Minnesota Twins decided to fire Ron Gardenhire in final two weeks

By Josh Hill | Oct 13, 2014

Aug 19, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire walks back to the dugout against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

Minnesota Twins fans watched their team implode again this year and the collapse ended up costing Ron Gardenhire his long standing job.

Ron Gardenhire became the first Minnesota Twins manager since Billy Gardern in 1985 to be fired while on the job. It was a mild shock to Twins fans, but a move that almost didn’t happen. Gardenhire’s fate had been hanging in the balance for a few seasons, and 2014 was the last straw for Minnesota.

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According to Boston Globe reporter Nick Cafardo, the Twins were actually going to keep Gardenhire for another season until the team imploded over the last two weeks of the season.

"The Twins recently fired longtime skipper Ron Gardenhire after much soul-searching. They had intended to being Gardenhire back until the final two weeks of the season when they started to change their mind."

Unlike other clubs, the Twins and Gardenhire had a very intimate relationship that made parting ways really hard. Gardenhire has stuck with the Twins through thick and thin when he easily could have walked away in the past, with the same going for the Twins faith in the skipper.

Minnesota has only fired one manager since 1985, and that’s Gardenhire. Only two managers have managed the team since 1986 which right there tells you how hard this decision was for the Twins to make.

Still, the move needed to be made and while fans are sad to see Gardenhire go, everyone including the man himself acknowledges it was for the best. What’s interesting to note is that it almost didn’t happen, which shows the love the Twins had for the manager they almost always stood by.

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