Minnesota Twins: Approaching 100 Losses and the Last Time That Happened

The Minnesota Twins are on the brink of making history. Since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961, no team has suffered as severe a decline in winning percentage from the previous season.

Somehow, the strategy used by the Twins that has raised their payroll to the ninth highest in baseball has not paid off. The stench of the play on the field has taken most of the new ballpark smell out of Target Field in only its second year of operation. 

Currently with an 11-game losing streak, the Twins need five more losses to do something they have only done once before—lose 100 ballgames in a season.

The last time the Twins had a losing streak this long is also the last season they lost 100 games.

In 1982, the team finished 60-102 under the direction of manager Bill Gardner. Gardner would manage the Twins for four-plus years to a 268-353 record—never finishing higher than .500.

That season catcher Tim Laudner, first baseman Kent Hrbek, third baseman Gary Gaetti and right fielder Tom Brunansky were part of the starting lineup and only in their second season in the majors.

Along with these four were designated hitter Randy Bush, backup catcher Sal Butera (yes, Drew's father) and rookie starting pitcher Frank Viola, who survived the 102-loss season to eventually help the Twins to a winning record. It would take five seasons for the Twins to finish above .500.

In 1987, the Twins would finish 85-77, win the American League West and eventually win the World Series.

The 1987 Twins roster included left fielder Dan Gladden and shortstop Greg Gagne (who were acquired through trades) and second baseman Steve Lombardozzi and center fielder Kirby Puckett (who were promoted through the Twins minor leagues to round out their starting championship lineup).

Viola was the only pitcher to remain on the staff from 1982. Starters Bert Blyleven, Mike Smithson and Joe Niekro were all added via trades, and Les Straker was signed as a free agent and made his major league debut with the Twins.

The other major piece to the puzzle was closer Jeff Reardon, who the Twins acquired in a trade from Montreal before the 1987 season.

So, what will it take to turn around the 2011 Twins?

It could take as long as five seasons for the Twins to return to their winning ways. 

If the Twins follow the same pattern that turned around the franchise in 1982, many of the players on the roster this season will not be there. 

Many of the Twins players in their late 20s and early 30s will most likely be gone. That means Denard Span (27), Joe Mauer (28), Jason Kubel (29), Justin Morneau (30) and Michael Cuddyer (32) will more than likely be traded away or allowed to leave as free agents. 

With the return of concussion symptoms for Morneau, who along with Mauer has only played in 151 games this season, it is possible that he has played his last game at first base and could be limited to designated hitter duty. 

That means youngsters Danny Valencia, Trevor Plouffe, Luke Hughes, Ben Revere, Joe Benson and Chris Parmalee are the candidates to become the core that the Twins will rebuild around. There is some similarity there to the youngsters from 1982—there have been some display of power, especially in Valencia and Hughes.

Certainly the only pitcher who might even have a chance to be here in five years would be left-handed pitcher Scott Diamond (Frank Viola was only 4-10 in his 1982 rookie season). The Twins will need to take a broom to the pitching staff and start over. This means a couple of painful seasons to come as the Twins retool the rotation and bullpen.

Since it is unlikely there will be a quick turnaround for the Twins, and if they follow the formula that worked in 1982, there will be a change in managers forthcoming. The problem is there's no Tom Kelly or Ron Gardenhire within the Twins minor league system waiting to be promoted to manager at the major league club.

While the 863 games the Twins won from 2000 to 2009 are the most of any decade in the history of the franchise (with little help left in the minors) and as far as the Twins have fallen in 2011, it feels like it could take a whole lot longer than five seasons to turn this mess around.