NewsSurge couldn't erase Twins shortcomings
Mauer, Blackburn, Duensing among 2009 standouts
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
10/14/09 10:15 PM ET
MINNEAPOLIS -- It was a thrilling ride that ended much too soon for the Twins. Just five days after clinching the American League Central in a 6-5, 12-inning tiebreaker win over the Tigers, the Twins sat in the same clubhouse where they had celebrated with an empty feeling. The club had won what seemed like an improbable division title and entered the playoffs as the hottest team in baseball but found itself headed for the offseason much earlier than expected following a three-game sweep by the Yankees in the American League Division Series. "It was a quick end to a very hard-fought season," said closer Joe Nathan. "I know a lot of people didn't think we would be here, but we always believed we could. We believed we could make the series with the Yankees a good one. Even though we got swept out, we had our opportunities." For Minnesota, it was just another year of when things seemed to be over much quicker than anyone would have hoped. While it was the club's fifth division title in eight seasons, it also marked the fourth time in that stretch that the Twins haven't made it out of the first round. It was a tough way for the players to see the season end, but they still managed to create late-season excitement for the Metrodome's sendoff following 28 years of baseball under the Teflon roof. Early in September, the Twins had been all but written off following a season in which they struggled to get over the .500 mark. They sat seven games back of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central on Sept. 6, but thanks to a tremendous stretch run -- they went 17-4 in their final 21 games -- the Twins managed to find a way to the postseason yet again. And even though the result wasn't what Minnesota was hoping for, the club knew that once the sting of its postseason exit wore off, there would be plenty to be proud of in 2009. "We've got to hold our heads up," said Denard Span. "We had a good season. We did the unthinkable. We did what a lot of people never gave us a chance to do. I'd just like to commend everybody, all 25 guys on this team. We have nothing to be upset about." Record: 87-76, first place in AL Central following win in tiebreaker, lost in three games to Yankees in ALDS Defining moment: On Sept. 13, Justin Morneau was given a rare day off due to a strained lower back, but the Twins managed an 8-0 victory over the A's without him. Winning without Morneau, who hit 30 home runs and 100 RBIs on the season, is something the club would have to continue to do for the rest of the season. The next day, Morneau was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the L5 vertebra in his lower back, and doctors informed the former AL MVP that he risked further injury if he continued to play. At the time, the Twins sat 5 1/2 games out of AL Central lead, and many pundits wrote off the club after it lost Morneau. Instead, Minnesota seemed to rally around the fact that one of its leaders was missing. Many other players stepped up offensively, including Michael Cuddyer, who shifted to first base in Morneau's absence. With Morneau rooting from the bench, the Twins finished the year winning 17 of their final 21 games and wound up clinching the title in that memorable 12-inning win over the Tigers. What went right: Joe Mauer continued to show why he's one of the best players in the Majors, earning his third batting title -- the most by a catcher -- while putting together an MVP-caliber campaign despite missing the entire first month of the season due to back inflammation. ... In his second year, Span didn't endure any of the "sophomore slump" but instead emerged as one of the top leadoff men in the game. His .392 OBP was second only to Mauer (.444) and he scored a team-high 97 runs. ... Nathan set a single-season franchise record with his 47 saves. He now has 246 saves with the Twins, putting him eight shy of Rick Aguilera's record. ... Knowing his team needed some help down the stretch, Twins general manager Bill Smith became one of the most active GMs in July and August. He brought in four veteran players -- starter Carl Pavano, shortstop Orlando Cabrera, and relievers Jon Rauch and Ron Mahay. Without the help of the additions both on and off the field, the Twins likely would not have made the playoffs. ... Nick Blackburn duplicated his game No. 163 performance from '08 by stepping up in big-game situations down the stretch, and Scott Baker (15-9) also proved that he belongs as a top-of-the-rotation starter. There were questions as to whether Cuddyer might be able to duplicate his breakout 2006 season. Cuddyer responded by bouncing back from an injury-plagued '08 to bat .276 with 94 RBIs and a career-high 32 homers. ... For the first time, the Twins had four players with 90-plus RBIs -- Mauer, Morneau, Cuddyer and Jason Kubel. ... Matt Guerrier proved he can be a quality setup man, posting a 2.36 ERA in a team-high 79 appearances. Unlike '08, when he was also tops in appearances, Guerrier didn't tire this season due to the Twins limiting the number of innings he threw. What went wrong: Injuries plagued the team from the start of the season. Three starting pitchers -- Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins and Francisco Liriano -- were out of the rotation by the end of the year. The club also was without Mauer and Morneau for stretches due to back troubles, and also both Morneau and Span had to overcome dizzy spells due to inner ear infections. ... Joe Crede's back didn't prove to be a problem until August, but it was a myriad of other bumps and bruises that also combined to limit him to just 90 games. ... The Minnesota infield was once again an area of flux. Alexi Casilla failed to live up to expectations due to his lapse in play -- offensively and defensively -- earning him a few trips back and forth between Triple-A Rochester. Due to Crede's injuries, the Twins had to try other options at third, including Matt Tolbert. ... Baserunning blunders cost the Twins during the postseason, but it was a collective inability to do the little things throughout the season that often cost the club games. ... Carlos Gomez's ability to cover plenty of ground in center field was the only thing that allowed him to earn playing time down the stretch. Gomez's offensive woes relegated him to the bench by the end of the year. Biggest surprise: Brian Duensing broke camp with the Twins out of the bullpen, but no one could have predicted what a huge addition he'd be to an injury-plagued rotation down the stretch. The left-hander went 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA after joining the rotation full-time in mid-August and played a big role in the Twins making the playoffs.Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
