Just to echo one of the other commenters below, I don't know how you can recap this season without discussing Liriano. When he broke in, he was *better* than Santana. The Twins had the top two aces in all of baseball. That was when they were rolling in the middle of the season, winning games at an absurd clip. I heard Michael Cuddyer say that he thinks they would have won the World Series that year had Liriano stayed healthy. Almost assuredly, they would've at least entered October as the favorites to win it all. Instead, they still entered as a solid team. Even later in the year, there were some amazing series where Mauer and Morneau seemed to carry the Twins. I remember one series against the Dodgers where Mauer seemed to get a single in every single at-bat. Ironically, Morneau ended up winning the MVP despite being the 3rd best player on his own team. Losing Santana's start in Game 1 vs. Oakland was a punch to the gut, and the rest is history. The other year when the Twins seemed like World Series contenders was 2010 prior to Morneau's injury. He was the best hitter in the league during the first half that year. It's sad to think about what could've been had 2006 Liriano and 2010 Morneau stayed healthy. And then in 2019, Buxton was injured and couldn't play in the ALDS. 2006, 2010, and 2019 are easily the best three twins teams since the 2002 squad (arguably all better than the 2002 squad). Yet each of those teams was without its best player for the entire postseason. There's a solid recipe if you're trying to put together a record postseason losing streak.
I met Nick Punto when he was playing in AAA Scranton for the Phillies in 2002. He and a couple other players went to a batting cage and hung out with us. Punto had natural athleticism, especially with his defense. He was not very big at all, maybe 5’9”. Anyways, I followed him in 2003 (was a childhood Jim Thome fan) with PHI. He was relegated to a bench/utility/pinch hit and run role. I remember his first big league homer at Shea that same year. Chase Utley was a far more attractive infield option, and with Rollins at short, Punto was the odd man out. I always still followed Punto. He had a pretty good year in 2006 I believe.
I was at that last game in 2006, all the fans sat in the stadium while they played the last 2-3 innings of the Tigers and Royals game. The Royals won and the Twins came back out on the field to celebrate it is my favorite memory at the Metrodome (key word being at, my favorite memories of the Metrodome are 87 and 91).
This really need to be more in depth and detailed. The 2006 roster was so loaded with talent, but there’s hardly any mention of Mauer, Liriano, Nathan, Hunter, Etc.
This is the Twins team that I remember most (born in 88 and too young to remember 91). But that team had the MVP, the Cy Young winner, the batting champion, and if Liriano had not gotten hurt after starting 11-2 with like a 1.5 ERA, they would have had the ROY as well. Obviously doesn't matter now since they have not won a post season game since, but they were special.
Detroit fan here. If memory serves me right, the Tigers jumped out to a 6 run lead in the last game, Bonderman couldn’t hold it, and they lost in extra innings. It was their fifth loss in a row. Another L to start the playoffs made it six straight...then, out of nowhere, eight straight wins and they were in the World Series...wild
I just won the World Series with the Twins in MVP Baseball 2005. Game 1 of the ALCS against the Red Sox was Santana vs Schilling and it lived up to real world expectations.
The 06 run had a lot less to do with Tony Batista (Though getting punto into the lineup as the everyday 3B and Bartlett at SS was important) and a lot more to do with the turnaround from Morneau, which started with his walk off vs the Orioles a few days prior to Kubel's slam. The 06 team having the AL batting champ, it's MVP, a gold glover who hit 31 homers in CF, and it's cy young (and the 5th place vote getter for cy young as closer) and if not for injury a slam dunk rookie of the year candidate with none of those people being the same person is what put the twins over. The 2006 team should have won the world series, but just couldn't get it done when the time came.
I remember that year. Made a bet with a coworker that the AL central would have more wins than the AL east. Probably the only year I could of won that one.
Yeah, Tony wasn’t the main part of the story imo...It was the strength of the starting rotation: Santana, Radke, and Liriano alongside the M&M Bros at the plate 😁 Granted, you did get there near the end of the video 😅 Also, the ‘06 Twins are still my favorite roster of all time; I’ll always remember them 😊
After 91, somehow a curse hit MN sports teams. The Twins atleast won it twice during my lifetime. We have always had good sports teams between the Twins, Vikings, Wild and T-Wolves. We just never have been able to get over that hump for some reason.
are you a Twins fan? you make it seem like the Twins were expecting great thing from Tony...not the case at all. They expected less of him then Joe Crede
How the twins never won a World Series in the early/mid 2000s is a mystery
Adam Kennedy is your answer
Their offense was horrible in the postseason.
One ALCS appearance with 2 MVPs and a Cy Young winner
Yankees. All you need to say
The Damn Yankees. I hate them with a passion.
So glad you made this video. This year was one I remember fondly. What a club, "the little piranhas" ❤ forever in our hearts.
Just to echo one of the other commenters below, I don't know how you can recap this season without discussing Liriano. When he broke in, he was *better* than Santana. The Twins had the top two aces in all of baseball. That was when they were rolling in the middle of the season, winning games at an absurd clip. I heard Michael Cuddyer say that he thinks they would have won the World Series that year had Liriano stayed healthy. Almost assuredly, they would've at least entered October as the favorites to win it all. Instead, they still entered as a solid team. Even later in the year, there were some amazing series where Mauer and Morneau seemed to carry the Twins. I remember one series against the Dodgers where Mauer seemed to get a single in every single at-bat. Ironically, Morneau ended up winning the MVP despite being the 3rd best player on his own team. Losing Santana's start in Game 1 vs. Oakland was a punch to the gut, and the rest is history.
The other year when the Twins seemed like World Series contenders was 2010 prior to Morneau's injury. He was the best hitter in the league during the first half that year. It's sad to think about what could've been had 2006 Liriano and 2010 Morneau stayed healthy. And then in 2019, Buxton was injured and couldn't play in the ALDS. 2006, 2010, and 2019 are easily the best three twins teams since the 2002 squad (arguably all better than the 2002 squad). Yet each of those teams was without its best player for the entire postseason. There's a solid recipe if you're trying to put together a record postseason losing streak.
👍
The team that got me into baseball. All began when kirby puckett died. 15 years later still love my twins.
I met Nick Punto when he was playing in AAA Scranton for the Phillies in 2002. He and a couple other players went to a batting cage and hung out with us. Punto had natural athleticism, especially with his defense. He was not very big at all, maybe 5’9”. Anyways, I followed him in 2003 (was a childhood Jim Thome fan) with PHI. He was relegated to a bench/utility/pinch hit and run role. I remember his first big league homer at Shea that same year. Chase Utley was a far more attractive infield option, and with Rollins at short, Punto was the odd man out. I always still followed Punto. He had a pretty good year in 2006 I believe.
I was at that last game in 2006, all the fans sat in the stadium while they played the last 2-3 innings of the Tigers and Royals game. The Royals won and the Twins came back out on the field to celebrate it is my favorite memory at the Metrodome (key word being at, my favorite memories of the Metrodome are 87 and 91).
This really need to be more in depth and detailed. The 2006 roster was so loaded with talent, but there’s hardly any mention of Mauer, Liriano, Nathan, Hunter, Etc.
Great video, fun memories. Thanks.
Johan Santana will definitely be in the HOF. He will be a veteran's committee pick for sure.
This is the Twins team that I remember most (born in 88 and too young to remember 91). But that team had the MVP, the Cy Young winner, the batting champion, and if Liriano had not gotten hurt after starting 11-2 with like a 1.5 ERA, they would have had the ROY as well. Obviously doesn't matter now since they have not won a post season game since, but they were special.
Detroit fan here. If memory serves me right, the Tigers jumped out to a 6 run lead in the last game, Bonderman couldn’t hold it, and they lost in extra innings. It was their fifth loss in a row. Another L to start the playoffs made it six straight...then, out of nowhere, eight straight wins and they were in the World Series...wild
I just won the World Series with the Twins in MVP Baseball 2005. Game 1 of the ALCS against the Red Sox was Santana vs Schilling and it lived up to real world expectations.
The 06 run had a lot less to do with Tony Batista (Though getting punto into the lineup as the everyday 3B and Bartlett at SS was important) and a lot more to do with the turnaround from Morneau, which started with his walk off vs the Orioles a few days prior to Kubel's slam. The 06 team having the AL batting champ, it's MVP, a gold glover who hit 31 homers in CF, and it's cy young (and the 5th place vote getter for cy young as closer) and if not for injury a slam dunk rookie of the year candidate with none of those people being the same person is what put the twins over. The 2006 team should have won the world series, but just couldn't get it done when the time came.
I remember that year. Made a bet with a coworker that the AL central would have more wins than the AL east. Probably the only year I could of won that one.
The day after the Batista move they made an equally big move, trading away Juan Castro and giving the SS job full time to Jason Bartlett.
This video needs more views
The greatest Twins team of all time, even more than the 3 Twins team that made the World Series (as of the end of the 2023 season)
06 was a crazy year when u pook at how many good teams the AL had compared to the NL. Then an 83 win team wins it all lmao
Yeah, Tony wasn’t the main part of the story imo...It was the strength of the starting rotation: Santana, Radke, and Liriano alongside the M&M Bros at the plate 😁
Granted, you did get there near the end of the video 😅
Also, the ‘06 Twins are still my favorite roster of all time; I’ll always remember them 😊
Proof that the hottest team winning the world series is a myth. Doesn’t always happen
Curt Schilling isn't a hall of famer, he should be but he isnt. Also Johan could be a veterans pick pretty easily
After 91, somehow a curse hit MN sports teams. The Twins atleast won it twice during my lifetime. We have always had good sports teams between the Twins, Vikings, Wild and T-Wolves. We just never have been able to get over that hump for some reason.
Now do game 163!!
Curt Schilling is not in the HOF
You remind me of jon bois. Good shit. Don't get swept up in the entertainment part if youtube though.
are you a Twins fan? you make it seem like the Twins were expecting great thing from Tony...not the case at all. They expected less of him then Joe Crede
Yeah but clubhouse chemistry matters. Winning 17 out of 18 after releasing one guy says something
Tony Batista did good and Remeber tony batista was there when the rookie player did the Grand slam??? so why tony batista matters
@@edwardreyes1600 nah fuck it dude I cried watching this tony battista is the reason for everything
FYI Shilling hasn’t made the HOF yet
Go twins
odd no mention of francisco liriano being better than the cy young winner before he got hurt
WHITE SOX FAN HERE.....I HATE THIS TEAM
Twins vs White Sox rivalry was something else! #WinTwins