1981 Minnesota Twins season
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Twins
finished a combined 41-68, seventh in the American League West
. In the strike split season, the Twins were 17-39, seventh place in the first half and 24-29, fourth place in the second half. 469,090 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League
. It was also their 21st and final season at Metropolitan Stadium
, before moving their home games to the Metrodome
the next season. The franchise would not play another outdoor home game until , when Target Field
opened.
: relief pitcher Doug Corbett
.
batted .268 with 6 HR and 37 RBI. Shortstop Roy Smalley had 7 HR and collected 22 RBI.
was the Twins' only bright spot on the mound, racking up 17 saves.
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 a combined 41-68, seventh 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...
. In the strike split season, the Twins were 17-39, seventh place in the first half and 24-29, fourth place in the second half. 469,090 fans attended Twins games, the 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...
. It was also their 21st and final season at Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium was a sports stadium that once stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, just outside Minneapolis. The area where the stadium once stood is now the site of the Mall of America...
, before moving their home games to the Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
the next season. The franchise would not play another outdoor home game until , when Target Field
Target Field
Target Field is a baseball park located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the home ballpark of the Minnesota Twins, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It is the franchise's sixth ballpark and third in Minnesota. The Twins moved to Target Field for the 2010 Major League Baseball...
opened.
Offseason
- December 8, 1980: Dave EdwardsDave Edwards (baseball)David Leonard Edwards is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of five seasons in the major leagues, from until .Edwards has two brothers who also played in the major leagues, twin brothers Mike and Marshall Edwards....
was traded by the Twins to the San Diego PadresSan Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for Chuck BakerChuck BakerCharles Joseph Baker better known as Chuck Baker, born December 6, 1952, in Seattle, Washington was a former Major League Baseball player....
. - December 8, 1980: Jack O'ConnorJack O'Connor (pitcher)Jack William O'Connor is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors, between and .-Sources:...
was drafted by the Twins from the Montreal ExposWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in the rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - December 12, 1980: Willie NorwoodWillie Norwood (baseball)Willie Norwood is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Minnesota Twins from to .-External links:...
was traded by the Twins to the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
for Byron McLaughlinByron McLaughlinByron Scott McLaughlin is a retired professional baseball player, alleged counterfeit shoes manufacturer, and convicted money launderer. His baseball career spanned nine seasons, four of which were spent in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners , and the California Angels...
. - March 27, 1981: Bombo RiveraBombo RiveraJesus Manuel "Bombo" Rivera Torres is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. At the age of seven, his youth baseball manager started calling him “Bombo”, which meant “fly ball,” and the nickname stuck. Aside from baseball, Rivera also excelled in track and field. He ran the 100 meters and...
was released by the Twins. - March 30, 1981: Ken LandreauxKen LandreauxKenneth Francis Landreaux is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball.After graduating from Dominguez High School in Compton, California, Landreaux carried on his education at Arizona State University before joining the California Angels in...
was traded by the Twins to the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for Mickey HatcherMickey HatcherMichael Vaughn Hatcher is a former Major League Baseball player and a current coach. Most notably, he was Kirk Gibson's replacement for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 World Series, batting .368 with two home runs and five RBI...
, Kelly Snider (minors), and Matt Reeves (minors).
Regular season
Only one Twins player made the All-Star GameMajor 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...
: relief pitcher Doug Corbett
Doug Corbett
Douglas Mitchell Corbett is a former American professional baseball player who was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for eight seasons during the 1980s...
.
Offense
John CastinoJohn Castino
John Anthony Castino is a former Major League Baseball player. Castino played as an infielder, primarily at third base and second base, with the Minnesota Twins from 1979 through 1984.-Professional career:...
batted .268 with 6 HR and 37 RBI. Shortstop Roy Smalley had 7 HR and collected 22 RBI.
| Statistic Baseball statistics Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics... | Player | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
Roy Smalley | 7 |
| RBI | Mickey Hatcher Mickey Hatcher Michael Vaughn Hatcher is a former Major League Baseball player and a current coach. Most notably, he was Kirk Gibson's replacement for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 World Series, batting .368 with two home runs and five RBI... |
37 |
| BA Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... |
John Castino John Castino John Anthony Castino is a former Major League Baseball player. Castino played as an infielder, primarily at third base and second base, with the Minnesota Twins from 1979 through 1984.-Professional career:... |
.268 |
| Runs Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
Gary Ward Gary Ward Gary Lamell Ward is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and right-handed batter who played for the Minnesota Twins , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers .Ward was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1972 and made his debut in the 1979 season... |
42 |
Pitching
Reliever Doug CorbettDoug Corbett
Douglas Mitchell Corbett is a former American professional baseball player who was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for eight seasons during the 1980s...
was the Twins' only bright spot on the mound, racking up 17 saves.
| Statistic Baseball statistics Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics... | Player | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| ERA Earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine... |
Fernando Arroyo Fernando Arroyo Fernando Arroyo was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers , Minnesota Twins , and Oakland Athletics .... |
3.93 |
| Wins Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only... |
Pete Redfern Pete Redfern Peter Irvine Redfern is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He had a seven-season career in the majors, from until , all with the Minnesota Twins.Redfern was the Twins' first-round pick, and the first pick overall in the secondary phase of the 1976 draft... |
9 |
| Saves | Doug Corbett Doug Corbett Douglas Mitchell Corbett is a former American professional baseball player who was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for eight seasons during the 1980s... |
17 |
| Strikeouts | Pete Redfern Pete Redfern Peter Irvine Redfern is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He had a seven-season career in the majors, from until , all with the Minnesota Twins.Redfern was the Twins' first-round pick, and the first pick overall in the secondary phase of the 1976 draft... |
77 |
Notable transactions
- June 8, 1981: Frank ViolaFrank ViolaFrank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
was drafted by the Twins in the 2nd round of the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft1981 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*John Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1981 amateur draft...
. - August 23, 1981: Ron JacksonRon JacksonRonnie Damien Jackson is a coach and a former player in Major League Baseball. He was a hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox from 2003-2006...
was traded by the Twins to 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...
for a player to be named later. The Tigers completed the deal by sending Tim CorcoranTim Corcoran (first baseman)Timothy Michael Corcoran was a Major League Baseball player who played 9 seasons in the major leagues. Born in Glendale, California, Corcoran attended California State University, Los Angeles , and was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1974. Corcoran played four seasons...
to the Twins on September 4. - August 30, 1981: Jerry KoosmanJerry KoosmanJerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
was traded by the Twins to 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...
for Ivan Mesa (minors), Ronnie Perry (minors), a player to be named later, and cash. The White Sox completed the trade by sending Randy JohnsonRandy Johnson (designated hitter)Randall Stuart Johnson is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter. He was born on August 15, 1958 in Miami, Florida. He bats and throws left handed and is 6 foot 2 and 195 pounds. Randy was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 1979 draft. In 1980 for the Chicago White...
to the Twins on September 2.
Roster
| 1981 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 101 | 381 | 102 | .268 | 6 | 36 | |
| SS | 56 | 167 | 44 | .263 | 7 | 22 | |
| LF | 85 | 295 | 78 | .264 | 3 | 29 | |
| CF | 99 | 377 | 96 | .255 | 3 | 37 | |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | 175 | 46 | .263 | 4 | 28 | |
| 40 | 66 | 12 | .182 | 0 | 6 | |
| 22 | 51 | 9 | .176 | 0 | 4 | |
| 12 | 41 | 8 | .195 | 0 | 6 | |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 150 | 6 | 10 | 4.08 | 76 | |
| 24 | 141.2 | 9 | 8 | 4.07 | 77 | |
| 23 | 128.1 | 7 | 10 | 3.93 | 39 | |
| 19 | 94.1 | 3 | 9 | 4.20 | 55 | |
| 14 | 91.1 | 3 | 8 | 3.84 | 44 | |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 32.2 | 3 | 3 | 4.41 | 26 | |
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 2.57 | 60 | |
| 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5.86 | 16 | |
| 27 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4.30 | 33 | |