Looking back at 2004 - Part 4 of 5 - The fall after clinching

From the Seats, December 30, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS - September 20 in Chicago against the White Sox the Twins clinched, beating the Sox 8-2. For the third year in a row the Twins won the Central Division, for the first time in franchise history they won the division three years in a row and another franchise first of 4 consecutive winning seasons.

Leading up to September 20th the Twins were playing the best baseball in the majors, they could beat any team at that point. With how they were playing they were on their way to win a World Series, I am dead serious about that, with how the Twins played leading up to clinching the division they were on their way to win the World Series, the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals or anyone else could stop them.

But the Twins ended up doing the same thing they did in 2003, exactly the same. They won game 1 in New York, than lost game two, three and four and were done. So what happened between September 20th and October 5th? They relaxed.

The Twins chose to rest players, Ron Gardenhire gave regulars some time off and they sat back the last week of the season. It was a stretch, but the Twins had a chance of getting home field advantage in the playoffs, but with the play of the last week there was no chance of that. Resting regular players and not playing at the same intensity they were before was the difference in losing to the Yankees in the first round or going on to the World Series.

The Red Sox won the World Series with ease, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact they came back from being down 0-3 to the Yankees and winning the ALCS. The Twins team prior to clinching would never have let a slide like the Yankees go, I just don't see where something like that would happen.

I think if the Twins continue to play like they did before clinching they could have gone further into the playoffs. They had something working, they were in that grove. Resting players and relaxing that last week was the wrong thing to do. Unfortunately I don't think that Ron Gardenhire got that, or understands that the last week of the season had such a huge effect on the fait of the Twins.

One could say the Twins peaked a few weeks early, I think they could have ridden that peak for a few weeks by maintaining what they were doing.

A look ahead to Friday: The road to Johan Santana winning the Cy Young