Gardenhire talked about the stability he expects from Jamie Carroll at shortstop this season. He said he was never in favor of sending Jason Bartlett to the Rays in '07 in the trade that brought Delmon Young to Minnesota. Also, he added that he wasn't happy with the decision to not bring back Nick Punto last offseason. But he was happy to see him win the World Series with the Cardinals, and texted him shortly after the Fall Classic to congratulate him.
--Rhett Bollinger, MLB.com
GARDENHIRE: Judas Priest, Nicky, ur a world champ. Congradulations!
PUNTO: GARDY! THANK U GET MONEY LNP
GARDENHIRE: saw u getting after it out there, playing Twins baseball LOL.
PUNTO: JUST DOVE HEADFIRST INTO COMMISH SELIG LOL LOOKS LIKE HE'S HURT OH WELL
GARDENHIRE: LOL
PUNTO: YEAH PRETTY XCITED JUST SAW DON DRAPER
GARDENHIRE: whos that
PUNTO: U KNOW FROM MAD MEN, THINK HIS REAL NAME IS JOHN OR TIM SOMETHING, BIG CARDS FAN
GARDENHIRE: drawing a blank, don't watch mutch tv except for my stories
PUNTO: OH YEAH SORRY THEY CANCELD PASSIONS AGAIN
GARDENHIRE: yeah Timmy died in real life RIP
PUNTO: 2 BAD U WATCHING THE VOICE
GARDENHIRE: hell yes, luv that show.
PUNTO: ME 2 WANNA GET TATS W/C-LO AND ADAM LOL
GARDENHIRE: hey you got that playoff share spent yet?
PUNTO: GETTING A CHOPPEWR
GARDENHIRE: cool, what kind???
PUNTO: DON'T KNOW BUT IM GOANNA GET IT DETAILED REAL NICE
GARDENHIRE: baseball theme?
PUNTO: MAYBE, GET AN 8 BALL ON IT 2 MATCH MY SWEET JACKET, A UNICORN 2 LOL
GARDENHIRE: a unicorn? Chrysler
PUNTO: THERE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
[five minutes elapse]
PUNTO: HEY GARDY U STILL UP
GARDENHIRE: yup, just had 2 take a leek. Took down some Silver Bullets during the end of that game-- prett intense LOL.
PUNTO: NO DOUBT LOL HEY PROSTATE HEALTH IS IMPORTANT
GARDENHIRE: yr telling me, hows the party going
PUNTO: TARP AND PLASTIC ALL OVER THE PLACE, LUBED UP WITH CHAMPAGNE AND BUD, GONNA DO SOME HEADFIRST SLIDING
GARDENHIRE: Lol whats new
PUNTO: ALBERT SAYS IF I KEEP PULLING THAT CRAP HE'S GOING TO SIGN SOMEWHERE ELSE YEARH RIGHT BRO!!!
GARDENHIRE: hey u coming back next year
PUNTO: GET PAID LNP
GARDENHIRE: I know that LOL, just want 2 know where??!
PUNTO: OMG U KNOW I WANT 2 COME BACK!!! JUST 2 MANY HATERS IN FRONT OFFICE
GARDENHIRE: Don't think U have to worry about 1 of them...?
PUNTO: WHOA REALLY LOL?
GARDENHIRE: Din't hear it from me. What did Lew Ford always say? keep it secret keep it safe
PUNTO: HEY THATS FROM LORD OF THE RINGS
GARDENHIRE: never saw that
PUNTO: ITS PRETTY GOOD LOTS OF ACTION
GARDENHIRE: last new movie I saw was the Notebook.
PUNTO: CHICK FLICK LOL!
GARDENHIRE: I know, wife wanted to see it, I still cried like a damn baby.
PUNTO: NO WAY DUDE
GARDENHIRE: what can I say, really hit home 4 me. Anyway yeah if U want to get back here, door might B open
PUNTO: LNP DOLLAR DOLLAR BILL$
GARDENHIRE: smh