MLB

Ron Gardenhire A Terrific Candidate To Join Pittsburgh Pirates

Fresh Videos

By @Tweets_ByJ

Ron Gardenhire

Getty Images

Sometimes it’s funny how things work out for different people and organizations.

For example, Ron Gardenhire was recently fired as manager of the Minnesota Twins after a tenure of over 12 years with the team. Coincidentally, the Pittsburgh Pirates just lost their bench coach, Jeff Banister, to the Texas Rangers where he will be their new manager.

With Gardenhire needing a new job and the Pirates having a position open, it looks like there could be a match. And other than both parties needing each other, there are several reasons why Gardenhire looks like a prime candidate to replace Banister with the Pirates.

The most obvious reason why Gardenhire could be targeted by the Pirates is his relationship with manager Clint Hurdle. The two are very close from their playing days when both were preparing for the MLB Draft as kids. They also played together with the New York Mets for two seasons. The two still maintain a strong relationship today and are in contact quite often. This strong connection should give Gardenhire a good look from the Pirates’ skipper and could convince Gardenhire to join Hurdle in Pittsburgh.

Gardenhire will also be considered for the job because of his great deal of experience. It is not often that a manager with 12 years of experience is looking for a new job, especially when he has won six division titles with his team in that time. That type of experience would be extremely valuable for a young team like the Pirates that is still trying to find its footing in the postseason.

The final reason why Gardenhire would be perfect for the Pirates is that he would provide balance on the coaching staff. The staff in Pittsburgh is one of the most innovative, relying on a lot of statistical analysis when making decisions. Gardenhire is not a huge fan of statistics and could be one who will challenge their analysis, making sure the Pirates’ staff is looking at situations from every angle possible, not just the statistical analysis.

Gardenhire seems like the perfect fit for the Pirates. He has a strong relationship with manager Hurdle, a ton of postseason experience and would bring a more traditional approach to a team that is very new school with statistics. Gardenhire may be looking for a more lucrative job than bench coach and the Pirates may want a more statistical coach to replace Banister, but this match makes too much sense not to happen.

Justin Broyles is a Pirates writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @Tweets_ByJ, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on