Good article.  I agree we need a new perspective and the game has passed Terry by.

I agree whole heartedly. But my enthusiasm for your article, is dampened by the knowledge that everyone knows who Ryans replacement will be. Just the initials will do! RA

 

I agree whole heartedly. But my enthusiasm for your article, is dampened by the knowledge that everyone knows who Ryans replacement will be. Just the initials will do! RA

 

It's unfortunate that R.A, Dickey will take over for the Twins. In all seriousness though, with all of my being, I wish they'd look elsewhere and not go the Antony route. Breed some innovation from the outside in.

Congrats on breaking the Berrios promotion! This is a really ballsy commentary to put out there right in the wake of the Berrios news. I don't disagree with much here. I think Ryan's best days were the early 2000s. Since he came back and made the Span and Revere trades, he's played it way too safe. 

 

Congrats on breaking the Berrios promotion! This is a really ballsy commentary to put out there right in the wake of the Berrios news. I don't disagree with much here. I think Ryan's best days were the early 2000s. Since he came back and made the Span and Revere trades, he's played it way too safe. 

 

To be fair, I wrote this early this morning and the Berrios news came after. I'm looking forward to my piece tomorrow though.

 

I don't have a ton of issues with Ryan, which is why I think it's taken me so long to get here. The problem is that there isn't much to hang his hat on either.

 

To be fair, I wrote this early this morning and the Berrios news came after. I'm looking forward to my piece tomorrow though.

 

I don't have a ton of issues with Ryan, which is why I think it's taken me so long to get here. The problem is that there isn't much to hang his hat on either.

Ryan has done the little things right, or at least some little things, like you said, acquiring Escobar and Milone. But he has some big, tough decisions to make, and he is not making them. He did sign some free agent pitchers but, all teams do that. It's not really a big deal to sign a free agent pitcher to a multi year deal.

 

I'm sure firing Gardenhire felt like a really big deal, but it shouldn't have been when you look closer at it. And now that Gardy has been hired back in, it's almost like undoing the firing. 

 

Like you, I have often defended Ryan's moves. I don't grade him poorly for the Twins not winning or advancing to the WS back in his first tenure. IMO, in any sport, your goal is to field a winning team that can reach the post season. I believe it is short-sighted and down right incorrect to say you build a championship team. Unless you possess a fully functional crystal ball, that's impossible to do.

 

I also don't feel Ryan has been incompetent in his second tenure. I still support the May and Meyer trades. He's adequate other moves that aren't bad, and the minor league system has thrived under his watch, and are begining to pay dividends at the ML level. I can't even blame him for most of the veteran FA SP conundrum where the Twins are seemingly locked in to some contracts that block youngsters. Hughes should absolutely not been extended when he was, but his initial signing, plus Santana, and even Nolasco, unto themselves, we're not bad acquisitions.

 

But I have to say, despite past success and being a good baseball man and a good guy, there have been moves, and non moves, the past few seasons that really have me questioning him as the leader of the organization at this point. Have there been a few injuries that have thrown some of the rebuild in to chaos? Yes. But injuries happen, and we all know this. For three straight seasons the Twins have been nothing but patchwork in CF. How can you possibly count on Hicks and Buxton jumping from AA for three straight seasons as the answer with little to nothing available for a backup plan? The exact same thing applies to the bullpen the past two years. And then the whole, inexplicable Murphy signing and Hicks fiasco, along with a two man bench for a few games.

 

What will define, possibly save, Ryan is what he does the rest of this season. If you are going to build with youth, horde said youth, sooner or later, as that youth matures, you have to make room for it. And you do that youth a disservice by promoting it to just sit on the bench and not play. Unless this team goes on a real run at some point, and looks like a real contender, at some point you absolutely have to look at eating some or all of a contract, throw another young player in a deal if you have to, and look at Plouffe, Dozier, Perkins, Hughes, E Santana, Nolasco and Milone as moveable options to make way for youth.

Doc, well thought out and written post. I have two thoughts though. I agree on the point about not being able to build chanpionship teams, per se. You need a chance. But the Twins really didn't have that chance when stacked up against the AL. They could handle the Cental when it was weak, but were defenseless against the better teams. Almost to the point of embarrassment. Secondly, Ryan might have a desire to define his career, I am sure he does. But he has no need to save himself. Outside the guy behind the counter at the Post Office, no one in America has more job security. He might re-retire, but to hear the words, "you're fired" he is going to have to tune into reruns of an old reality TV show!

I don't jump up or down too much when it comes to Terry Ryan. 

He is what he is. He prefers to Build a team.

The Team is what it is.  Right now, a patchwork of veterans holding down the fort for what could be a nice group of MiLBers

Ownership is what they are. Sons of  a banker. i.e. umm, thrifty.

 

I like a team that builds from within. IMHO,  the Twins are on the cusp.

 

I don't jump up or down too much when it comes to Terry Ryan. 

He is what he is. He prefers to Build a team.

The Team is what it is.  Right now, a patchwork of veterans holding down the fort for what could be a nice group of MiLBers

Ownership is what they are. Sons of  a banker. i.e. umm, thrifty.

 

I like a team that builds from within. IMHO,  the Twins are on the cusp.

Here's the problem with that train of thought, and why I've arrived at the crossroads that I have.

 

In thinking Ryan is what he is, and the team is what it is, and the building at the top comes from within, who advances the talent to be what they should be rather than what they are? What has Terry Ryan ever done to reinvent the wheel or instill the confidence that he has the chops to get you to the next step.

 

It's notable that both the Astros and Cubs brought on new GMs at the beginning of their rebuild. Both are seeing the fruits of that labor.

Some of the prospects sitting is all on Molitor. As much as people derided Gardy for not liking young players, Molitor appears more reluctant.

Here's the problem with that train of thought, and why I've arrived at the crossroads that I have.

 

In thinking Ryan is what he is, and the team is what it is, and the building at the top comes from within, who advances the talent to be what they should be rather than what they are? What has Terry Ryan ever done to reinvent the wheel or instill the confidence that he has the chops to get you to the next step.

 

It's notable that both the Astros and Cubs brought on new GMs at the beginning of their rebuild. Both are seeing the fruits of that labor.

Astro's need 3 starting pitchers and McHugh and Keuchel are not doing so well either. McCullers has a shoulder injury. As it was they barely held off the Angels for the playoffs. I wouldn't be getting too excited until they figure out a starting pitching rotation that does not resemble the early 2000's Twins

Time passing Ryan by? Rather than safe 3-4 year college starters Ryan's staff has gone boom or bust with drafting. He probably could have had Ross Detwiler for Span. Ryan went high risk/ high reward. Ryan does not completely operate as he did in the past