Previous articles in the series: 1965, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009

It was just a year ago, but it feels as ancient as the Roman Empire. The same Twins team that has bumbled to a likely100 loss season in 2011 was actually pretty good in 2010.

On September 22, 2010, one day after clinching the Central Division title, the Twins completed a sweep of the hapless Cleveland Indians. It was their 15th win in 18 games, and it tied them with the Yankees for the best record in baseball at 92-60. The first year of baseball at state of the art Target Field was a smashing success. Sellout crowds crammed the seats virtually every game, and the Twins seemed to win almost all of them. Minnesota’s on-field product was arguably the best it had ever been in this, the team’s 50th year of play.

The Twins were far from the biggest sports headline of 2010. LeBron James managed to upstage them, partly because the Twins didn’t take the time to record a one hour prime time TV special. Millions of baseball fans (and millions of Seinfeld fans) will remember 2010 as the year that George Steinbrenner, a titan of the game, passed away at age 80. Meanwhile, in 2010, 33 Chilean miners were rescued after a tense rescue operation that captivated much of the world’s attention. And in Washington D.C., the Republican Party won back control of the House of Representatives. (more…)

Previous articles in the series: 1965, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008

Fresh off a disappointing end to the 2008 campaign, the 2009 Twins had something to prove. The team that had dominated the AL Central for nearly an entire decade was in danger of missing the playoffs for a third straight season.

The world economy also slumped in 2009. In the United States, unemployment skyrocketed over 10%. The country got a bit of a morale boost, though, when Navy snipers rescued an American sea captain from Somali pirates in April. The Twins also did well against Pirates that year – they took two out of three from Pittsburgh in an interleague series. In 2009 the world tuned in as the first African American U.S. president was inaugurated, and the nation was briefly captivated by a boy in a runaway balloon. But pop star Michael Jackson arguably grabbed the most media attention of anyone. When the troubled singer died in June, a firestorm of non-stop coverage erupted in tabloids and on television.  

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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…)