If past Twins seasons were 50 games

Baseball is a random ass game where the worst team in the league will beat the best team in the league like 30% of the time. (Do not quote me on that, I didn’t look it up, it just sounds roughly correct.) This is why the MLB season is 162 games long, so all the randomness and noise that goes into dudes swinging their big stick with 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 55% etc. evens out.

So now because billionaires are being billionaires and billionairing our hopes and dreams into the grave, we’re most likely going to have a 50(ish.) game season imposed by everyone’s favorite guy, Rob Manfred. Unless of course, the players decide “screw that” and just don’t show up right into a strike that possibly loses another seas-aaaa let’s stay positive!

Hey! How random would a 50 game season truly be, you ask? Well, I don’t really know because I’m not a statistician or a randomancer who can just read her randometer and tell you. What I can do is instead of doing anything productive, look back at past Twins teams and see what, if anything, would have changed had the season ended at 50 games.

2019 Twins
162 Game: 101-61 (.623) 1st in the AL Central
50 Game: 34-16 (.680) 1st in the AL Central

The Bomba squad was REALLY REALLY good, you guys! The extra .077 points in winning percentage would be mere bragging rights, but would also have secured the Twins the best record in the game. Still woulda got swept by the Yankees though I’m sure, lol.

:(

2017 Twins
162 Game: 85-77 (.525) 2nd Wild Card Spot
50 Game: 27-23 (.540) 2nd Wild Card Spot

A slightly better record wouldn’t have been nearly enough to catch a strong Cleveland team in the AL central, but an interesting scenario presents itself thanks to changes in the AL East. In the real world, Boston won the division while the Yankees took the top Wild Card spot and used took advantage of a Bridge Troll’s curse to beat the Twins (again, still, always) in the Wild Card game. However, in the 50 game season, New York would have won the division, leading to the Twins needing to knock out Boston instead. Still a tall order, but with the randomness of one game, and no occult pagan magic to deal with, maybe the Twins could have won a playoff game once maybe! Wow!

2015 Twins
162 Game: 83-79 (.586) 5 Games back in the Wild Card
50 Game: 30-20 (.600) Tied for 1st in the AL Central

2015 feels like forever ago. The central team to beat was the freakin’ (World Series Champion) Royals, and the Twins best position player was Trevor Plouffe. A game 51 against KC would have been a fun experience, and seeing as the Twins stayed tied or ahead of KC for 6 more games, before being swept by the Royals themselves in 3 and kissing the division goodbye for good, I can’t really make a guess at who would have won. Even losing that, our dear old Twins would have clinched the top wild card spot and had another chance. Against the Tigers of all teams.

2009 Twins
163 Game: 87-76 (.534) 1st in the AL Central
50 Game: 24-26 (.480) 3rd in the AL Central

After a heartbreaking loss in game 163 to the White Sox in 08, the 2019 Minnesota squad redeemed themselves, winning yet another game 163 against the Tigers. Neither of these games would have happened, with the Twins simply missing the playoffs both years without any dramatics.

1991 Twins
162 Game: 95-67 (.586) 1st in the AL West/World Series Champs
50 Game: 25-25 (.500) 5th in the AL West

Yep. The legendary 91’ series would never have been. Would Jack Morris be in the Hall of Fame without his World Series heroics? We’re really messing with history now, folks.

1987 Twins
162 game: 85-77 (.525) 1st in the AL West/World Series Champs
50 Game: 27-23 (.540) 3rd in the AL West

Okay seriously, screw 50 game seasons. I’m depressed now.

In conclusion: Everything you actually remember happening would never have happened.