For some teams, there was a degree of September suspense associated with their playoff status. The St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL Central with 10 days to go, and it wasn't until the final week that the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland A's wrapped up their division titles.

For the wild-card entrants, the San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels, it wasn't until a few days remained in the season before they were assured of reaching the postseason.

At the other end of the spectrum were the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins, who knew that were headed for the playoffs before Labor Day.

	Jacque Jones has been battling an ankle injury down the stretch.

The Braves won their 11th consecutive division title going away, with second-place Montreal 19 games out. The Twins, who last qualified for the postseason in 1991, cruised to the AL Central title by 13 1/2 games.

Exactly how the Braves and Twins -- who met in the 1991 World Series -- are affected by their easy final month will be determined this week.

"It can work either way," said the general manager of another team. "Some teams use the time to get ready. Others can get flat."

For the Twins, who had eight consecutive losing seasons before winning 85 games last year, the lack of drama was a blessing.

"I think this week has allowed us to get everything in order," said Twins GM Terry Ryan. "We had a couple of injury concerns and this time allowed us to not push people faster than they should be pushed. It was a good situation as far as we're concerned."

Specifically, the time gave the Twins the ability to gradually get their rotation healthy in place. Three of the Twins' starters -- Eric Milton, Brad Radke, and Joe Mays -- missed significant time over the course of the season, and Rick Reed suffered a hyperextended knee only last week.

Manager Ron Gardenhire used the opportunity to line up his pitchers in the order he wanted for the Twins' Division Series matchup with the Oakland A's. In one series last weekend, none of the three Minnesota starters pitched past the fifth inning.

"I think it's been a luxury and a blessing for us," Ryan said. "It allowed us to get our rotation set and rest some regulars. Obviously, I haven't been in this chair before (Ryan was a scout with the Twins when they last won), but I can't think of a better scenario than to clinch early and get yourself prepared. I can't imagine not wanting to clinch early."

Only Reed and reliever Mike Jackson have playoff experience on the Twins roster. Clinching early has given the rest of the playoff neophytes the chance to take care of off-field plans, such as procuring tickets and making travel plans for families.

Some everyday position players are rebounding from injuries. Corey Koskie needed some rest after fouling a ball off his foot. Outfielder Jacque Jones has mostly recovered from an ankle problem.

While some teams might worry about players losing their edge, there's little concern regarding the Twins. Threatened with extinction because of contraction, they're eager to experience the postseason atmosphere.

"There's a lot of energy on this team," said Ryan. "Ninety percent of our guys have never been to the playoffs. They've seen the Indians and White Sox go (from the same division) and they're anxious to find out what it's all about."

Just in case, Gardenhire spoke to his team last week about maintaining its focus. It's unlikely the Twins needed the reminder.

"Once we get to Tuesday," predicted Ryan, "these guys are going to be ready."

If the Twins are new hands at playoff preparation, the Braves are old hands. It's as if a spot in the National League postseason is their birthright.

They've been through races decided in the final weekend and races decided in the first week of September. For the Braves, the playoffs represent a natural extension of the regular season.

"They've been through this so many times, I don't think it makes a bit of difference to them," said a NL executive. "There are a lot of pros there. It sure looks to me like they've got this thing figured out. They had no letdown at all in September."

Indeed, with no team chasing them, the Braves reached the 100-victory plateau anyway and cemented the home-field advantage through the NL playoffs.

While piling up the victories, the Braves have utilized the last few weeks to get organized.

"Bobby Cox is a master at getting ready, deifning everyone's roles and getting the pitching in order," said a scout watching the National League. "They're kind of the model when it comes to getting the most of out of everyone."

Helping matters is the presence of veterans who set the right example. In particular, co-aces Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux have helped young pitchers Jason Marquis and and Damian Moss get acclimated. Even Vinny Castilla, who's experienced a rough year at the plate, set the proper professional tone for inexperienced teammates.

"It's pretty special to have guys like that around," said the scout. "They're a veteran team for the most part. With some other teams, you might worry (about how they handle a big lead). But with the guys they have, I don't see how they could be adversely affected."