What’s the smartest organization in the American League? A compelling case can be made for the Minnesota Twins. They’ve thrived despite payroll restrictions and by relying upon a traditionalist organizational model that stands in sharp contrast to most other clubs in the American League. Whereas teams like the A’s and Blue Jays adhere rather strictly to the tenets of Moneyball and others like the Red Sox and Indians rely on a hybrid approach, the Twins succeed by hewing closely to the old way – scouting, scouting, and more scouting. Throw in a capable manager and an effective ken for identifying amateur talent, and you have a club that, for the money, is the junior circuit’s finest.

And they’re at it again. After winning three straight AL Central crowns, the Twins are 29-21 and sit atop the AL Wild Card scrum. But there’s a particularly appealing element to this year’s team, and that’s the historically rare command demonstrated by the pitching staff. At present, the Twins are second in the AL in fewest runs allowed, and since they rank “only” fourth in the AL in defensive efficiency, we can surmise that the pitching staff is mostly responsible for cutting a wide swath through opposing lineups. In fact, the Twins’ staff is on pace to set a handful of notable records this season. Let’s take a look at these looming dalliances with history.

Twins pitchers currently have a cumulative strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.62, which would rather easily be the best mark since 1900. The current record belongs to the 2002 Diamondbacks, who posted a ratio of 3.10. If trends hold, the Twins’ staff will better the Snakes K/BB ratio by 16.8%, which, by any reasonable standard, qualifies as “shattering the record.” Also consider that the Twins have the presumptive disadvantage of facing DHs instead of pitchers in the opposing lineup.

What’s more, the Twins’ K/BB ratio is 184% of the league average, which would be the second best mark relative to league average since 1900.The 1911 Giants hold the record with a ratio that was 187% of the league mean. That benchmark is very much within the Twins’ grasp this season.

What’s interesting – astounding, actually – is that the Twins’ hurlers are crafting this historically peerless ratio without the benefit of lofty strikeout totals. Minnesota presently ranks a mere 21st in the majors with 293 pitcher strikeouts; however, their 81 walks as a staff is easily the best mark in the game. In other words, they’re making hay by dint of their exacting control. In fact, Minnesota’s staff-wide mark of 1.61 walks per nine innings would be the second-best figure since 1900, trailing only the 1904 Red Sox, who walked only 1.49 batters per nine frames.

Relative to the league average, the Twins are on pace to have not only the best control staff since 1900, but also throughout the depth and breadth of baseball history. If we form a ratio of the league mean BB/9 to the team’s BB/9, we find that the Twins’ mark of 193% edges out the current record-setting mark, that of the 1880 Providence Grays (192%). So if trends hold, the 2005 Twins will exhibit the best control of any staff in the annals of the game.

How have they done it? Brad Radke has become something of a control artist in recent seasons, and reigning AL Cy Young winner Johan Santana has long been a command specialist. The real progress, however, has been made by third starter Carlos Silva. The Twins acquired Silva from the Phillies as part of the Eric Milton trade in late 2003. Theretofore, Silva had been a reliever burdened by – believe it or not – control problems. The Twins, enamored of his deep repertoire, converted him into a starter, and the results were striking. During his final season in Philadelphia, Silva walked almost a batter every two innings. In his first season in Minnesota – and his first as a starter – he walked only 1.55 batters per nine innings. This season, he’s been even stingier. The progress he’s made in tandem with a roster larded with control pitchers has helped the Twins along this historic track they’re on.

As such, it’s not surprising that Minnesota may also be bound for a novelty record of sorts. At this writing, the Twins have two qualifying pitchers (meaning those with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title) on pace to log as many wins as walks for the season. No one should to go to the rails for the evocative nature of pitcher wins and losses (probably the most nefarious of traditional baseball statistics because of the extending value judgments), but this fact does speak to the amazing control of the Twins’ staff. To wit, Radke is slated for 238 innings, 13 wins, and 10 walks, while Silva is bound for 209 frames, nine wins, and nine (!) walks.

To frame the rare nature of this feat, consider that only four qualifying pitchers since 1900 managed to pull off more wins than walks in an entire season: Christ Mathewson in 1913 and 1914, Slim Sallee in 1919, and Bret Saberhagen with the 1994 Mets. No team has had two qualifiers turn the trick in the same season. Only the 1918 Boston Braves had two pitchers log more wins than walks, but Bill Upham and Jake Northrop combined for only 60.2 innings on the season.

Now consider that in addition to Radke and Silva, the Twins have a third pitcher – reliever Jesse Crain – who currently has the same number of wins (five) as he does walks. For that matter, Dave Gassner also has as many wins (one) as walks, but he’s logged only 7 2/3 innings on the season. Add to that Santana (six wins, 10 walks) and Kyle Lohse (four wins, nine walks), and the Minnesota pitching staff seems on an unswerving course toward history. The control they’ve demonstrated as a staff is manifestly unprecedented, and it’s about time they were recognized for it.

Mr.Perry writes for Baseball Prospectus. For more state-of-the-art content, visit baseballprospectus.com.