Last night the Minnesota Twins became the first team in 2010 to clinch a playoff berth.
The Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers were competitive in the AL Central through the first half of the season, but the Twins used a fantastic August and September to pull away from the pack.
Despite the loss of Justin Morneau for the last two months and Joe Nathan’s Tommy John surgery at the start of the year, Minnesota has won yet another AL Central title.
The Twins have won six out of the last nine division titles and have earned a reputation as one of the most consistent teams in the American League.
However, they have also gained a reputation as playoff disappointments. They have not won a playoff series since 2002, with a 2-12 postseason record in their last four appearances.
So is this year any different? Do the Twins have a legitimate shot at not only winning a playoff series, but representing the AL in the World Series?
Let’s see how they match up with the other likely AL playoff squads.