TWINS TRIVIA is hopefully a fun and informative site that will help you to better enjoy the Minnesota Twins and their wonderful history. “History never looks like history when you are living through it” – John Gardner, former Secretary of Health
August 30, 2011 – Mark Buehrle allowed four hits in seven and two-thirds innings in the White Sox 3-0 victory over the Twins. That lowered Buehrle’s ERA against Minnesota to 0.29 this season. No pitcher has ever finished a season with an ERA that low against the Twins or their predecessor, the Washington Senators (minimum: 3 starts). Buehrle could face Minnesota once more this season, during a four-game series at Target Field next week. Source Elias
August 28, 2011 – Elizabethton (Rookie Appalachian League) outfielder Niko Goodrum is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week for August 13-19. Goodrum, 20, hit .481 (13-for-27) with two doubles, one triple, one home run, nine RBI’s, four walks and eight runs scored in seven games with the E-Town Twins. Goodrum was drafted by the Twins in the second round of the of the 2010 First-Year Player draft and he began his professional career last season in the Gulf Coast League.
August 25, 2011 – According to numerous reports, DH Jim Thome has been claimed on waivers by Cleveland and traded to them for the proverbial “player to be named later”. These same reports state that the Indians and the Twins have until October 15 to agree on the PTBNL. Jim Thome came up with the Cleveland Indians and played there from 1991 through the 2002 season before moving on to the Phillies as a free agent in December of 2002. Thome played for the Phillies through 2005 before he was traded to the Chicago White Sox where he played in 2006 through August of 2009 when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thome then signed as a free agent with the Twins in January of 2010 and re-upped with Minnesota in 2011. During his stay in Minnesota, Thome was a very popular player both with the team as well as the Twins fan base. In his short stay in Minnesota, Thome played in 178 games, had 578 plate appearances while hitting .268 with 37 home runs and 99 RBI’s. Thome never played in the field for the Twins, always serving as the DH or coming in as a pinch-hitter. Thome leaves Minnesota with 601 career home runs, one of just 8 players in history to reach the 600 circle. Jim Thome is a sure Hall of Famer and his stay in Minnesota was in reality for a short period of time but fans and players alike will miss “Gentleman Jim”. But the trade to Cleveland is a good move on the Twins part and hopefully Jim Thome can help Cleveland catch the Detroit Tigers and move on to the playoffs and give Jim the shot at a World Series that he wants badly. I know the odds are stacked against Thome but he deserved that shot. Good luck Mr. Thome!
August 25, 2011 – The Twins were shut out by the Yankees in Target Field on Sunday and then lost three straight games to the Orioles at Target Field, by scores of 4-1, 8-1 and 6-1. According to Elias it’s the first time in more than a century that the Twins franchise lost four straight games, all at home, while scoring no more than one run in each game. That had last happened in September 1909, when the Washington Senators dropped five straight games of that type. The 1909 Senators finished 42-110, hopefully the 2011 Twins can beat that mark.
August 22, 2011– Elizabethton (Appalachian League – Rookie) pitcher Tim Shibuya is the Twins Minor League Player of the Week for August 13-19. The 6-foot-1, 190 pound right-hander, was drafted out of the University of California-San Diego. Shibuya, 21, made one start, August 16 vs. Bristol, allowing one run on two hits in 7.0 innings, with no walks and 12 strikeouts, earning the win. Shibuya, who was drafted by the Twins in the 23rd round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, has gone 7-2, 3.56 (60.2 innings pitched, 24 earned runs) with 10 walks and 59 strikeouts in 11 starts for E-town this season.