Minnesota Twins: Ron Gardenhire favorite to be new San Diego Padres manager
It looks like former Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is close to being back in the game. ESPN’s Jim Bowden is reporting that Gardenhire is the leading candidate to get the open managerial job with the San Diego Padres.
Ron Gardenhire is the leading candidate to be the next manager of the San Diego Padres. Rick Sofield is the... https://t.co/Z3ZrhCCYUM
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) October 28, 2015
Gardenhire has interviewed for the San Diego gig twice now and looks to be the leader in the clubhouse with Padres third base coach Rick Sofield being the other finalist. Sofield does not have any managerial experience at the major league level.
Gardenhire had also interviewed for the open job with the Washington Nationals, but that job looks now to be filled by Bud Black. Black, ironically enough, is the reason there is an opening in San Diego after he was let go mid-season.
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It has been widely assumed that Gardenhire would not have a hard time finding a job after being relieved of his duties with the Twins before this past season. Gardenhire won six division titles in 13 seasons at the helm for Minnesota, but he also did have five losing seasons in that tenure. Gardenhire currently has a managerial record of 1,068-1,039 and had a much better winning percentage before the absolute horrid run the Twins had from 2011-2014. Gardenhire won the American League Manager of the Year award in 2010.
The second interview for the San Diego Padres job for Gardenhire was reported by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. Heyman also lists Alex Cora, Tom Gordon, Diamondbacks coach Andy Green and former Twin Phil Nevin as candidates for the San Diego job.
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