General manager Ryan staying put with Twins

SAN DIEGO -- Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Monday that he's not interested in leaving the organization to join the Blue Jays.

Toronto is reportedly looking to find a replacement for longtime club president and chief executive officer Paul Beeston, and Ryan's name surfaced as a candidate, according to a report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. But Ryan downplayed those rumors, as he said he's not going anywhere.

"The situation caught me off-guard because I didn't know anything about it and all of sudden it started to get legs, but I'm a GM and a baseball guy so I'm not sure the business side is anything I'm qualified for," Ryan said. "But I'm very humbled to hear my name was thrown into that. But you don't have to worry about me going to Toronto."

Ryan is in his second stint as Twins general manager, as he served in that role from 1994-2007 before stepping down before the 2008 season to become a senior advisor to Bill Smith, who replaced him as general manager. Ryan returned to his former post in 2011 after Smith was reassigned to another position within the organization.

The Blue Jays also made a run at Ryan in 2001, but Ryan opted to remain with the Twins despite the threat of contraction at the time. Ryan said he won't ever leave Minnesota for another post, as the only way he'd work for another organization is if he were let go by the Twins.

"My heart is with the Minnesota Twins," Ryan said. "If I could've dreamt a dream job, this would be it. It's the organization I played for and [that] drafted me and the organization that brought me in to be the scouting director. So I've been in Minnesota for the better part of 30 years and raised my kids in that fine state. So I don't see it"