Which Minnesota Team Do You Feel the Best About Right Now?
This site proudly proclaims itself Twins Territory, but with the Major League Baseball (MLB) offseason in full swing, there are three other prominent pro teams keeping Minnesota fans entertained. While our focus here leans heavily toward the Twins, I’m sure a good portion of you loyal fans appreciate all that Minnesota sports has to offer. Given the varying levels of success across our beloved “Big Four” professional teams this year, it begs the question: which team is currently in the strongest position? Which boasts both present dominance and a bright future? Let’s break down each contender:
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 achieved a significant milestone in 2023 by advancing further in the playoffs than any team had in over two decades. However, they suffered a dismal collapse in 2024, slashing payroll and ultimately missing the postseason. The Pohlad family has faced criticism for their reluctance to invest in a winning team – especially considering MLB’s lack of a salary cap – but recent reports suggest they are preparing to sell the franchise. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are All-Star caliber players when healthy, and the team boasts exciting young talents such as Royce Lewis, who have already made their mark, along with a promising pipeline of future stars. Although Rocco Baldelli and Derek Falvey may not be considered the undisputed best managerial-front office duo in the league, they are certainly far from the worst.
Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA Basketball
.682 Winning Percentage
3rd Place in Western Conference- Lost in Conference Finals
.545 Winning Percentage (as of November 13th 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: It’s Complicated, but Glen Taylor has owned the team for the past 30 years
- Notes and Narratives:
The Timberwolves experienced one of their most successful seasons in franchise history last year before falling short in the Western Conference Finals. Glen Taylor and Alex Rodriguez are currently embroiled in a legal battle over team ownership, and team architect Tim Connelly…
Could show himself the door if Taylor wins out. Franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns was shipped to New York prior to the season in a risky attempt to improve a good team while preserving future financial flexibility in a salary-capped sport. The team has stumbled out of the gate in 2024, but in a sport most impacted by individual players, Anthony Edwards has a good chance of becoming one of the best five in the league. Naz Reid.
Minnesota Wild, NHL Hockey
.530 Points Percentage
6th in Central Division- Missed Playoffs
.767 Points Percentage
2nd in Central Division
- Veteran Stars: Kirill Kaprizov (LW)
- Rising Stars: Matt Boldy (LW), Brock Faber (D), Marco Rossi (C), Filip Gustavsson (G)
- Coach: John Hynes- .615 points percentage over 2 partial seasons as head coach of the Wild (11 Season Total: .535)
- Front Office Head: Bill Guerin- 6th season as Wild General Manager
- Owners: Craig Leipold, who formerly owned the Nashville Predators, has owned the Wild for 16 years
- Notes and Narratives:
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 boasts 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.
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: did you know Carl Pohlad was once a majority owner of the Vikings?)
- 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 and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have demonstrated solid performance thus far, but their enduring success might hinge on the rehabilitation and effectiveness of rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy is poised for triumph with a supporting cast of rising stars at receiver and left tackle. Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw, both just 25 years old, are potentially already among the elite players at their respective positions in the league.
Scoreboard
Before diving in, I must confess that among these four teams, the Wild garner the least amount of my attention. Heading into today, Minnesota sports as a whole felt underwhelming. The Timberwolves haven’t impressed this season, the Vikings seem to be regressing despite wins, and the Twins experienced a catastrophic collapse. However, this analysis has surprisingly lifted my spirits regarding the state of professional sports in my home state.
Minnesota boasts a plethora of burgeoning stars, including two of the most electrifying athletes globally: Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. None of the coaches have proven themselves inadequate, with three out of four still leading their teams as first-time head coaches. While the front offices appear competent, the jury is still out on Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (strong player signings but challenging drafts). Notably, each team has recently contended for playoffs – a positive indication! If ownership situations with the Twins and Timberwolves resolve favorably, the future could shine even brighter.
Which team do you think is currently on the most promising trajectory? My vote goes to the Timberwolves. A proven front office, a promising coach, and a young player destined for the Hall of Fame – coupled with last year’s franchise-record season – paint an undeniably positive picture. The only concerns appear to be the ongoing ownership litigation battle and their somewhat sluggish start this season. Which team earns your vote?
Poll
Which MN Pro Team Do You Feel the Best About Right Now?
