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
Major League Debuts as Minnesota Twins on September 13th.
Jose Mijares (P) – September 13, 2008 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on March 2, 2002. Debuted at Camden Yards and closed out the 12-2 Twins win over the Orioles with one scoreless inning pitched (14 pitches) and one strike out.
Javier Valentin (C) – September 13, 1997 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 1993 amateur draft. Debuted as replacement for catcher Terry Steinbach late in a Twins 9-3 setback to the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington but had no chances to swing the bat.
Sam Perlozzo (2B) – September 13, 1977 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent in August 1972. Debuted in the 7th inning at 2B in a Twins 6-1 loss to the Chicago south-side bunch at Comiskey Park.
Bill Bethea (2B/SS) – September 13, 1964 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins from the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1963 first-year draft. Debuted in Yankee Stadium as a replacement for Zoilo Versalles but had no PA’s in the Twins 5-2 loss to the Bronx Bombers.
The Minnesota Twins have a long history of problems developing starting pitching. Using 100 starts as a barometer, since 1961 the Twins have signed and developed just 11 pitchers in their system that have gone on to get 100 or more starts in a Twins uniform. The only first round pick in the bunch is Pete Redfern, three round tw0 picks, two round three picks, one fourth round pick, one fifth round pick, Brad Radke was an eighth round pick, one 29th round pick and an amateur free agent (Dave Boswell).
Since the June amateur free agent draft started in 1965 the Twins have drafted 31 pitchers in round 1 or as round 1 supplementary/compensation picks. Actually part of the Twins issues with starting pitching relates to spending money or the lack there of. The first two right-handed pitchers drafted by the Twins in round 1 were Dick Ruthven in 1972 and Tim Belcher (first overall pick) in 1983 who both refused to sign with Minnesota and went on to have long careers in MLB. The first left-handed pitcher drafted in round 1 to start any games was Eddie Bane and his Twins career lasted 25 starts. As I mentioned earlier, the draft started in 1965 but the Twins only drafted starting pitching in round 1 twice (Ruthven in 1972 and Bane in 1973) between 1965-1981. The first RHP that they drafted in round 1 that actually started a number of games (45 in Twins career) was Willie Banks who the team drafted in 1987. Since 2000 they have drafted a pitcher in round 1 a total of 17 times.
Starting pitching signed and developed by the Twins since 1961
If you can’t find, sign, and develop your starting pitching, you only have a few options at your disposal, you could make a trade, you can sign a free agent, or you can find one on the waiver wire (ha, ha, ha).
The option I want to write about here is the Twins attempts to trade for starting pitching since the turn of the century, a total of 17 years. Trading for starters hasn’t exactly gone as planned either.
Hitting for the cycle is a rare occurrence and only ten Twins players can say that they have one on their resume. The only Twin to hit for the so-called natural cycle (1B, 2B, 3B, and HR in that order) was Carlos Gomez in 2008. The first Twins cycle was hit by Rod Carew in 1970 and the Minnesota Twins as you know started play back in 1961. Two Twins players hit for the cycle at Met Stadium and two Twins players hit for the cycle at the Metrodome, so far the only cycle at Target Field is by Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers.
Eddie Rosario
Many players came up just a hit short, 119 came up a home run short, 288 came up a triple short, 44 players came up a double short. Twelve different Twins players had the misfortune of just missing the cycle by coming up a single short, missed it by just this much…… Eddie Rosario is in this group and he missed his last year at Target Field.
One of the more frequent questions I get pertains to switch-hitters that played for the Minnesota Twins so I thought I would put together the entire list of Twins players both position players and pitchers that swung from both sides of the plate. In this case I ranked then in order of home runs hit. The list includes Twins pitchers as well as position players.
You can make a strong case that Mickey Mantle was the best switch-hitter in the AL as he hit .300 (with 500 or more PA’s) or more nine time and Victor Martinez who remains active today has hit. 300 eight times as has Bernie Williams. Roberto Alomar did it seven times.
The Twins have not had as much luck with their switch-hitters, the only Twin to hit .300 (.302) or better with at least 500 plate appearances was Cristian Guzman in 2001. It kind of makes you wonder if switch hitting is worth the effort. From 1901 to 1960 the Washington Senators never had a switch-hitter that hit .300 or better with at least 500 PA’s.
Jose Mijares (P) – September 13, 2008 – Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent on March 2, 2002. Debuted at Camden Yards and closed out the 12-2 Twins win over the Orioles with one scoreless inning pitched (14 pitches) and one strike out.
Javier Valentin (C) – September 13, 1997 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 1993 amateur draft. Debuted as replacement for catcher Terry Steinbach late in a Twins 9-3 setback to the Rangers at The Ballpark in Arlington but had no chances to swing the bat.
Bill Bethea (2B/SS) – September 13, 1964 – Drafted by the Minnesota Twins from the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1963 first-year draft. Debuted in Yankee Stadium as a replacement for Zoilo Versalles but had no PA’s in the Twins 5-2 loss to the Bronx Bombers.
