The Minnesota Twins September was right up there with late season fades that have been etched in baseball history.
Senior vice president and general manager Thad Levine tendered his resignation to “pursue new challenges and opportunities.” Would he still have left had the Twins made their way into the post season? It’s hard to say yes.
Levine’s time in Minnesota included a rejuvination of the franchise. Three division titles and one other playoff appearance in just 7 years. Things were rolling once again for the Twins with just a quarter of the season left to play.
On August 17th the Twins were 70-53, they stood second in the AL Central, a mere two games back of first place. They were also ten and a half games up on the Detroit Tigers before it all fell apart. They won just twelve of their last thirty-nine and one of the final nine.
Manager Rocco Baldelli Stays On
The Tigers second half romp eventually had them finish a full four games up on the Twins. The September swan dive did not cost manager Rocco Baldelli his post despite chants for that from disillusioned Twins fans.
The team did however fire 4 coaches, Rudy Hernandez, David Popkins and Derek Shomon all hitting coaches and assistant bench/infield coach Tony Diaz.
Upper management certainly could take some heat for the ending having cut payroll by more than $26 million for the 2024 season. Twins executive chair Joe Pohlad wasn’t having any of that:
“Yes, there are always some restrictions, but I thought, and I know that there was agreement that they had everything they needed. Throughout three-quarters of the season we were in position. So I don’t think this is a resource conversation right now”
It’s taken 15 seasons but this was payback for the Tigers. On September 6th 2009, the Tigers led the AL Central by 7 games over the Twins with a record of 75-61. Minnesota caught them on the penultimate day of the regular season eventually forcing a one game winner take the division.
The Twins handed the Tigers one more insult to their 2009 season by winning the game in 12 innings. A game the Tigers had a 3-0 lead in at one point.
The Tiger hangover lasted another season but they went on a four year playoff run after that including a world series appearance, we’ll see how these Twins deal with their painful ending.
