Chicago Cubs: Cubbies Crib staff casts their end-of-year award votes

Chicago Cubs fans might see familiar makeup in the Minnesota Twins

While the Cubs celebrated a World Series title last fall, Minnesota Twins fans were wondering where the promising young roster they’d be promised was. The club lost 103 games, the highest total in all of Major League Baseball.

But, then, 2017 dawned and Paul Molitor got to work with a core that exceeded all expectations. The Twins won 85 games, clinching the second wild card berth in the American League. Although that one didn’t go Minnesota’s way – Twins brass offered nothing but support for their manager. That fact wasn’t lost on Molitor.

"“I’ve never felt meddled in, in terms of how I ran a game, my pitching staff, who I decided to play on a given day,” Molitor said. “I was given total freedom to do that. And I think that’s important for a manager and his staff to have those decisions stay within the clubhouse.”"

Three different players hit at least 25 home runs – Miguel Sano, Brian Dozier and Eddie Rosario. Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios headlined the rotation and, despite the front office selling at the deadline, Molitor led the group to a 40-34 record in the second half, good enough to send the club to the postseason for the first time since 2010.