When contraction loomed large a few years back before the most recent collective bargaining agreement was signed, Commissioner Bud Selig called the success of the Minnesota Twins an aberration, noting that small market teams didn't have the financial power to compete given the economic landscape of baseball as we know it today. Even though I am a Brewer fan, I'm not a Selig apologist (nor am I a Selig basher), but to call the Twins an aberration is a slap in the face to the Twins organization and what they have accomplished. General manager Terry Ryan along with farm director Jim Rantz and scouting director Mike Radcliff have done a great job building a winning atmosphere in Minnesota, especially when to most it seemed to creep out of nowhere. In 2000 they finished with a 69-93 record, and while not the worst record in baseball (the Cubs, Phillies and Expos all had worse records in the AL), the previous draft format of alternating between leagues to determine the draft order allowed the Twins to receive the first overall selection in the 2001 June draft. While the Twins scouting department was mulling over taking Joe Mauer or Mark Prior with that first overall selection, the big-league Twins were enjoying a breakout season, squarely entrenched in a playoff race. In the end the Twins finished 85-77, six games behind the Cleveland Indians, but that season served as a springboard for future success.

To suggest that the Twins success was an aberration suggests that the team just got lucky. Sure, a little luck is always involved with any successful venture. But, as Roy Clark mentioned to me in my interview with him, good luck is often the byproduct of hard work.

An aberration would also imply a one-year wonder, a fluke. The Twins have proved that their team was not built for one year, but for the long haul by reaching the playoffs three consecutive years since the 2001 season. Yes, in today's economic landscape the Twins have it much harder to try and stay competitive than teams like the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels. The margin for error is much smaller, as is the window for opportunity. They have to be creative in how they develop and acquire talent, and even if they're successful developing from within, the players that they do cultivate often become expensive within a few years. So, the cycle needs to be constant.

The Twins have been successful because they embrace some of the same philosophies that have made the Atlanta Braves so successful since the early 90s. They put an emphasis on not only acquiring future big-league talent, but properly instructing that talent as it makes it's way to the big leagues. They trust their scouts, managers, coaches and instructors to do their jobs, and they have done a great job avoiding drastic internal turnover from one year to the next.

Let's take a peek at some of the more notable names on the current roster to determine how the Minnesota Twins of today were built.

Drafted Players

Brad Radke: Drafted by the Twins in the eighth round of the 1991 draft.

Torii Hunter: Drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 1993 draft.

Jacque Jones: Drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 1996 draft.

Michael Cuddyer: Drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 1997 draft.

Matt LeCroy: Drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 1997 draft.

Michael Restovich: Drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 1997 draft.

J.C. Romero: Drafted by the Twins in the 21^st round of the 1997 draft.

Justin Morneau: Drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1999 draft.

J.D. Durbin: Drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 2000 draft.

Jason Kubel: Drafted by the Twins in the 12th round of the 2000 draft.

Joe Mauer: Drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 2001 draft.

Jesse Crain: Drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 2002 draft.

Players Acquired Via Trade

Joe Mays: Acquired as a player to be named later from the Mariners in 1997 for Roberto Kelly.

Kyle Lohse: Acquired from the Cubs in 1999 for Scott Downs.

Johan Santana: The Twins traded Jared Camp to the Florida Marlins for Santana, immediately after the Marlins plucked Santana in the 1999 Rule 5 draft from the Houston Astros.

Lew Ford: Acquired from the Red Sox in a trade for Hector Carrasco in 2000.

Jason Bartlett: Acquired from the Padres for Brian Buchanan in 2002.

Shannon Stewart: Acquired from the Blue Jays for Bobby Kielty in 2003.

Joe Nathan: Acquired from the Giants as the biggest part of a trade for A.J. Pierzynski in 2003.

Carlos Silva: Acquired from the Phillies as the biggest part of a trade for Eric Milton in December of 2003.

Free Agents

Luis Rivas: Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 1995.

Juan Rincon: Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 1996.

Grant Balfour: Signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Australia in 1997.

Other Recent Notable Twins

Corey Koskie: Drafted by the Twins in the 26^th round of the 1994 draft, Koskie was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason as a type A free agent. The Twins will receive the Blue Jays second round pick and a supplemental first round pick in the 2005 draft as compensation.

Cristian Guzman: Obtained from the Yankees as part of the chuck Knoblauch trade in 1998. Signed by the Washington Nationals late in 2004 as a type B free agent, giving up their 2005 third round pick to the Twins by doing so.

Doug Mientkiewicz: Drafted in the fifth round of the 1995 draft, Mientkiewicz was part of a four-team trade during the summer of 2004 in which the Twins acquired left-handed pitching prospect Justin Jones from the Cubs.

A.J. Pierzynski: Drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1994 draft, Pierzynski was traded to the Giants in November of 2003 for Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser and Francisco Liriano.

Eddie Guardado: Drafted by the Twins in the 21^st round of the 1990 draft, Guardado was signed by the Seattle Mariners during the 2003-2004 offseason as a type A free agent. The Twins received the Mariners first-round pick and a supplemental first round pick in the 2004 draft as compensation (in which they selected talented college pitchers Glen Perkins and Matt Fox).

LaTroy Hawkins: Drafted by the Twins in the seventh round of the 1991 draft, Hawkins was signed by the Chicago Cubs during the 2003-2004 offseason as a type A free agent. The Twins received the Cubs first-round pick and a supplemental first round pick in the 2004 draft as compensation (in which they selected talented prep pitchers Kyle Waldrop and Jay Rainville).

Eric Milton: Obtained from the Yankees as the biggest part of the Chuck Knoblauch trade in 1998, Milton was traded to the Phillies in December of 2003 for Carlos Silva and Nick Punto.

David Ortiz: Obtained as a player to be named later from the Seattle Mariners for Dave Hollins in 1996. Non-tendered in December of 2002 and became a free agent, eventually signing with the Red Sox.

Mike Redman: Drafted by the Twins in the first round of the 1995 draft, Redman was traded to the Tigers in 2001 for reliever Todd Jones.

Matt Lawton: Drated by the Twins in the 12^th round of the 1991 draft, Lawton was traded to the Mets for pitcher Rick Reed in 2001.

I tried to list these transactions sequentially to point out that the Twins have been acquiring a few members of their team, or using homegrown products in trade to assemble their current team, every year since the early to mid-1990s. Other than David Ortiz, there aren't any glaring blunders in this group, and there also aren't any free agent signings. Consistently astute draft picks, trade acquisitions and non-drafted free agents make up the Minnesota Twins as we know them today.

A lot of people have unfairly made excuses for the Twins success, pointing out that they have played in a weak division the past several years. The Indians like the Twins have plenty of young talent, and could be poised to build on their successful 2004 season. The White Sox made several moves in an attempt to put them in a better position to make a run for the AL Central. The Tigers made a huge stride in 2004 after finishing with one of the worst records in Major League history in 2003, and have made some noise on the free agent market each of the last two offseasons. With all due respect to the Royals and their fans, it would seem to be another long season coming up for them in 2005, although they too have plenty of talented young players to look forward to. No matter how you break it down, until the Indians, White Sox or even the Tigers step up, I'm not going to bet against the Twins this season. They have gone against the odds the past several years, and I refuse to chalk it up to dumb luck.