Snappers, Twins are a good fit

Ryan visits for banquet

By Jim Franz
Beloit Daily News Sports Editor

It's ironic the organization the Milwaukee Brewers were supposedly patterning themselves after stepped in to fill the void when the Beloit Snappers were left teamless last September.

As much as the Snappers lamented losing the home-state Brewers as a partner, being affiliated with the Minnesota Twins - voted the best organization in baseball in 2004 - will also have its advantages.

First and foremost is Terry Ryan, the Minnesota Twins General Manager, one of the most well-respected baseball men around and a Janesville native. He and MLB umpire Marty Foster were featured speakers at Tuesday's sold-out Beloit Snappers Hot Stove Banquet at the Country Club of Beloit.

"I'd like to field a team people will be proud of here," Ryan said. "With the drafts we've had, I'd like to think we're going to have some real good talent here. They're going to be young, but we'll have a young team in here every year. We don't believe in veterans. We're going to field players we believe are future players for the Minnesota Twins. I don't believe in sprinkling in older guys in A ball."

The Twins' track record is impressive. Since 1988, the organization has had only two losing seasons in the minor leagues and its winning percentage those two seasons was .496 and .488. The Twins are what the Brewers hope to become - a small-market team competitive enough to challenge nearly year-in and year-out for a division crown because whatever free agents they lose are replaced through a productive farm system.

"Whatever we're doing is working," Ryan said. "Almost all our players in the major leagues come through our system."

Baseball America voted Ryan the Executive of the Year for the 2004 season, after the Twins repeated as American League Central Division Champions.

Gary Lucas, the Snappers' pitching coach for 2005, said prospects in the Twins organization learn early what is expected of them.

"It's preached to our players that they have to grow up fast because they're very accountable for their actions," he said. "It's up to us as staff members to do more than just teach the curveball and slider. We're trying to mold these kids and push them in the right direction and that's through constant communication."

Ryan said the Twins already have a pretty good idea of the Beloit roster for 2005. It isn't based mainly on players' 2004 statistics, either.

"It's who is mature enough to handle this league," he said. "This is a tough league. Anyone who thinks the Midwest League is easy is in for a surprise. The weather is always a factor and playing 140 games is something new for most of these players.

"You'll see some players struggling in April, but they'll keep improving because they're competitive and coachable. And you'll see some others start fast, think they have it licked and then tank. There are a lot of factors why some players make it and go on to the major leagues and others don't. A lot of first-rounders don't make it because they don't want to work, they don't pay attention to detail or they're not coachable. Some have girl friend problems. Some drink themselves off teams or take drugs. A lot can come into play."

Why do so many Twins prospects succeed? Ryan believes it starts with scouting.

"You draft and sign players and you know their makeup and their work ethic and the mentality you're getting," he said. "We have over 160 players and there will be some bad apples, but you don't hear too much about us having trouble. If we do, we take care of it quickly."

In addition to promoting players, Ryan likes to promote from within the ranks of his managers and coaches.

"Our manager in Minnesota, Ron Gardenhire, was in Kenosha," he said. "Our bench coach was in Kenosha. Our pitching coach was a pitching coach in Kenosha. Ultimately, I like to hire people we believe have enough ceiling to get up to our major-league staff."

His manager in Beloit is a long-time baseball man. Kevin Boles is the son of former Marlins manager John Boles.

"When John was manager of the (Appleton) Foxes back in the early 1980s, I saw Kevin running around as a batboy," Ryan said.

This is the second year the staff of Boles, Lucas and hitting coach Rudy Hernandez will be together. They were with the MWL's Swing of the Quad Cities a year ago.

"Knowing the league helps," Lucas said. "We believe were in a real good organization. Terry Ryan sets the tone at the higher level and it filters down. The communication is real good. It's not that way in all organizations."