OH MY GOD! That's Terry Ryan's music!!!!

By The Common Man

As you may have noticed if you were anywhere near a computer and a Twitter feed over the past 10 minutes, Bill Smith has been fired as the GM of the Minnesota Twins and has been replaced, on an interim basis by former Twins GM Terry Ryan. Wayne Krivsky, who worked in player development under Ryan, is also reportedly headed back to the fold. Speculation, at this point, is that either Assistant GMs Rob Anthony or Mike Radcliffe will be elevated to fill the GM role.

This is a good day to be a Twins fan. Aside from a very brief window in the 2010 offseason, Bill Smith has not been an effective General Manager. As we’ve documented extensively: here, here, here, here, here, and here. It’s unclear what the new GM will bring to the table as far as decision-making processes. But it has to be better than trading Wilson Ramos for Matt Capps, and then hamstringing yourself by giving him $7 million while losing several other effective relievers. And it has to be better than trading JJ Hardy for two unproven and ineffective relievers. And it can’t get worse than standing by the Twins’ medical staff, obsessing over soft-tossing control guys, and refusing to find a competent backup catcher.

Bill Smith’s sins were many. His best moves were undone by the Twins’ constant moves that whittled away their organizational depth. The Common Man doesn’t know what exactly the future holds, but he’s willing to be optimistic about it for the first time in a year.