According to Dave Golokhov at FOXSports.com, the Twins - AL Central Champions in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006 - are the seventh-worst franchise in professional sports. The quote:
7. Minnesota Twins
"Moneyball" is to baseball what frugal is to cheap; it's a creative way of saying, "we're not going to pay for our stars or reward our veterans who have earned their keep." Sabermetrics and scientific stats are used to evaluate players and give a better indication of their worth, but teams like the Minnesota Twins use this strategy to kiss their superstars goodbye at the trade deadline or the first day of free agency. The Twins constantly sell proven veterans for prospects and draft picks, but when those youngsters finally develop, they get shipped away to start the cycle again. The Twins incessantly look to the future and winning now is not a priority. Translation: the Twins care more about the dollars than about winning.
Puzzling personnel plays: Trading Johan Santana and failing to re-sign Torrii [sic] Hunter.
The Twins are on the list just behind the Boston Bruins, who haven't been to the conference finals in 15 years, and just ahead of the Atlanta Hawks, who haven't been to the conference finals since 1970 - and haven't been to the NBA Finals since before the Twins moved to Minnesota (when they were still the St. Louis Hawks.)
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967, and are the saddest franchise in the NHL despite having the largest, most rabid fanbase. They aren't on the list.
The Oakland Raiders can't even get players to play for the silver and black, and every draft pick dreads getting the Oakland call. They aren't on the list.
Heck, the Twins aren't even the worst franchise in town by a long shot - yet the Timberwolves are nowhere to be found on the list.
In fact, according to Golokhov, the Twins are a worse franchise than the Los Angeles Clippers. That's a franchise that's been to the playoffs four times since moving from Buffalo in 1979, winning one - one! - playoff series since.
I'm forced to conclude that either Dave Golokhov has no idea what he's talking about, or that this is a prank designed to rile up Twins fans. I'm sure you can name ten or twenty more franchises easily that belong on this list instead of the Twins. But I thought I'd share this, just to remind us all: the Twins might be bad, but when you think about it, things haven't been that bad.