Go ahead--cheer for the Twins. (The Closer).

I knew it when I was with them last year: The Twins have something special. All winter, this team was harpooned by Bud Selig and Major League Baseball. But the contraction talk only galvanized the players.

When most other general managers would have bailed, Terry Ryan didn't. He told me he was going to ride it out. The Twins gave him a chance, and he never forgot that.

When the Twins faded back to the pack late last year, the guys were learning. They were learning that even when the odds are against you, you never give in. This year, that learning is paying dividends. If they get a break or two, they will go to the World Series.

This team has come up, for the most part, together. I can remember Doug Mientkiewicz talking with great pride about how the whole infield and a lot of the outfield were in instructional league together--how they did Class A ball and AA and AAA together.

And these guys are no slouches. That All-Star Game catch Torii Hunter made, well, he has made that catch so many times guys on the team expect it. The media went nuts. The Twins said, "That's Torii." When Joe Mays and Brad Radke get back and get behind Eric Milton--a horse they got in one of the best deals in baseball history for both sides--forget it. The infield--Doug, Luis Rivas, Cristian Guzman and Corey Koskie--is one of the best young groups in the league.

These guys are good for each other. One does well, and it drives the others. Even though they are young, they play old school, and that's because of Tom Kelly, the team's former manager. Kelly was old school. He taught those guys that no one is bigger than the game. We'd have workouts or early batting practice, and the whole team would be there. It was unreal.

Tom took no crap. He'd tell you the truth and bench his best player. He knew his way was the right way, and it would pay off. He was ...