Former Met Ron Gardenhire To Be Named Manager

[GaryMrMets]

http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20020103_gardenh ire_news&team_id=mlb

News

1/3/2002 7:30 pm ET

Twins to name Gardenhire manager

By Kris Lien
MLB.com

The Minnesota Twins have scheduled a press conference for Friday at 10:30 a.m. CT at which time they are expected to name Ron Gardenhire as their new manager.

Gardenhire, who has spent the past 10 seasons on the Twins coaching staff, would be the 12th manager in team history and will inherit a team that rose from oblivion to post an 85-win season and challenge for a playoff spot.

"The consensus is it's going to be Gardy," hitting coach Scott Ullger, who also had interviewed for the job, told The Associated Press Thursday. "It's a good choice and I'm really happy for him."

When longtime Twins' Manager Tom Kelly stepped down after 15 seasons as the field general, the immediate thought was that General Manager Terry Ryan had two excellent managerial candidates on his payroll already.

Gardenhire, a third base coach, and Twins' bench coach Paul Molitor expressed interest in taking over for Kelly, which left Ryan with a tough, yet encouraging decision to make. Molitor is a local hero and a likely future Hall-of-Famer as a respected player at all levels of baseball.

Gardenhire has paid his dues on the coaching staff and achieved great success as a Minor League manager. He also went 5-4 as interim manager in July of 2000 when Kelly left the team to be with his ailing father.

Ryan's decision certainly was made easier when Molitor withdrew his name as a candidate in early December, citing the uncertainty with the immediate future of baseball in Minnesota.

Ryan also interviewed several external candidates, as well as Ullger.

The 44-year-old Gardenhire spent parts of five seasons as an infielder for the Mets, where he hit .232 average over 285 games. After retiring as a player in 1987, he segued smoothly into a career as a minor-league manager in the Twins' system. In

1988, Gardenhire managed single-A Kenosha of the Midwest League and guided the club to an 81-59 finish. The next two seasons at double-A Orlando also were winning campaigns and people took notice of a rising managerial star.

The accolades poured in as Gardenhire was named the Southern League's Best Manager by Baseball America in 1989 and that league's co-Manager of the Year in 1990. Baseball America also called him the league's best managerial prospect that same season.

In 1991, Gardenhire joined Kelly's coaching staff as the third base coach. A 1995 Achilles tendon injury forced a move to the dugout as Kelly's bench coach. He returned to the field as first-base coach in 1996 before shifting back to third in 1999.

Along the way, Gardenhire's easy-going style and friendliness has earned respect from Twins players and staff. "He's a great guy and he's great with all of the players," said starting pitcher Joe Mays.

"He has a great personality and he's been around baseball and TK long enough to understand different levels and thoughts that go into the game of baseball. To learn from TK, I don't think there is a better mentor to learn from."

The promoting of Gardenhire would leave an additional vacancy on the Twins coaching staff. Pitching coach Dick Such and trainer Dick Martin didn't have their contracts renewed after the 2001 season. Ryan said he isn't certain if he will also name the coaching staff at the scheduled press conference. The Twins are expected to promote coaches from their minor league system to fill the open positions.

Ryan had put the managerial search on hold after baseball's owners voted Nov. 6 to eliminate two teams. He said Thursday he couldn't wait any longer.

"We're under the assumption that we're going to play and eventually we've got to have a manager and a coaching staff to direct this team," Ryan told the AP.

Kris Lien is the site manager for twinsbaseball.com. Mark Sheldon, site reporter for twinsbaseball.com, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


http://www.mlb.com/mlb/photo/2001_offseason/misc/ph_news_gardenhire288_101501.jpg
Ron Gardenhire (right) offers advice to second baseman Luis Rivas. He is expected to be named manager of the Twins on Friday.

[Baseball Guru]

Here is the done deal article for all those diehard Twins fans out there:hmm:

Gardenhire named Twins new manager

Players, staff excited to have him leading the way
By Kris Lien
MLB.com

Official Minnesota Twins Press Release

MINNEAPOLIS -- After a 10-year apprenticeship under legendary Twins manager Tom Kelly, Ron Gardenhire will take over the reigns of the team in hopes of leading them back to the postseason for the first time since 1991.

"This is an honor," Gardenhire said. "This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. ... To have a job, be it here in my home state -- I've brought my family here to live -- is wonderful."

Gardenhire is the 12th manager in team history and will inherit a team that rose from oblivion to post an 85-win season and challenge for a playoff spot. He signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2004.

"The entire Twins organization is excited to have Ron Gardenhire as our new manager," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "Over the years, Ron has developed tremendous baseball knowledge working under the tutelage of Tom Kelly, and now he has the opportunity to put those skills to work. He has proven that he is the best person for this position because of his hard work, loyalty and familiarity with the Minnesota Twins, since he came to the organization in 1987."

When Kelly stepped down after 15 seasons as the field general, the immediate thought was that Ryan had two excellent managerial candidates on his bench already.

Gardenhire, a third base and infield coach, and Twins' bench coach Paul Molitor expressed interest in taking over for Kelly, which left Ryan with a tough, yet encouraging decision to make. A future Hall of Famer, Molitor is a local hero and a respected player at all levels of baseball.

Gardenhire has paid his dues on the coaching staff and achieved great success as a minor league manager. He also went 5-4 as interim manager in July of 2000 when Kelly left the team to be with his ailing father.

Ryan's decision certainly was made easier when Molitor withdrew his name as a candidate in early December, citing the uncertainty with the immediate future of baseball in Minnesota.

Ryan also interviewed several external candidates, as well as hitting coach Scott Ullger.

"It's a good choice and I'm really happy for him," Ullger said of Gardenhire's hiring.

The 44-year-old Gardenhire spent parts of five seasons as an infielder for the Mets, where he hit .232 average over 285 games. After retiring as a player in 1987, he segued smoothly into a career as a minor-league manager in the Twins' system.

In 1988, Gardenhire managed Class-A Kenosha of the Midwest League and guided the club to an 81-59 finish. The next two seasons at Double-A Orlando also were winning campaigns and people took notice of a rising managerial star.

The accolades poured in as Gardenhire was named the Southern League's Best Manager by Baseball America in 1989 and that league's co-manager of the Year in 1990. Baseball America also called him the league's best managerial prospect that same season.

In 1991, Gardenhire joined Kelly's coaching staff as the third base coach. A 1995 Achilles tendon injury forced a move to the dugout as Kelly's bench coach. He returned to the field as first-base coach in 1996 before shifting back to third in 1999.

Along the way, Gardenhire's easy-going style and friendliness has earned respect from Twins players and staff.

"He's a great guy and he's great with all of the players," said starting pitcher Joe Mays. "He has a great personality and he's been around baseball and TK long enough to understand different levels and thoughts that go into the game of baseball. To learn from TK, I don't think there is a better mentor to learn from."

Those sentiments were echoed by Gardenhire's centerfielder Torii Hunter.

"I think my teammates will be happy. Everybody likes Gardy. He's a great guy," Hunter said. "We've never had him as a manager, but I think he's going to do a fine job. You can go talk to Gardy. He's not the type of person that isn't going to talk to you. He going to give you confidence and let you go out and play. I think Gardy's going to be a great manager."

The promoting of Gardenhire leaves an additional vacancy on the Twins coaching staff. Pitching coach Dick Such and trainer Dick Martin didn't have their contracts renewed after the 2001 season. Ryan said the Twins will fill out their coaching staff soon. They are expected to promote coaches from their minor league system to fill the open positions.

Kris Lien is the site manager for twinsbaseball.com. Mark Sheldon, site reporter for twinsbaseball.com, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.