The Minnesota Twins became the first major league baseball team to clinch a berth in the post-season the other night when they came back from a 4-1 deficit to defeat Cleveland, 6-4, to wrap up the American League Central division crown. This is in sharp contrast to last year, when the Twins had to play an extra game, a one game playoff, with the Detroit Tigers, to sneak into the playoffs as the last team to make it. With their pitching staff depleted and no time to rest or regroup, the Twins went from the frying pan into the fire as they had to face the high-powered New York Yankees in the divisional round, and predictably, they were swept. This year manager Ron Gardenhire, who gets more more production from his low-key roster than any other manager in baseball, will have the luxury of setting up his pitching staff for the playoffs. Actually, it’s not like the Twins have a true ace, like a Roy Halladay or a C.C. Sabathia, at the top of their rotation. Their top starter this season is retread Carl Pavano, whose 17 wins are most on this club, which is the model franchise for any small market team that is looking to achieve success. The Twins have won the Central title 6 times in the last 9 years, despite not having big dollars to spend on free agents. The key is great scouting, an astute front office and Gardenhire. This club, once being considered for contraction by major league baseball, now has a new stadium, signed hometown hero Joe Mauer to a long term contract, and this season set a club record for attendance. Their roster is a good mix of young home grown players, good trade acquisitions and carefully-selected inexpensive free agents, like Pavano, Jim Thome and Orlando Hudson. The club lost one of their few high profile players, closer Joe Nathan, to injury but never missed a beat as Jon Rauch and Brian Fuentes, picked up from the Angels during the season, have combined for 45 saves. Amazingly, now that they have a post-season berth in hand, the Twins can finish with the best record in the American League and clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs, as the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays battle each other. No matter what, the road to the World Series this year for the Twins will likely again have to go through New York, but this time they’re better positioned for success.
MLB – Twins Clinch AL Central
23
Sep