The Comeback: Twins Played a Central Role in the Epic 2004 Red Sox/Yankees Rivalry

[Nick Nelson]

A new documentary series on Netflix covering one of the most riveting, fascinating rivalry moments in major-league history brings back to mind how involved -- tangentially, but repeatedly -- the Minnesota Twins were in the way this story unfolded.

Image courtesy of Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last month Netflix released a three-episode documentary series titled The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox. Featuring a litany of interviews with players, managers and media, The Comeback vividly retells the tale of the '04 Red Sox unthinkably surmounting a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees in the ALCS, along with all of the high drama that built up to Boston's climactic, curse-snapping triumph.

I watched all three episodes last week and greatly enjoyed the show, which has received strong reviews and is well worth checking out. Reliving all of those events from 20 years ago, I was starkly reminded of how prominently the Minnesota Twins factored into the legendary course of events, albeit as side characters. 

It's not the first time they've played such a supporting role in famous baseball lore of that era. In Moneyball, which depicted the 2002 season, Minnesota essentially played foil for Oakland's little-engine-that-could narrative, ending the Athletics' lengthy in-season win streak and then eliminating the A's from the playoffs. How ironic. 

In The Comeback, Minnesota's role is far more subservient to the narrative; they did much to pave the way for this epic showdown, and Boston's ultimate victory. Let's turn back the clock and take a closer look.

• Read Twins Daily's retrospective on the 2004 season from Matthew Lenz as part of our "Twins in the 2000s" series.

Big Papi Becomes a Postseason Icon
David Ortiz was the biggest hero in Boston's improbable '04 postseason run, so naturally he is featured as an interviewee in the documentary. The painful circumstances of his winding up in Boston are discussed: Ortiz came up as a promising power hitter in Minnesota's system, and was coming off a 20-homer season when the Twins -- who never seemed to quite fully believe -- non-tendered him at age 26. In The Comeback, Ortiz speaks of his dejection and frustration with the experience, which helped fuel his rise to greatness.

Needless to say, it is one of the most maligned missteps in the history of the Twins franchise. A colossal mistake by Terry Ryan and the front office, no doubt. But what tends to get overlooked is that Minnesota was far from alone in undervaluing Ortiz, who'd been hampered by a wrist injury. After his release from the Twins in 2002, he struggled to find a new landing spot. 

In the documentary, inner-circle Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez shares an anecdote about running into Ortiz at a restaurant down in the Dominican Republic that offseason, and immediately calling and lobbying Boston's front office to sign him. "We need to sign him," Martinez recalls telling the team's traveling secretary. "This guy is going to be special. Get Theo [Epstein] on the phone.”

The Red Sox signed Ortiz for $1.25 million shortly thereafter and the rest is history. He emerged as a major slugging threat in 2003 and then solidified his stardom in 2004, with an All-Star 40-HR season and a playoff showing for the ages that saw him bat .373 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 14 games. He was ALCS MVP, delivering some of the most devastating blows that iconic Yankees group after absorbed in October.

For Minnesota sports fans, it was bittersweet watching Ortiz blossom on the big stage in Beantown. The feelings would be similar a few years later when Randy Moss was featuring on the 16-0 Patriots, and Kevin Garnett on the championship Celtics. Boston enjoyed the greatest collective pro sports run of my lifetime, and Minnesota served as a key pipeline to their success. I'm not sure if it makes me feel more proud or petty.

The Cross-Dugout Doug Mientkiewicz Trade
One reason the Twins soured on Ortiz around 2002 is because they became enamored with Mientkiewicz and what he brought to the table. The organization had initially tried bringing Ortiz along as a first baseman before giving up on that notion and relegating him mostly to designated hitter. Mientkiewicz came along in the late '90s as an elite defender at first, and with a disciplined plate approach and controlled swing at the plate. 

He had a few truly excellent seasons for the Twins. By the time that the trade deadline rolled around in 2004, though, Mientkiewicz had been made expendable to the Twins by the emergence of top prospect Justin Morneau, who was obliterating Triple-A and ready for the majors. 

The Red Sox, as covered in The Comeback, were lagging behind New York in the standings and viewed their defense as a clear limiting weakness. Boston was in Minnesota playing the Twins on the day of the deadline, July 31st. Hours before game time, both were teams were involved in a complex four-way trade that sent Mientkiewicz to the Red Sox, alongside fellow Gold Glover and future Twins trade deadline acquisition Orlando Cabrera.

Mientkiewicz simply switched dugouts and uniforms, starting at first for Boston that very day. He didn't hit much the rest of the way but it's fair to say his glove made an impact for the Red Sox in their charmed run. He later infamously caught the final out of the World Series for Boston and then refused to give it up.

Yankees Vanquish Twins in 2004 ALDS
In another universe, it might've been the Twins facing off against the Red Sox in that fateful 2004 ALCS. The Yankees needed to get past Minnesota in order to secure a semifinals rematch against Boston. While there have been plenty of lopsided Twins/Yankees playoff series over the years, this wasn't one of them. It was a battle that could have easily gone the other way.

Johan Santana, fresh off a breakthrough Cy Young season, got the ball in Game 1 and shut the Yankees down to put Minnesota up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 went into extra innings; Torii Hunter gave the Twins a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th before a gassed Joe Nathan gave up the game in the bottom half. Minnesota was two outs away from bringing a 2-0 lead back to the Metrodome, with another Johan start in their pocket. Instead, they dropped three straight and sparked the longest postseason losing streak in American sports history. 

This series wasn't covered much in The Comeback, which focuses mostly on Boston, but there is some footage of Yankees players celebrating their ALDS victory in the bowels of the Metrodome and it hurt. Maybe one day the prolonged postseason curse we've lived through since then will be subject of its own documentary, with a happy ending that is yet to be written.

Have you watched The Comeback? Did watching it, or reading this article, spark any memories of the 2004 Twins season? Feel free to reminisce in the comments.

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[LewFordLives]

I have not seen the documentary and don't intend to. I still remember the Twins -Yankees series and don't need to relive it.