Tag: Hal Haydel

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.

First big league game and first major league win

Appearing in a big league game and stepping on a major league pitching mound for the first time is something you never forget. It makes no difference if you are the starter or if you enter the game in relief, you have reached the goal that has been waiting for you since you first started playing baseball in your backyard as a child.

Bill Pleis

Many a pitcher has made his major league debut with Minnesota across his chest and some have had good games and others have not been as lucky but only 20 Twins pitchers can lay claim to the fact that they earned the “win” in their first big league game. Bill  “Shorty” Pleis was the first Twins pitcher to accomplish this feat and he did so in relief.

It took more than 10 years for the Twins to have a starting pitcher start his major league career and get credited with a “W” and it was none other than Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven and as he has told us many times, the first batter he faced, Lee Maye, did indeed hit a home run off him at RFK Stadium. Bert however; maintained his composure and earned the win with seven innings of five hit ball with seven strikeouts and one walk and the Twins went on to beat the Washington Senators in a 2-1 game.

First big league game and first major league win

Bert Blyleven as a rookie in 1970

Results
Rk Player Date Tm Opp Rslt App,Dec IP H R ER BB SO HR UER Pit Str BF
1 Bill Pleis 1961-04-16 (2) MIN BAL W 6-4 9-10, W 1.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     4
2 Joe Bonikowski 1962-04-12 MIN KCA W 9-5 4-GF, W 5.2 3 1 1 4 3 0 0     23
3 Bert Blyleven 1970-06-05 MIN WSA W 2-1 GS-7, W 7.0 5 1 1 1 7 1 0     27
4 Hal Haydel 1970-09-07 (2) MIN MIL W 8-3 2-6, W 5.0 4 2 2 0 2 1 0     19
5 Jim Strickland 1971-05-19 MIN CAL W 12-6 3-5, W 2.1 1 0 0 0 4 0 0     8
6 Tom Johnson 1974-09-10 MIN CHW W 8-7 14-GF(15), W 2.0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1     8
7 Pete Redfern 1976-05-15 (2) MIN CAL W 15-5 GS-6, W 5.0 3 4 4 3 2 1 0     21
8 Paul Thormodsgard 1977-04-10 (2) MIN OAK W 7-1 GS-7, W 6.1 6 1 1 3 2 0 0     28
9 Jeff Holly 1977-05-01 MIN DET W 6-5 3-GF, W 7.0 2 0 0 1 6 0 0     23
10 Roger Erickson 1978-04-06 MIN SEA W 5-4 GS-7, W 6.1 5 3 3 1 4 0 0     25
11 Darrell Jackson 1978-06-16 MIN DET W 5-2 GS-8, W 7.1 7 1 1 4 7 0 0     31
12 Doug Corbett 1980-04-10 MIN OAK W 9-7 8-GF(12), W 5.0 1 0 0 0 6 0 0     16
13 Scott Erickson 1990-06-25 MIN TEX W 9-1 GS-6, W 6.0 4 1 1 2 4 0 0 94 53 25
14 Todd Ritchie 1997-04-03 MIN DET W 10-6 4-6, W 3.0 3 1 1 0 3 0 0 50 30 11
15 Eric Milton 1998-04-05 MIN KCR W 10-1 GS-6, W 6.0 6 0 0 2 1 0 0 88 60 26
16 Dave Gassner 2005-04-16 MIN CLE W 6-4 GS-6, W 6.0 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 72 48 22
17 Anthony Swarzak 2009-05-23 MIN MIL W 6-2 GS-7, W 7.0 5 0 0 2 3 0 0 98 64 27
18 Kyle Gibson 2013-06-29 MIN KCR W 6-2 GS-6, W 6.0 8 2 2 0 5 0 0 91 64 26
19 Andrew Albers 2013-08-06 MIN KCR W 7-0 GS-9, W 8.1 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 109 67 29
20 Felix Jorge 2017-07-01 (2) MIN KCR W 10-5 GS-6, W 5.0 7 3 3 1 2 1 0 85 54 21
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 11/25/2017.

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Congratulations to Eddie Rosario

Rosario, Eddie 2015Eddie Rosario found the first big league pitch he saw to his liking and he hammered it into the Target Field left-center field bleachers for a home run. The pitch was thrown by left-handed starter Scott Kazmir and put the Twins up 1-0 en-route to a 13-0 white-washing of the Oakland A’s. Rosario becomes the 115th player to hit a home run in his first major league at bat but only the 29th player in big league history to swing at the first pitch he saw in the major leagues and hit it for a home run.

Rosario goes into the Twins record books as the 10th Twin to hit a home run in his first game but the first to do it on the first pitch of his first plate appearance. Six of the 10 home runs in the first game came on the first at bat.

I have been waiting for the Twins to call up Rosario and it was nice to see him have a positive impact in his first major league game. Rosario’s parents were in the stands to witness their sons historic moment. Although Rosario’s stay in Minnesota is expected to be short, you never know, he might just be here to stay. Congratulations Eddie!

BOX SCORE

Twins players that have hit a home run in their first major league game

Rk Player Date Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BOP Pos Summary
1 Eddie Rosario 2015-05-06 OAK W 13-0 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 8 RF
2 Luke Hughes 2010-04-28 DET L 6-11 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 9 3B
3 Andre David 1984-06-29 (1) DET W 5-3 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 7 RF
4 Gary Gaetti 1981-09-20 TEX L 3-4 3 3 1 1 0 0 1 2 7 3B
5 Tim Laudner 1981-08-28 DET W 6-0 4 3 1 2 0 0 1 2 8 C
6 Kent Hrbek 1981-08-24 NYY W 3-2 5 5 1 2 0 0 1 2 8 1B
7 Dave McKay 1975-08-22 DET W 8-4 3 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 8 3B
8 Eric Soderholm 1971-09-03 (1) OAK W 9-4 4 2 2 1 0 0 1 1 7 3B
9 Hal Haydel 1970-09-07 (2) MIL W 8-3 3 3 2 2 1 0 1 1 9 P
10 Rick Renick 1968-07-11 DET W 5-4 4 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 7 SS
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 5/7/2015.

I find it kind of interesting that all the players on the above list were slotted 7-9 in the batting order.

According to Elias and a little extra

Zelous Wheeler, called up from the minors by the Yankees on Thursday when slumping Yangervis Solarte was sent down, made a big splash in his major-league debut when he hit a home run in the fifth inning against the Twins’ Phil Hughes. Wheeler is the eighth player to hit a home run for the Yankees is his first major-league game and the first since Marcus Thames in 2002. The most notable player to homer for the Yankees in his big-league debut is Yogi Berra, who did so against the Philadelphia A’s in the first game of a doubleheader in the Bronx on Sept. 22, 1946.

So how many Minnesota Twins players have hit a home run in their first game?

Rick Renick
Rick Renick

Rk Player Year ? PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI
1 Luke Hughes 2010 Ind. Games 4 4 1 0 0 1 1
2 Andre David 1984 Ind. Games 4 4 1 0 0 1 2
3 Gary Gaetti 1981 Ind. Games 3 3 1 0 0 1 2
4 Kent Hrbek 1981 Ind. Games 5 5 2 0 0 1 2
5 Tim Laudner 1981 Ind. Games 4 3 2 0 0 1 2
6 Dave McKay 1975 Ind. Games 3 3 1 0 0 1 1
7 Eric Soderholm 1971 Ind. Games 4 2 1 0 0 1 1
8 Hal Haydel 1970 Ind. Games 3 3 2 1 0 1 1
9 Rick Renick 1968 Ind. Games 4 4 1 0 0 1 1
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 7/4/2014.

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How about if we look to see who has hit a home run in his first game when the opponent was the Minnesota Twins?

Rk Player Year ? PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI Tm
1 Zelous Wheeler 2014 Ind. Games 4 4 2 0 0 1 1 NYY
2 Chris Richard 2000 Ind. Games 5 4 1 0 0 1 1 STL
3 Jay Bell 1986 Ind. Games 3 3 1 0 0 1 1 CLE
4 Dave Machemer 1978 Ind. Games 4 4 1 0 0 1 1 CAL
5 Bert Campaneris 1964 Ind. Games 5 4 3 0 0 2 3 KCA
6 John Kennedy 1962 Ind. Games 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 WSA
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 7/4/2014.

According to Elias

Anthony Swarzak
Anthony Swarzak

Four Twins relief pitchers (Anthony Swarzak, Brian Duensing, Casey Fien, Glen Perkins)combined for six shutout innings and 10 strikeouts in Minnesota’s win over Houston. It’s the first time since 1971 that the Twins bullpen  combined for that many scoreless innings and strikeouts in a nine-inning game. The last time they had such a game was on September 16, 1971 at Milwaukee. The Twins relief pitchers in that game were Steve Luebber, Hal Haydel and Tom Hall.

Francisco Liriano
Francisco Liriano

Francisco Liriano improved to 12-4 with a 2.02 earned-run average in 16 starts for the Pirates this season. Liriano is only the third Pirates pitcher since 1912 – the first year the National League began compiling earned runs – to win 12 or more games with an ERA under 2.25 in his first 16 starts of a season. Rip Sewell did it in 1943 (12-2, 2.22 ERA) and Dock Ellis in 1971 (12-3, 2.24).

This Day in Twins History – September 7, 1970

In game 1 of a double-header at Met Stadium against the Milwaukee Brewers, outfielder Brant Alyea goes 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 2 home runs and knocks in all 7 Twins runs in a 7-6 Twins win. Alyea sets a Twins team RBI record in the process that has since been broken by Glenn Adams in 1977 and Randy Bush in 1989.

Hal Haydel

In game 2 of the double-header Twins rookie pitcher Hal Haydel hits a home run in his first major league game when he hits one out against Milwaukee Brewers hurler Al Downing at Met Stadium in his second at bat, Haydel had doubled in his first at bat and the Twins won the game 8-3 and swept the double-header. Haydel remains the only Twins pitcher in history to hit a home run in his first ML game. Haydel had relieved Luis Tiant who was taken out of the game after one inning, and pitched 5 innings to get his first major league victory. Brant Alyea had two more RBI’s in the second game.

Luke Hughes homers in his first ML at bat

 

Luke Hughes (courtesy of MLB Photos)

April 29, 2010 – Luke Hughes hit a home run in his first major league at bat and in the process became the fifth Minnesota Twin to accomplish this feat. Hughes hit his home run to right field off Detroit Tiger starter Max Scherzer on a 2-2 count as he lead off the third inning. Actually Hughes was batting in the second inning when Delmon Young was caught stealing third base for the final out of the second inning so that at bat did not count. Hughes, who was born in Perth, Australia, is the eighth Aussie to hit a homer in the major leagues and the first to do so in his first at-bat in the bigs. Unfortunately for Hughes and the Twins, they lost the game to the Tigers by an 11-6 score.

A complete list of Twins to hit a home run in either their first at bat or their first major league game are listed below. Hal Haydel is the only pitcher in the group. Oddly enough, no Twins rookie ever accomplished this feat at the Metrodome.

Player Date At Bat Count Opponent Pitcher
Luke Hughes 4-28-2010 1 2-2 in Detroit Max Scherzer
Andre David 6-29-1984 1 1-2 in Detroit Jack Morris
Gary Gaetti 9-20-1981 1 1-1 in Texas Charlie Hough
Tim Laudner 8-28-1981 3 0-1 Detroit @ Met Stadium Dave Rozema
Kent Hrbek 8-24-1981 5 2-2 in New York George Frazier
Dave McKay 8-22-1975 1 1-1 Detroit @ Met Stadium Vern Ruhle
Eric Soderholm 9-3-1971 2 1-1 Oakland @ Met Stadium Diego Segui
Hal Haydel 9-7-1970 2 0-0 Milwaukee @ Met Stadium Al Downing
Rick Renick 7-11-1968 1 3-1 Detroit @ Met Stadium Mickey Lolich