Tag: Bob Veselic

Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins – Restovich, Mientkiewicz, Garces, Veselic, Nieson, & Boswell

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

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

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

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.

This Day in Twins History – January 7

Bobby Castillo1/7/82 – The Twins sent catcher Scotti Madison and pitcher Paul Voigt to the Dodgers and acquired pitcher Bobby Castillo and outfielder Bobby Mitchell. Castillo spent three years in a Twins uniform and posted a 23-24 record with 3.98 ERA in 52 starts. Castillo’s claim to fame? He is credited with teaching Fernando Valenzuela how to throw a screwball. Mitchell was the Twins regular center fielder in 1982 hitting .249 in 124 games but lost his job in 1983 and never appeared in the big leagues again. Mitchell is currently the Atlanta Braves roving minor league outfield and base running instructor.

Rick Lysander1/7/83 – Houston sends pitcher Rick Lysander to the land of 10,000 lakes and receives pitcher Bob Veselic. The Twins used Lysander primarily as a reliever from 1983-1985 and during that time frame he appeared in 132 games winning 9 and losing 17 with a 4.08 ERA. Lysander had one particularly tough stretch in 1983 when he lost both games of a double-header to the Tigers on May 27th becoming the first Twins pitcher to suffer that indignity. The Twins gave Lysander a day off on the 28th in another loss to the Tigers but on the 29th he lost to the Tigers again giving him 3 losses to the Tigers in four days. The Twins then went home to Minnesota to play the Baltimore Orioles and you guessed it, on June 1st Lysander turned up as the losing pitcher again. Four losses in six days makes for a BAD week.

1/7/86 – The Twins trade pitchers Bryan Oelkers and Ken Schrom to the Indians and get pitchers Roy Smith and Ramon Romero in return. Smith went on to spend five seasons in Minnesota winning 19 and losing 18 games with a 4.28 ERA. Schrom is now president of the Corpus Christi Hooks.