Longtime skipper back in AL Central

The Detroit Tigers were certainly familiar with Ron Gardenhire’s managerial résumé.

Some of his most significant accomplishments came at their expense.

“It’s going to be nice to have him on our side of the dugout,” said Al Avila, Detroit’s general manager.

The Tigers hired Gardenhire as their manager, bringing the longtime Minnesota Twins skipper back to the AL Central to take over a team in the middle of a significant rebuilding effort. Detroit announced the move Friday, saying Gardenhire agreed to a three-year contract.

Gardenhire takes over for Brad Ausmus, who was let go after four seasons as Detroit’s manager. The Tigers went 64-98 this season, finishing tied for the worst record in the majors, but Gardenhire sounded undaunted by the difficult task ahead.

“I don’t want to lose, and who’s to say we have to lose next year? Who’s to say?” Gardenhire said. “Baseball’s a great game. A lot of things can happen.”

The 59-year-old Gardenhire was the bench coach this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He managed the Twins from 2002-14, going 1,0681,039. He’s one of 10 managers in baseball history to win at least 1,000 games with one team.

The Twins won the Al Central six times in Gardenhire’s first nine seasons, and he was voted AL Manager of the Year in 2010. In 2006 and ’09, Minnesota edged Detroit by a game to win the division.