Ron Gardenhire

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Lore & Background

Gardenhire's approach stood in sharp contrast to his predecessor. While Tom Kelly was known for a calm demeanor, Gardenhire frequently exited the dugout to argue with umpires, leading fans and media to joke that he accumulated more ejections in a single season than Kelly did in his entire career. This fiery personality became a signature of his era; an early 2006 commercial even poked fun at him arguing with an office worker instead of heading home after work. Despite the frequent ejections, his teams found consistent success on the field. Under his leadership, the Twins won six division titles, though they struggled in the playoffs, posting a record of 6 wins and 21 losses. He became one of just five managers with at least four playoff appearances who never reached the World Series, joining Bob Melvin in that distinction after 2020.

In Their Own Story

On April 5, 2014, the narrative of Gardenhire's career hit a major milestone. At Progressive Field against the Cleveland Indians, he secured his 1,000th managerial victory with a 7–3 win, becoming only the tenth manager in history to reach that mark with just one team, joining Tom Kelly on that exclusive list. By the end of the 2013 season, he had already accumulated 998 wins. However, the final years were difficult; after three consecutive seasons with over 90 losses, he received a two-year extension in September 2013. The subsequent four years proved to be the worst in Twins history, featuring 383 losses and a run of 78–148 from August 1 through the end of that final season. On September 29, 2014, after 13 seasons as manager and 27 total years with the organization, he was fired. His overall record stood at 1,068 wins and 1,039 losses.

Reader's Guide

Fans looking to understand Gardenhire's impact should note his unique path from player to executive. Selected by the New York Mets in the sixth round of the 1979 draft, he played shortstop for them from 1981 to 1985 before finishing his playing days with the Twins' Triple-A affiliate. As manager, he navigated a team through financial contraction threats to secure their lease at the Metrodome and guide them back to relevance. His contract history reflects his value: extensions in 2008 (through 2011), 2010 (through 2013), and a surprising two-year deal in late 2013 despite poor performance. He was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2022.

Did You Know?

• Gardenhire was ejected 73 times during his 13 seasons as Twins manager, a frequency so high that he was featured in a commercial arguing with an office worker instead of attending a game.
• He is one of only ten managers in MLB history to reach 1,000 wins while managing only one team, joining Tom Kelly on this exclusive list.
• Despite leading the Twins to six division titles, his playoff record was 6–21, and he never reached a World Series.
• He finished as runner-up for the Manager of the Year award five times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009), tying Tony La Russa for the most runner-up finishes in history.
• Before managing the Twins, he was a finalist for the San Francisco Giants manager position in late 1993 but lost out to Dusty Baker.