1973 Minnesota Twins season
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Twins
finished 81-81, third in the American League West
.
won his third AL
batting title with a .350 average. Bobby Darwin
continued to show potential as a hitter with 18 home runs and 90 RBI. Tony Oliva
limped through the season, hitting 16 HR and collecting 92 RBI. Bert Blyleven
won 20 games for the first time, and three other pitchers had double digit wins: Jim Kaat
(11-12), Dick Woodson
(10-8), and Joe Decker
(10-10). Kaat also won his 12th Gold Glove Award
.
Two Twins made the All-Star Game
: second baseman Rod Carew
and pitcher Bert Blyleven
. 907,499 fans attended Twins games, the third lowest total in the American League
.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
finished 81-81, third in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
.
Offseason
- November 30, 1972: Rich ReeseRich ReeseRichard Benjamin Reese , is a former professional baseball player who played outfield and first base in the major leagues from 1964-1973....
was purchased from the Twins by the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. - November 30, 1972: César TovarCésar TovarCésar Leonardo Tovar , nicknamed "Pepito" and "Mr. Versatility", was a Venezuelan professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...
was traded by the Twins to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Joe Lis, Ken SandersKen SandersFor the football player of the same name see Ken Sanders .Kenneth George Sanders is a former professional baseball player...
and Ken ReynoldsKen ReynoldsKenneth Lee Reynolds was a baseball player with a six-year career in the MLB spanning the years -, excluding . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American League, and the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres of the National League...
.
Regular season
Rod CarewRod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
won his third AL
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
batting title with a .350 average. Bobby Darwin
Bobby Darwin
Arthur Bobby Lee Darwin is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Los Angeles Angels , Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs .Darwin began his career as a pitcher, appearing in one game with the Angels at the age of 19...
continued to show potential as a hitter with 18 home runs and 90 RBI. Tony Oliva
Tony Oliva
Tony Pedro Oliva is a former Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played his entire 15-year baseball career for the Minnesota Twins . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
limped through the season, hitting 16 HR and collecting 92 RBI. Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
won 20 games for the first time, and three other pitchers had double digit wins: Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
(11-12), Dick Woodson
Dick Woodson
Richard Lee Woodson was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees . Before the 1965 baseball season, Woodson was signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent to play in their Minor League Baseball organization. Woodson was listed as 6'...
(10-8), and Joe Decker
Joe Decker
George Henry "Joe" Decker, Jr. was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners . He was born in Storm Lake, Iowa....
(10-10). Kaat also won his 12th Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
.
Two Twins made the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
: second baseman Rod Carew
Rod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
and pitcher Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
. 907,499 fans attended Twins games, the third lowest total in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
.
Notable transactions
- June 5, 1973: Luis Gómez was drafted by the Twins in the 7th round of the 973 Major League Baseball Draft.
- August 15, 1973: Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
was selected off waivers from the Twins by the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. - August 17, 1973: Rich Reese was signed as a free agent by the Twins.
Roster
| 1973 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 103 | 253 | 62 | .245 | 9 | 25 | |
| 2B | 149 | 580 | 203 | .350 | 6 | 62 | |
| LF | 132 | 441 | 131 | .297 | 11 | 58 | |
| RF | 145 | 560 | 141 | .252 | 18 | 90 | |
| DH | 146 | 571 | 166 | .291 | 16 | 92 |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 34 | 9 | .265 | 0 | 9 | |
| 22 | 23 | 4 | .174 | 1 | 3 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 325 | 20 | 17 | 2.52 | 258 | |
| 29 | 170.1 | 10 | 10 | 4.17 | 109 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 60.1 | 0 | 5 | 4.92 | 42 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 3.03 | 83 | |
| 28 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3.14 | 42 | |
| 27 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 6.09 | 19 | |
| 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 13 | |