Twins celebrate AL Central Division title

DETROIT -- After the champagne dried, the Minnesota Twins reflected on a remarkable accomplishment: winning the AL Central Division just months after the courts stopped major league baseball from eliminating the team.

"You've got to feel good for these guys, because we had an awkward winter and a bit of an awkward spring," general manager Terry Ryan said. "A lot of things surrounding us weren't anticipated. Ultimately, you get through them and here we are. What a story."

While skepticism remains that a "small market" team like Minnesota can only get so far in the postseason, Ryan said the Twins have the same goals as any other contender.

"We've accomplished one of the pieces. Now we have to get down to business," Ryan said. "I don't think anybody is satisfied just to get to the playoffs in this clubhouse."

The Twins clinched the division Sunday with a 5-0 win over defending champion Cleveland and a Chicago White Sox loss at Yankee Stadium. Atlanta became the first team to clinch a division title last week.

"Being the second team to clinch is nice, but we're the team that had to go through contraction," Denny Hocking said. "It might be sweeter than this, but right now I don't see how it could be."

Hocking was asked whether Minnesota's improbable success this year is a victory for the sport's little guys.

"That's a question you're going to have to direct to Bud Selig," Hocking said. "I know we're not supposed to act like idiots in the media. But you know what, I've earned the right to."

Hocking was referring to the commissioner's plan last year to get rid of the Twins and Expos, which would have reduced the major leagues to 28 teams. Twins fans responded by circulating petitions and lobbying legislators for a new ballpark. A court injunction, and eventually a labor settlement between the players and owners, ended talks of contraction.

Champagne, beer and smiles were everywhere as the Twins celebrated in Cleveland before traveling to Detroit for their next series that begins Tuesday. After having to play under the cloud of contraction, the Twins deserved the party and the day off.

"We really didn't know if we would be playing this year," Mike Jackson said. "It's a great feeling. I wasn't here last year when they went through all this stuff. But when they asked me to come over here and play, I looked at everything they had and knew I wanted to come and be a part of it. Guys responded well to all the things that went on last winter and last year with contraction and all that."

Unlike last year when the Twins started strong before a second-half collapse, their consistency this season under first-year coach Ron Gardenhire has them in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 1991 World Series.

Minnesota, which also won the 1987 Series, took advantage of the unbalanced schedule with plenty of AL Central games against Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox.

The Twins are 43-21 in the division and 44-42 against the rest of the league, which may give skeptics even more reason to believe they can't eliminate the New York Yankees or any other team in the playoffs.

Doug Mientkiewicz said the Twins can be more than a one-year wonder if management can keep the team together.

"I don't want to go anywhere," he said. "We have a lot of special individuals. The whole reason we didn't want to get contracted is because we have great guys in this room, from the general manager to the equipment manager.

"Small market teams can compete, it's just a matter of for how long. We'll see if we can keep this thing together."