Month: October 2022

Checking out the Twins best hitting pitchers

It is probably a good thing that the National League finally adopted the designated hitter rule like the Americal League has had for many years. Sure, pitchers got a key hit now and then but it stood out because it was so rare. But my intent here is to share with you a look at Twins pitchers hitting over the years before the DH rule came into play in 1973.

Jim Kaat

The criteria for this list is simple, you had to have been a Twins pitcher and had a minimum of 50 PA’s. Over the years you have heard that Jim Kaat was a pretty good hitter for a pitcher and he was. As far as I know Kaat was the only Twins pitcher to ever have a baseball card (1973 Topps) showing him hitting. Kind of ironic it would come out the year the AL DH rule came into play. But how many of you knew that Camilo Pascual was pretty good with the bat too.

Credit to B-R Stathead

https://stathead.com/tiny/C8DvN

The only other Twins pitchers to hit a home run but not appear on this list due to not having enough PA’s are Hal Haydel, Al Schroll and Bill Dailey.

Twins fire head athletic trainer Michael Salazar

Manager Rocco Baldelli and head athletic trainer Michael Salazar

Somebody’s head had to be on the chopping block after the 2022 Minnesota Twins dismal season and it looks like head athletic trainer Michael Salazar is that unlucky soul. The way the Twins front office makes it sound he will be the only casualty but we will have to wait and see what happens down the line. That certainly does not sit well with me or many other Twins fans.

Twins interim pitching coach Pete Maki has been named as the pitching coach and interim bullpen coach Colby Suggs will also drop the interim label from his poisition on the coaching staff. One of these days I need to find out what a bullpen coach does besides answer the phone. I read somewhere where Derek Falvey stated that an assistant pitching coach may be added to help Maki with his duties. It seems like it will only be a matter of time before there will be as many coaches as there are players on the team. I wouldn’t be surprised if maybe some coaches get reassigned, third base coach Tommy Watkins comes to mind but we will just have to wait and see.

Once the World Series comes to an end we will see what the Minnesota Twins off-season looks like. There are many questions and issues to be addressed, it will be interesting to see how things shake out.