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American Morning
Twins Prove They're Baseball's Best Bargain
Aired April 24, 2001 - 09:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURA OKMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have a great story and a team everybody should root for -- and probably not too difficult to these days.
More than strikes and balls, the buzzwords in baseball are "revenue sharing," as the league continues to watch the rich get richer and the poor suffer in the free agent market and in the standings.
One of the teams needing the most help: the Minnesota Twins -- owners of the lowest payroll in the game for the third straight season. But, suddenly, the cries heard from the Twin Cities are growing softer. Off to the best start in team history and in baseball this season, the Minnesota Twins are proving to be baseball's best bargain.
CNN's John Giannone explains what in the world is going on in Minnesota.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN GIANNONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Their faces and attitudes are fresh. Their names are household only if you happen to live with them. But with each win, even in the season's dawning days, the Twins garner the attention they've lacked during a decade as principal residents of baseball's wasteland.
TOM KELLY, TWINS MANAGER: I mean, I wasn't counting on that. I didn't care for that much. Like you said earlier, this is my second CNN -- I hadn't done CNN in nine years. So, again, we're trying to keep it a secret.
COREY KOSKIE, TWINS THIRD BASEMEN: We went to the clubhouse and there's eight, nine reporters instead of one or two guys.
MATT LAWTON, TWINS OUTFIELDER: You know, the guys are playing real well. And if we can keep that up, I think it won't be a secret anymore.
GIANNONE: The April formula has been basic: strong pitching, sterling defense and the grit to never quit. The secret is how this group has overachieved, despite the shackles of a $25 million payroll that doesn't even equal Alex Rodriguez's yearly salary, a payroll $8 million below that of any other team. DOUG MIENTKIEWICZ, TWINS FIRST BASEMEN: We don't use that as an incentive. But I would be lying to you if we don't think that everybody that has a pen and paper that writes about baseball said we were done before the season even started. And this is the first time, I think, in a long time, we've actually been able to do something about it.
KOSKIE: I'm playing for the Minnesota Twins right now. And whatever, money, politics involved in that, that's above me, and that's beyond what I play this game for.
KELLY: Yes, the Yankees have a big payroll. And some of the other teams have a bigger payroll than we have. And we understand those things. But we're going to try to entertain and play the game the right way and have fun doing it.
GIANNONE: Enthusiasm and chemistry needn't be Kelly's concerns. Whether this success is summer-long or short-lived, the mindset of these Twins is identical.
KOSKIE: A lot of us played AA and A ball together. And we've been with each other all through the minor leagues. And we've had that chemistry. And we got -- you go in our clubhouse, we got 25 great guys.
MIENTKIEWICZ: We got tired of getting beat up. And I think, for all them sticking their necks out for us in '99, bringing us all up here together, I think it's time for us to show them, you know what, it wasn't a bad idea.
GIANNONE (on-camera): Putting the win back in Twins has already resulted in increased attendance and higher television ratings in Minnesota. The hope now is that all that optimism spills over to the state legislature, which continues to grapple with the proposal for funding of a $300 million stadium.
Most people believe how the state legislature votes will ultimately decide the future of the franchise.
With the Minnesota Twins, I'm John Giannone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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