With all the discussion since the season ended about what to do with free agent outfielder Torii Hunter I thought it might be interesting to see who some of the “old farts” were that put on a Minnesota Twins uniforms over the years.
Hunter is on the list below because he turned 40 on July 18, 2015 and this kind of search only takes into account your age as of June 30th and Torii turned 40 on July 18, 2015. I heard that the Twins are interested in bring Hunter back but not as a full-time player and Torii has not made up his made as yet what he wants to do. Having said that, Hunter’s 2015 season looks pretty good stat wise on the list below.
Only two players on this list were actually signed by Minnesota to begin their professional careers, and they are Hunter and Jesse Orosco. The others were traded for, purchased, acquired on waivers or signed as free agents. Oddly enough Orosco was a second round selection in the 1978 draft and was traded by the Twins to the Mets as the PTBNL in the Jerry Koosman deal before he made his major league debut and did not pitch for Minnesota until his 24th and final season. Hunter as you all know was the Twins number one draft pick (20th overall) in 1993 and left as a free agent after the 2007 season only to return again in 2015 after stints with the Angels and Tigers.
| Rk | Name | Year | Age | G | PA | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | Pos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jesse Orosco | 2003 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /*1 | ||
| 2 | Steve Carlton | 1988 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /*1 | ||
| 3 | Joe Niekro | 1988 | 43 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /*1 | ||
| 4 | Joe Niekro | 1987 | 42 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | *1 | ||
| 5 | Terry Mulholland | 2005 | 42 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | *1 | ||
| 6 | Dave Winfield | 1994 | 42 | 77 | 328 | 35 | 74 | 10 | 43 | 2 | .252 | .746 | *D/9 |
| 7 | Steve Carlton | 1987 | 42 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /*1 | ||
| 8 | Dave Winfield | 1993 | 41 | 143 | 594 | 72 | 148 | 21 | 76 | 2 | .271 | .767 | *D9/H3 |
| 9 | Pat Borders | 2004 | 41 | 19 | 44 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 2 | .286 | .683 | *2/H |
| 10 | Terry Mulholland | 2004 | 41 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | *1 |
| 11 | Paul Molitor | 1998 | 41 | 126 | 559 | 75 | 141 | 4 | 69 | 9 | .281 | .718 | *D/3H |
| 12 | Paul Molitor | 1997 | 40 | 135 | 597 | 63 | 164 | 10 | 89 | 11 | .305 | .786 | *D3/H |
| 13 | Elmer Valo | 1961 | 40 | 33 | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .156 | .469 | *H/7 |
| 14 | Jim Thome | 2011 | 40 | 71 | 242 | 21 | 50 | 12 | 40 | 0 | .243 | .827 | *DH |
| 15 | Al Worthington | 1969 | 40 | 46 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | *1 |
| 16 | Ruben Sierra | 2006 | 40 | 14 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .179 | .487 | /*H*D |
| 17 | Jim Dwyer | 1990 | 40 | 37 | 75 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 0 | .190 | .558 | *H*D/79 |
| 18 | Torii Hunter | 2015 | 39 | 139 | 567 | 67 | 125 | 22 | 81 | 2 | .240 | .702 | *9D/H |