Changes at the top

In two different sports, two coaches who were thought to be at the top of the game just a couple of years ago have been relieved of their duties. It seems hard to believe that a couple of guys who were so highly thought of can suddenly be seen in such a negative light. I’m talking, of course, about Flip Saunders of the Detroit Pistons in the NBA and John Tortorella of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL. Well, they used to be. I used to think that it was strange firing successful coaches when success was so recently in their rearview mirror. I used to think so.
Saunders was working with incredible talent who was working well as a team before he got there. I’m not much for the NBA, but I do know that Rick Carlisle and Larry Brown each served to develop a strong team atmosphere and brought the Pistons to the NBA Finals. Saunders has been unable to push the team to the next level, despite previous evidence that this group of guys was capable of doing so. This suggests that Saunders lacked the motivational skills to get the guys to advance, or, more likely, he wasn’t the best game time decision maker in the clutch. He probably deserved to go.
Tortarella maintained about the same record since his team hoisted the Cup after the 03-04 season, but the squad failed to advance past the quarter finals in either of the following two seasons. This year, he saw the Lightning collapse to 5th in the Southeast despite starting the season with many of the same core players he won the Cup with. It seemed apparent that Tortarella had lost the respect of his players. A tirade a few seasons ago against his goaltender to the press certainly didn’t help.
That being said, I think this season should probably be Ron Gardenhire’s last. Much like Saunders, he came into a situation that was created mostly by his predecessor, Tom Kelly, and he managed to continue the success for the next three seasons. Things took a negative turn the next year as well as last year. I’ll get to 2006 in a moment, but it appears to be the exception that proves thr rule. This year, the Twins are contending in the AL Central despite themselves.
Gardenhire has two major flaws that are seen in two other managers in particular. Two successful managers at that, which is part of the reason why they may not be seen as flaws. Gardy, like Tony La Russa, micromanages his bullpen, therefore using up way too many pitchers and putting himself in potential binds in tight games, particularly those in extra innings. In La Russa’s most successful seasons, he had pitchers in Matt Morris and Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder that could eat up innings, meaning that he didn’t have to use the bullpen for three or four innings, as we are seeing all too often this season in Minnesota.
His other flaw is his devotion to small ball, or smart ball or whatever you want to call it. Ozzie Guillen used a variant on route to the World Series in 2005. The difference is this. Guillen’s version involved the top of the order, guys like Podsednik and Iguchi getting on base, maybe stealing a bag or two, followed by Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and Joe Crede hitting an extra base hit, like a home run. Gardenhire’s version involves the lead off man, Cristian Guzman, Luis Castillo, Shannon Stewart, or Carlos Gomez in previous incarnations, getting on base, then putting someone like Nick Punto in the two slot to bunt the runner over. Always a bunt. Always an out. Then the problem would be compacted by having Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer or Torii Hunter try to slap a ball the other way. In these two scenarios, the White Sox have scored 2-3 runs, while the Twins have scored 1. Do you see the issue? Nevertheless, Gardenhire’s teams were always praised for manufacturing their runs. That 2006 season, where the wins won 96 games and won the division, by the way, was the one in which Justin Morneau and Torii Hunter were the first two Twins to hit 30 home runs in a season since Tom Brunansky back in 1986. Funny what a little power in the meat of the order will do.
La Russa and Guillen each had the pitching staff and the mashing lineup to cover up their flaws in the middle of their World Series winning years. Current general manager Bill Smith appears to be trying to augment the Twins power, particularly with the addition of Delmon Young in the offseason, but it doesn’t seem to be taking. Nobody in the Twins lineup is hitting for power this year, outside of the always reliable Justin Morneau, and eventually, the accusatory eye has to be turned to the coaching staff. At what point does Smith react to the fact that Gardenhire is coaching away from the team he is trying to build?
Now, I’m not saying that Gardenhire is necessarily a bad manager. He is an excellent fundamental coach. The Twins farm system, however, is steeped in the fundamentals, and in the majors, it seems redundant to continue this approach. For a team like the Pirates who could just use guidance and direction, Gardy would be perfect. For a team that needs to step up and reach the next level, following Bill Smith’s framework, it might be time for Gardenhire to go, even if he has been successful. It happened to Saunders and Torterella.