Tag: Kirk Gibson

Quality Starts and the Minnesota Twins

Regardless if you believe in Quality Starts (QS) or not, the term is used now days in MLB. A QS is defined as pitching six innings or more while allowing three or fewer earned runs. I would be happier if a QS was seven innings and two or fewer earned runs but that is just my age showing. The new “opener” strategy could put a kink in QS but I don’t think the opener strategy is a fit for most teams and will not be a big deal down the line.

Today we are taking a look at consecutive QS for Minnesota Twins starters and we have one pitcher that stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Twins pitchers in QS and that is Johan Santana who had 21 QS in a row in 2004. Impressive or not? You bet your bippy it is, no American League pitcher between 1961-2018 has thrown that many QS in a row. In the National league only four pitchers have thrown that many QS in a row since 1961, Bob Gibson leads with 26 in 1967, Jacob deGrom (2018) and Jake Arrieta (2015) have 24 and Chris Carpenter has 22 in 2005.

The closest to Santana’s streak of 21 in Minnesota is Bert Blyleven who had 12 in 1972 and Jim Merritt who also had 12 in 1967. The biggest surprise on this list to me is Rick Aguilera with 10 QS in 1989. I certainly remember Aggie starting for Minnesota when they first traded for him but I don’t remember him as pitching that well, maybe it was the fact that his record was only 3-4 during the streak.

Johan Santana
Results
Rk Name Strk Start End Games W L GS CG SHO IP H ER BB SO ERA
1 Johan Santana 2004-06-09 2004-09-24 21 18 2 21 1 1 154.1 77 23 30 199 1.34
2 Bert Blyleven 1972-08-19 1973-04-06 12 8 3 12 7 1 99.0 82 19 24 87 1.73
3 Jim Merritt 1967-06-25 1967-08-18 12 5 3 12 4 1 101.1 77 18 8 64 1.60
4 Frank Viola 1987-06-26 1987-08-16 11 8 2 11 4 1 87.0 69 19 21 70 1.97
5 Dick Woodson 1972-07-11 1972-08-28 11 6 4 11 7 2 90.1 61 14 26 43 1.39
6 Eric Milton 2000-09-23 2001-05-13 10 5 3 10 1 1 68.1 67 20 16 45 2.63
7 Scott Erickson 1990-09-23 1991-05-17 10 8 2 10 3 2 77.1 53 10 28 36 1.16
8 Rick Aguilera 1989-08-08 1989-09-26 10 3 4 10 3 0 71.2 61 22 16 55 2.76
9 Roger Erickson 1980-08-01 1980-09-17 10 3 4 10 4 0 80.0 71 18 16 42 2.03
10 Lee Stange 1963-08-06 1963-09-15 10 7 2 10 5 1 83.0 65 16 19 55 1.73
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/31/2018.

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The Minnesota Twins longest streak of QS as a team is 13 QS in a row in 1969. The pitchers in that streak were Dean Chance, Dave Boswell, Jim Perry, Dick Woodson, Tommy Hall and Jim Kaat.

Don Baylor Passes away at 68

Minnesota Twins pinch hitter Don Baylor drops his bat after hitting a game winning single with the bases loaded in the eighth inning in the ALCS with the Detroit Tigers, Oct. 8, 1987, Minneapolis, Minn. The Twins went on to score three more runs in the inning to win game one of the series 8-5. (AP Photo/ Rusty Kennedy)

Former American League MVP in 1979 and National League Manager of the Year Don Baylor has passed away at the age of 68 after a 14 year battle with multiple myeloma.

Baylor graduated from Austin High School as one of the first African-Americans to attend the school and the very first to play baseball and football for the school. Baylor had an opportunity to become the first African-American to play football at the University of Texas but Baylor wanted to play football and baseball but Texas football coach Darrell Royal was opposed saying that was put too much pressure on Baylor and wanted him to focus on football so when the Orioles drafted in round 2 in 1967 it was an easy decision for Baylor. By the way, the Minnesota Twins selected 3B Bob Storm in round 2 just 2 picks earlier.

Remembered for his charisma and kindness off the field, Baylor was also a force to be reckoned with at the plate in a terrific 19-year career as a player. A three-time winner of a Silver Slugger Award and an American League All-Star, Baylor hit .260 over the life of a career that was highlighted by Most Valuable Player honors as a member of the 1979 California Angels. 

Baylor, nicknamed “Groove” helped a team to the postseason on seven different occasions and, in the waning stages of his career, was traded from the Red Sox to the Twins for the stretch run in 1987. He’d go on to collect seven hits in 18 at-bats during the playoffs that season, including a game-tying two-run homer in Game 6 of the World Series. Minnesota would rally  for six more runs following that key hit, and the Twins ultimately rode that momentum to a Game 7 victory and a World Series championship.

Following his playing days, Baylor became the first manager in Colorado Rockies history in their inaugural 1993 season. By the time the strike-shortened 1995 campaign rolled around, Baylor’s Rockies finished the season with a 77-67 record, leading to the first postseason appearance in franchise history as well as NL Manager of the Year honors for Baylor. That marked the first of three straight winning seasons for Baylor, who also later spent three years managing the Cubs (2000-02). Baylor’s managing record was 627-689. Baylor is one of four men to win an MVP award and Manager of the Year, joining Kirk Gibson, Frank Robinson and Joe Torre.

Baylor’s time in the dugout would continue for more than a decade, as he also served as a bench coach for the Mets and a hitting coach for the Braves, Mariners, Rockies, Diamondbacks and Angels.

SABR Bio

Baylor is survived by his wife, the former Rebecca Giles; his son, Don Jr.; his brother, Doug; his sister, Connie; and two granddaughters. His marriage to Jo Cash ended in divorce.

Don Baylor Obit New York Times

Austin Legend Don Baylor: A Life Well Lived