As expected, the Yankees swept the Twins in three games of the American League Division Series.

The Twins gave the Yankees a good fight by taking leads in all three games, but they failed to finish off a  great team in all three games so a great run comes to an end.

It\’s hard to get upset over it. This flawed team ran on fumes after a thrilling Game 163 last week, and it\’s hard for them to beat up a great team that dominated the entire season.

Even if the Twins play the Red Sox or the Angels, it would be a same result. Odds are if the Twins took the lead against either of those teams, they could count on Joe Nathan to blow it so it makes no difference.

It\’s remarkable they even won the division in the first place when one looks back at the season they had. They dealt with injuries that crippled them altogether with the losses of Justin Morneau, Joe Crede and Kevin Slowey.

Ron Gardenhire\’s team kept chugging along and managed to stay in the race, and that\’s a credit to the manager for keeping his team focused and hanging in there.

They persistence paid off by getting a home game for a one-game playoff, and winning it. That itself is an accomplishment.

Let the Yankees enjoy this because in the next round, the Angels will dispatch them in six games.

It does not diminish what the Twins did this year.

While the Twins should feel good for what they did, they shouldn\’t be content with just being one and out in the playoffs either.

They need to open up their wallets and spend the money to get several free agents that can put them over the hump come playoff time now that they got their new stadium that will open in April.

It would be nice if Gardenhire did not have to coax something out of a decent roster year after year. The Twins should stop being a developmental organization and start being a championship organization.

They need to go out on the field and expect to win championships year after year not be content as the little engine that could.

It\’s been fun watching them overachieve the last two years, but overachieving can only take a team so much.

Championship teams require players that know what they are doing when they are out on the field. The Twins need several players that experienced winning playoff baseball.

Several Angels players enter free agency once this season is over. Chone Figgins and Bobby Abreu know what it takes to win in the postseason, and those two can teach the guys how to get it done hence why the Twins should consider spending their money on them.

John Lackey bolsters any pitching staff, and the Twins could use a starter that is not afraid to face any hitter. Nick Blackburn and Kevin Slowey showed they can get it done, but the Twins could use an experienced starter that knows how to get it done.

It\’s wishful thinking, but with Joe Mauer set to be a free agent after this season, the Pohlad family would be wise to spend that money so that they can convince Mauer that they are serious about winning a championship.

If the Twins make eye-popping moves this winter, Mauer knows he has no choice but to resign with his hometown team.

The Twins fans must demand more from this organization.  Every year, the Pohlads make money out of them with nothing  to show for it.

Does anyone think Jim Pohlad lost sleep last night with his team being swept by the Yankees? Didn\’t think so.

That\’s the problem right there. Since the Pohlads  brought the team, they just want to make money and be content.

That\’s unacceptable, and it\’s not fair for the players and the coaching staff that work hard all year with ownership doing nothing to take the franchise to another level.

It\’s no secret why the Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Red Sox and the Cardinals are success year after year. Ownership demand a lot by putting out a great product that gives their teams a chance to win it all.

It would be nice if the Twins play that game.