Major League Baseball

Twins' Plouffe: I ran two red lights to say goodbye to Gardenhire

Published Sep. 30, 2014 12:53 a.m. ET

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The Minnesota Twins parted ways with long-time manager Ron Gardenhire on Monday, and it wasn't your typical dismissal.

There was the team press release, which avoided the word "fired." There was Gardenhire showing up at the press conference announcing his own departure, reinforcing that it was a mutual decision and saying he still plans to root for the team. There was the player and fan reaction, expressing fond feelings for the man who led the team to six American League Central championships in his 13 years at the helm and has been on the coaching staff since 1991, the year of the franchise's second World Series title.

And then there was Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe, who sent out a tweet that summed it all up much better than all of that:

Plouffe, fresh off surgery on his left arm, was driven to Target Field by his wife, and they apparently arrived after Gardenhire's farewell press conference ended and then blocked the road so he couldn't leave without a goodbye.

Doesn't get much better than that.

Plouffe has spent all five years of his major-league career with the Twins. He had his best season in average (.258), games played (136), hits (134), RBI (80) and doubles (40) in 2014. 

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