Here's Your Chance To Ask Terry Ryan Questions

[Parker Hageman]

With the Twins Daily Offseason Handbook in the works, Twins Daily will be interviewing general manager Terry Ryan this week. If you have a specific question or topic that should be address, feel free to leave it on this thread and it might be worked into the interview.

 

[nicksaviking]

Did the decision to replace Gary Lucas have anything to do with a change in organizational pitching philosophy?

 

Which bald character from Breaking Bad do you most identify with? 

[jharaldson]

In our interview last year you stated the following:

 

 

 

TD: Switching gears: Ron Gardenhire had a very successful run,
followed by three straight bad years. How do you evaluate a
manger’s performance that goes beyond the record?

TR: If Ron wasn’t coming back, I probably shouldn’t be back.
Now, Jim Pohlad and Dave St. Peter invited me back, so I
brought Ron back with me. A lot of times you should evaluate
a manager on the personnel he has. And unfortunately, we’ve
fallen a tad short here as far as productivity. And I take total
responsibility on that, so I shouldn’t pass the buck on the
manager and the coaching staff.

 

Why was this true last year and not this year?  

[Parker Hageman]

Why was this true last year and not this year?

 

 

There are definitely several answers in last year's interview that will be discussed, that being one of them.

[notoriousgod71]

Jon Garland, Joe Blanton, Joe Saunders, or all of the above?

[Steven Buhr]

It's too bad you have to do the interview before their organizational meetings and before the new manager/staff are named. When that's all finished, obviously there will be a lot of good follow-up questions to ask.

 

I guess, in light of timing, I'd ask how active he plans to be in the free agent market, especially with regard to SP and corner OF spots.

 

I'm also curious as to what role, if any, Jack Goin is playing in the evaluation of managerial candidates.

[jay]

What type of batter profile best fits Target Field? What type of pitcher profile best fits Target Field?

[ashbury]

I would want to try to find a courteous way of asking Terry how his views are evolving, on the practice of "bottom fishing" for many of his major league free agent signings - Guerrier/Kubel/Bartlett this past season worked out pretty poorly, various other examples in prior years, where "only" a few million apiece were invested and little comes of it.  (As opposed to the necessary practice of filling out AAA / AA rosters to field competitive teams in those cities, of course.)  I'd want to be ready with a followup to dig deeper, after the possible self-effacing reply from Terry of "look how well that Nolasco signing worked out".   Could tie into the related practice of scouring the waiver wires, where the team has demonstrated a little more success this past year, as a compare/contrast.

 

I also would be interested in his views about the structure of his recent trades, where (with rare exceptions like Span-for-Meyer) the other teams package two or more players to get one of ours, as opposed to us packaging multiple players to get one solid prospect of theirs.  The natural answer is "trading is hard", also "Escobar's worked out pretty well", but anything that could dig a little deeper about the seeming pattern of being someone else's dumping ground would be interesting, particularly as it relates to making 40-man roster issues more difficult.  Which ties in, as the other side of the coin, with the above question about waiver wires, which means everything is connected, which means I would be a lousy interviewer but maybe a decent ghostwriter for a memoir.

[Boom Boom]

What is his opinion on the idea of banning the use of tobacco products by major and minor-league players and coaches in and around the ballpark?

[Kwak]

I would ask three questions:  1) Should/would the Twins trade top prospects for top major league talent?

2)  Should the Twins be more aggressive in there promotion of minor leaguers, e.g. promote a player to a level where he is expected to struggle and see if he can't work through it rather than wait for mastery (whatever that is) before promoting a level. 3) Why don't the Twins have a level between Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids?

[Badsmerf]

Who is in charge of hiring a new pitching coach? What is your plan to remedy a staff that has been a perennial failure? Does there need to be an organizational philosophy change, simple change in field staff, or is it the talent level of the players? Who is to be held accountable for this?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Who is in charge of hiring a new pitching coach? What is your plan to remedy a staff that has been a perennial failure? Does there need to be an organizational philosophy change, simple change in field staff, or is it the talent level of the players? Who is to be held accountable for this?

 

This box has been checked. imo

[Badsmerf]

Is the current issue of outfield defense being taken seriously? How much better does an average defensive outfield make the pitching staff look? 

[Badsmerf]

What are key traits you are looking for in a new manager? With your long history with Gardy, how difficult was the decision to go in a new direction?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I've got no pressing questions at the moment but would like to know how he intends to relieve the congestion at CI/DH given Mauer, Sano, Vargas, Plouffe, and anyone else.

[Badsmerf]

Given where the team is at, what should our expectations be of the 2015 Twins? Why is 2015 going to look any different than 2014? Or 2013? Or 2012? Or 2011?

[ericchri]

When are we bringing back the CF trees?

[USAFChief]

Given where the team is at, what should our expectations be of the 2015 Twins? Why is 2015 going to look any different than 2014? Or 2013? Or 2012? Or 2011?

what are YOUR expectations in terms of wins and losses for 2015, Mr Ryan?

[jay]

Target Field developed a reputation over the first couple seasons as being a "pitcher's park".  Do you think that is still true?

 

(My hope is he acknowledges that park factors have actually viewed TF as an above-average offensive environment each of the last 3 years.)

[diehardtwinsfan]

Can I interview for the open manager job?

[drjim]

What do you see as your top accomplishments in your second stint as GM? 

[GoGonzoJournal]

1) What's the latest on extending Brian Dozier? Any chance he'll be traded given organizational depth at second base (Escobar, Polanco, and Rosario)?

 

2) Still interested in signing Ervin Santana as a No. 2 between Hughes and Nolasco? Offered him three years this spring...

 

3) Will there be any changes to the Twins' marketing department given the backlash of local and mainstream media to their "tone deaf" marketing survey comparing the Twins to shiny new cars?

 

4) With season ticket sales bound to plummet without the All-Star Game and the "honeymoon effect" of a new stadium wearing off, what are the plans to increase attendance if the team is not competitive again next year? Lower ticket prices? Lower drink and food prices? More ticket exchange options? Promotions and giveaways? 

[jay]

What do you see as your top accomplishments in your second stint as GM? 

 

And biggest failures thus far?

[nicksaviking]

In Gardy's farewell press conference Mr. Ryan stated that the club would consider hiring a Hispanic manager or at least a coach.  Have any been interviewed at this point?

[drjim]

And biggest failures thus far?

 

I didn't bother because it would be wins and losses.

[stringer bell]

What is Danny Santana's position in 2015? Is it likely that he will move between positions?

[jay]

I didn't bother because it would be wins and losses.

You're absolutely right. But I also don't think TR will want to take credit for much without talking about the failure to get wins or something else. With W/L's the easy answer there...

 

Amended to: biggest failures beyond wins and losses.

[Iowatwinsfan]

Would a trade of Meyer, Arcia & Tonkin for Cole Hammels be acceptable to you?

[twinsnorth49]

What do you view as the most pressing areas to address before Spring Training opens? Hiring a manager aside. 

[Madre Dos]

Why did you extend Kurt Suzuki contract?  Josmil Pinto needs to be behind the plate.  He is not going to improve working the bullpen.  Joe Mauer could be his mentor.