Were the Twins worse in the late 90's or now?

[toughguy]

It's close. They were just as un-watchable now as they were then. No big bats and even worse pitching. I think the current group is worse than the 97-00 group. One of the big differences is they are drawing twice as many fans now as they were then. 2 million vs. 1 million which gives the Pohlads no reason to improve the team. I don't see them turning this around for at least 2 more years - maybe more.

[blue_healer_guy]

The attendance boggles my mind. I guess if you wanna come watch the other team, i can see it. They do have a young stud, the vargas dude. my only fear is that they will try to teach him something, you know like hit the ball the other way, put the ball in play and etc like they do with all there players. Just leave him alone. Santana, i see still splits time in the outfield. Isnt he your future ss? then play him there. Who cares about this nunez and escobar dudes, but im sure gardy thinks they are good clubhouse guys and wants to be fair to them. Man im getting sick of that redder and redder pumkin head, sent him packin.

[greebs]

Think team had less talent back then but think the current team is more painful to watch because they play so sloppy and continue to make many of the same fundamental mistakes over and over again. Those past teams you compared to were severely lacking talent wise but at least they were solid defensively and seemed to learn from their mistakes; something that has not occurred with the current team. That is what diminishes my optimism for future success (unless of course the red pumpkin head is replaced)

[UMC]

Pretty close. Both are/were pretty pathetic. Lost 97 games in 1999 with guys like Hunter, Mientkiewicz, Koskie, Guzman, Jacque Jones, Radke, Milton, Joe Mays. Went on to be very good with that nucleus 2-3 years later. Not sure I see that with the group that's milling around Target Field now, but you never know. A lot depends on Sano and Buxton obviously but with Vargas, Santana, Arcia the potential is there if they progress like that group from the late 90's did. Or they could just be another Michael Restovich (promising prospect who never did anything). Hunter hit .245 with 9 HR and Mient hit .229 in 1999, for example. Still hurts to see David Ortiz on those rosters and how we let him go for nothing. Not real sure where the pitching will come from though, I don't see a ton of promise there.