Twins GM Ryan in the process of building 40-man roster

By Ken Lipshez
New Britain Herald

NEW BRITAIN - While the plight of the 2007 Rock Cats will be illustrated by inconsistency, the future in New Britain would appear to be bright.

The Fort Myers Miracle, the Minnesota Twins' high Class A affiliate and primary pipeline for the Double-A Rock Cats, rebounded from a miserable first half in the split-season Florida State League race to enjoy a competitive second half.

The Beloit Snappers, Minnesota's full-season Class A squad in the Midwest League, won their division in the first half to clinch a postseason spot, and reinforced the accomplishment with a solid second half. The Snappers are managed by popular former Rock Cats catcher Jeff Smith, who carved out a reputation in New Britain for his service to the community.

Perennial Appalachian League power Elizabethton (short-season Class A) is up to its old tricks, dominating its division and just waiting to engage its usual postseason rival Danville Braves. And at the bottom of the chain, the Gulf Coast League (Rookie) Twins qualified for the postseason playing in the hot Florida afternoons at the Twins' complex in Fort Myers.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan, a visitor to New Britain this past weekend, spends more time with his affiliates than several of his colleagues put together. It's part of his time-proven plan of keeping his small-market club competitive, making up for lesser resources with some old-fashioned elbow grease.

Ryan, who was also here at the end of May, said that his second trip through holds greater implications as he prepares his foundation for the future, both immediate and long-term.

"The last trip is much more important than the first because I'm starting to make decisions on who's going to make (the 2008) 40-man roster, who's going to the Arizona Fall League and we've got a couple six-year free agents here," Ryan said. "We have a couple guys who should go to winter ball."

Any Rock Cats players placed on the 40-man list will be protected from the Rule 5 draft, which enables other clubs to snatch players who have played three or four years of pro ball, depending how old they were when they were drafted.

The AFL, owned and operated by the 30 major league teams, metes out up to six slots to each organization for games between early October and mid-November. The experience is regarded as a possible precursor for prospects expected to challenge for a big-league spot the following year.

If a player has six minor league seasons in with a club, he has the right to sign as a free agent with another club. Ryan is making notes on which he'd like to keep and which are expendable.

Ryan's minor league agenda also helps him determine which, if any, players may be productive additions to the big league club after Sept. 1, when minor league regular seasons are ending and active major league rosters expand from 25 to 40. A player must be on a club's 40-man roster by Sept. 1 to be eligible for postseason play.

Last year, Ryan tabbed left-handed pitcher Glen Perkins and infielder Alexi Casilla to make the New Britain-to-Minnesota jump.

"Last year I never would have thought that I'd take Casilla and Perkins but I did," Ryan mused. "This year it could be the same. I may end up reaching down here and grabbing a guy."

Ryan cited numerous peripheral decisions that shape the offseason, which also could be made easier by his August visit.

"As you go through the winter - who needs to be protected, who you don't want to trade, who might in the plans sooner rather than later, some of the make-up, some of the disciplinary issues, some of the affiliation issues, meeting with the manager, the coaches, the strength guy and the trainer," Ryan said.

"We make sure we give some direction to these guys for when they go home in September. Here's what we expect when you come back to Fort Myers in March."