"Tho' I've belted you and flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"
Rudyard Kipling

Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins, the 2009 champions of  American League Central.  That's right kids, the under financed, medium market Twinkies knocked off the big, bad Detroit Tigers in a twelve inning thriller to win the division and advance to the playoffs.

I try to hate the Twins, but I just can't because they embody everything I love about baseball.  They never quit.  They are never dead until the last out.  Their bullpen comes up big when they need it.  Guys like Nick Punto make perfect throws in clutch situations. They grow their own players and somehow when they lose someone to injury, someone steps in and does the job.  They lose Justin Morneau, no problem.  They lose Joe Crede, no problem. No excuses, ever. No whining, no woe is us. Just positive results.

These guys just know how to execute in every facet of the game. They may not have the future hall of famers the Yankees or the Red Sox have, but collectively, as a unit, they are as dangerous as any team in baseball.  How can you not embrace a team like this?

The White Sox lose Carlos Quentin for two months and can't find anyone to fill in.  They go through three center fielders, all with major league experience, none of who can hit, release one and trade one.  They pick up a former all-star on waivers who they later find out has no passion for the game. The 2005 World Series MVP goes ice cold in the second half.  Their top pitcher throws a perfect game and then goes on a long losing streak.  Their fifth starter is an overweight former all-star with nothing left in his tank except last night's burritos.  Their other fifth starter is a Cuban star trying to come back No one steps up.   And they flounder miserably despite a star studded roster.

The Twinkies?  They keep on winning.

The Tigers have a five game lead.  They have several all-stars.  They have decent pitching and awesome power.  They have deep funds.  And they can't hold the lead. 

The Twinkies? They keep on winning.

The Minnesota Twins are irrefutable proof that winning is not about players or money but about culture.  Good organizations get things done, no matter what they have to do.  Players understand from the moment they get into that organization that failure is not an option.  They are coached to be successful, trained to bunt and hit and run and steal bases effectively.  They are taught to play the game right.  Their manager knows what buttons to push and always seems to push the right ones. Players get right or get out.

For all those that bemoan the state of baseball, that cry for the "small market" teams like the Pirates, the Twins are a shining example of how to win on a budget.  The Twins have invested wisely,  traded smartly and developed players maybe better than any team in baseball.  If the Pirates needed a road map, the Twins organization is it. 

Good luck in the playoffs, Minnesota.  I hope you win the whole thing.  You've earned it.