This blog generally takes a rather pessimistic view of the Twins. After Alexi Casilla ripped a single off Fernando Rodney in game 163, most of us knew they'd get swept by the Yankees. We like to rip on Nick Punto, chide Delmon Young and question Pat Neshek's diet. Very negative indeed. Heck, I even managed to spend half an article complaining about trivial things in an article about the lovely Target Field.
But most Twins fans and the guys here at Alright Hamilton aren't as bad as the local media. Specifically Dan Barriero. He loves to rip the Twins for not spending money and not "going for it" when they have a chance at a title. Which is fine, I guess. At least he provides something different than all the Star Tribune's homers.
Barriero is maddeningly cynical, but last spring I was ready to join him. Let me paint a picture of how I felt: The Twins hadn't won a division title since 2006. The 2007 squad severely underperformed, finishing with their first losing season since 2000. That set the stage for Torii Hunter to bolt for Anaheim and a Johan Santana trade. Losing two players of that magnitude because we didn't have the cash to pay them sure made that classic Minnesota inferiority complex flare up. Payroll was way down; from about $71 million in 2007 and leveling off at about $65 million in 2008 and 2009.
It seemed like a racket. The Twins were moving into a new taxpayer funded ballpark, screaming towards large wads of cash, and they were slashing payroll while shedding all-stars. It definitely seemed like a racket.
Needless to say, it didn't turn out badly. The payroll is nearly $100 million dollars even without the mega Mauer contract on the books. Ownership is clearly committed to winning instead of lining their pockets with fat stacks of Target Field provided cash. Best of all - the Twins can actually afford to keep their good players.
The point is this: We are very, very lucky to be Twins fans.
Want proof?
Read this brilliantly written and hilarious piece of writing from an Indians fan. He hates the Twins. It's not immature or mean, it speaks more of an exhausted hatred of loathing and jealousy.
(hat tip to No Smoking In the Metrodome)
The whole thing is great, but this is the most relevant line for our discussion:
Doesn't that brighten your day?
5 comments:
Thats a great anti twins rant. Thanks for the link.
It is great to be lucky.
Agreed. Great rant.
But how many times do you have to out preform your pythag for it not to be luck?
It's not luck soup. It's doing things the "right way."
Also, I will definitely be calling Gardy the "magical walrus that has taken human form."
This guy acts like winning the AL Central is the Holy Grail of sports. Yeah so the Twins have racked up a few AL Central titles but in all that time they have only won one postseason series so I doubt that makes the the luckiest team ever.
If we are talking a franchise with no right to win in the postseason, therefore making them 'lucky,' we would be talking about the Marlins.
I about spit out my water on that Gardy/walrus line.
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