Bochy    1573  3 NL Championships, 2 World Championships
16 Jimmy Dykes    1541 -----
17 Ralph Houk 1531 3 AL Championships, 2 World Championships   
18 Dusty Baker 1504 1 NL Championship
19 Dick Williams (HOF)     1451 3 AL Championsips, 1 NL Championship, 2 World Championships
20 Tom Lasorda (HOF) 1439 4 NL Championships, 2 World Championships
21 Wilbert Robinson (HOF) 1398    2 NL Championships
22 Chuck Tanner     1381 1 NL Championship, 1 World Championship   
23 Clark Griffith (HOF) 1367  1 AL Championship   
24 Joe McCarthy (HOF) 1333 8 AL Championsips, 1 NL Championship, 7 World Championships   
25 Bill Rigney 1321 ------ Minnesota Twins (1970–1972)   
26 Tom Kelly 1244 2 AL Championships, 2 World Championships       
27 John McNamara 1233 1 AL Championship       
28 Lou Boudreau (HOF) 1224 1 AL Championship, 1 World Championship
29 Fred Clarke (HOF) 1181  4 NL Championships, 1 World Championship
30 Frank Robinson (HOF)     1176 -----
31 Mike Hargrove  1173 2 AL Championships,    
32 Bobby Valentine 1165     1 NL Championship   
33 Ned Hanlon (HOF) 1164 5 NL Championships
34 Buck Showalter 1138 -------
35 Art Howe 1137 --------
36 Miller Huggins (HOF)    1134 6 AL Championships, 3 World Championships
37 Whitey Herzog (HOF)    1125 3 NL Championships, 1 World Championship   
38 Jim Fregosi 1094 1 NL Championship       
39 Frankie Frisch (HOF) 1078  1 NL Championship, 1 World Championship
40 Mike Scioscia 1072  1 AL Championship, 1 World Championship    
41 Davey Johnson 1071 1 NL Championship, 1 World Championship    
42 Charlie Grimm 1067 3 NL Championships
43 Earl Weaver (HOF) 1060 4 AL Championships, 1 World Championship    
44 Joe Cronin (HOF)  1055 2 AL Championships
45 Phil Garner 1054 1 NL Championship   
46 Terry Francona 1032    2 AL Championships, 2 World Championships
47 Felipe Alou 1021 -------
48 Billy Martin    1013 2 AL Championships, 1 World Championship
49 Al Lopez (HOF) 1004    2 AL Championships   
50 Ron Gardenhire  1000 ------  

So Ron Gardenhire is the 7th among 50 managers who managed long enough to lose 1000 and have never led their team to a World Series.   This dubious company includes Gene Mauch, Jimmy Dykes, Bill Rigney (along with Mauch, former Twins' managers,) Buck Showalter, Art Howe and Felipe Alou.

For his 1000th win, Ron Gardenhire received a custom humidor as an award.  Being in this select company among the 7 biggest loser managers, Gardenhire deserves another award: