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THE MINNEAPPLE… The Minnesota Twins have relieved manager Ron Gardenhire of his managerial duties this morning, as well as the entire coaching staff. As for “Gardy,” as he is affectionately known, he has been offered a spot in the front office working with former GM Bill Smith. That’s something I don’t see Gardy doing. That’s not how he’s built. First off, there is no dirt in the front office. Gardy is a dirt guy. He has to be near it or on it for nine months a year or his whole systemic equilibrium goes out of whack. Secondly, I tend to think there is a better than even chance he will be behind another club’s bench next year. It’s a day after the end of the regular season, and there will be openings. There always are.

I have spent some time going through some threads this evening, and along with a lot of thank you’s and best wishes there was the usual amount of detractors saying good riddance and that Twins GM Terry Ryan should be on the way out, too. I can see both sides. Consecutive losing seasons without much hope can drag some fans over the edge. But I also know how hard it is to win in any sport, at any level, and I’m an old fart now, so my patience is stronger than in my younger days. It is hard to get good and even harder to stay that way.

One fan was particularly wrung out over Gardy’s playoff record. And honestly speaking, it is not good. But if you break it down, you can apply some perspective to it. In 2002 the club won a five-game series against Oakland. They lost to the Anaheim Angels in the ALCS in five games. The Angels went on to win the World Series. In 2003 they bowed out to the Yankees in the divisional series in four games. The Pinstripers advanced to the World Series before losing to Florida in six games. In 2004 the club lost out once again to the Yankees in four games. The Yanks lost out in an epic seven-game series to Boston, who went on to blank the St. Louis Cardinals four games to nil. The Cards that year had a pretty tough club on the field.

In 2006 the Twins lost out to Oakland in a three-game whitewash. I haven’t dug up any box scores from that series, but my lousy memory is telling me that I was fit to be tied after those games due to the number of base runners the Twins had in that series that they couldn’t advance or score. The club had opportunities. In 2009 and 2010 our old friends the Yanks came calling, and the Twins bowed out both times 3-0 in the ALDS. In 2009 the Yanks went on to become the eventual champions, and the next year lost out to the AL World Series entrant, the Texas Rangers, who went on to get “whupped” by the WS-winning San Francisco Giants.  

Out of these playoffs, the one that left me with a bad taste was the loss to the Angels. I think the Twins were good enough that year that with a couple of breaks they could have got into the WS, and with a couple more breaks could have won it. The 2004 team I think could have taken the Yankees series, but again, no breaks, and you are going up against a big roster there. The series loss to Oakland probably left me the most upset because I thought that was a series we should have won, too. The last two playoff series losses to the Yanks—well, I can’t even quantify that. You know, going up against a club with a bazillion-dollar roster.

So I get the criticism, then I don’t get it. Six out of your 13 seasons you manage one of the eight best clubs in the show. Don’t forget the 2008 one-game playoff with the Chicago White Sox that the Twins lost 1-0 in one of the best, most dramatic games I have seen in my life, and Gardy can’t get any respect. Gardy must be the Rodney Dangerfield of MLB.

Every fan has their opinion, and here is mine: Gardy, thanks for your efforts and dedication to my all-time favorite baseball team. I have been watching since I was a little seven-year-old punk growing up on West 7th across the river from the Fort. You had a good run, brother, a good run. Best wishes always…

THE NHL REGULAR SEASON kicks off next week on Wednesday October 8th and I can’t wait. One game that night I will be really interested in will be Montreal at Toronto. These two clubs do not like one another, to the point that this off-season when the Habs wanted to trade D-man Josh Georges to the Leafs, he said no way, he wouldn’t OK it or report. He ended up in Buffalo. A few years back I saw the Leafs’ home opener, which also doubled as the grand opening of the then-new Air Canada Center. It was pretty tremendous. The best part just might have been the presentation of the Canadian colors that night with the bagpipers from the 48th Highlanders regiment (formed in 1891) bringing them in. I’m telling you, every hair on your body would have been standing up, and you would have had goose bumps the size of baseballs, not to mention tears in your eyes. This night was beyond awesome…

WITH THE NFL wife and kid-beating scandals quieting down in the news cycles this week, Roger Goodell has set out to show the viewing public that he is really trying to do something about this within the league. He visited a domestic abuse hotline call center, and the workers there said he was really “attentive.” Glad to see you finally found your “attention” hat regarding this, Roger. He also visited the hard-nosed coach at the University of Texas, Charlie Strong, to talk about the college game and discipline and so on. Nice try, Roger, since the recent events aren’t the first time at the rodeo on these issues for the NFL. Where have you been all along? Too little, too late… PEACE


Marc Elliott is a sports opinion writer who splits his time between Minnesota and his hometown in Illinois…