RYAN'S LEGACY ENRICHED NEW BRITAIN
Terry Ryan's resignation as general manager of the Minnesota Twins came as shock to the people closest to him in New Britain.
Ryan, 52, perhaps the epitome of hands-on general managers, has visited New Britain at least twice a year in the 12 years the Twins have been locally affiliated. He has always been readily accessible to media and fans alike whenever he's been in town.
Thankfully, Ryan's visits will continue. He will serve as a senior adviser to new GM Bill Smith, whose parents live in Ledyard, with an emphasis on player evaluation. As a former scout, evaluation is what Ryan has always done best and enjoys. The parts of the job he didn't enjoy -- dealing with agents and putting out, as he calls it, administrative brush fires -- he will leave behind.
Ryan's tenure as general manager featured the revitalization of a franchise that became moribund in the mid-1990s. In the face of large-market domination and the specter of losing players to free agency, Ryan and his loyal staff restocked the Twins the old-fashioned way -- through scouting, development and some productive trades.
We in New Britain enjoyed the fruits of his labor -- Doug Mientkiewicz, David Ortiz, Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, Francisco Liriano and Jason Bartlett to name a few. There were also many who weren't fortunate enough to bask in the limelight of the major leagues but contributed so much to the city's sports culture, like Jeff Smith, Brent Stentz and Steve Hacker.
We should all be very thankful that Terry Ryan has passed this way so often, and we're very fortunate that he'll be passing this way again.
Ryan, 52, perhaps the epitome of hands-on general managers, has visited New Britain at least twice a year in the 12 years the Twins have been locally affiliated. He has always been readily accessible to media and fans alike whenever he's been in town.
Thankfully, Ryan's visits will continue. He will serve as a senior adviser to new GM Bill Smith, whose parents live in Ledyard, with an emphasis on player evaluation. As a former scout, evaluation is what Ryan has always done best and enjoys. The parts of the job he didn't enjoy -- dealing with agents and putting out, as he calls it, administrative brush fires -- he will leave behind.
Ryan's tenure as general manager featured the revitalization of a franchise that became moribund in the mid-1990s. In the face of large-market domination and the specter of losing players to free agency, Ryan and his loyal staff restocked the Twins the old-fashioned way -- through scouting, development and some productive trades.
We in New Britain enjoyed the fruits of his labor -- Doug Mientkiewicz, David Ortiz, Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, Francisco Liriano and Jason Bartlett to name a few. There were also many who weren't fortunate enough to bask in the limelight of the major leagues but contributed so much to the city's sports culture, like Jeff Smith, Brent Stentz and Steve Hacker.
We should all be very thankful that Terry Ryan has passed this way so often, and we're very fortunate that he'll be passing this way again.
posted by Ken Lipshez at
12:41 AM
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