Could Ron Gardenhire be headed for the National League?
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, Gardenhire will interview to become the next manager of the San Diego Padres. Gardenhire would replace former Padres’ manager Bud Black, who was fired at midseason.
San Diego finished with a 74-88 record this year. The team had a combined 649-713 (.477) record in eight-plus seasons with Black at the helm.
Gardenhire was fired after four consecutive 90-loss seasons in Minnesota. But he won six American League Central titles between 2002 and 2010, while also being named the American League Manager of the Year in 2010.
When asked last week what type of manager he was looking for, Padres General Manager A.J. Preller said that he wanted someone “open to winning ideas and thoughts.”
“We’re betting on a person, we’re betting on a guy we feel like can be a leader,” Preller told the Union Tribune, “someone who can bring more on the relationship and culture side, more on the day-to-day leadership. The clubhouse, the communication, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing.”
The thought of Ron Gardenhire living in San Diego, making double-switches, and working under a 38-year-old Ivy League GM is a funny one.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) October 13, 2015
As Hardball Talk notes, Gardenhire isn’t known for being a “new-school” manager, but he’s a well-respected veteran who has managed more than 2,100 games with a .507 winning percentage in Minnesota.
Gardenhire played shortstop for the New York Mets from 1981-85 before he became a manager in the Twins’ farm system. Before he became the Twins manager he spent 11 seasons as the club’s third-base coach.
