While I'm driving around, I keep a notebook handy. I've become proficient at writing while keeping an eye on whoever I'm talking to or, in this case, the road.

Yesterday, I made a list of the former Minnesota Twins to appear in or make the rosters of this year's playoff teams. Here are/were the lot of familiar faces for which to root:

- David Ortiz and Bobby Kielty (two of my favorites) of the Boston Red Sox;

- Jeff Cirillo and Augie Ojeda (nice play earlier this week) of the Arizona Diamondbacks;

- LaTroy Hawkins (bad as a closer, good as a setup man) and Ramon Ortiz (can't believe he won the regular-season pennant clincher) of the Colorado Rockies;

- Casey Blake, Aaron Fultz, Chris Gomez of the Cleveland Indians;

- Henry Blanco (who can forget how he had a career year filling in for the injured Joe Mauer?) and Jacque Jones (nice switch to move him to center field) of the Chicago Cubs;

- Kyle Lohse (whiner) and J.C. Romero (goat) of the Philadelphia Phillies;

- and Doug Mientkiewicz (the glove -- what else can you say?) of the New York Yankees.

Robb Quinlan of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was a former Minnesota Gopher, so I guess we could've cheered for him during his team's pitiful showing in the playoffs. But no former Twins that I know of made that roster.

Also, I may be wrong, but didn't we draft but not sign Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew, both of whom are on the Red Sox?

Did I miss anybody? Anyhow, that's a lot of former Twins. But I wonder if other teams that have great farm systems have just as many former players from their teams.