Gardenhire taken aback by Ryan's decision

Twins players and coaches Friday buzzed with talk about the unexpected resignation of longtime General Manger Terry Ryan.

A lot of the buzzing came from manager Ron Gardenhire, who wasn't kept in the loop about Ryan's decision to step down after 13 years and suddenly must build a working relationship with new GM Bill Smith.

Ryan has spent the past several months discussing with Twins ownership a change of his role. Gardenhire wasn't informed of Ryan's decision to become a senior adviser until after the team's charter flight landed Wednesday night from Kansas City.

"I was as shocked as anybody," Gardenhire said.

But Gardenhire said he understood Ryan's motives. "If I'm going to quit," Gardenhire said, "I ain't going to tell you until the day I do it."

It seems odd that Gardenhire wasn't in on Ryan's plans, given how closely the two work together. But Ryan was so concerned about news of his intentions leaking out that he kept it quiet among selected members of the organization.

"This affects a lot of families, and I just couldn't afford to have this thing get anywhere beyond the formal announcement because it does affect so many families," Ryan said. "It was very sensitive, and I know that. I've been apologetic about the awkwardness to a lot of people. If it would have come out in a different fashion it would have been horrible.

"In essence, I told Gardy first. I told him before my wife."

Smith, a 22-year Twins employee who had been Ryan's assistant GM the past 13 years, officially takes over Oct. 1.

"I've known Billy forever," Gardenhire said. "I knew him in the minors when I managed. We've played golf together. Now it's going to be about coming together as a manager and a general manager."

Gardenhire then laughed while adding: "Bill and I have butted heads a few times on different things, what kinds of baseballs we use for [batting practice]. It's going to be a little different right now. That's what makes it fun."

Smith said that he and Mike Radcliff, the newly appointed vice president of player personnel, will work with Gardenhire as part of a "three-headed monster," whereas Gardenhire and Ryan were a two-man team.

"I don't really see it as a problem," Smith said. "We've known each other for 20 years, when he was a young manager in [Class A] Kenosha [Wis.] in 1988 and I was in my third year here. It's gonna be a little bit different because there's a third wheel involved, and that's Mike Radcliff."

Meanwhile, Ryan walked into the clubhouse moments before the Twins played Detroit on Friday and explained to players why he decided to step down.

"He handled them the right way, just like he's always been," Gardenhire said. "He's stand-up guy. He told them exactly his thoughts, and that's what the players needed to hear and that's why he did it now."

Players were surprised by Ryan's decision, most notably Torii Hunter, who has known Ryan since being drafted by the club in 1993.

"You talk about who's the face of the franchise. Terry Ryan is the face of the franchise," Hunter said. "Him stepping down is tough."

Hunter and other players -- namely staff ace Johan Santana -- will now have to negotiate with Smith as the club prepares for a critical offseason. Smith already has relationships with most agents, just not a long history of negotiating complicated deals.

Santana, a potential free agent after the 2008 season, joked that he might end up dealing with new assistant GM Rob Antony. He doesn't care who it is, as long as they can be creative enough to keep him in a Twins uniform.

"Definitely, that's all you can wait for," Santana said. "Otherwise, there's nothing else I can really do about it."

Hunter, who will be a top free agent after this season, said it doesn't matter who negotiates.

"It all boils down to Carl Pohlad and his family, the people over the top of the general manager," Hunter said. "They give him a budget. It's about what kind of room they give [Smith]. Terry had no room. He dibbled and dabbled."

La Velle E. Neal III • lneal@startribune.com