The Athletic recently unveiled its MLB All-Quarter Century Team, highlighting the most significant players from the past 25 years. The list featured the expected big names, including future Hall of Famers and inner-circle legends alike. But if you’re a Minnesota Twins fan flipping through the lineup, you might have noticed something familiar: neglect. Once again, the national baseball media has minimized the accomplishments of some of the best players ever to wear a Twins uniform.
We’ve been here before. It’s a tradition as old as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome’s roof collapsing under a heavy snowfall. Let’s break this down.
The Mauer Problem: A Democracy Malfunction?
At catcher, The Athletic chose Buster Posey and Yadier Molina over Joe Mauer. This should set off every Twins fan’s injustice alarm.
Yes, both Posey and Molina were phenomenal catchers in their era. Posey won MVP honors and served as the quiet engine behind the San Francisco Giants dynasty in the early 2010s. Molina, one of the most respected defensive catchers of all time, helped guide the Cardinals to multiple postseason runs.
But Mauer? All he did was hit .306 for his career while playing Gold Glove caliber defense behind the plate. He won three batting titles, a feat no other catcher in modern baseball can claim, and it seems unlikely that it will ever happen again. He took home an MVP award in 2009 by putting up one of the best offensive seasons for a catcher in history.
Oh, and he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer this year. Did we all forget that already? The Athletic tried to hedge, writing, “We don’t hate your team, Minnesota. It’s just American democracy at work,” because the Posey-Molina decision came down to fan voting. In fact, Posey and Molina were separated by a mere 22 votes.
That defense might make sense in a vacuum. But in the real world, especially in our current political climate, there are times when democracy gets it wrong. Inexplicably, Mauer got left off the list, and that is something the writers could have remedied.Â
Imagine replacing Mauer’s Midwest humility with a spotlight on the East Coast or West Coast market. Would this even be a debate? The only thing Mauer lacked was flash. But three batting titles from behind the plate and an MVP award should be enough flash for any voter, casual or professional.
Johan Santana: Forgotten Ace
You’ll have to scroll further to find another Twins slight. When it comes to starting pitchers, The Athletic named a murderer’s row: Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Roy Halladay, and CC Sabathia. Objectively? That’s an excellent group. It’s hard to argue with those names. But Johan Santana belongs in this conversation, at least as an honorable mention.
From 2004 to 2008, there was no better pitcher on the planet. Santana won two Cy Young Awards and finished in the top five two other times. He led the league in strikeouts three straight years, won the pitching Triple Crown in 2006, and carried some middling Twins teams into October on sheer will and a devastating changeup.
The knock against Santana, both for the Hall of Fame and apparently here, has always been longevity. His career simply didn’t last as long as some of the other greats. But in terms of peak value? He was as good as any of them and better than most.
If Sandy Koufax can make the inner circle of baseball immortality based on a short but dominant prime, why can’t Santana get at least a whisper in these all-time lists? Again: small-market blindness. If Santana spent his prime doing this for the Yankees or Red Sox, he’d be canonized.
Joe Nathan: The Forgotten Closer
And then we come to the closers. The Athletic’s list includes Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner, Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel, and Aroldis Chapman. Not exactly bums. Rivera is the greatest closer of all time, and others on this list are not far behind. Kimbrel and Jansen have been strikeout machines for more than a decade. Chapman’s inclusion comes with off-field baggage, but his peak dominance can’t be denied.
I’ve written before that Nathan’s case stacks up remarkably well with Wagner’s, and that remains true. Nathan finished his career with a 2.87 ERA, 377 saves, and a WHIP below 1.00. During his prime with the Twins (2004–2009), he was arguably the most reliable closer in the American League by posting sub-2.00 ERAs multiple times.
Wagner may have flashier strikeout rates, but Nathan’s consistency and performance in a tougher league (remember, the AL didn’t get to pitch to the opposing pitcher every ninth hitter) made him every bit as valuable. Nathan’s Hall of Fame support has been thin (just like Santana’s), and here again, national writers appear to have undervalued him. Small market, small notice becomes the theme again.
If you’re a Twins fan, none of this is shocking. National lists like this have always been unkind to Minnesota baseball heroes. Mauer doesn’t get his due as one of the greatest-hitting catchers ever. Santana’s electric peak is forgotten in favor of longevity. Nathan is buried behind flashier names.
The Athletic swears they don’t hate the Twins. However, the pattern here suggests otherwise. Perhaps it is democracy itself that is failing in another area of American life. Or maybe it’s the same old truth: if you play in Minneapolis instead of Manhattan, you better be twice as good to get half the recognition. At least the rest of us know the truth. And maybe that’s enough… for now.
Which player most deserved to be on the team? Leave a comment and start the discussion.Â
Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!