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
Only the one player made his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on July the 9th. This debut is extra special however; because Ron Keller was the first player to be drafted and signed by the Minnesota Twins and make his big league debut wearing the colors of the Minnesota Twins.
Ron Keller
Ron Keller (P) – July 9, 1966 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 8th round of the 1965 amateur draft. The Twins were already down 5-0 when Ron Keller was called upon by Sam Mele to relieve Jim Merritt. Keller had a clean first inning on the Met Stadium mound but then allowed 3 runs in the next inning including a home run by future Hall of Famer Al Kaline and kept the Tigers off the board in his third inning of relief.
Just one major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on July 8.
Mike Walters (P) – July 8, 1983 – Traded by the California Angels with Tom Brunansky and $400,000 to the Minnesota Twins for Doug Corbett and Rob Wilfong on May 12, 1982. The Twins were down 10-0 at the Dome when Walters came in to pitch 4.2 innings of scoreless relief allowing just 2 hits and a walk while striking out four.
Two players made their major league debuts wearing Minnesota Twins duds on July 7th.
Ryan O’Rourke
Ryan O’Rourke (P) – July 7, 2015 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft. A nice clean inning with a strikeout on just 8 pitches at Target Field against the Baltimore Orioles in a 8-3 Twins win.
Pat Neshek (I love this card)
Pat Neshek (P) – July 7, 2006 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 6th round of the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft. Closed out he game with 2 innings at Ameriquest Field in a 9-4 Twins loss. Where is Ameriquest Field you ask?
Eddie Bane (P) – July 4, 1973 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1973 amateur draft. The box score says that 45, 890 fans, the largest crowd to ever see a Twins regular season game pack into Met Stadium to see something they have never seen before. The crowd was so big that the game’s start was held up for 15 minutes waiting for the fans to enter. They were there to see the Twins first round selection and 11th overall, LHP Eddie Bane, go from the campus of Arizona State University straight to the big leagues. Bane’s signing bonus of slightly over $50,000 was repaid that day and then some.
Eddie Bane (courtesy of the Minnesota Twins)
The Kansas City Royals were the Twins opponent that day and took a 1-0 lead in the third inning off Bane on a single and a double. Bane went on to pitch 7 innings allowing just 3 hits, 3 walks and 1 run while striking out three before being lifted by manager Frank Quilici trailing 1-0. The Twins scored 3 in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 3-1 lead but the Twins bullpen gave up 4 runs in the top of the ninth to allow the Royals to retake the lead at 5-3. The Twins tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth and scored another run but their rally fell short and the Royals beat the Twins 5-4. Eddie Bane received a ND for his efforts.
I did an interview with Eddie a few years ago that you can listen to by going here.
You can read what the July 5 Star Tribune had to say about the game:
I am a day late with these guys but they made their major league debuts as Minnesota Twins on July 2.
Miguel Sano,
Miguel Sano (3B/OF) – July 2, 2015 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on October 9, 2009. Debuted as the DH going 1 for 4 in a Twins 2-0 win over the Royals as Kauffman Stadium.
Jarvis Brown (OF) – July 2, 1991 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (9th pick) of the 1986 amateur draft (January). Player signed May 23, 1986. ) for 2 in his debut at the Skydome in a 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
Gary Serum (P) – July 2, 1977 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent in June 1975. Debuted as a reliever at Met Stadium in a 6-2 loss to the Angels pitching 2 innings and striking out 2 while giving up just one hit and no runs.
Kyle Gibson (P) – June 29, 2013 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (22nd) of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft. Gibson earned a “W” in his major league debut as a starter against Kansas City with 6 inning pitched, 8 hits allowed and 2 earned runs. A “quality” start.
Mike Dyer (P) – June 29, 1989 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 4th round of the 1986 amateur draft (January). Player signed May 15, 1986. A tough way to start in the big leagues with a 2 inning start and 6 runs allowed on 6 hits and 3 walks and charged with the loss.
Andre David (OF) – June 29, 1984 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 8th round of the 1980 amateur draft. A home run in his first big league at bat off Jack Morris at Tiger Stadium but sadly that would be the only home run of his short 33 game career in the majors.
Jerry Fosnow (P) – June 29, 1964 – Acquired from the Indians in 1960. MLB debut in relief for the Twins at Memorial Stadium in a loss to Baltimore. Fosnow pitched 2 innings allowing 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 runs.
We have three more players that made their major league debut as Twins on June 27.
Derek Lee – Courtesy of the Minnesota Twins
Derek Lee (OF) – June 27, 1993 – Selected off waivers by the Minnesota Twins from the Chicago White Sox on October 5, 1992. Debuted in left field at the Dome in a Twins 2-0 win over the California Angels but went 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Gladden and Olson in GM1 1991 WS
Greg Olson (C) – June 27, 1989 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on November 30, 1988. Debuted at the Dome but was 0 for 1. His entire Twins career lasted but 3 games and 2 PA’s before becoming a free agent and signing with Atlanta. Greg Olson was more famous in Twins history as the Atlanta Braves catcher in game 1 of the 1991 World Series and his big collision with Dan Gladden.
Steve Luebber (P) – June 27, 1971 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 1967 amateur draft. Debut was a tough one in game 2 of a DH at the Met in a 8-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Five innings pitched allowing 6 hits and 4 walks and 5 earned runs. Came within one out of pitching a no-hitter for the Twins against the Rangers in a 3-1 Twins victory on August 7, 1976.
We have four big league debuts as Minnesota Twins on June 25.
Dan Serafini
Dan Serafini (P) – June 25, 1996 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (26th pick) of the 1992 amateur draft. Started against the Yankees in the second game of a DH at the Dome but after 5 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks he found himself headed for the showers after 4.1 innings.
Scott Erickson
Scott Erickson (P) – June 25, 1990 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 4th round of the 1989 amateur draft. First time on a big league mound was at the Dome in a start against the Rangers. Erickson pitched 6 innings and allowed one run on four hits and two walks and earned his first big league victory. Everybody loved Scottie, especially the ladies.
Kelvin Torve (1B) – June 25, 1988 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on January 18, 1988. Pinch-hit in his first appearance in a big league, unfortunately it was against Oakland and Dennis Eckersley and he went down swinging.
Danny Thompson
Danny Thompson (SS/3B/2B) – June 25, 1970 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (18th pick) of the 1968 amateur draft (June Secondary). Thompson took and 0 for 4 with a strike out in his big league debut at County Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers.
