Which Minnesota Team Do You Feel the Best About Right Now?
This site is firmly Twins Territory, but it’s the MLB offseason and there are three other high-profile pro teams in full swing right now. While not everyone here follows each of them, I’m assuming there’s a fair amount of fan overlap among the Minnesota faithful. Varying levels of success across the traditional “Big Four” pro teams has me wondering: which one is in the best spot right now? Which team is enjoying success currently and set up for future triumphs? Let’s analyze each team’s case:
The Contenders
Minnesota Twins, MLB Baseball
.506 Winning Percentage
4th Place in AL Central- Missed Playoffs
- Veteran Stars: Carlos Correa (SS), Byron Buxton (CF), Pablo Lopez (SP)
- Rising Stars: Royce Lewis (IF), Brooks Lee (IF), Jhoan Duran (RP)
- Manager: Rocco Baldelli- .525 winning percentage over 6 managerial seasons (all with Twins)
- Front Office Head: Derek Falvey- 8 seasons as Twins President of Baseball Operations
- Owners: The Pohlad Family has owned the franchise for 40 years, and will continue to until further notice.
- Notes and Narratives:
The Twins advanced further in the playoffs than any squad had in over 20 years. In the following year, they slashed payroll and collapsed significantly down the stretch to miss the playoffs. While the Pohlad family has been criticized repeatedly for refusing to invest in a winning team, in the only sport without a salary cap, they appear to be selling the team soon. All-Stars Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton perform exceptionally well when healthy, and the team boasts exciting young talents like Royce Lewis who are arriving now, along with more top prospects coming through the pipeline. Rocco Baldelli and Derek Falvey may not be the absolute best manager-front office duo, but they’re certainly not the worst.
Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA Basketball
.682 Winning Percentage
3rd Place in Western Conference – Lost in Conference Finals
.545 Winning Percentage (as of 11/13 at 4:00 PM)
8th place in Western Conference
- Veteran Stars: Julius Randle (Forward), Rudy Gobert (Center)
- Rising Stars: Anthony Edwards (Guard), Jaden McDaniels (Forward), Naz Reid (Forward/Center)
- Coach: Chris Finch- .557 winning percentage over 5 head coaching seasons (all with Wolves)
- Front Office Head: Tim Connelly- 3rd season as Timberwolves President (8 prior with Denver Nuggets)
- Owners: Glen Taylor and Alex Rodriguez are in litigation over team ownership.
- Notes and Narratives:
The Timberwolves had one of the two greatest seasons in franchise history last year before falling short in the Western Conference Finals.
Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA Basketball
.419 Points Percentage
Lost in Play-In Tournament
.767 Points Percentage
2nd in Western Conference
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Veteran Stars: Karl-Anthony Towns (was traded to New York prior to the season)
Anthony Edwards (SG) - Rising Stars: Naz Reid (PF/C), Jaden McDaniels (SF)
- Coach: Chris Finch- .516 points percentage over 3 full seasons as head coach of the Timberwolves
- Front Office Head:: Tim Connelly- 3rd season as Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations
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Owners: Glen Taylor (has owned the team since 1994)
Sold Team in April 2023, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore are currently part owners. - Notes and Narratives:
Minnesota Wild, NHL Hockey
An incredibly hot start to the 2024-2025 season has wiped away the bitter disappointment of 2023-2024, where the team struggled enough that former Head Coach Dean Evason was fired mid-season. Russian 27-year-old Kirill Kaprizov has developed into one of the best players in the league, and the team has young rising stars at every position. It may be too soon to tell what kind of coach John Hynes will be, but so far, so good. Bill Guerin has done well to draft and develop talent while working under financial constraints left over from some pre-existing bad contracts, and Craig Leipold seems to be keeping his hands off things under Guerin’s administration.
.530 Points Percentage
6th in Central Division – Missed Playoffs
Minnesota Vikings, NFL Football
.411 Winning Percentage
3rd place in NFC North- Missed Playoffs
.778 Winning Percentage
2nd place in NFC North
- Veteran Stars: Jonathan Greenard (OLB), Aaron Jones (RB), Brian O’Neill (RT), T.J. Hockenson (TE), Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
- Rising Stars: Justin Jefferson (WR), Jordan Addison (WR), Christian Darrisaw (LT), Ivan Pace (MLB)
- Coach: Kevin O’Connell- .628 winning percentage over 3 head coaching seasons (all with Vikings)
- Front Office Head: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah- 3rd season as Vikings General Manager
- Owners: Zygi Wilf, 19 years (side note: Carl Eller is a former player who became part owner and then sold his shares to Zygi Wilf )
- Notes and Narratives:
The Vikings have hands-down the best ownership group in Minnesota, with the franchise continually ranking among the best in the NFL across the board with players. The leadership pairing of Kevin O’Connell as head coach and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as general manager has quickly made its mark on the team .
Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have displayed promise thus far; however, their long-term success may hinge on the performance of injured rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy will be well-positioned for success with a rising core of talent at receiver and left tackle. Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw could already be considered the best at their positions in the league, having both achieved this status at just 25 years old.
Scoreboard
Before I begin, please understand that among these four teams, the Wild receives the least attention from me. Consequently, I went into today feeling pessimistic about Minnesota sports overall. The Timberwolves haven’t performed well this season, the Vikings seem to deteriorate week by week despite winning, and the Twins suffered a heartbreaking collapse. However, this analysis has left me feeling quite optimistic about the state of professional sports in my home state.
There is a wealth of rising stars, including two of the most electrifying players in all of sports: Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. None of the coaches have proven to be ineffective, with three out of four still in their inaugural head coaching positions. The front offices appear competent; although, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure remains somewhat ambiguous (concerning drafts, notable free agent acquisitions). Notably, all teams have contended for playoff spots recently—it could certainly be worse. If the ownership situations with the Twins and Timberwolves resolve favorably, things could continue to improve.
My vote for the team on the best trajectory currently goes to the Timberwolves. A proven front office, a promising coach, and a young player on a Hall of Fame path—combined with their franchise-record season last year—indicate a bright future. The ongoing ownership litigation battle and a sluggish start this season remain the only concerns at present. Which team garners your vote?
Poll
Which MN Pro Team Do You Feel the Best About Right Now?
