Jim Souhan: Time was right to oust Ryan

The Minnesota Twins’ firing of Terry Ryan feels shocking, but only because of his personality and the organization’s longstanding commitment to loyalty among its most visible employees.
Ryan ranked as one of baseball’s best general managers from 1998, when he began the Twins’ renaissance with the Chuck Knoblauch trade, through his resignation from the general manager post following the 2007 season.Since then, everything that has gone wrong with the Twins is his responsibility, either directly or by association.He recommended Bill Smith as his successor, and despite three years of on-field success, the organization declined during Smith’s tenure, to the point where it was set up for this decade of embarrassing performances.Ryan in turn succeeded Smith, but aside from last year’s aberration, the Twins have been one of baseball’s worst teams since the end of the 2010 season.Ryan failed to oversee the drafting and development of starting pitching. While the Twins’ farm system is stocked with promise, his system has produced one All-Star starting pitcher since 1991 - Brad Radke in 1998.Following the 2014 season, Ryan did not want to fire Ron Gardenhire. He respects and likes Gardenhire and did not hold Gardenhire responsible for the team’s failings, but the losing had become so habitual that something had to change.I feel the same way about Ryan. He’s an admirable leader, a workaholic and a good man. But the losing has become too habitual. Even an admirer of Ryan’s can’t offer much of a defense for him these days.The timing of the move is interesting. The trade deadline is approaching and the Twins have movable pieces.My guess - and only a guess at this moment - is that the Twins’ bosses demanded change, and that Ryan would rather be fired than clear out the offices below him.Those who know Ryan will miss him, but the same standards that led to the firing of Gardenhire led to the firing of his old boss.Jim Souhan is a sports columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.The Minnesota Twins’ firing of Terry Ryan feels shocking, but only because of his personality and the organization’s longstanding commitment to loyalty among its most visible employees.
Ryan ranked as one of baseball’s best general managers from 1998, when he began the Twins’ renaissance with the Chuck Knoblauch trade, through his resignation from the general manager post following the 2007 season.Since then, everything that has gone wrong with the Twins is his responsibility, either directly or by association.He recommended Bill Smith as his successor, and despite three years of on-field success, the organization declined during Smith’s tenure, to the point where it was set up for this decade of embarrassing performances.Ryan in turn succeeded Smith, but aside from last year’s aberration, the Twins have been one of baseball’s worst teams since the end of the 2010 season.Ryan failed to oversee the drafting and development of starting pitching. While the Twins’ farm system is stocked with promise, his system has produced one All-Star starting pitcher since 1991 - Brad Radke in 1998.Following the 2014 season, Ryan did not want to fire Ron Gardenhire. He respects and likes Gardenhire and did not hold Gardenhire responsible for the team’s failings, but the losing had become so habitual that something had to change.I feel the same way about Ryan. He’s an admirable leader, a workaholic and a good man. But the losing has become too habitual. Even an admirer of Ryan’s can’t offer much of a defense for him these days.The timing of the move is interesting. The trade deadline is approaching and the Twins have movable pieces.My guess - and only a guess at this moment - is that the Twins’ bosses demanded change, and that Ryan would rather be fired than clear out the offices below him.Those who know Ryan will miss him, but the same standards that led to the firing of Gardenhire led to the firing of his old boss.Jim Souhan is a sports columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.