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
The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 14, ten years ago today, was Twins right-handed pitcher Julio DePaula.
Julio DePaula (P) – May 16, 2007 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on July 10, 1999.
The following players made their major league debut on this day in a Minnesota Twins uniform.
Garrett Jones (1B/OF) – May 15, 2007 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on May 24, 2002.
Pete Filson (P) – May 15, 1982 – Traded by the New York Yankees with Larry Milbourne, John Pacella and cash to the Minnesota Twins for Roger Erickson and Butch Wynegar on May 12, 1982.
Pete Redfern (P) – May 15, 1976 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1976 amateur draft (January Secondary). Redfern was drafted in January and pitching for the Twins in May with 4 games of minor league experience. Earned a “W” in his first big league game.
Jose Berrios, making his 2017 major-league debut, allowed one run on two hits over 7.2 innings to earn the victory in the Twins’ 4–1 win at Cleveland yesterday afternoon. Last season, Berrios’ total of 14 starts was the highest by any AL pitcher who did not face a batter in the seventh inning or later as a starting pitcher.
The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 14 was Twins left-handed pitcher Mike Milchin.
Mike Milchin (P) – May 14, 1996 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins on December 7, 1995.
The Twins’ two best players this season, Miguel Sano and Ervin Santana, were the stars of a 1-0 victory for Paul Molitor’s squad in Cleveland last night. Sano’s first-inning home run, his 10th homer of the season, provided the game’s only run while Santana went seven innings to lower his ERA to 1.50. That’s the lowest ERA for a Minnesota pitcher through his first eight starts of a season since Scott Erickson began the 1991 season at 1.44 through eight starts. Erickson went on to win 20 games that season and the Twins went on to win the World Series.
How often do you see a 1-0 game in which the only run comes on a first-inning homer? Well, there were no such games in the major leagues all of last season and only one in 2015 (Albert Pujols supplied the home run against the A’s on June 13 of that year, and C.J. Wilson earned the victory). Moreover, it was the first 1-0 victory featuring a first-inning home run in the history of the franchise, dating back to its beginnings in Washington in 1901.
The only player to make his major league debut as a Minnesota Twin on May 12 was Twins utility infielder Jeff Reboulet.
Jeff Reboulet (2B/SS/3B) – May 12, 1992 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round of the 1986 amateur draft. Reboulet struck out as a pinch-hitter (for Randy Bush) in his big league debut against Boston Red Sox pitcher Tom Bolton at the Metrodome but reached first base on the wild pitch.
Major League Baseball will hold day one of the 2017 MLB Draft on Monday, June 12th at MLB Network’s Studio 42 in Secaucus, New Jersey. This year’s Draft will begin live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 7:00 pm (ET). To the start of the Draft, MLB Network will air a Draft preview show, also simulcast on MLB.com, at 6:00 p.m. (ET).
For the third time in team history, the Minnesota Twins will have the first overall selection of the Draft. In 2001, Minnesota drafted Joe Mauer with the top overall selection. The Twins also held the first overall pick in 1983, when they selected pitcher Tim Belcher, though he did not sign. The Twins will select three times in the top 37 slots (1, 35 and 37).
The 2016 first round selection was the Phillies high school outfielder Mickey Moniak and he is currently playing in class A ball. Three of the number one overall selections (Moniak in 2016, Brady Aiken a LHP high school pitcher selected in 2014 by Houston, and Mark Appel a collegiate RHP selected by Houston but now with Philly in 2013) in the last four years have yet to reach the majors.
Miguel Sano hit a home run on his birthday last year and did it again last night against the White Sox. Six other active players homered on their birthday in consecutive seasons: Dustin Pedroia (2007–08), Mark Reynolds (2009–10), Mike Trout (2012–13), Trevor Plouffe (2012–13), Brandon Phillips (2014–15) and Nelson Cruz (2014–15).
The following players made their major league debuts as Minnesota Twins on this day, May 11th. None of their debuts went particularly well.
Pat Dean (P) – May 11, 2016 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft
Tom Kelly (1B/OF) – May 11, 1975 – Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins in April 1971.
Mike Pazik (P) – May 11, 1975 – Traded by the New York Yankees with cash to the Minnesota Twins in May 1974.
Cedar Rapids Kernels (Low A) first baseman Lewin Diaz (bats and throws left-handed) is the Twins minor league Player of the Week. In five games for the Kernels, he hit .474 (9-for-19) with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, one walk and four runs scored. Diaz has played in 27 games for the Kernels this season, hitting .282 (29-for-103) with 11 doubles, three home runs and 17 RBI. The 6’3″ , 180 pound 20-year-old was signed by the Twins as an undrafted free agent in July of 2013. Diaz was signed by Minnesota for $1.4 million and some scouts say that Diaz reminds them of Ryan Howard.
Lewin Diaz named Midwest League and Minnesota Twins Player of the Week