So, it's not the manager. And it's not the coaches. Or Terry Ryan.

That means it's the players, a conclusion I'm comfortable with. But we're going to need some new ones then. Because the answer to "why did we lose ninety six games?" can't be a shoulder shrug. Something isn't good and needs to be replaced.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/225822921.html

Ron Gardenhire will return as Twins manager
Article by: STAFF REPORTS Updated: September 30, 2013 - 12:46 PM
The Twins have decided to retain Manager Ron Gardenhire and his entire coaching staff. A press conference is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today.

Ron Gardenhire will return as Twins manager and is expected to get a two-year contract, according to a Twins official.

Another team source told La Velle E. Neal III that the entire coaching staff will return next season as well.

The Twins have called a 2:30 p.m. press conference at Target Field. The press conference will be available live on startribune.com. You can watch it by clicking here.

Gardenhire’s Twins finished the 2013 season with a 66-96 record, losing 20 of their final 25 games and being outscored by 90 runs during that closing stretch.

Gardenhire met with GM Terry Ryan on Sunday to discuss the direction of the team and the state of the organization in general as the two of them often do during a season. Gardenhire is 998-947 in his 12 seasons, but just 195-291 over the last three years.

In bringing him back, Ryan is sending a message that the problem lies much more with the talent on the field, and particularly on the mound, than in the dugout.

"We have struggled. I'm the one who has given him the players, and I understand that," Ryan said last week. "We've got to have the talent for any manager or coach to succeed. But we know where we are and I think we've got a pretty good idea of where we are going, and I'm trying to take a lot of responsibility for what's going on with this record.

"I'm not pretending that he's got the most talented roster we have ever seen him have, so we've got a lot of work ahead of us."

Gardenhire had early success as Twins manager, winning six AL Central titles in his first nine seasons, before the recent downturn. The Twins are known as a model of stability, and have had only two managers since the end of the 1986 season, when Tom Kelly replaced Ray Miller. Kelly and Gardenhire have managed the team continuously since, giving the organization the sort of stability seldom seen in professional sports.

Gardenhire ended the season as the second longest tenured manager in the majors, trailing only the Los Angeles Angels Mike Scoscia.

Gardenhire was hoping to win his 1,000th career game this season, but ended the season with 998 after the Twins lost 10 of their final 11 games.

Gardenhire has a reputation as a popular players’ manager with his talkative, outgoing style. His sharp wit and humor were personal trademarks.

He inherited a team in 2002 that the previous summer under Kelly had snapped the organization’s streak of eight straight losing seasons. The 2002 team included a core of young players — Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, Doug Mientkiwicz, Cristian Guzman, Corey Koskie and A.J. Pierzynzski — most of whom became regulars for the first time in 1999.

Gardenhire’s recent years with the Twins had no similar wealth of young talent ready to help at the big league level. The Twins went 94-68 in 2010 — the fifth time Gardenhire’s teams had at least 90 victories — but stunmbled to 63-99 the next season.

Team officials blamed the dropoff on injuries that limited team stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau to a combined 150 games. But the team went 66-96 in 2012, and it became clear the bulk of the team’s problems could be linked to an inept starting pitching staff.

Gardenhire entered the 2013 season in the final year of his contract, and with several new pitchers — Vance Worley, the Opening Day starter, Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey — who failed to provide the team with the sort of pitching needed to show improvement in the standings.

Twins starting pitchers were last in the majors in almost every major statistical category.

Gardenhire backers within the organization pointed to the improvements made by players like second baseman Brian Dozier and shortstop Pedro Florimon. The Twins biggest areas of improvement this season were in defense and the bullpen.