Month: September 2016

Twins tall drinks of water

The Minnesota Twins have had 53 players (41 pitchers (nine lefties) and 12 position players) that stood at least 6’5″ tall. The Twins have spent the last few years accumulating tall pitchers but so far the fruits of their labors have not been all that eveident.

The tallest player in major league history, Jon Rauch, played for 11 years with seven different major league teams including a stop in Minnesota from 2009-2010. The right-handed Rauch won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The same year, he was also named Baseball America and The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year. Keith Hernandez referred to Rauch as “The Wookiee” during SNY broadcasts in 2006.

Rauch wasn’t exactly the friendliest baseball player around and his grumpy, grouchy, surly and testy personality along with his intimidating size and inked body caused most fans that wanted an autograph to pass and look for the next player to come by.

Here I have put  together a list of Minnesota Twins players that stood at least 6’5″ tall.

Jon Rauch and Joe Mauer
Jon Rauch and Joe Mauer
Rk Player Ht From To Age G Pos
1 Jon Rauch 83 2009 2010 30-31 76 /*1
2 Alex Meyer 81 2015 2016 25-26 4 /*1
3 Mike Smithson 80 1984 1987 29-32 128 *1
4 Michael Tonkin 79 2013 2016 23-26 122 *1
5 Mike Pelfrey 79 2013 2015 29-31 64 /*1
6 John Candelaria 79 1990 1990 36-36 34 /*1
7 Walt Bond 79 1967 1967 29-29 10 /*H7
8 Kyle Gibson 78 2013 2016 25-28 96 /*1
9 Jim Hoey 78 2011 2011 28-28 26 /*1
10 Michael Restovich 78 2002 2004 23-25 61 /H97D
11 Dan Naulty 78 1996 1998 26-28 97 /*1
12 Mo Sanford 78 1995 1995 28-28 11 /*1
13 Dave Winfield 78 1993 1994 41-42 220 *D/9H3
14 David West 78 1989 1992 24-27 63 /*1
15 Greg Booker 78 1989 1989 29-29 6 /*1
16 Jeff Little 78 1982 1982 27-27 33 /*1
17 Mike Poepping 78 1975 1975 24-24 14 /*9H
18 Cotton Nash 78 1969 1970 26-27 10 /*3H7
19 Garry Roggenburk 78 1963 1966 23-26 60 /*1
20 Frank Sullivan 78 1962 1963 32-33 31 /*1
21 Phil Hughes 77 2014 2016 28-30 71 /*1
22 Pat Light 77 2016 2016 25-25 13 /*1
23 Joe Mauer 77 2004 2016 21-33 1589 *23D/H9
24 Trevor May 77 2014 2016 24-26 102 *1
25 Kennys Vargas 77 2014 2016 23-25 147 /*D3H
26 A.J. Achter 77 2014 2015 25-26 18 /*1
27 Jared Burton 77 2012 2014 31-33 203 *1
28 Tyler Robertson 77 2012 2013 24-25 42 /*1
29 Carl Pavano 77 2009 2012 33-36 88 /*1
30 Kyle Waldrop 77 2011 2012 25-26 24 /*1
31 Bobby Keppel 77 2009 2009 27-27 37 /*1
32 Garrett Jones 77 2007 2007 26-26 31 /D3H79
33 LaTroy Hawkins 77 1995 2003 22-30 366 *1
34 Todd Sears 77 2002 2003 26-27 31 /*3HD
35 Matt Kinney 77 2000 2002 23-25 22 /*1
36 Mark Redman 77 1999 2001 25-27 46 /*1
37 Scott Stahoviak 77 1993 1998 23-28 344 *3/H5D9
38 Greg Hansell 77 1996 1996 25-25 50 /*1
39 Dave McCarty 77 1993 1995 23-25 167 /*379H8D
40 Erik Schullstrom 77 1994 1995 25-26 46 /*1
41 Bill Krueger 77 1992 1992 34-34 27 /*1
42 Steve Shields 77 1989 1989 30-30 11 /*1
43 George Frazier 77 1986 1987 31-32 69 /*1
44 Curt Wardle 77 1984 1985 23-24 37 /*1
45 Mike Walters 77 1983 1984 25-26 46 /*1
46 Greg Wells 77 1982 1982 28-28 15 /*3DH
47 John Verhoeven 77 1980 1981 27-28 69 /*1
48 Paul Hartzell 77 1979 1979 25-25 28 /*1
49 Jeff Holly 77 1977 1979 24-26 39 /*1
50 Dick Woodson 77 1969 1974 24-29 129 *1
51 Pete Hamm 77 1970 1971 22-23 23 /*1
52 Stan Williams 77 1970 1971 33-34 114 *1
53 Don Williams 77 1963 1963 27-27 3 /*1
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 9/21/2016.

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Where does Dozier’s hitting streak sit as compared to Twins history

With a few exceptions the Minnesota Twins appear to have gone belly up and are just walking through the motions as they continue their march to 100 or more losses. There isn’t much good news coming out of Target Field lately so we have to search for some to watch and cheer for and one of those items is Brian Dozier‘s hitting streak which has now hit 22 games. The Twins have a dozen games left to play in 2016, the first six are at home against the Tigers and the Mariners and the next six are on the road at Kansas City and in Chicago against the the White Sox.

If Dozier plays in every game and his hitting streak continues he could tie the Twins hitting streak record of 31 in Kansas City and then go for the record in Chicago. That would be pretty awesome since we plan to be in Chicago that final baseball week-end of the season catching a few Twins games at US Cellular Field which is a field I have never been at, but I have watched a game at White Sox Park back in 1965.

Brian Dozier
Brian Dozier
Rk Name Strk Start End Games AB H HR RBI BA OBP OPS
1 Ken Landreaux 1980-04-23 1980-05-30 31 125 49 2 19 .392 .441 .937
2 Brian Harper 1990-07-06 1990-08-04 25 99 38 2 16 .384 .415 .981
3 Lenny Green 1961-05-01 1961-05-28 24 94 34 0 11 .362 .455 .955
4 Torii Hunter 2007-04-11 2007-05-09 23 94 35 5 19 .372 .394 1.054
5 Cristian Guzman 2002-08-01 2002-08-25 23 97 35 2 12 .361 .366 .841
6 Marty Cordova 1996-06-05 1996-06-29 23 91 35 2 18 .385 .447 1.007
7 Kirby Puckett 1993-09-26 1994-04-20 23 97 34 2 21 .351 .400 .895
8 Kent Hrbek 1982-04-17 1982-05-13 23 91 28 5 17 .308 .366 .949
9 Brian Dozier 2016-08-27 2016-09-18 22 94 33 11 22 .351 .425 1.190
10 Shane Mack 1992-07-26 1992-08-18 22 88 40 1 9 .455 .500 1.057
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 9/19/2016.

Keep it up Brian Dozier, we need something exciting to watch and the 2016 season winds down for us Twins fans.

UPDATE: September 21, 2016 – Dozier’s hit streak now stands at 23.

UPDATE: September 23, 2016 – Dozier’s hit streak comes to an end at 24 games in game 2 of a DH against the Detroit Tigers and Justin Verlander on 9/22/2016. Nice run by Mr. Dozier.

There is reason for optimism – REALLY?

Terry Ryan
Terry Ryan

The end is quickly approaching to what may be the Minnesota Twins worst season in history. The team fired GM Terry Ryan back in July and has been looking to revamp the front office ever since. The recent chatter coming out of the organization is that the team hopes to have a head of Baseball Operations hired by the end of September while at the same time stories have come out that a number of people who the ballclub was interested in hiring have no interest in coming to Minnesota. Owner Jim Pohlad did say back in July when Ryan was let go that manager Paul Molitor would be back in 2017 for his third and final year of his contract.

Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor

If I am Paul Molitor, why would I come back in 2017? What manager worth his salt manages in his final year of a three-year deal? What kind of message does that send to the players not to mention the fans? Why come back and work for a GM or Head of Baseball Ops who didn’t hire him? An extension looks extremely unlikely after a season of 100 or so losses while working for someone who did not hire him in the first place. The easiest way out for everyone is for Paul Molitor to resign after the season ends and for the new Head of Baseball Ops to hire his own field staff.

Continue reading There is reason for optimism – REALLY?

According to ELIAS

Dozier is still hot

Dozier
Dozier

Brian Dozier had a two-run single in the Twins’ four-run second inning yesterday extending his hitting streak to 19 games. Dozier has 30 hits, 11 home runs and 22 runs batted in during this streak. The only other players in Twins franchise history with at least 30 hits, 10 home runs and 20 runs batted in over a 19-game span were Harmon Killebrew in 1961 (32 hits, 10 HR, 26 RBI) and Kirby Puckett in 1986.

When you are compared to two Hall of Famers you are in pretty good company. Dozier deserves more credit this year then he has received.

According to ELIAS

Polanco first since Gagne

Polanco
Polanco

Jorge Polanco went 3-for-4 with a home run, four runs batted in and two runs scored in the Twins’ win over the Tigers yesterday. Polanco is the first Twins shortstop with at least three hits, one homer, four RBI and two runs scored in a game since Greg Gagne did it on the next to last day of the 1986 season. Gagne went 3-for-4 with two homers, four RBI and three runs scored in a win over the White Sox.

According to ELIAS

Dozier crushes 40th homer

Dozier
Dozier

Brian Dozier hit his 40th home run of the season in the Twins 4-2 loss to the Tigers last night at Comerica Park. Dozier could become the eighth player to hit 40 homers in a season for a team that won less than 40 percent of its games. The last player to do that was Jeff Burroughs, who hit 41 long balls in 1977 for the Braves, who finished 61-101 (.377).

By the way, the following has nothing to do with Brian Dozier but it is still a fun read over at D.C. Baseball History. Maybe it could have happened here, after all, Minnesota ladies do love Brian Dozier.

The Ladies Day Riot of 1897

According to ELIAS

Twins walkoff Indians again

Mauer
Mauer

Joe Mauer‘s single in the 12th inning scored Brian Dozier with the winning run for the Twins against the Indians. It was the eighth walkoff win of the season the for the Twins, the most in one season for the team since 2007 (10). Four of the Twins’ eight walkoff wins this season have come against the Tribe, matching the franchise record for most walkoff wins against one team in one season, done several times, the last coning against the Athletics in 1976.

Way to go Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins will honor Jacob Wetterling and show support for his family by wearing a No. 11 patch on their red jerseys Friday night against the Indians. Twins officials said Cleveland players will also wear the patch in support of Jacob.

Jacob Wetterling was a fan of all sports and wore the No. 11 jersey as a child. The Wetterling family has asked people to use the number 11 as a symbol of hope to honor their son and show a commitment to making the world better for kids. Wetterling was kidnapped in October of 1989, and it was learned earlier this week that Danny Heinrich admitted to his abduction and murder.

The Twins will also have a moment of remembrance before Friday night’s game, and there will be a tribute graphic to Wetterling on an outfield wall the rest of the season.

Twins newest outfield wall sign is up and will remain there for the rest of the season as of 9/9/2016.
Twins newest outfield wall sign is up and will remain there for the rest of the season as of 9/9/2016.

Nice tribute by the Minnesota Twins.

Patch that the Twins will wear.
Patch that the Twins will wear.

 

According to ELIAS

Dozier’s home-run streak ends, settles for tying MLB record

Dozier
Dozier

Brian Dozier contributed a single, a stolen base and a run scored to the Twins’ victory over the Royals on Wednesday night, but his streak of five straight games with a home run ended. Dozier tied the major-league record for consecutive games with a home run, all as a second baseman. The other players who did that were Rogers Hornsby (1928), Ryne Sandberg (1989), Robby Thompson (1993), Jose Castillo (2006), and Chase Utley (twice in 2008).