Jim Souhan: Ryan getting used to sun, hot seat again

FORT MYERS, FLA. — Terry Ryan is back in his old office at Hammond Stadium, talking about sunscreen. When you are pale as a "Walking Dead" extra and spend copious hours behind backstops, you seek optimal goop to keep the back of your neck white.

"This stuff really works," he says, holding up a small bottle. "I need it, too. I can sit under that lightbulb and get a sunburn."

Ryan will spend this spring looking for something to erase red from the faces of himself and his colleagues. The Twins were so embarrassing last year that the Pohlads fired Bill Smith, the first time the family has dismissed a general manager or manager since 1986.

Ryan, Smith's mentor and predecessor, replaced him, meaning the Twins' front office feels same as it ever was.

The 58-year-old Ryan moved back in and put up a newer version of the board holding the names of every player in the big leagues. Smith became assistant to the president and general manager, and moved next door. Those close to Ryan say he returned because he felt refreshed after four years away from the hot seat, and because he feared that a GM hired from outside the organization would blow up an operation that Ryan painstakingly built.

In 2007, his last season in charge, Ryan grew irritable as the Twins failed to make the playoffs. He's noticeably more cheerful this spring. He delegates more work and promises to spend more time with his family, but that's a promise made easily before the games start.

"I don't feel all that much different than I did four years ago," he said. "We have a lot of different personnel on the diamond, but as far as the daily responsibilities and the day to day operations, it's very, very similar.

Ryan's colleagues say two things drove him to retire: Dealing with agents and driving through rush hour in the Twin Cities to reach the office early in the morning to start what might be a 14-hour day.

"I'm going to do a few things different in my lifestyle," he said. "And I'm hopefully not going to take the losses as rough as I did that last year. I need to do a little bit more of getting away from the game. I'm not sure I'm going to accomplish that, but I'm going to try. I haven't done it yet.

"I think we're all lucky even to be working in this industry. There should be a lot of enjoyment when you win, and while there should be disappointment when you lose, there should be more enjoyment than disappointment. During my last season I didn't get a lot of enjoyment out of the wins and I certainly took a lot of frustration out of the losses.

"That isn't good. That isn't healthy."

Ryan and Smith were victimized, in different ways, by the Twins' recent tradition of consistent if unrequited success. Ryan allowed a rare losing season to drive him from the job. Smith was fired after his first losing season.

It's a beautiful spring morning in Florida. Ryan leans back in his chair. He's wearing a New Britain Rock Cats hat and a Northwoods League T-shirt. "If they give 'em to me," he said, "I'll wear 'em."

Ryan and his magic sunscreen and free clothes soon will be appearing behind a backstop near you. He might cut down on office hours. He can't promise to watch less baseball, not when there are games every night at a local high school or college.

"You know, it's nice to have Florida Gulf Coast University right down the road," he said. "I hear Michigan's coming in for a game. I might have to go see that one."