The way I see it professional sports is a lot like politics. We, the fans, vote with our dollars, whether directly through ticket and merchandise sales or indirectly through watching games and viewing the advertising that brings income to the team. While the management and players don’t directly work for the fans like politicians work for the citizens, there is a similarity in that without the fans they literally wouldn’t have jobs. So when Ron Gardenhire’s defense of his boneheaded handling of the Twins lineup is an indignant “We’re in first place, guys” I find it offensive.
Sure, Gardenhire has the right to defend himself. Sure Gardy, you’re the manager and I am only a fan, but at least defend your decisions and take the criticism with a spine, not like a presidential candidate on a Sunday morning news show dodging questions and making excuses that have nothing to do with the situation. “We’re in first place” is the baseball equivalent of “I’m the decider.” What we need to do here is “stay the course” and keep putting minor league caliber hitters second in the lineup. I mean, that’s what we did last year and we won the division, right? Maybe Gardy should have unfurled a giant “Mission Accomplished” sign hung on the netting behind home plate when Matt Tolbert hit that home run against the Rockies.
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