12/11/2004 11:33 AM ET
Twins named Baseball America's Organization of the Year
GM Terry Ryan Named Executive of the Year

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN -- For the second time in the last three
seasons, the Minnesota Twins have been named Baseball America's
Organization of the Year. The recognition comes two seasons after
the Twins were similarly honored in 2002. The announcement of the
Baseball America awards, which will be included in the new issue of
the publication on newsstands this week, will be made today in
conjunction with the MLB Winter Meetings in Anaheim.
The Twins are only the sixth team in the 22-year history of the
award to be honored multiple years, and it is the first time since
the Montreal Expos won the award in 1988 and 1990 that an
organization has captured the award two times in a three-year span.

In addition to the team honor, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan was
named Baseball America's Executive of the Year. Ryan was honored for
the work in constructing the Twins' back-to-back-to-back American
League Central Division Championship teams. It is Ryan's first such
citation from Baseball America in the seven seasons that the
publication as given an Executive of the Year award. Ryan was named
Sporting News Executive of the Year in 2002.

The article in Baseball America cites the Twins' continued success
and the work of Ryan, in addition to all facets of the organization,
as major reasons for the honor.

"It's not necessarily the work of myself as much as it is the people
who work for this organization who have been loyal and accountable,"
said Ryan. "And they produce things that help get these types of
awards, which is very flattering. It's a great thing for us, working
together as a team, to experience."

The Twins were honored by Baseball America, USA Today and
SportsTicker in 2002 as Organization of the Year.