Jim Souhan: Twins don't survive without proper touch

Terry Ryan became a master at what he did, and because of that baseball still matters in Minnesota.

By Jim Souhan, Star Tribune

Last update: September 14, 2007 - 12:43 PM

Last November, Terry Ryan was riding high. His miracle team had won 96 games in 2006, he had spent the Twins' organizational meetings trading stories with his scouting brethren, and, upon attending the Major League Baseball general manager meetings, he was shocked to receive the Executive of the Year Award.

To celebrate, Ryan and a few lieutenants dined at a steakhouse in Naples, Fla. He even bought drinks for a table of Tigers executives.

Short of a World Series victory, this was about as good as life could get for a general manager, yet it was at that dinner that some of his closest friends discerned hints that Ryan had wearied of the yearlong grind.

"He was talking about the great times from April though October, and how great the org meetings had been, and the GM meetings, and after all of that it was like we all took a deep breath and Terry said, 'Boys, we need to enjoy this,' " said Rob Antony, now the Twins' assistant general manager.

" 'We've got six guys eligible for arbitration.' "

There was more surprise than intrigue in Ryan's announcement Thursday that he is resigning as general manager to become a senior adviser to new GM Bill Smith. Ryan was tired of agents, tired of endless obligations, tired of meetings and the sense of helplessness he felt when he found contracts and trades impossible to consummate.

Ryan had a rough year, one he admits left him uncharacteristically short-tempered, but nothing that happened the last year should obscure his achievements.

Ryan had to work miracles to elevate the Twins to such heights that one bad year was considered unacceptable.

Before Ryan helped the Twins become a model franchise, the biggest annual questions about the franchise revolved around Todd Walker's glove and Scott Stahoviak's swing. By presiding over the drafting of Torii Hunter and trades for Johan Santana and Joe Nathan, Ryan created his own biggest headaches.

Ryan spent the first six years of his tenure figuring out how to run a low-budget operation. He was lucky he survived, and so were Minnesota baseball fans, because Ryan spent the next six years spoiling us.

We have critiqued Ryan's mistakes letting David Ortiz leave, trading Luis Castillo, signing lousy free agents the last couple of years but his legacy is that of the architect of an overachieving franchise.

Ryan should be remembered for four division championships in five years, for brilliant trades, for refusing to leave when the Twins faced contraction. Without Ryan and his lieutenants, the Twins could very well be the Pittsburgh Pirates or Kansas City Royals inert rust belt franchises desperate for a winning season, not to mention a winning decade.

Long before he brought the Twins back to the playoffs, Ryan became known as one of the most honest, accountable, down-to-earth executives in sports. "That's why he had the respect of other people in baseball," Antony said. "There were times someone would ask about one of our players and Terry would say, 'I can't trade him he's got a sore arm.' Terry never wanted to trick anybody."

Ryan was known for taking fans' phone calls, for taking criticism even for decisions over which he didn't have control.

Smith remembered the time a season-ticket holder wrote Ryan a vehement letter. Ryan invited her to the GM's box.

"She was sitting next to her husband in the stands and asked if she could bring him," Smith said. "I said, 'Sure.' She turned to him and said, 'Bring your stuff I think they're kicking us out.'"

Instead, they spent a couple of innings sitting next to Ryan.

Long before he became a public figure, Ryan made his reputation as a scout. His favorite place is still behind home plate with a stopwatch and a clipboard.

Ryan has earned the right to return to his scouting roots. He's earned a winter off.

Jim Souhan can be heard Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon on AM-1500 KSTP. • jsouhan@startribune.com

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