This is part ten in a series examining every Twins team that has made the playoffs. Whether the current version of the Twins is 20 games over .500 or stuck in last place, fans can always hold onto memories of successful teams past.

Previous articles in the series: 1965, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006

The Twins did not make the playoffs in 2008. Technically, the 2008 team should not be a part of this series, since The Winning Teams is supposed to be about playoff teams only. But the 2008 Twins came as close as they possibly could to the playoffs, and they were still playing after the regular season schedule ended, so it would be a major oversight to ignore them.

2008 was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Twins. After a string of four division titles in five years, Minnesota finished under .500 in 2007. That offseason saw the team undergo one of the biggest personnel shuffles it has ever seen. The changes went all the way to the top, as GM Bill Smith replaced Terry Ryan, the architect of the Twins’ rise to relevance. Smith presided over the departure of two big stars: Torii Hunter signed with the Angels as a free agent, and Johan Santana was dealt to the Mets for four minor leaguers. Meanwhile, Smith also sent P Matt Garza and SS Jason Bartlett to the Rays for IF Brendan Harris, OF Delmon Young, and OF Jason Pridie. In an attempt to fill the constantly gaping holes on the left side of the infield, the Twins brought in a pair of former Astros: SS Adam Everett and 3B Mike Lamb. And veteran junkballer Livan Hernandez joined the pitching staff. (more…)