Terry Ryan Expects Gardenhire Back for Twins Next Year

The Minnesota Twins find themselves sitting in the doldrums of the AL Central once again this year.  The arrow is point directly at yet another 90 loss season, and while 2015 appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the man in charge wants to bring the man in the dugout back to right the ship.

Terry Ryan told the Star Tribune that he expects both himself and Ron Gardenhire back next year in saying:

"Ryan was asked if he wants to come back next season.“Let me get through the year,” he said. “Like everything around this organization, we usually wait until the end of the year before we make any decisions.”What about Gardenhire?“Same stuff. He is signed for next year, so you don’t have to worry about him.”He’ll be back?“Yeah, yeah, I would say he’ll be back,” Ryan said."

While we mentioned Gardenhire’s struggles it seems as though Terry Ryan isn’t yet convinced the club needs to move on from the longtime manager.

Ron Gardenhire does have one year left on his deal, however, if he is brought back next year without a contract extension, the endorsement from Ryan would likely be anything but ringing.  The thought process would be that the losing has been a by-product of a bad team rather than poor management.

I would like to believe that very few managers could do much with what the Twins have to work with this year.  That being said, if Gardenhire falls on his face again next year, he should be gone before the summer gets hot.  The Twins need to be looking at 2015 as a drastic opportunity for change, and with the prospects coming up and contributing, anyone holding them back needs to go.

As with all things in Twins Territory, it is likely that Gardenhire’s replacement is already with the club and waiting in the wings.  The argument for change now is fair, but should it wait until 2015, the decision should be swift and without question.

There is no doubt that the Twins need to start winning, and do so quickly.