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Article: Twins Fire General Manager Terry Ryan


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Wow, total shock. I really thought they'd wait and Terry would retire at the end of the season. This just doesn't make much sense. Unless, Terry's health is failing and it was his idea.

 

I'll bet the players and coaches are shocked. If this has anything to do with the trade deadline, I'm of the opinion Terry was going to go full bore in trading, and the Pohlads weren't.  I'm definitely not an Anthony fan, no way he keeps the job.

 

I'll be there's a lot more to come out in this story.

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Every hire Ryan has made should be fired as well!

No. That's an awful premise.

 

There are good people in the Twins organization. It's the responsibility of the new GM/president to isolate those good people and retain them if they fit into the new organization.

 

Cleaning house just for the sake of cleaning house is an awful management tactic.

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Provisional Member

 

Those weren't great examples and I should have spent more time elaborating instead of trying to get a post in quickly.

 

My worry is that trades will happen willy-nilly because that's what Antony feels he is supposed to do. That means lots of players shuffled around without a plan in place; who to target, who to move, organizational needs, etc.

 

Compiling a game plan and executing it during something as trying and difficult as the MLB trade deadline without experience is a delicate operation, to say the least... And if Antony feels he has to "impress the boss", it might lead to some pretty stupid decisions.

I disagree with you on a couple different levels. First, I really don't think there is anything Antony could do that would severely damage the franchise at this point. The Twins don't have anyone on this roster that will fetch a huge return in any reasonable scenario, so whether they decide to keep/trade Nunez, Abad, Plouffe, Santana or Nolasco isn't going to make huge swings one way or another. Second, I have to think that the vast majority of the leg work for the trade deadline has already been put in. I'm guessing numerous conversations have already taken place with opposing teams over these players. So I don't think that Antony and the rest of the staff are starting fresh.

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I appreciate the job Ryan did his first term with the Twins. And his first couple of losing seasons on this second term weren't entirely is fault. But the past few seasons, it just seemed like he didn't have a plan in place.

 

I was of the opinion he was gone, despite arguements of the previous TWINS WAY of doing things. Comments from Ryan himself seemed to indicate he was on the hot seat.

 

But again, I'm really surprised it happened at this time.

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Wow, total shock. I really thought they'd wait and Terry would retire at the end of the season. This just doesn't make much sense. Unless, Terry's health is failing and it was his idea.

 

I'll bet the players and coaches are shocked. If this has anything to do with the trade deadline, I'm of the opinion Terry was going to go full bore in trading, and the Pohlads weren't.  I'm definitely not an Anthony fan, no way he keeps the job.

 

I'll be there's a lot more to come out in this story.

My assumption is the complete opposite. That TR was not going to go full bore and the Pohlad's do. Unfortunately we probably won't know what truly is the case. 

I'm in agreement that Antony does not keep the job, and plenty more will come out in the upcoming press conferences, interviews, etc. 

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I'd add, there is a little more risk to Antony as interim GM than just messing up deadline trades.  We also still have #2 waiver priority, and I don't have any confidence that Antony is the guy I want in charge of that either.  Hopefully we have someone with a plan in place by the time the next big wave of minor league moves is made in October...

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I disagree with you on a couple different levels. First, I really don't think there is anything Antony could do that would severely damage the franchise at this point. The Twins don't have anyone on this roster that will fetch a huge return in any reasonable scenario, so whether they decide to keep/trade Nunez, Abad, Plouffe, Santana or Nolasco isn't going to make huge swings one way or another. Second, I have to think that the vast majority of the leg work for the trade deadline has already been put in. I'm guessing numerous conversations have already taken place with opposing teams over these players. So I don't think that Antony and the rest of the staff are starting fresh.

They're not starting off fresh. Antony definitely knows the players in the organization so that's a plus.

 

But I question his inexperience in handling opposing general managers who may smell blood in the water.

 

I agree that it's unlikely he'll do much long-term damage - I doubt he's going to trade anyone under 25 years old - but I think it's possible, maybe likely, that he gets the short straw on a few trades he executes between now and September.

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I'm guessing there was a disagreement but who wanted what?I also have to say that I think TR is a good person and probably should have been given the chance to resign at the end of the year. I suppose they could have given that option and he refused....

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Wow, total shock. I really thought they'd wait and Terry would retire at the end of the season. This just doesn't make much sense. Unless, Terry's health is failing and it was his idea.

Pretty sure Ryan wouldn't have been "dismissed" if it was his idea.  He would have resigned, like he did last time.

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Why would they fire Ryan now if they were going to give Antony the reigns then?  Why not wait til the end of the season, make a deal with Ryan and let him go out "on his own terms" and then name Antony the GM?  With an in-season firing, it just points a huge arrow and going outside the organization.  I would say there is a much bigger chance Antony is let go at the end of the season rather than naming him the GM.  Just my thoughts.

 

Edit: spelling

 

I think you're right on with your thinking here.

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When Ryan walked away in '07 the timing always struck me as odd. Seems awfully convenient for the guy to step down prior to an offseason in which Hunter was leaving and Johan was going to be traded. I'm sure he had his reasons, but it was a tough spot for Bill Smith to step into.

 

I agree with some of the other comments suggesting this change means a big roster turnover is coming. I bet Ryan was hoping to hold on to any assets that could be of value next season (which is understandable from his point of view) while other high-ranking decision makers are prepared for more of a rebuild.

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I disagree with you on a couple different levels. First, I really don't think there is anything Antony could do that would severely damage the franchise at this point. The Twins don't have anyone on this roster that will fetch a huge return in any reasonable scenario, so whether they decide to keep/trade Nunez, Abad, Plouffe, Santana or Nolasco isn't going to make huge swings one way or another. Second, I have to think that the vast majority of the leg work for the trade deadline has already been put in. I'm guessing numerous conversations have already taken place with opposing teams over these players. So I don't think that Antony and the rest of the staff are starting fresh.

I think there is quite a bit of damage that could be done by Antony if he decides to start shipping off prospects/ young cost controlled players who are supposed to be part of the future. 

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I'm not sure I'd want to be Antony.  He's is a sink or swim position.  If he knocks it out of the park, he's sitting well even if the Polhad's decide to clean house.  If he fails miserably, he could be ruined by it.  That's one hell of a pressure cooker to be tossed into.

Not really.  It's essentially a mop-up appearance.  There probably won't be any results to judge him by, much less judge him strongly.  Heck, Antony could do nothing and he might get some undue credit for an improved second half record.

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According to Darren Wolfson:

Darren Wolfson‏ @DWolfsonKSTP
Distracted by this this week. But told any thought of philosophical differences approaching Aug. 1 handling = wrong.

 

(The distraction refers to a picture of a lake)

If that's true, the timing is strange.  Unless the team doesn't expect to make any deadline moves?

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They're not starting off fresh. Antony definitely knows the players in the organization so that's a plus.

 

But I question his inexperience in handling opposing general managers who may smell blood in the water.

 

I agree that it's unlikely he'll do much long-term damage - I doubt he's going to trade anyone under 25 years old - but I think it's possible, maybe likely, that he gets the short straw on a few trades he executes between now and September.

That's possible. I just don't think that any of the straws are very long to begin with, regardless of who is in charge. Hopefully he doesn't do a ton of damage. 

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Why would they fire Ryan now if they were going to give Antony the reigns then?  Why not wait til the end of the season, make a deal with Ryan and let him go out "on his own terms" and then name Antony the GM?  With an in-season firing, it just points a huge arrow and going outside the organization.  I would say there is a much bigger chance Antony is let go at the end of the season rather than naming him the GM.  Just my thoughts.

 

Edit: spelling

 

Exactly my thoughts.  This timing actually makes me feel much better that Antony will NOT get the permanent job

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I suspect other teams will freely let their front office people interview for other positions during the season.  They just wouldn't let us hire them until after the season or postseason.

I agree. The most obvious example is in the NFL. Where teams fire their coach after week 17 and all the sought after talent are the O and D coordinators in the playoffs.

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The Twins should hire the new GM ASAP. (Ng!!!!) That would allow whoever it is to spend the rest of 2016 to get caught up to speed with the current roster, farm system and personal. That way, by the time the off-season comes around he or she will be 100% fully up to speed.

 

The only thing is: I wouldn't want the new GM to handle the trade deadline for obvious reasons, ditto with any major cuts/pick ups the rest of the season, which is why you keep Antony around for the rest of the year. (He to will land on his feet somewhere)

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That's possible. I just don't think that any of the straws are very long to begin with, regardless of who is in charge. Hopefully he doesn't do a ton of damage.

Agreed. As long as he doesn't move anyone under 25 or Santana, Dozier, or Gibson, he can't do much right or wrong at the deadline.

 

My best case scenario here is that Antony doesn't do much at all.

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Not really.  It's essentially a mop-up appearance.  There probably won't be any results to judge him by, much less judge him strongly.  Heck, Antony could do nothing and he might get some undue credit for an improved second half record.

Personally, I'd look at that as a failure.  With the position that this team is in, even mop-up duty is important.  To look at it as anything else would appear to me that he's not taking it seriously.  He has an opportunity to shine, he should take advantage of it even if it results in failure.

 

This is an audition for him either with this franchise or another.  He should take advantage of that opportunity.

Edited by wsnydes
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Trade away the veterans we all believe should go, including money where you must to improve the prospect return.  Then bring up Mientkiewicz to start the rebuild with Polanco, Berrios, et al.

I was stunned at the note on MLBTR yesterday about the Twins taking a lesser prospect return for someone to take all of Satana's salary.  I hope that was what TR wanted and one of the reasons he was let go.  

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Personally, I'd look at that as a failure.  With the position that this team is in, even mop-up duty is important.  To look at it as anything else would appear to me that he's not taking it seriously.  He has an opportunity to shine, he should take advantage of it even if it results in failure.

An opportunity to shine?  In the next two months?  How, exactly?

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I think the timing has everything to do with giving RA one chance to prove he's worthy consideration to be a possible replacement going into next season. If Ryan retired at the end of the season RA would not have had any chance to prove himself. By firing Ryan now, RA has the opportunity to show what he can do with trades and a roster decions.

 

This is his audition, and I'm guessing he's going to shake up the roster quite a bit going forward, as he probably thinks that not doing so would seal his fate for simply doing what Ryan would have. Unfortunately, this might push him to make trades for the sake of it, while not being offered fair value...as other GMs might know that RA will feel pressure to make deals to earn the job.

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Personally, I'd look at that as a failure.  With the position that this team is in, even mop-up duty is important.  To look at it as anything else would appear to me that he's not taking it seriously.  He has an opportunity to shine, he should take advantage of it even if it results in failure.

 

I think the real question is how much reign he will actually have.  I don't think anyone knows how close or not close Ryan and Antony are.  They very well could have had the majority of the same views on how to run the team.  Antony has been with the Twins for 17 years?  I think they probably know what they have in him.  I highly doubt ownership is going to let Antony step in and just start wheeling and dealing, especially if the plan is to bring in someone from outside the organization to take the job.  

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An opportunity to shine?  In the next two months?  How, exactly?

Shine is overstating it, I agree.  My point is that this is his audition for either this club or others.  If he can show that he can make good baseball decisions and not get eaten alive by more seasoned GM's that will go a long ways to getting another job.

 

Doing nothing seems foolhardy.  Expecting him to do nothing makes the timing of the removal of Ryan even more questionable.  

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Agreed. As long as he doesn't move anyone under 25 or Santana, Dozier, or Gibson, he can't do much right or wrong at the deadline.

My best case scenario here is that Antony doesn't do much at all.

Santana is an overpaid #3, Gibson is a #4 who isn't that young any more. Those are the exact guys you need to be trading.

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