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
One player debuted in the big leagues as a Minnesota Twin on September 22.
Pete Cimino (P) – September 22, 1965 – Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent in 1960. The Twins had a 5-2 lead on the Orioles at Met Stadium when Pete Cimino came on to pitch in his first big league game. Cimino wasted no time retiring Paul Blair, Boog Powell and Brooks Robinson to secure the Twins victory.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
Joe Mauer, who went 3 for 4 in the Twins’ 12–1 rout of the Tigers in Detroit yesterday, has hit .401 with a major-league-high total of 55 hits since August 17, raising his season batting average to .311 from .276. Mauer has recorded at least one hit in 31 of the 35 games he’s played over this stretch.
The only big league debut as a Minnesota Twins player on September 21.
Glen Perkins (P) – September 21, 2006 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (22nd) of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft. Perkins debut took place at Fenway Park in a 6-0 loss to the Red Sox as Perkins finished the game on the mound for Minnesota with 1.1 innings (18 pitches) of scoreless hitless relief with a one strike out.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
September 20 major league debuts in a Minnesota Twins uniform.
Mike Ryan (OF) – September 20, 2002 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 1996 MLB June Amateur Draft. Was in the starting line-up at Comiskey Park II hitting lead-off and playing left field and went o for 4 at the plate in a Twins 10-2 loss. See real story about the Mike Ryan debut.
Gary Gaetti (3B) – September 20, 1981 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1979 amateur draft (June Secondary). Signed June 21, 1979. Debut took place at Arlington Stadium hitting 7th and playing third base. In his first big league at bat Gaetti hit a two-run home run off Rangers pitcher Charlie Hough. For the day Gaetti was 1 for 3 with a run scored and 2 RBI.
Buzz Stephen (P) – September 20, 1968 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (6th pick) of the 1966 amateur draft (June Secondary). Twins starter at Met Stadium in a 7-1 loss to the Oakland A’s. Stephen pitched 6.1 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits and 5 walks while fanning just one and his effort earned him the loss. Buzz also had an error and a wild pitch but on the plus side he did pick-off Bert Campaneris.
Jim Roland (P) – September 20, 1962 – Signed as an amateur free agent in 1961, Debuted at Met Stadium in relief and tossed 2 innings of scoreless relief allowing just one hit and striking out one along the way. Unfortunately the Twins came up short and lost 5-1 to the Tigers.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
Mike Ryan (OF) – September 19 20, 2002 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 1996 MLB June Amateur Draft.
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You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
Major league debuts as Minnesota Twins on September 18th.
Michael Restovich (OF) – September 18, 2002 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft. Started as the Twins right fielder hitting seventh in his debut at Comerica Park but ended up going 0 for 4 in the Twins 2-0 shutout of the Tigers.
Doug Mientkiewicz (1B) – September 18, 1998 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 1995 amateur draft. O for 3 with a walk in his debut at Tiger Stadium while playing first base and hitting in the eight hole. The Twins lost this game to the Tigers by a 5-4 score in 11 innings.
Rich Garces (P) – September 18, 1990 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on December 29, 1987. Pitched a scoreless final inning allowing a hit and a walk at the Dome as the Twins pounded the KC Royals 10-4.
Bob Veselic (P) – September 18, 1980 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (9th pick) of the 1976 amateur draft (January). Debuted at County Stadium with 4 innings of relief allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 2 batters but his team was shutout by the Brewers 5-0 in game 2 of a DH for a sweep.
Chuck Nieson (P) – September 18, 1964 – Signed as an amateur free agent in 1962. Big league debut was at Fenway Park as a reliever in a Twins 7-6 loss to the Red Sox. Nieson pitched one scoreless inning striking out two and walking one. Chuck only pitched in one other big league game which was the next day against the Red Sox again and he gave up his only big league hit, a home run to Frank Malzone. Nieson debuted in the same game as Dave Boswell did.
Dave Boswell (P) – September 18, 1964 – Signed as an amateur free agent in 1963. Debuted as the starting pitcher in the same game that Chuck Nieson did at Fenway Park and his pitching line was 3 innings pitched, 3 runs on 4 hits and 5 walks with 5 strikeouts but at least he avoided getting the “L”. Boswell’s big league career lasted a lot longer than did Mr. Nieson’s.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
The Twins defeated the Blue Jays 13–7 to salvage a split of a 4-game home series. Eddie Rosario hit two homers, number 25 and 26 of the season. Rosario now has hit 15 home runs in his last 40 games, since August 6. Since they moved to Target Field in 2010, only three other Twins players have hit 15+ homers over 40 games: Trevor Plouffe in 2012, whose best span was 18 homers in 40 games, Josh Willingham in 2012, whose best span was 16 in 40 games, and Brian Dozier last season, whose best span was 22 homers in 40 games. (Dozier also had a span that overlapped the 2016 and 2017 seasons with 15 homers over 40 games.)
A nice story about Twins reliever Ron Kline who was in his 14th season of big league action and had yet to savor the pleasure of pitching in the post season. Harmon Killebrew steals his first base in five years. Killebrew would go on to steal 8 bases in 1969…
When I was a youngster I used to subscribe to the Sporting News and I can’t tell you how much I looked forward to getting that weekly baseball paper. Since we had no daily paper this was my only way to see the baseball box scores except when school was in session and I could stop in the school library and read the local paper. When I received the Sporting News the first article I always looked for was the Joe Falls column, he was my favorite baseball writer back then and his writing was always informative and fun. Here is one of his columns that you can enjoy about Twins outfielder Ted Uhlaender and Tigers outfielder Mickey Stanley.
Dave Boswell was an interesting person and there is a nice story about him in this section of the Sporting News. There is also a story about manager Cal Ermer‘s wife Gloria that I think you will enjoy. A small blurb also mentions Fan Appreciation Day put on by Calvin Griffith and how the Minnesota Twins showed their appreciation back then and how todays Minnesota Twins show their appreciation to the fans that support them. Today’s Twins should be ashamed of themselves.
Did you know that Twins outfielder Pat Kelly was a brother to Cleveland Browns running back LeRoy Kelly? Everybody wants to read more about a younger Tony Oliva. The Red Sox fans among you may enjoy a nice story by Larry Caflin about how “Beantown” is enjoying their Red Sox team of 1967.
Previous 1967 AL Pennant Race blogs can be found here.
Todd Sears (1B) – September 17, 2002 – Traded by the Colorado Rockies with cash to the Minnesota Twins for Butch Huskey and Todd Walker on July 15, 2000. Sears was the starting first baseman batting 8th in the order at Comerica Park in a Twins 7-4 win. Sears was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.
Brian Raabe (3B/2B) – September 17, 1995 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 41st round of the 1990 amateur draft. Debuted at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum as the starting second baseman and went 0 for 3 in a 4-1 Twins loss to the Oakland A’s.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.
Major league debuts as Minnesota Twins on September 16.
Chris Herrmann (C/OF) – September 16, 2012 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 6th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. Debuted at Target Field in a Twins 9-2 loss to the White Sox as a replacement for catcher Ryan Doumit and went 0 for 1.
John Barnes (OF) – September 16, 2000 – Traded by the Boston Red Sox with Joe Thomas (minors) and Matt Kinney to the Minnesota Twins for Orlando Merced and Greg Swindell on July 31, 1998. Barnes debuted in the same game as Luis Rivas did at the Dome in a Anaheim Angels 7-6 win over the Twins. Barnes was the starting center fielder hitting seventh and he was 1 for 3 with a walk and a RBI.
Luis Rivas (2B/SS) – September 16, 2000 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on October 9, 1995. Rivas debuted in the same game as John Barnes did at the Dome in a Anaheim Angels 7-6 win over the Twins. Rivas started at second base hitting second and he was 1 for 4 with a single to center in his first big league at bat.
Larry Wolfe (3B/2B/SS) – September 16, 1977 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 9th round of the 1973 amateur draft. The Twins beat the Rangers 9-7 at Arlington Stadium in Wolfe’s big league debut starting at third base hitting fifth and going 1 for 5 with two RBI.
You can check out other Major League Debuts as Twins that I have done by going here.