Category: General Blogging

This is a general blogging category.

Kyle Gibson called up

Kyle GibsonTwins fans have waited for the Minnesota Twins to call up their 2009 first round pick (22nd over all) for some time and that day has finally arrived for Kyle Gibson. Gibson will join the Twins in Miami today but is not scheduled to start until Saturday at Target Field against the Kansas City Royals.

Gibson was born in Greenfield, Indiana on October 23, 1987, just two days before the Twins won their first ever World Series. The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Gibson in the 36th round in 2006 but Kyle chose to attend the University of Missouri instead. Gibson pitched for the Missouri Tigers in 2007 and 2008. In his two seasons there he pitched in 47 games, starting 14 and he had 2 complete games. Gibson put up a 17-7 won/lost and also recorded 7 saves. In 2007 he pitched in 67.2 innings and had a 4.12 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. In 2008 in 86.2 innings he had a 3.84 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. During his college career his SO/9 ratio was 10.1.

The Twins made Gibson their first round selection in 2009 and the general perception was that Gibson fell to number 22 over all due to an arm injury. Gibson signed with Minnesota for a reported $1.8 million bonus and started his career in Ft. Myers in 2010 but after going 4-1 there he was bumped up to New Britain where he posted a 7-5 record with a 3.68 ERA. The Twins then promoted Gibson to AAA Rochester where he started 3 games and had a 1.72 ERA with a 0-0 record and Gibson was on the fast track to Minnesota. But sometimes things don’t go as planned, in Rochester in 2011 Gibson was 3-8 with a 4.81 ERA in 18 starts before being sidelined with a sore elbow. Gibson had TJ surgery on November 7, 2011 and returned late in 2012 pitching a couple of games in Ft. Myers and two more in Rochester before pitching in six more games in the Arizona Fall League. Gibson started 2013 in Rochester and todate has a 7-5 record with a 3.01 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 15 starts. Kyle has 2 complete games this season and has 79 KO’s in 92.2 innings.

Unless Gibson falls flat on his face, he is in the Twins rotation to stay. However; you have to remember that Gibson is coming off TJ surgery so the Twins have him on a pitch limit this season and although that number has not been announced, it is assumed to be around 130 innings. With almost 93 inning under his belt already, we will probably only see Gibson for about 40 innings over the remainder of this season so if he goes about 6 innings in each start, that is only 6 or 7 starts before packing it in for the season.

The 25 year-old 6’6″ and 210 lbs. righty will wear number 44 on the back of his Twins uniform when he debut’s against the Royals on Saturday. Glad to have you with the Twins Kyle and I hope your stay is a long one.

Not P.J. Walters day

Decker, JoeTwins starter P.J. Walters walked five batters in the first inning last night at Progressive Field against the Cleveland Indians. Walters lasted just 0.2 innings as he also hit a batter and allowed a hit.  The Twins ended up losing to the Indians by a score of 8-7. The last time a Twins pitcher walked five batters in an inning was when Paul Abbott walked five on August 10, 1991 at Seattle (bottom of the seventh). The last time the Twins had a starter last just 0.2 innings and walk five batters was June 10, 1975 when Joe Decker did it against the Indians, in fact, that was the only other time it has happened in Twins history. Additionally, Walters also joins Sid Hudson (5/17/1940) as the only starter in franchise history to allow at least five walks and six earned runs in an outing of less than 1.0 inning. Source was Twins Game Notes. Box score.

PJ Walters
PJ Walters

Here is what Elias had to say about the situation: The Indians drew five first-inning walks against Minnesota’s P.J. Walters, tying the highest total by any team this season. The Athletics had five first-inning walks against the Astros on April 15. The Indians hadn’t had such a first inning since the penultimate game of the 1990 season and the Twins hadn’t either since June 10, 1975, also against Cleveland.

Pitch to contact was not in their vocabulary

 

Dave Boswell - Twins pitcher from 1964 - 1970
Dave Boswell – Twins pitcher from 1964 – 1970

Many of us that watch the Twins day in and day out complain about the number of hits that the Twins pitchers allow and bemoan the Twins so-called pitching philosophy of “pitch to contact”. The baseball glossary defines “pitch to contact” as “a pitcher who doesn’t try to strike out batters but instead tries to get them to hit the ball weakly, especially on the ground“. Pitch to contact is probably not the preferred Twins method but you have to work with what you have and the Twins just don’t have the strikeout type pitchers right now but they have had some over the years and here are some of the best.

Looking back at the Twins pitching history there have been numerous Twins pitchers that either never heard of this approach or choose not to embrace it. Here is a list of the Twins pitchers that allowed the fewest hits per inning pitched (minimum of 500 innings) during their time in Minnesota. The Twins career leader here is Dave Boswell and I think that Boswell would have ripped your heart out if you ever asked him to pitch to contact.

 

Rank Name Years Innings pitched Hits per 9 Innings
1. Dave Boswell 64-70 1036.1 7.15
2. Johan Santana 00-07 1308.2 7.35
3. Dean Chance 67-69 664 7.37
4. Jim Merritt 65-68 686.2 7.64
5. Dick Stigman 62-65 643.2 7.70
6. Dick Woodson 69-74 561 7.83
7. Jim Perry 63-72 1883.1 8.18
8. Bert Blyleven 70-76, 85-88 2566.2 8.31
9. Rick Aguilera 89-95, 96-99 694 8.31
10. Francisco Liriano 05-12 783.1 8.35

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Tommy Hall - Twins pitcher from 1968 - 1971
Tommy Hall – Twins pitcher from 1968 – 1971

The best individual season in franchise history going back to 1901 was Tommy Hall’s 1970 season when he pitched in 52 games starting 11 and allowed just 5.45 hits per 9 innings in 155.1 innings pitched to go with his 184 strikeouts. Hall was 11-6 that season with a 2.55 ERA. During Hall’s 10 year career, he allowed just 656 hits in 852.2 innings. Amazing numbers. Hall didn’t pitch enough innings in Minnesota to make the above list but during his time in Minnesota he allowed 7.78 hits per 9 innings.

Twins continue roster shuffle

The Twins have the day off today but Terry Ryan and his front office staff have been busy. Minnesota Twins announced after yesterday’s game that Chris Colabello has been optioned to AAA Rochester. In two stints with the Twins this year, Colabello appeared in just six games, hitting .133 (2-for-15).

Clete Thomas
Clete Thomas

This morning the Twins announced that reliever Tyler Robertson currently in Rochester has been designated for assignment to free up a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for outfielder Clete Thomas who has been recalled from Rochester and will join the team in Kansas City. The 28-year old left-handed hitting outfielder appeared in 12 games for the Twins last year hitting .143 with 16 strikeouts in 28 at-bats after being claimed off waivers from Detroit in April. In 36 games in Rochester this season, Thomas is hitting .296 with 9 home runs but history tells us that once he returns to the big leagues that things will change. I am not sure what the Twins see in Thomas but he can play some decent outfield and will make a good late inning outfield replacement until Wilkin Ramirez returns from the DL.

Tylere Robertson
Tylere Robertson

Robertson wore out his welcome in Minnesota earlier this year when he walked 14 batters and allowed 4 home runs in 25 innings. Robertson is only 25 and a lefty so I am sure there are teams out there that will be happy to take Robertson off the Twins hands and maybe the Twins can even get a PTBNL, who knows, stranger things have happened. I think it is interesting that in the last week or so the Twins have cut ties with two 25 year-old players like Robertson and Joe Benson that were considered promising players a short time ago. I am not sure if the Twins and Terry Ryan feel that they have much more promising players in the pipeline or if they are sending some sort of message to the entire organization, time will tell.

Twins striking out at a record pace in 2013

StrikeoutsThe Twins played their 50th game of the season last night when they beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 at Target Field and their record now stands at 22-28. Last night they struck out 7 times, the night before they struck out 14 times in 14 innings and the day before that they struck out 7 times. I don’t know how many of you have noticed but Twins batters are striking out at a record-breaking pace.

The 1997 Twins struck out a team record 1,121 times in 5,634 at-bats. That equates to batters striking out once every 5.03 at-bats which also is a team high. If you spread that out over the 162 games they played that season it comes out to 6.92 strikeouts per game. That 1997 Twins team finished with a 68-94 record under manager Tom Kelly. That team had two hitters strike out more than 100 times, Rich Becker had 130 and Terry Steinbach contributed 106.

This years Twins have struck out 418 times in 1,718 at-bats through 50 games. That means that batters are striking out once every 4.11 at-bats, almost a full at-bat worse than they have ever done. If you prorate that over 162 games at their current pace, they will strike out 1,354 times in 5,566 at-bats which blows away their 1997 high water strikeout mark. If you look at it at a strikeouts per game, their current running rate is 8.36 KO’s per game. Again blowing away their historic worst 1997 mark of 6.92 KO’s per game.

Excluding any strike shortened season, the 1978 Twins struck out the fewest times. That group of hitters struck out just 684 times in 5,522 at-bats or once every 8.07 at-bats. That comes out to only 4.22 strikeouts per game. Danny Ford led that team in strikeouts with 88 and no one else had more than 70.

The most strikeouts that a Twins batter has had in a single season is 145 and both Harmon Killebrew (1969) and Bobby Darwin (1972) share that honor. Killebrew led the Twins in strikeouts seven times and Gary Gaetti is next on the list having led the team in strikeouts six times. This years team is on pace to have five hitters with 100 or more KO’s, Josh Willingham, Aaron Hicks, Joe Mauer, Chris Parmelee and Brian Dozier all have a solid shot. Both Willingham and Hicks are on pace to set a new Twins season high strikeout mark with 159 and 147 respectively.

Things can certainly change as some of these young hitters hopefully improve as the year moves along but if their play to date is any indication, you had better hang on to your hat if you are sitting near home plate when the Twins are batting because some of those whiffs may send your hat flying.

Twins call up Walters, lose Benson and break 10 game losing streak

PJ Walters
PJ Walters

The Minnesota Twins announced prior to todays game with the Tigers in Detroit that they have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher P.J. Walters from AAA Rochester. Walters started 12 games for the Twins in 2012 going 2-5 with a 5.69 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Walters started strong and finished strong in 2012 but in between he had 5 games where he gave up 25 earned runs. The 28 year-old Walters has also seen big league action with the Cardinals (2009-2011) and with the Blue Jays in 2011. The Twins had signed Walters to a free agent contract in December 2011 and then in October 2012 Walters became a free agent again only to resign with Minnesota a couple of days later. This season Walters made nine starts for the Rochester Red Wings, going 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA (54.1 IP, 20 ER), 46 strikeouts, 16 walks and one complete game.

Benson, Joe 2013Additionally, the Twins reported that AAA Rochester outfielder Joe Benson was claimed off outright waivers by the Texas Rangers, making room for Walters on the Twins 40-man roster. Benson was drafted by the Twins in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. Benson had appeared in 21 games for the Twins in 2011 and in 74 at bats hit .239 with 6 doubles, 1 triple and no home runs and struck out 21 times. Benson has had injuries issues the last couple of seasons and the Twins brain trust has seemed to lose faith in a player they once though would be their five-tool center fielder of the future. I hate to see Benson leave the Twins but I wish him the very best.

The Twins beat the Tigers 3-2 this afternoon and broke their 10-game losing streak. The Twins scored 3 in the first and then hung on behind Walters 6 solid innings (2 earned runs) and a number of relievers before Perkins finally closed the door on the Twins losing streak. Gardenhire did not get to take part in the Twins post game celebration as umpire Joe West had excused Gardy earlier in the game. Who knows, with the Twins on a 10 game slide maybe West thought he was doing Gardy a favor?

Max Kepler
Max Kepler

Twins prospect Max Kepler continues to have some arm issues that he has been rehabbing since earlier this spring. Now,, after appearing in a couple of games, pain has returned and now Kepler has been diagnosed with tendinitis tendinosis so he will be shut down for about the next two weeks. Hopefully this Twins prospect can get healthy again soon and join the Cedar Rapids Kernels which is where he was expected to open the season.

I also wanted to let everyone know that I just added my 1,000th item to my Today in Twins History page and I will continue to add new items frequently as we move forward to continue to add Twins history to the Twins Trivia site. Make sure you check in frequently to keep up with what has transpired each day in Twins history.

Twins losing streak reaches eight

spiralToday was the first time this season I did not watch a single inning of the Twins game. My modem and router went on the blink and so I spent most of the day troubleshooting that issue and getting a replacement so I could get back on the internet.

The Twins lost in Atlanta today 8-3 and it marked their eighth loss in a row. The team is playing really poorly right now and it is hard to find any silver linings or moral victories. Moral victories are meaningless anyway, all that counts is wins and the Twins can’t find a win to save their life right now. The Twins starters keep allowing the opposition to score first and it just sucks the life out of the team and to be honest it really makes watching a Twins game a real chore. I love baseball and the Twins and I will keep watching but I want to see a team that is showing some life and making some progress towards being a competitive team and right now this bunch of players wearing the Twins uniform is doing nothing for me. These players realize they are not a very good team and they are playing to their expectations.

The Twins management stubbornly hangs on to their statement that the team is doing all it can to win but I think that management is starting to realize that a major rebuild is in order here. The other day they sent starter Pedro Hernandez down and brought up reliever Caleb Thielbar to help with all the extra innings the bullpen has had to throw. Reports are that Samuel Deduno will be brought up to start in Detroit on Friday and he will probably takes Vance Worley‘s spot on the roster since he was the second starter in the last few days to change his address to Rochester. The Twins will need to make another roster change in a couple of days to get a starter to pitch on Monday in Milwaukee and you have to think that Kyle Gibson might be the guy. Trevor Plouffe took a knee to his head on Tuesday night at second base, reminiscent to Morneau getting hurt in Toronto a couple of years ago and the Twins called up last weeks Twins minor league player of the week 1B/OF Chris Colabello to fill in for Plouffe while he recuperates on the 7 day concussion DL. You can sense that the Twins will be making roster changes frequently as the season approaches the 50 game mark in the next week.

I have always liked Ron Gardenhire as a manager and Terry Ryan as the GM but right now it appears to me that they have no plan and the Twins look like a “Chinese fire drill” and the team seems to be in a death spiral. Gardy appears to be grasping at straws and trying to go with who ever was hot the day before and making them a regular part of the line-up. Mr. Ryan seems to be missing in action when he should be leading the charge to make this team better. This team is going nowhere this year! Put the young guys in the line-up day in and day out and let them make their mistakes and learn the game until they get so sick of losing that they start playing the game the right way. Gardy keep pulling players like Chris Parmelee and Brian Dozier and putting them on the bench when they struggle and he would do the same with Aaron Hicks if he had anyone that could play center field. You only hurt the long-term future of the Twins when you don’t let these guys play every day. Jamey Carroll is a utility player and a good one but I should not be seeing his name in the line-up 3 or days in a row unless he is filling in for an injury like with Plouffe.

You won’t hurt fan interest by going with the young guys, everyone knows the team isn’t going anywhere so bring us the future and let’s see what and who we can look forward to watching in the next few years. I can take short-term pain for long-term gain but if major changes are not made to this team soon we are doomed to watching a team that has no wins, no hope and no future. You kill a fan base by taking away their hope, I hope that is not where the Twins are taking us.

No one said that running a baseball team was easy but that is what Gardy and Mr. Ryan signed up for and they get paid the big bucks to make the Twins a winning baseball team. I know these gents are up to the task, but we need to see some results soon boys!

Caleb Thielbar up and Pedro Hernandez down

Caleb Thielbar
Caleb Thielbar

The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have recalled left-handed pitcher Caleb Thielbar from Triple-A Rochester. Thielbar made 17 relief appearances for the Red Wings posting a 3.76 ERA (26.1 IP, 11 ER) with 34 strikeouts while allowing just eight walks. Thielbar was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in round 18 of the 2009 amateur draft. Thielbar, 26, was signed by the Twins as a minor league free agent on August 18, 2011 after pitching for the St. Paul Saints.

Thielbar joined the team in Atlanta this evening wearing uniform number 56 and wasted no time making his big league debut and becoming the 29th native Minnesotan to wear a Twins uniform. Gardy brought Thielbar in to pitch in the 7th inning and Thielbar gave up a hit to the first Braves batter but then retired the next six batters striking out three and allowing no runs in his two innings. Thielbar threw 25 pitches in his big league debut and 20 were strikes.

To make room for Thielbar on the 25-man roster, the Twins optioned left-handed pitcher Pedro Hernandez to Triple-A Rochester. Hernandez made eight appearances (six starts) for the Twins this season.

 

 

 

Looking back at April

The Twins finished April with an 11-12 mark playing at a .478 winning clip and in the middle of the pack in the Central Division, 3 games behind the division leading Detroit Tigers and just barely ahead of the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox. Everyone would like to see the Twins doing better but when you compare this teams play to expectations going into 2013 you can’t help but be pleasantly surprised. Before the season began I thought that if this team could put up a 74-88 (.457%) mark and improve 8 games over last season I would be satisfied that the team was making progress. The Twins have played most of their April games in questionable weather and you could argue this worked against them but then again you know that the other team was playing in that same weather so that is a wash. The Twins have played 13 of their first 20 games at home and they are slightly above .500 at Target Field at 7-6.

Although I have not yet seen a single game in person at Target Field this year, I have pretty much watched every game on TV from beginning to end. Here are my perceptions of how the Twins have played in April.

Wilkin Ramirez – (B) – has filled the difficult extra outfielder and pinch-hitter bench role well and is hitting .381.

Eduardo Escobar – (A-) – this switch-hitting utility man has already played at SS, 2B, 3B and in LF and is hitting .378 with a home run in 37 at bats. An easy player to like who makes you wonder if he could be good enough to man a regular spot in the Twins middle infield some day.

Jimmy Carroll – (B-) – the Twins forgotten man most of April but he does whatever is asked of him and almost acts like another coach out there for the Twins younger players.

Joe Mauer – (C+) – endured a long hitless streak late in the month but has played almost every day. Not sure exactly what, but something about Mauer just doesn’t look right to me this year. He is not as solid behind the plate this season and he strikes out way more than he has in the past. Almost looks like he is trying to show more power at the expense of average.

Justin Morneau – (C-) – hitting .253 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI’s. Very disappointing showing so far, Morneau used to be a solid RBI guy but that trait seems to have deserted him the last couple of years. We are watching a shell of what Morneau once was.

Pedro Florimon – (C+) – Playing as I would expect him to in his first full year at short. He and Dozier have shown they play well together. Florimon let’s some easy plays get away at times but for the most part has been solid at short. Hitting has been adequate but I was hoping to see more stolen bases from him and he is just starting to run in the last few games.

Josh Willingham – (C+) – Twins top power guy is doing what the Twins pay him to do and is hitting .250 with a team leading 13 RBI. The Hammer is also on pace to get on base 90-100 times via walks. A liability in LF but the Twins will keep sending him out there for his power. Would be nice to see Willingham get hot before the trading deadline because rest assured he will be moved to make room for Oswaldo Arcia sooner than later.

Brian Dozier – (C) – hitting better since he was moved to the lead-off role to replace Aaron Hicks and playing well at 2B. Dozier is hitting only .243 and he is a better hitter then what he has shown so far.

Trevor Plouffe – (D-) – continues to show that he can not hit big league pitching consistently nor can he play 3B. Then again he has shown he can’t play SS, 2B, or the OF either. Gardy can say what he wants to the press but he knows that Plouffe is not the Twins 3B. Things will change here soon. Problem is the Twins have no one to play here while they wait for Miguel Sano.

Oswaldo Arcia – (C ) – This power hitting lefty will make Twins fans forget trading Willingham in no time. Not a solid outfielder but then again Willingham isn’t either and Arcia is only 21 and will be a Twins fixture for years to come. Watch this guy get better every game.

Darin Mastroianni – (D) – has only 9 at bats due to injuries. This utility outfielder is a much better than what he has shown so far this year but he sure seems to get dinged up a lot.

Chris Parmelee (C) – has been disappointing so far and I expect Parmelee to turn it around soon. Parmelee is no speedster but he is a better outfielder then I expected and he finally notched his first home run of the season, maybe that will get him going.

Ryan Doumit – (C-) – disappointing start to 2013, no other way to say it. Doumit has to start producing with the bat.

Aaron Hicks – (D) – The only reason I gave him a D versus an F is his outfield play. I like Hicks and he will be a very good player but he seems in over his head right now. With no one else to play center the Twins keep sending him out there day after day but Joe Benson is starting to show signs of life so we will see how long the Twins patience lasts with Hicks. There is no shame in going back to the minors after a tough start in the big leagues, happens to almost every player. Needs to show his speed more frequently when he does get on base.

Jared Burton – (A) – the man has a 0.96 ERA with 12 KO’s and 2 walks in his 8th inning role, you can’t ask for more.

Josh Roenicke – (B) – Nice addition (stolen from the Rockies) to the relief staff giving up only 9 hits in 12 innings.

Ryan Pressly – (B) – When your Rule 5 selection sticks and has a 1.69 EA in 10+ innings in April you have to pat yourself on the back Mr. Ryan.

Anthony Swarzak – (B) – Got a late start due to his rib issues but has pitched well so far, hope he can keep it up.

Brian Duensing – (B) – doing fine in his current role but it just seems like they could get more out of this lefty then what they do.

Kevin Correia – (A+) – No one had a better month of April then Kevin Correia did. That said, most everyone knows that it is unlikely that Correia can continue pitching like he has without a few speed bumps but you have to enjoy what he is doing with the smoke and mirrors in his pitching arsenal. Keep it up Kevin, you are definitely my Twins player of the month.

Pedro Hernandez – (B-) – the mark may be a little high for this recently recalled Twin but he does what Gardy asks of him and in his two starts he has kept his team in the game.

Casey Fien – (C+) – always looks angry when he is pitching and he shows his emotion, I like that. Fien probably deserves a better mark then what I gave him but he had one real bad outing in early April when he gave up 4 earned runs and these grades are for the month of April. But look at his numbers in 2012, a 0.97 WHIP and this year his WHIP is 0.90 in spite of his bad outing, those are amazing stats.

Glen Perkins – (B) – the Twins closer shuts the door when he is called upon to save the game. The only runs he has given up have been in non-save situations.

Scott Diamond – (B) – another late starter due to surgery in the off-season but he is getting better with each start and there is no Twins starter currently on the team that I have more faith in keeping his team in the game than Diamond.

Vance Worley – (D) – is in my eyes the biggest disappointment on the team. He gives up so many runs in the first and second inning that the Twins are always playing from behind when he pitches. 46 hits in 28.2 innings with 9 walks tells you all you need to know how Worley has pitched. I’m tired of hearing too that “the pitches are coming out of my hand good”, all I care about Mr. Worley is what you put in the “W” column, the one that has a huge goose egg in it now.

Mike Pelfrey – (F) – I know he is coming off TJ surgery but the man says he is ready to pitch and yet he gives up 19 earned in his last four starts. This is unacceptable and one more bad start should cause him to give up his starting spot. Let’s see how long a leash that Pelfrey has.

In the end it is all about winning games and so far the Twins have put 11 in the win column in April. They are playing better than they have in two years and they are more fun to watch but the bottom line for judging any baseball team is how many games they win. There are no moral victories in baseball. When I look at the Twins hitting as a whole in April, I give them a “C” and when I grade the Twins pitching I come up with a “B-” for an overall team grade of “C+”. Just a month of baseball is a short time to judge anybody so I don’t lose sleep over these grades one way or another but yet there are some trends that are beginning to develop, some good, some not so much. Let’s see what May brings the Twins and their fans.

Great moment in baseball history – April 25, 1976

Rick Monday
Rick Monday

During a game at Dodger Stadium, two protesters ran on the field, knelt down and poured lighter fluid on the American flag with the intention of burning it. As Rick Monday testified, the wind blew the first match out – and as they were about to touch the second match to the flag, Monday came from behind, snatched it and ran it to safety. Here is a clip of Cubs outfielder Rick Monday on April, 25, 1976 at Dodger Stadium saving the American flag from burning. Thank you Rick Monday! I wonder what ever happened to those two clowns that tried to burn our flag?

Monday, a two-time all-star who played in the majors for 19 years with the Kansas City A’s, the Oakland A’s, the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers was the Chicago Cubs center fielder that day and went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored and a RBI. The Cubs lost that game to the Dodgers in the bottom of the 10th inning by a 5-4 score on a walk-off single by Ron Cey. The box score can be found here.

Monday has been a broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers since 1993 after starting his sports casting career in 1985.

Former Twins, pitcher Mike Marshall and catcher Randy Hundley also played in this game.

http://youtu.be/IrV8QPQAhxo