Does Gardy Ever Hear Himself Speak? (A Rant)

by MNPundit on May 1, 2006 1:18 PM EDT Comment 9 comments

Gardenhire:
"Baseball goes in cycles, always in cycles," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We had a good April last year, and it didn't exactly work out the way we wanted to. This year we've not had a very good April. Maybe we can turn it around and play better the rest of the year."

When Dick and Bert do it, I understand. They're announcers on TV they have to parrot the organization line. When Gladden and... I'm drawing a blank on the other guy right now forgive me, but when the radio guys say things like it annoys me more because radio is a freer medium than TV but I still understand. They need to spin things for the Twins.

So you'd think I understand when Gardenhire says stuff like this... but you'd be wrong.

If I thought Gardy was just saying that because it's what he's supposed to say, I wouldn't worry that much. But it's become apparent over the one year when he actually had to take heat because the Twins sucked, that he really believes this kind of thing. He really believes it's all just luck and there's almost nothing he can do about it except trust in his veterans and massage egos.

When he says that we did well the 1st month in 2005 and look how that turned out, and look how bad now... Does he think we're stupid?

You can point to the example of the As as second-half surges, but have you seen in this organization anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE (besides Santana) the kind of talent, drive, intelligence and confidence that making a comback of that magnitude requires? I haven't at least, not at the major league level.

Gardenhire saying stuff like that sounds so idiotic and patronizing both, that I can barely stand it. It was annoying when the Twins were winning divisions titles but now? 100 times worse at least. I want to reach through the TV/Radio/Newspaper and yell at him "Get a clue! Use your head for once!"

I think the most frustrating thing is that there's no hope of kicking him out anytime soon. Let's have a little less superficial Minnesota Nice and some more substantive leadership please.

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Gardenfire

What he says doesn't make so angrey as the ridiculously stupid things he does before, during, and after games.

by AdamOnFirst on May 1, 2006 2:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I've given up

...on seeing him manage intelligently more than 2 days in a row. Low expectations I guess, but when he says things like that quote above it feels like he insults my intelligence.

by MNPundit on May 1, 2006 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not a problem unique to the Twins...

Let's have a little less superficial Minnesota Nice and some more substantive leadership please.

Outside of a few teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox, if you look around, or listen to their broadcasts on mlb.tv, you'll see that this is pretty common behavior. A team's broadcasting partners aren't likely to criticize the team much, and managers usually put a positive spin on things, because the more it looks bad for the team, the more their job is in danger. I don't think this particular issue has much, if anything, to do with the fact that the team is in Minnesota.

by ubelmann on May 1, 2006 2:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's true

I know Gard has to say certain things because of his position but I'd prefer something that didn't seem so transparently obvious. Conversely I think he DOES believe it, which is kind of scary if you think about it.

I know other announcers (i.e. Yankees, or occasinoally Cubs) do the same which is why I just shrug it off for both radio and TV though the radio announcers annoy me a bit more than the TV ones.

The Minnesota Nice thing was a turn of phrase mostly. I don't think it has much to do with where the team is based though I think the mindset and organizational philosophy might be.

by MNPundit on May 1, 2006 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Minnesota Nice

I don't think it really affects what the sportswriters say as much as keeping their jobs and interview contacts. That and some of the (most inept) writers are "close personal friends" with teh people in question...

by AdamOnFirst on May 1, 2006 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Excellent Point

I'd forgotten about the friendly relationships

by MNPundit on May 1, 2006 11:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gardy's saying what should be said publicly

I think you're making too much of this, probably because you don't care for Gardy as a manager.

What would you have him say?

Managers who rip their team in public foment mutiny against themself - mutinous teams rarely win.

Managers who quit on their team publicly give their team an excuse to quit on itself.

Managers who rip their team publicly give fans ample reason to find something else to do this summer - there's still a business aspect to consider here.

While he can acknowledge the lousy start, Gardy cannot say anything but "we're not dead." He has to express confidence that this bunch can right itself & get back in the game because saying anything else practically guarantees that it won't happen.

The manager is not an independent critic who can say whatever he wants whenever he chooses. He's part of the family and that means defending the family publicly even when it screws up.

by BD57 on May 2, 2006 7:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Issue

My issue isn't the optomism, I believe we can turn it around, my issue is that he is continueing to put the crappy lineup out there, full of guys that I could tell you a month agao (and did often) would vreate a poor lineup and isn't fixing anything. This is even more infuriating since most of these fixes were quite clearly the right call from the start.

Gardy seems to shrug and think "maybe we'll pull out of it" instead of "gee, maybe those Jason's I sent back to rochester wren't so bad after all..."

by AdamOnFirst on May 3, 2006 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs