The Minnesota Twins outperformed most of the nation’s expectations this past season by even contending in any particular month. According to the experts and all those out there that make predictions each season, the Twins were supposed to be contending for fourth or fifth place in the central, not first.

It’s hard not to be happy with the team that ran out there 163 times in ‘08. In fact, there is no reason we shouldn’t be happy. We should be happy with the 88 victories, we should be happy with the young players that stepped up time and time again, we should be happy with the several moves that the front office made, we should be happy that we were so close to winning yet another division title.

There is no reason not to be happy about what happened in the past six months, but we shouldn’t be satisfied. The definition of happy is, “delighted over a particular thing.” That is exactly what we should be. We should be “delighted” that the Twins gave us something to watch night after night, something to pour our hearts into for the last half-year.

Satisfied? Not so much. Satisfaction means, “to fill the demands of something.” Each team, no matter how bleak the chances are, strives for the postseason each year. That was no different for our beloved Twins. Sure they won 88 games and outperformed what everybody thought they might do. That doesn’t quite matter.

We should be happy with the way the team played, and the heart they played with. We should also be happy with the nice stats and numbers in the win column. But, we shouldn’t be satisfied. We shouldn’t be satisfied until we’re at least into the postseason.

And I’m guessing they aren’t satisfied. Next season they’ll strive out again, with expectations or without, and when that happens, you can be sure they’ll do whatever possible to correct this season’s mistakes to make sure their satisfaction is guaranteed.