Tag: Minnie Mendoza

Former Twins players that passed away in 2024

Another trip around the Sun and it is once again time to to look back and remember former Minnesota Twins that have gotten the call to their final resting place. They may be gone from this earth but their memories remain.

Brant Alyea

Garrabrant Ryerson Alyea was born on December 8, 1940 in Passaic, New Jersey and passed away on February 4, 2024. Alyea, originally signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1962 but made his major league debut with the Washington Senators in 1965. Alyea was traded to the Minnesota Twins on March 21, 1970 for pitchers Joe Grzenda and Charlie Walters. Yes, the same Charlie Walters that writes for the St. Paul Pioneer Press now days. Alyea, primarily a left fielder played for the Twins from 1970-1971 before being picked up in the Rule 5 draft (rules were different back then) by the Oakland A’s. Brant’s best season in pro ball was in 1970 with the Minnesota Twins. Alyea had a son, Brant Alyea Jr. that played minor league ball for Toronto, Texas and the New York Mets from 1985 to 1990. Brant Alyea played in the major leagues for all or parts of 1965, 1968-1972 appearing in 371 games for the Senators, Twins. A’s and Cardinals.

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1970 Twins infielder Minnie Mendoza passes away at 89

Cristobal Mendoza was born in Ceiba del Agua, Cuba on December 3, 1934 and passed away at the age of 89 on September 9, 2024 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Mendoza was better known to Minnesota Twins fans as Minnie Mendoza who played for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins organization for 16 seasons between 1958 and 1972.

Mendoza was originally signed as a amateur free agent by the Cincinnati Reds but was released after two seasons and was signed by the Washington Senators as a free agent in 1958 at the age of 23. The Washington Senators had a long history of signing Latin American ballplayers, thanks largely to scout “Papa Joe” Cambria. Cambria convinced Mendoza to join the organization’s Missoula Timberjacks in the Class-C Pioneer League.

But it would be a long time before Mendoza would make his debut in the big leagues. Matter of fact it took 12 years and over 1,800 minor league games before a Rod Carew injury in 1970 resulted in Mendoza got his opportunity to put on a big league uniform. It was was not even the Senators team that he signed with since the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season and became the Minnesota Twins.

Mendoza made his major league debut at White Sox Park on April 9, 1970 when he entered the game as a defensive replacement for third baseman Harmon Killebrew in the ninth inning of a game that the Twins were leading 6-4 against the Chicago White Sox and won by the same score. He went hitless in his first eight games going 0 for 9 before getting his first big league hit and run scored in his ninth game when he singled as a PH against the Baltimore Orioles Mike Cueller at Memorial Stadium. Mendoza played in his 16th and final big league game on June 7 at Washington before being sent to the minors never to play in the big leagues again. His big league career was short, just 16 games, 16 PA’s, 3 hits, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. That said, he reached the big leagues, and that is something to be proud of.

In 1974-75, Mendoza embarked on his career as a minor league manager beginning in Mexico. He returned to organized baseball as a coach and scout for several teams, primarily the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians organizations. He served on the Orioles’ major league coaching staff as their first-base coach in 1988. Among his accomplishments with Cleveland, Mendoza is credited with scouting and signing a young Bartolo Colon, who went on to win 247 games and the 2005 American League Cy Young award.

Ripbaseball.com does a great job with baseball obituaries and as usual they did a great job on Minnie Mendoza’s obituary at https://ripbaseball.com/2024/09/29/obituary-minnie-mendoza-1934-2024/ and I urge you to stop by check it out, you won’t be sorry and you will learn how he impacted the careers of two MLB Hall of Fame players.