Former Minnesota Twin manager Billy Gardner will...

Former Minnesota Twin manager Billy Gardner will be put in charge of the Kansas City Royals if Manager Dick Howser is forced to step aside because of his brain tumor.

“I told Billy I feel great, and I’m ready to go,” Howser said. “Right now there’s nothing wrong with me. But I also know it’s day to day with me. Billy understands the situation. If something happens to me, he’d be the guy we’d pull in and have manage.”

Gardner was hired to coach third base for Kansas City after Mike Ferraro was fired following last season.