Barring a miracle ninth-inning comeback by Chicago tonight in Oakland, the Minnesota Twins will be the first team to clinch a division title and a postseason berth. And why not? The Twins have demonstrated all season that they are one of the premier clubs in baseball.
They've also done so very quietly.
Every year it seems, the Twins are in the discussion for the postseason. Every year they manage to put together solid teams that consistently compete for the AL Central crown, but do we really take as much notice as we should? Sadly, the Twins are easily overlooked because they are dwarfed by other AL giants like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. It also doesn't help that they haven't been to a World Series in almost twenty years, but that doesn't take away from what Ron Gardenhire and the Twins' management have been able to achieve in their tenure with the club. Gardenhire has led the Twins to five playoff appearances in his eight seasons as manager, and now will be headed for a sixth. He has had success because he's one of the best at optimizing the personnel at his disposal. He knows how to use his players in order to get the most out of them, and as a result he puts winning teams on the field. That's what the Twins do. They win. You might not notice it, but they win, and they win frequently. In 2010 they're headed for at least 95 wins, if not more, which would be the most they've had in a season since 2006. And under Gardenhire, they've averaged 89 wins a season.
And there it is. It's official. The Twins are the first team to clinch. Congratulations to Minnesota on a fantastic season. Quietly, they go about their business of winning, and now we'll be seeing them in October once again.
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