What the?

Didn't see this one coming - just heard from the one (and only) Scott Stebbing via the telephone that TR is going to step down as the Twins' GM.

Terry Ryan has always been a tough nut to crack - he would have made a good CIA operative during the Cold War, he's so good and not tipping his hand.

But this is no question a huge blow to the Twins, who have built their entire being on having the best scouting and player development system in MLB. The Twins are almost always exclusively home grown in terms of top talent, and then when those guys get too good at the MLB level Pohlad cuts 'em loose. And more up-and-coming young players come in to fill those spots.

Ryan has been the mastermind behind it all and he's also the guy who was savvy enough to add Johan Santana as a Rule V pick, and to ship AJ to the Giants for Joe Nathan, Boof and Francisco Liriano.

We'll miss him, that's for dang sure.

I'm curious to find out why Ryan is quitting his post, though. I'll find out soon enough - apparently there is a 2 p.m. Central press conference.