Would you trade 1 WS win for a decade of losing seasons?

[ewen21]

9 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

I would definitely rather be competitive on a near annual basis.  There is always a chance that the championship could happen, plus maybe even more.  It's the struggle and the journey -- and of course the ride -- to getting there that makes it fun.  Playing a lot of meaningful baseball games is the exciting part. 

I think it is important to ask would you take the 2000s over 10 losing seasons and a championship?  Give me the championship.

[Jocko87]

19 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

I would definitely rather be competitive on a near annual basis.  There is always a chance that the championship could happen, plus maybe even more.  It's the struggle and the journey -- and of course the ride -- to getting there that makes it fun.  Playing a lot of meaningful baseball games is the exciting part. 

Let’s not forget that if we give up the ride we give up the hope of a new season, new draft pick, new signing.  If we know it won’t work, nobody comes here to talk about it. If we know it’s a lost season, we don’t watch.

Now, if we don’t know when in the 10 years the WS win happens you would theoretically have the hope until it happens but then would have to watch a world champion explode dramatically.  I, for one, do not relish the idea of a first to worst transition.  

[Richie the Rally Goat]

It’s the journey, not the destination. I loved watching both World Series championships, but if hope doesn’t spring eternal, there’s no point.

[Vanimal46]

The championship or bust folks IMO really underestimate the following decade of bad play in this scenario. I have almost zero memory of 2012-2014 Twins teams because I stopped watching them. The only thing I recall is the Silver Linings Star Tribune article to pay attention to the minors because the MLB club is hopeless. 

[GCTF]

In the fall of 1986 I sold my soul in exchange for the Twins winning two World Series championships in five years and then SFA for the next thirty plus seasons. They were a little vague on the end time but it should be done soon.

This is on me. Sorry.

[BsuNemo]

If we got to watch home grown talent grow up from the draft to a ws team then start over and grow another team from within... I'd be happy with a ws championship every 10 to 15 years with some growing pains in between. What I hate is the perpetual just barely good enough to get in or out. That is the definition of brutal. 

[Jocko87]

9 minutes ago, GCTF said:

In the fall of 1986 I sold my soul in exchange for the Twins winning two World Series championships in five years and then SFA for the next thirty plus seasons. They were a little vague on the end time but it should be done soon.

This is on me. Sorry.

In the fall of 1987 at the age of 9 I had my first sports memory. 4 years later it happened again. I grew up with a very distorted view of sports and expected outcomes.

On behalf of Midwestern men of my age, sir, I say nothing. Because that's what Midwestern men say when they are aggrieved. But also, grrrr.

 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

2 hours ago, ewen21 said:

I think it is important to ask would you take the 2000s over 10 losing seasons and a championship?  Give me the championship.

Absolutely.  The 70's and early 80's were no picnic either. 

 

[insagt1]

I have lived thru the birth and death of the Expos. They never won anything, yet they had great teams. I would have traded several of those teams for one that finally climbed the mountain. The frustration of coming so close, so often got discouraging. And of course there was 1994. As a fan you have to experience the joy of being champions at least once in life.

Round two, Buffalo Bills...4 straight Super Bowl appearances...doubt that will ever happen again. Lost all 4. I can tell you Bills fans would trade 3 of those 4 if they could only have won 'wide right. Many fans tend to forget or even downplay the 4 straight feat...BECAUSE they lost them all.

Its hard to win a championship. Very hard. You can always 'come close', compete but never win. For some thats enough. As one gets older (ahem) one really wants to wear the crown at least once (or once more if possible)

Give me the ring and let me savor it for a lifetime.

[SoDakTwinsFan]

I honestly didn't think there would be this much debate on this as I believe it is a no brainer.  Some of you want to be "competitive" every year with not guarantee of a WS.  The Twins have had some really good teams in the last 20 years and have won nothing.  Not even a playoff GAME!  You would honestly take that versus a world series?  

But this also brings up a bigger issue with the Twins to.  I believe the Twins organization field teams to be competitive and not win it all.  Which is why when the Twins are legit WS contenders they NEVER make the big trade to get the final piece because they do not want to mortgage their future.  I get it but when you have a chance to go for it, you MUST.

[TwinkieFan4life]

Yes!!!

[spanman2]

Yes...then 80-82 for 10 years.  Sign me up!

[David HK]

So in the Twinks case, it skips a couple-three decades, then? 🤔

[Jerr]

I have clear memories since the Twins came here in 1961. Give me a competitive team each year and that means WINNING some playoff games. That makes paying attention each year, to each game.  Sort of a "small" World Series in many games and series, to get to the real thing.

[Twodogs]

On 8/31/2023 at 7:41 AM, Squirrel said:

I don’t think anyone is satisfied with that as the goal and I don’t think it is the goal despite the outcome. The goal is always to win it all. But I’d also rather win the division every year than be at the bottom of it every year. That is being competitive. We might not like that as the only outcome or result and I’d rather have more, but I’d still rather win something every year, even if not the grand prize, than lose every year. Winning something puts you in the position to win more. Losing just makes you a loser.

Are you a Vikings fan??

 

I'm just joking, I see both sides of the argument for sure.  I see what the one person said, would you trade the 91 world series for a few division titles in the 90's?  I also see if we win it now and know we are going to suck for the next 10 years why even watch?  Hope spring eternal, but I also see that a bird in the hand is worth multiples in the bushes.  So it is definitely arguable from both sides.  One of those tricky discussions for sure.

[Squirrel]

17 minutes ago, Twodogs said:

Are you a Vikings fan??

 

I'm just joking, I see both sides of the argument for sure.  I see what the one person said, would you trade the 91 world series for a few division titles in the 90's?  I also see if we win it now and know we are going to suck for the next 10 years why even watch?  Hope spring eternal, but I also see that a bird in the hand is worth multiples in the bushes.  So it is definitely arguable from both sides.  One of those tricky discussions for sure.

Heh, not really a football fan. My motto is ‘If the Packers lose, it’s a good day’ and that’s about as far as it goes. But if the Vikings are having a good year, I’ll jump on the bandwagon, but over all, not really that into football. And there certainly seems like there’s a lot more consternation with that group.

Part of my mindset about this choice is the knowing. Choose, win the WS tomorrow KNOWING the next 10 yrs are gonna suck. I mean, yeah, it’s an easy choice to choose win now and don’t look forward. I do get that. But I don’t want to know that the next 10 years are gonna really suck. It takes something away from it all for me, so why bother then? And the same ones who will make that choice of win now will complain about the next 10 yrs sucking even though they chose it. The other part is, I’m a fan of possibility. Doesn’t mean I’m ‘satisfied’ to just win division titles, it just means it gives you the possibility of the next level and I’m all for that. And anything can happen. Probability is a different matter and I take that in stride. Some just have to have it all and anything less is worthless to them, anything less than all is losing to them. That’s an opinion they are entitled to. Different strokes, et al. But, you can’t win it all if you don’t win the division first.

So, forced to choose, I chose as I did. And that gives me complaining rights when we don’t win it all. You don’t get complaining rights if you chose to win for 10 yrs of sucking. 🙂 

[Musk21]

This is really a tough call.  1991 was amazing, but 1993 - 2001 years were just brutal. And on the other hand, 2002-2010 years were a whole lot of fun. 

I think I might have to choose being competitive and in the playoff mix every year.  

[Morland]

It depends on whether you like the Twins of the 90's, win the WS in 91 and contention in 92 followed by years of stinking from 93-2001 or whether you like the Twins of the 00's, where they competed most every year (two game 163's) and made the playoffs often but only won one series. It probably depends on whether you think that every baseball season has one winner and 31 teams who are losers or whether you have a more nuanced understanding of competition.

[dex8425]

Yes. I have never seen a MN sports championship in my lifetime, so in a heartbeat, yes. 

[Sjoski]

World Series win without a doubt......it's all about the memories made....those last forever.

Will never forget the euphoria that filled the Twin Cities in 87, and the memories made of watching the Twins take it all with my friends and family. 91 was just as wonderful, but 87 came as a shocker.

 World Series Champions merch under the Christmas tree in 87 galor. 

Good memories man....all about the memories.....besides, when you team bites, their is usually something good on Netflix.

[Unwinder]

18 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

Now, if we don’t know when in the 10 years the WS win happens you would theoretically have the hope until it happens but then would have to watch a world champion explode dramatically.  I, for one, do not relish the idea of a first to worst transition.  

OK my new decision is to take the deal under the condition that I can have my memory of the deal erased.

[Jocko87]

13 hours ago, SoDakTwinsFan said:

I honestly didn't think there would be this much debate on this as I believe it is a no brainer.  Some of you want to be "competitive" every year with not guarantee of a WS.  The Twins have had some really good teams in the last 20 years and have won nothing.  Not even a playoff GAME!  You would honestly take that versus a world series?  

But this also brings up a bigger issue with the Twins to.  I believe the Twins organization field teams to be competitive and not win it all.  Which is why when the Twins are legit WS contenders they NEVER make the big trade to get the final piece because they do not want to mortgage their future.  I get it but when you have a chance to go for it, you MUST.

I mean, this years team is literally built only for the postseason.  We may argue about the quality of that plan, but they are built for October. 

Which raises an interesting variation on this question.  Would you rather your team dominate the regular season or barely get in and be an absolute SOB in the postseason?

[Boswell]

Take the championship and run.  The whole state followed the Twins in 87 and 91.  The stories from those days continue to live on!

[notoriousgod71]

7 hours ago, Jocko87 said:

I mean, this years team is literally built only for the postseason.  We may argue about the quality of that plan, but they are built for October. 

Which raises an interesting variation on this question.  Would you rather your team dominate the regular season or barely get in and be an absolute SOB in the postseason?

I don't agree that this team is built for October. They have an inconsistent at best offense and one or two borderline trustworthy relievers even though I'll never trust pagan.

 

The depth of the starting pitching is the best I've seen as a twins fan but all another team has to do is keep it close and build up a pitch count and you know Lopez and Gray are going to be out of there after 85 pitches.

2006 was built for October until Liriano got hurt.

[Twins33]

If you’re saying the only way to win a WS is to suck for a long time then I say WS. 
 

if you’re saying being competitive has a chance to win one or more WS, then I say that.