Tony, the Killer, and Carew

Quite a list of sevens:

Lenny Green, 1961-64
Jimmie Hall, 1964-66
Frank Quilici, 1967-70
Paul Ray Powell, 1971
Jim Nettles, 1971-72
Jerry Terrell, 1973-74
Danny Walton, 1975
Dave McKay, 1975-76
Rob Wilfong, 1977-82
Larry Milbourne, 1982
Boomer Wells, 1982
Scott Ullger, 1983
Dave Meier, 1984-85
Greg Gagne, 1987-92
Denny Hocking, 1993-2003
Joe Mauer, 2004-08

It looks like at least one person has worn Twins #7 every season except 1986.

Scotty Ullger also has a birthday this week. He’s one of only two Twins players whose last name starts with the letter “U” - can you name the other?

Other sevens:

The Twins are 2-1 in post season Game 7’s - all of the games came in the World Series.

Chip Hale had seven home runs in his Twins career.

Eddie Bane had seven wins in his Twins career.

The number six is hanging on the curtain in the upper deck of the Metrodome. Three guesses as to which player’s picture it accompanies (no, not Ted Lepcio - two more guesses). Interestingly enough, the number “6″ is one of six retired numbers for the Twins (3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42).

Billy Consolo, 1961
Ted Lepcio, 1961
Jim Snyder, 1962
Vic Wertz, 1963
Tony Oliva, 1964-75
Tony Oliva, 1976 (Player-Coach)
Tony Oliva, 1977-78, 1985-91 (Coach)

Speaking of great players, there are six members of the Baseball Hall of Fame who have worn a Twins uniform. Unfortunately, Tony Oliva is not one of them.

The Twins have never lost a post season Game 6. They are 3-0, with all of the wins coming in the World Series.

There are the six Twins with more than 2000 plate appearances that have a career batting average over .300 - Rod Carew .334, Kirby Puckett .318, Shane Mack .309, Brian Harper .306, Chuck Knoblauch .304, and #6 himself with .304.

On April 11, 1961 the team took the field as the Minnesota Twins for the first time. The very first double play in Twins history came in the fifth inning of that game. It went 5-4-3 from Bertoia to Gardner to Killebrew. In all, the 1961 team turned 150 double plays, about in the middle of the pack in the American League. The main double play combo that year was Zoilo Versalles to Billy Martin to Harmon Killebrew. Versalles was a 21-year-old rookie at the time while Martin was playing out his last season as a player.

The 1962 version of the Twins led the league in double plays turned with 173. Rookie Bernie Allen took over at second base for Martin while Versalles’ defense improved in his sophomore season. It didn’t hurt that the first baseman was Vic Power, considered one of the best glove men in the league. Versalles continued to sparkle at short stop for most of the 1960’s. He played primarily with Allen at second and a variety of different first basemen including Killebrew, Power, Bob Allison, and Don Mincher.

In 1967, a young Rod Carew took over at second base. He joined short stop Leo Cardenas, who came to the Twins after the 1968 season, to form one of the more potent combinations in the league during the 1969 season. On the receiving end of most of the double plays was converted third baseman Rich Reese.

The Twins were again on top of the league in terms of double plays in 1976 with 182 turned. That year was Roy Smalley’s first at short stop for the Twins and Bob Randall’s rookie season at second. Carew was the regular first baseman that year. The same combo led the league again in 1977 (184) and was among the leaders in 1978 (171). Smalley to Rob Wilfong to Ron Jackson continued to be among the league leaders heading into the 1980’s, and Smalley set a major league record for double plays by a short stop in 1979 when he had 144 (he is still second on that list).

Greg Gagne and Kent Hrbek were the bookends of the double play team from 1985-1992. Second base was a bit of a revolving door during that time, including names like Teufel, Backman, Herr, and Newman. The Twins won their World Series championships with the combination of Gagne to Lombardozzi to Hrbek in 1987 and Gagne to Knoblauch to Hrbek in 1991.

For four seasons in the early part of this decade, the Twins infield looked the same. The get to know ‘ems boasted Guzman to Rivas to Mientkiewicz, a group that was known more for its defensive contributions than its offense. In 2008, the double play group is Everett to Harris to Morneau. Through Saturday’s games they had turned 35 double plays, last in the American League.

Twins who have worn uniform number “5″

Jose Valdivielso, 1961
Don Mincher, 1962-66
Russ Nixon, 1967
Bob Oldis, 1968 (Coach)
Leo Cardenas, 1969-70
Danny Thompson, 1970-76
Roy Smalley, 1976-82, 1985-87
Ray Smith, 1983
Houston Jimenez, 1984
Jim Dwyer, 1988-90
Pedro Munoz, 1990-95
Roberto Kelly, 1996-97
Brent Gates, 1998-99
Michael Cuddyer, 2001-08

Roy Smalley is the most accomplished player to wear the number for the Twins, but the most interesting question that pops out of this list to me is who would you rather have as your right fielder: Pedro Munoz or Michael Cuddyer.

Twins career:
Cuddyer: 2445 PA .270/.345/.447 73 HR 107 OPS+
Munoz: 1701 PA .275/.316/.444 61 HR 101 OPS+

Looks like Cuddyer. Munoz’ career was over by the time he was 28, Cuddyer is currently 29 and still has a lot of games ahead of him.

Other fives:

The Twins have had five AL Rookie of the Year award winners: Tony Oliva (1964), Rod Carew (1967), John Castino (1979), Chuck Knoblauch (1991), and Marty Cordova (1995).

On Wednesday night Carlos Gomez became the 12th player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, the eighth since 1961. Players who have hit for the cycle in franchise history:

Otis Clymer - 10/2/1908
Goose Goslin - 8/28/1924
Joe Cronin - 9/2/1929
Mickey Vernon - 5/19/1946
Rod Carew - 5/20/1970
Cesar Tovar - 9/19/1972
Larry Hisle - 6/4/1976
Lyman Bostock - 7/24/1976
Mike Cubbage - 7/27/1978
Gary Ward - 9/18/1980
Kirby Puckett - 8/1/1986
Carlos Gomez - 5/7/2008

Twins who have worn the uniform number “4″

Bob Allison, 1961-70
Steve Braun, 1971-75
Gene Mauch, 1976-80 (Manager)
Mark Funderburk, 1981
Jim Eisenreich, 1982-84
Chris Speier, 1984
Steve Lombardozzi, 1985-88
Orlando Mercado, 1989
Chip Hale, 1990-95
Paul Molitor, 1996-98
Paul Molitor, 2000-01, 2003 (Coach)
Augie Ojeda, 2004

Other fours (award winners & great games edition):

Cy Young Awards in Twins History: 4

Jim Perry (1970)
Frank Viola (1988)
Johan Santana (2004, 2006)

MVP Awards in Twins History: 4

Zoilo Versalles (1965)
Harmon Killebrew (1969)
Rod Carew (1977)
Justin Morneau (2006)

No-Hitters in Twins History: 4

8/26/1962: Jack Kralick
8/25/1967: Dean Chance
4/27/1994: Scott Erickson
9/11/1999: Eric Milton

There is only one player in Twins’ history who has worn the number three.

The number three was retired on August 11, 1974, so Harmon Killebrew is also the last Twin who will ever wear that number as well.

Harmon Killebrew was discovered by Washington Senators scout Ossie Bluege when he was playing an impromptu baseball game in his hometown of Payette, Idaho. Interestingly, it was about 50 years earlier that another Senators scout happened upon Walter Johnson while he was playing in Idaho. Like Johnson, the Senators snatched up the 17-year-old Killebrew before other teams had a chance. Unlike Johnson, however, Killebrew received a signing bonus of $30,000.

Because of the “bonus baby” rules at the time, Killebrew had to be on the major league roster for two years. For Killebrew, it meant a lot of sitting and watching games from his signing to June of 1956. When the two years expired, he was finally able to play on a regular basis in the minor leagues. After two full seasons in the minors, Killebrew was ready to join the major league team again. He played his first full season in 1959.

It didn’t take long for Harmon to catch on. His easy going way was well liked by fans, and the fact that he hit 42 home runs in his first season with a team that was historically short on power didn’t hurt matters. By the middle of 1959, Washington fans were already sure they had found the player that was going to turn things around.

Killebrew had exhibited Mickey Mantle-like power from the time he first donned a Washington uniform at the age of 17. But he was prone to swipe at bad balls, he seemed to heavy around the hips, and to have bad hands and a scatter arm.

 

After four earlier trials with the Senators and three fair seasons at Charlotte (Sally) and Chattanooga (Southern), Harm has become and assured, relaxed performer… Some of the more romantic Senator fans were looking to Harm as the “Joe Hardy” of “Damnyankees” fame, come to deliver the Senators, at last, from the depths of the second division.

 

-Herb Heft, The Sporting News, May 1959

 

Washington baseball fans were never able to see Killebrew deliver the Senators from the depths because the team moved west to Minnesota prior to Killebrew’s third full season. “Killer” responded to the new setting with his best season to date in 1961. In the Twins’ first decade, Killebrew slugged 40+ home runs seven times. Though he missed a good chunk of the 1965 season due to injuries, Killebrew was a key factor in the team’s first American League pennant victory. His greatest season, however, was probably 1969 when he batted .276/.427/.584 with 49 HR and a team record 140 RBI.

While it is certainly true that Killebrew was more than comfortable at the plate, he never really found a home in the field. His very early years with the Senators found him playing mostly second base, but by the time he became a regular Killebrew had moved to third base. In his second full season, however, he was moved to first base, the position at which he played more games than any other. During his career, Killebrew also played in the outfield. Towards the end of his career, he was primarily a designated hitter.

When Killebrew retired after the 1975 season, he left with 573 home runs, 559 of which were hit while he was wearing a Washington/Minnesota uniform. That total is still a franchise record, and Killebrew currently sits in ninth place on the career home run list, sandwiched between Mark McGwire (583) and Rafael Palmeiro (569). Killebrew remains the only Twin to have ever hit more than 40 home runs in a season.

In what is one of the most ridiculous moments in Hall of Fame history, Harmon Killebrew missed induction on three ballots before he was finally elected in 1984. He was the first Minnesota Twin to be inducted.

Other “3’s” in Twins history:

To answer the trivia question from a few weeks back, the three players who played for both Washington and Minnesota that were not with the team at the time of the move were listed in TheJaw’s comment below the post:

Bill Fischer - Played with Washington from 1958 to 1960. Traded to Detroit in July 1960. Played with Minnesota Twins in 1964.

 

Mike Fornieles - Played with Washington in 1952 and Minnesota in 1963.

 

Garland Shifflett - Played with Washington in 1957 and Minnesota in 1964.

 

Technicality - Julio Becquer - Played with Washington from 1955 to 1960. Taken by Angels in expansion draft in December 1960. Purchased from Philadelphia by Minnesota in June 1961. Played with Minnesota from 1961 to 1963.

 

Well played, TheJaw.

There are three managers who have lasted longer than five seasons with the Twins: Sam Mele, Tom Kelly, and Ron Gardenhire. Two of the three have been able to take the team to a World Series.

By this time in 2010, the Twins will have played their home games in three different ballparks: Metropolitan Stadium, HHH Metrodome, and “The Ballpark to be named later.”

There are three occasions on which a Twins batter was intentionally walked 20 or more times in a single season. Harmon Killebrew did it twice, in 1969 (20) and 1970 (23). The third time it happened was in 2006, when Joe Mauer received 21 intentional passes.

Trivia: there are six pitchers with 500+ innings pitched in a Twins’ uniform who have a strikeout to walk ratio greater than 3.00 in their Twins career. Name them.

Twins who have worn the number “2″ (the all-number two team would include a lot of second basemen)

Zoilo Versalles, 1961-67
Frank Kostro, 1968-69
Graig Nettles, 1969
Frank Crosetti, 1970-71 (Coach)
Bobby Darwin, 1972-75
John Briggs, 1975
Craig Kusick, 1975
Steve Braun, 1976
Randy Bass, 1977
John Castino, 1979-84
Chris Pittaro, 1986-87
Wally Backman, 1989
Nelson Liriano, 1990
Donnie Hill, 1992
Pat Meares, 1993-98
Luis Rivas, 2000-05
Denard Span, 2008

The Twins have won two World Series (1987, 1991).

The original (and best) team logo featured two guys shaking hands over the Mississippi River.

On July 17, 1990, the Twins turned two triple plays in the same game.

Among the players who have hit exactly two home runs in their Twins career: Mark Davidson, Jeff Cirillo, Jason Maxwell, and Mike Redmond (still active).

Minnesota is 4-8 in post season Game 2’s, but is 3-0 in World Series Game 2’s. They have not won a Game 2 since the 1991 World Series.

The Twins have hosted two All Star Games (1965, 1985)

There have been two Ford C. Frick award winners among the broadcasters that regularly covered the Twins: Bob Wolf and Herb Carneal.

Twins who wore uniform #1 (note: there is definitely a theme in terms of what type of player wears #1):

Reno Bertoia, 1961
Billy Martin, 1961
Bernie Allen, 1963-64
Billy Martin, 1965-68 (Coach)
Billy Martin, 1969 (Manager)
Eric Soderholm, 1971-72
Rich Reese, 1973
Sergio Ferrer, 1974-75
Jerry Terrell, 1975-77
Larry Wolfe, 1978
Jesus Vega, 1980
Tim Corcoran, 1981
Ray Smith, 1982
Houston Jimenez, 1983
Alvaro Espinoza, 1984-86
John Moses, 1988-90
Jarvis Brown, 1991-92
Alex Cole, 1994-95
Otis Nixon, 1998
Jay Canizaro, 2000, 2002
Jason Kubel, 2004
Luis Castillo, 2006-07

Other “ones”:

The Twins have had one AL Manager of the Year award winner in team history: Tom Kelly in 1991.

Minnesota has lost a single World Series game at home. That, of course, was Game 7 of the 1965 Fall Classic.

There are 142 players whose major league careers have been played exclusively for the Minnesota Twins, 81 are pitchers.

Fred Bruckbauer appeared in one game for the Minnesota Twins in 1961. It was his only major league game. He allowed three runs without recording an out, meaning that his lifetime ERA is infinite (not a one fact, but interesting nonetheless - here is a Joe Christensen story about Bruckbauer from last summer).

Players to wear uniform #0:

Junior Ortiz 1990-1991

Other zero facts:

-Zero Twins pitchers have thrown perfect games. On two occasions the Twins have managed zero base runners in a game.

-The Twins have lost zero World Series games at the Metrodome.

-Dan Gladden allowed zero hits in his first major league appearance as a pitcher.

-The Twins have had zero American League home run champions not named Harmon Killebrew.

-Minnesota has just one winning season in a year that ends with a zero (1970).

-The Twins have qualified for the post season but won zero games before elimination three times (1969, 1970, and 2006).

-There are zero major league teams that have not visited the Metrodome at least once. The Twins have played zero regular season games in Atlanta and Denver, but are 0-3 in Atlanta for post season play.