Terry Ryan steps down

by sammy on Sep 13, 2007 10:57 AM PDT

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3017356

Assistant GM Bill Smith to take his place.
Kinda stunning. I wonder if this is the end of an era or whether the new Twins organization will be more or less indistinguishable from the one of the last decade.

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I'd love to have him

as our GM. Give him a payroll and see what he could do.

by Dylan @ Lookout Landing on Sep 13, 2007 11:04 AM PDT reply actions

Doesn't matter.

All that matters is that Johan still needs to be pissed enough to go FA, and we need to push a Zito-like contract at him.

The way I see it?
Pitcher's park + $$$ (I mean a lot) + Our rotation being our biggest obstacle to the postseason = Santana/Hernandez 1/2

Just don't tell him that the rotation is actually the second biggest hurdle (management).

Yes, I know, he's not worth it blah blah blah. Can't I be a stupid fan for once?

by Faux on Sep 13, 2007 11:08 AM PDT reply actions

You'll get a pass when I'm dead

Do we win a bidding war with the NY teams, the LA teams, Atlanta and other more accessible locales? As a Venezuelan, he may be playing the familiar Close to My Homeland card. Whether or not you want to think that's an issue, the travel and distance really is an issue to many players. And he knows he's gonna get a fat payday from anyone who's interested, so the M's offering more money and years than anyone else may not be such a lure.

I'm not so sure general incompetence or penny pinching are the sole reasons this team can't lure top free agent hurlers.

by Gomez on Sep 13, 2007 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Well, we do already have another Venezuelan

on the team and in the rotation. Not sure how much Felix and Johan know each other or how much it would matter.

I'm all for trading anyone outside of Felix, Ichiro!, and JJ for him. Pedro was traded for Armas, Jr. and Pavano. Randy was traded for Garcia, Guillen, and Halama. Would Johan be available for a Morrow/Wlad/Clement/Tillman type deal?

I don't really know how the guys traded for Pedro and Randy were rated as prospects at the time, but I'd think those would comparable pitchers who were traded. Sure, Pedro was a little younger, Randy a little older and I don't think Johan is quite as good as them (just by a little), but I've been hoping the M's could figure a way to pull it off during the off-season.

by Jed MC on Sep 13, 2007 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, but we plucked that Venezuelan

as a kid who didn't know any better.

Pedro was traded for two prospects because they were the Expos, they were fighting just to remain alive, and the Bosox had lots of leverage, since the Expos didn't want him to walk for nothing, and wanted something but couldn't afford to take on big contracts. The Twins aren't in nearly that desperate a position. In fact, the Twins probably don't want to trade Santana. Would you trade your franchise player?

This is not a good parallel example. The Twins are gonna want a LOT more than just a couple prospects or good players if we want Santana. The conversation probably STARTS at JJ, WLAD and Adam Jones. I don't even think the M's have the personnel to make a deal without crippling the 25 man.

by Gomez on Sep 13, 2007 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Jason Churchill @ Prospect Insider said

Felix chose the M's over other teams that offered more $$ due to personal relationships. Not that I know anything other than what I read or that my memory is perfect.

If I were the Twins GM I would never trade Santana, just like I hope the M's never trade Felix. I want star players to stay with their original teams. As a M's fan since the 80's, I've always hated watching them trade off their best players for crap - not that the M's had anyone special in the mid-80's. If the M's can't get Sanatana I hope he stays in the Twin Cities.

I thought the Sox offered the best package of players out of the teams that could have afforded Pedro, which may have been just them and NYY. That period of time I didn't follow baseball as much as I do now - college, girls, beer, etc. I was just trying to think of recent trades involving HOF level pitchers in their prime (or near prime).

by Jed MC on Sep 13, 2007 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions