Ryan gave his all in leading Twins as GM

For the better part of the last 44 years Terry Ryan had been with the Twins in various roles ranging from a Minor League pitcher, signed out of high school, to two terms as the club’s general manager.

Through it all, Ryan never lost touch with reality.

And so it was earlier this month when he learned of the plans to replace him as the general manager at season’s end, Ryan asked that the move be made sooner to open the door for ownership to begin working on its plan to restructure the team’s front office.

Not wanting to take away from the Twins Hall of Fame ceremonies during the weekend, in which outfielder Torri Hunter was honored on Saturday and broadcaster John Gordon on Sunday, the decision was made to make the move on Monday.

• Ryan dismissed; Antony named interim GM

Rob Antony, who had been Ryan’s assistant, assumed the GM duties for now, but the feeling within the organization is a major overhaul will ensue. Among the first names to surface was Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer, Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine, and J.J. Piccolo, assistant general manager of the division-rival Royals, who face many of the same small-market challenges as the Twins.

All the right things were said by the team’s management, and Ryan issued a statement in which he expressed his gratitude to an organization he originally joined as a 35th-round Draft choice out of high school, who then spent three years finishing up a degree from the University of Wisconsin and five years scouting for the Mets before returning to the Twins in a front-office capacity.

• With GM search underway, Twins open to outside hire

“While disappointed we were unable to bring Minnesota a third world championship, I leave …

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