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Mauer: Twins players 'hurting' after Ryan firing

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Hours after learning that longtime general manager Terry Ryan had been fired by the last-place Minnesota Twins, players were still reeling in the visitor's clubhouse as they prepared for Monday's opener against the Tigers.

Earlier in the day, Ryan was dismissed five seasons into his second stint with the club, a causality of another disappointing campaign for the Twins, who have failed to make the playoffs since he re-joined the team in 2011.

"There’s a lot of emotions going through me right now," veteran first baseman Joe Mauer, who was 15 years old when he first met Ryan, told Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. "Still kind of shocked, stunned a little bit. There's a lot of people hurting in here."

Less than a year removed from a surprising second-place finish in the AL Central, the Twins (33-58) entered Monday's action 21 games behind the division-leading Indians, and 17 1/2 games back of the second-wild card spot. They own the AL's worst record, and their 13 road wins are the fewest in baseball.

Shortly after the news of Ryan's dismissal, the club named vice president and assistant general manager Rob Antony as interim GM and said it would begin searching for permanent candidates right away. Second baseman Brian Dozier said he was "blindsided" by the announcement.

"I hate it," he said. "I'm very, very close with Terry. He's a very honest man. He cares a lot. He understands the big picture. He's not just caught up in the game of baseball."

Ryan, a member of the Twins organization since 1972, was told about a month ago that he would be let go, according to MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park. Twins rookie Max Kepler said Ryan was a mentor to young players.

"I'm sad personally. Politically I have nothing to say. We’re just waiting to see what’s going to happen next now."

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