Ryan Not Worried About Twins' Payroll

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan has been assured team owner Carl Pohlad is committed to getting back to the playoffs.

That probably means spending more money in the offseason.

"People are certainly zeroing in on payroll," Ryan said Tuesday. "It's never been an issue here. We've never come out and stated exactly what our payroll is going to be."

Though the Twins' roster was only worth $15 million in 1999, Pohlad has since spent more money on salaries as the Twins have improved. Nearly eliminated before the season started by baseball's contraction plan, the Twins lost to the Anaheim Angels in the AL championship series.

Minnesota's payroll jumped from about $26 million in 2001 to more than $41 million this season. But that's still the fourth-lowest in the majors, and the Twins continue to lobby for a new stadium to generate more revenue.

Pohlad, who has put the team up for sale, has been criticized for being cheap, but Ryan won't complain.

"He's given us plenty to work with the last year-and-a-half here," Ryan said. "He wants to keep the team together. We're trying to put a good club out there again, and we'll do the best we can."

Ryan, the Twins' GM since 1994, will meet this week with Pohlad to discuss his future. He wouldn't say if a multiyear agreement was in the works but indicated he's planning to be around for a while.

"I'm not going to pretend I'm not enjoying my time here," said Ryan, who turned down an interview with Toronto for its general manager position last winter when the Twins were in danger of being contracted.

"I feel like it's where I belong," Ryan said. "If you don't believe you belong someplace, then you shouldn't be there. I'm very happy here, and I'm sure the feeling is mutual."

Because of his close relationship with Pohlad, Ryan has worked each year on a handshake agreement instead of a formal contract.

"It isn't going to take long for me to do that," Ryan said. "I have a sincere interest in staying here. I'm sure Mr. Pohlad will do what he always does with me - we'll have a session, he'll state some of his view and I'll probably walk out of there with a handshake."

Ryan has plenty to do. Before he begins crafting the roster for 2003, he has to catch up on scouting some players in fall instructional leagues and other tasks he's accomplished by now in years past when the Twins weren't in the playoffs.

"I'm behind in everything," Ryan said, "but I'd love to have this problem every year."