Twins All-Decades Teams: 2000-2009

WCCO is looking back at some of the best players to ever take the field for the Twins and breaking it down by decade and position.

The 2000’s saw the start of one of the longest playoff losing streaks in all of major league sports. While a number of stand out players donned a Twins uniform, they were never able to get it together and get deep in the playoffs.

Just like our list from the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, and 1990’s we picked a player for each position (which they had to actually play), along with three starting pitchers and a reliever.

Joe Mauer started his career with the Twins in 2004, not putting up anything fantastic in his first 35 games as a 21-year-old rookie, but soon after that, he began producing what would become an all-time great Twins career. 2006 was the real turning point for Mauer, playing in 140 games and putting up some of the best numbers of his career. Mauer batted .347 with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs, finishing the season as an All-Star and sixth in MVP voting. However, that wouldn't be it for Mauer, as he would make it to the All-Star game three times this decade, finishing fourth in MVP voting in 2008 and winning the MVP in 2009, along with numerous Silver Slugger awards.

Justin Morneau should be remembered by his list of accolades this decade; an MVP, three All-Star selections, a couple of Silver Slugger awards, and the funniest commercial of him bench pressing with a grizzly bear. Morneau was a beast in a Twins uniform as soon as he arrived from Canada in 2003. Morneau put together some impressive seasons with the Twins, including a 163-game season in 2008. He hit more than 20 home runs in five of his first seven seasons and batted in 100 or more RBIs in four of his first seven. Morneau never skipped a beat while on the field and in the box. He transitioned into the league well and stayed hot every season of this decade.

The second base position was not the most exhilarating for the Twins in this decade, so the selection has to go to who played the position the most, Luis Rivas. Rivas didn't have a long MLB career joining the Twins as a rookie in 2000 at the age of 20. While he wasn't flashy, Rivas didn't have terrible numbers at the plate, with a .262 batting average and a .690 OPS.

Like second base, there weren't a lot of players to choose from for the shortstop position, but Christian Guzman was undoubtedly the player who came to mind when you think of a shortstop from this decade. Guzman didn't hit terribly like a number of other Twins who batted in the .270s this decade. On top of that, during his time with the Twins from 2000 to 2004, Guzman collected 263 RBIs to go with his 130 doubles and 58 triples.

Corey Koskie was a big hitter with the Twins from 2000 to 2004. During this five-year stretch with Minnesota, the third baseman was in the later sager of his career, but his stats didn't seem to realize. Koskie collected 89 home runs, 377 RBIs, 62 stolen bases, and batted .278 in the 2000s with the Twins. He ended up leaving the team in 2005, playing in only two more seasons, but during his time with the Twins, he received MVP votes that were much deserved.

Growing up, Torii Hunter leaving the Twins was one of the most confusing things I went through and I think my first experience with loss. Nonetheless, he was hands down the best Twins player of this decade, with the only other argument being Johan Santana. Hunter never won an MVP while with the Twins, or ever, but he was constantly in the conversation, winning Gold Glove after Gold Glove award. Hunter was a three-time All-Star who had 183 home runs, 674 RBIs, and 116 stolen bases while batting .273 and slugging .478 during his eight seasons with the club. Hunter was flashy, fun, and exciting to watch and a highlight for the Twins this decade.

Jacque Jones put up some solid numbers in a Twins uniform. From 2000 to 2005, he rotated from left to center field for the Twins and hit 123 home runs while batting in 432 RBIs. I feel Jones was often in the shadow of Hunter throughout his time with the club, but looking back, he was a shining spot for the Twins, batting .278 with an OPS of .781.

Michael Cuddyer was my favorite player growing up. He didn't play in the outfield fully until the back half of this decade, but his time with the Twins was memorable. Cuddyer was one of a few players on this list to spend the entire decade in Minnesota, and during his time, he collected 107 home runs, 429 RBIs, and had an OPS of .801. While he would end up leaving in 2012, his time with the club was impactful, and he even got a few MVP votes in 2009.

I told myself I wouldn't put David Ortiz on this list, being that he only played three seasons of this decade with the team before becoming Big Papi but who cares. Twins fans love to point out that Ortiz started his career in Minnesota like it's the only sports trivia fact they know. While with the Twins, Ortiz knocked in 186 RBIs and 48 home runs. He batted .266 with a .474 slugging percentage. He never won any awards with the Twins but, of course, went on to have a hall of fame career in Boston, being a part of one of the most exciting teams, the 2004 Red Sox, who broke the Curse of the Bambino. More importantly, they beat the Yankees after falling behind 3-0 in the ALCS.

Johan Santana was one of the best pitchers during this decade, not just with the Twins but with the entire league. Santana won 93 games with the Twins from 2000 to 2007 and struck out 1,381 while posting a 3.22 ERA. Santana won two Cy Young awards with the Twins and finished top seven in MVP voting twice. During his last three seasons with the Twins, he was an All-Star each year and led the league in games started and ERA in 2006. If you had to choose one starter from this decade, it would hands down be Santana.

Brad Radke spent his entire career with Minnesota and seven seasons with the franchise this decade. Radke never repeated his 20-win season from 1998, but he finished with 10-plus wins in five of his seven seasons this decade. Radke posted a 4.16 ERA while going 82-71. He pitched in over 1,300 innings and struck out 803 batters. Radke was a solid rotation starter for the Twins up until his retirement in 2006.

Joe Mays, like Radke, was a solid rotation option for the Twins during his tenure with the club. Mays played in five seasons with the Twins from 2000 to 2005. His best year was in 2001, when he won 17 games and posted a 3.16 ERA. Mays was an All-Star that season and struck out a career-high 123 batters.

During this decade, Joe Nathan was one of the best relievers in baseball. After starting his career with the Giants, Nathan made his way to Minnesota and was immediately an All-Star. This decade, Nathan recorded 246 saves in 412 appearances with the Twins while posting a 1.87 ERA. In four of his six seasons, he was named an All-Star and finished top five in Cy Young voting twice while also getting MVP nods in two seasons.