Worthy of Praise

The Twins are just that pesky team that occasionally makes the playoffs, right? They're that team that people point to as evidence that revenue sharing is working to some extent. They're the proof that "Moneyball" is effective for general managers. But what is the glue that has held this team together for the last 8 years, and exactly how good have they been for the last few years?
Well, that loveable guy that turns beet red when he is mad; the one who seems like he would make a great Santa Claus -yeah, I mean Ron Gardenhire- is that glue. Yes, the Twins have done a great job recruiting the right veterans, grooming the right youngsters, making the value trades, etc., but without Gardenhire these elements don't seem like they would have come together. Gardenhire gives this team its feistiness, its tenacity, and most of all its intelligence. The Twins play National League smallball; they bunt, walk, steal, and sacrifice. Most importantly, Gardenhire coaches these traits perfectly. He teaches smart players.
Speaking of those smart players, anyone heard of Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau recently? Or maybe Johan Santana? Yeah, the Twins have some great players. And as a team, they do alright as well. Did you know that in Gardenhire's 8 years as manager, the Twins have ended as division champs 5 years. That's almost as good as Torre's Yankee postseason streak! I mean think about it... if Torre had to coach with Gardenhire's payroll, it would be a miracle for him to come up with the 12 straight postseason berths. Yeah, they're that good! That's pretty incredible if you ask me, and I just want to go on record saying that Gardenhire deserves way more credit than he gets, and he's made me proud to someday want to call the Twins my hometown team.