Twins GM Ryan Disappointed Club Couldn't Sign Pick Cody
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Minnesota Twins general manager Terry Ryan expressed disappointment Friday that the club and Kentucky right-hander Kyle Cody failed to reach agreement after the pitcher was selected 73rd overall in last month's amateur draft.
Ryan, in Oakland on Friday as the Twins began the second half against the Athletics, said Cody is healthy and his physical had nothing to do with failed negotiations.
"I'm disappointed we didn't get our second pick. You never like to go through a draft process without signing your top-10 or top-15," Ryan said. "It's not that we didn't try, it's not that they didn't try. It just didn't work out. We lost this one but we'll get an additional pick next year. We were close. It didn't finalize itself. We just couldn't come to a conclusion."
The Twins lose the $839,700 slot money for Cody, a selection in the competitive-balance round, "so you can't spread the wealth," Ryan said.
Cody posted on Twitter that he would return to Kentucky for his senior season.
"Well it's has been a tough journey, but after its all over I'm headed back to UK next year!" Cody wrote.
Ryan provided several health updates, including saying right-hander Ricky Nolasco's right ankle surgery Monday was successful and he soon will wear a walking boot for an extended period.
Nolasco had a bone fragment removed in the procedure, which meant opening up the ankle in the operation because it couldn't be done arthroscopically. The starting pitcher was 5-1 and had won five straight starts when he was injured May 31.
"I can't give you a timetable," Ryan said. "We're going to have to gauge his timetable I think once he comes out of that boot, and that's going to be a while down the road here still."
Ryan expects to have a better idea when he sees Nolasco back in Minnesota.
Rookie center fielder Byron Buxton, sidelined since June 25 with a strained left thumb, is working on gripping exercises that could lead to more baseball activities once he regains the strength in his hand.
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