1988 Minnesota Twins season
Encyclopedia
The 1988
Minnesota Twins
finished a 91-71, second in the AL
West. 3,030,672 fans attended Twins games, at the time establishing a new major league record.
,
third baseman Gary Gaetti
, outfielder Kirby Puckett
, catcher Tim Laudner
, starting pitcher Frank Viola
, and relief pitcher Jeff Reardon
.
Frank Viola
became the first Twins since Jim Perry
in 1970 to with the AL
Cy Young Award
.
hit .356 with 24 HR drove in 121 runs and scored 109.
Puckett led the AL
with 234 hits, 163 singles, and 358 total bases. Puckett’s 234 hits were the most by a right-handed batter since Joe Medwick
had 237 hits in 1937
.
Kent Hrbek
hit .312 with 25 HR and 76 RBI.
Gary Gaetti
hit .301 with 28 HR and 88 RBI.
(24-7),
Bert Blyleven
(10-17), and Allan Anderson
(16-9). Frank Viola
led the AL
with 24 wins. Allan Anderson
led the AL
with a 2.45 ERA. Reliever Jeff Reardon
had 42 saves. Bert Blyleven
(10-17, 5.43 ERA) led the AL
with 17 losses, 125 earned runs allowed, and 16 hit batsmen.
and center fielder Kirby Puckett
each won their third Gold Glove Award
.
All-Star Game
1988 in baseball
See also: 1988 Major League Baseball season-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics ; Orel Hershiser, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Dennis Eckersley...
Minnesota Twins
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 91-71, second in the 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...
West. 3,030,672 fans attended Twins games, at the time establishing a new major league record.
Offseason
- November 7, 1987: Eric BullockEric BullockEric Gerald Bullock is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos from 1985 to 1992.-External links:...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - December 21, 1987: Don BaylorDon BaylorDonald Edward Baylor is a Major League Baseball coach currently the hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and a former player and manager. During his 19-year playing career, he was a power hitter who played as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter...
was released by the Twins. - December 21, 1987: Dan SchatzederDan SchatzederDaniel Ernest Schatzeder is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from - for nine different teams. Schatzeder played college baseball at the University of Denver...
was released by the Twins. - December 21, 1987: Mike Smithson was released by the Twins.
- January, 1988: Vic RodriguezVic RodriguezVictor Manuel Rodriguez Rivera is a former Major League Baseball infielder. In 17 major league games, he had a batting average of .429, with 12 hits in 28 at bats, including 5 doubles for a slugging average of .607.- Orioles :...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - January 4, 1988: Brian HarperBrian HarperBrian David Harper is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career and is currently the manager of the Chicago Cubs' AA club, the Tennessee Smokies.-Minor leagues:Harper was drafted by the California Angels in...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - March 18, 1988: Sal ButeraSal ButeraSalvatore Philip Butera was a Major League Baseball catcher and is currently a Special Assistant to Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos....
was released by the Twins. - March 24, 1988: Billy BeaneBilly BeaneWilliam Lamar "Billy" Beane III is a former Major League Baseball player and the current general manager and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics...
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 Balvino GalvezBalvino GalvezBalvino Galvez Jerez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball.-Professional career:...
.
Regular season
Five Twins 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...
,
third baseman Gary Gaetti
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
, outfielder Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
, catcher Tim Laudner
Tim Laudner
Timothy Jon Laudner is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.-Playing career:...
, starting pitcher Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank 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...
, and relief pitcher Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
.
Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank 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...
became the first Twins since Jim Perry
Jim Perry (baseball)
James Evan Perry, Jr. is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for 1959-1975 for four different teams. During a 17-year baseball career, Perry compiled 215 wins, 1,576 strikeouts, and a 3.45 earned run average....
in 1970 to with the 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...
Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
.
Offense
Kirby PuckettKirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
hit .356 with 24 HR drove in 121 runs and scored 109.
Puckett led the 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...
with 234 hits, 163 singles, and 358 total bases. Puckett’s 234 hits were the most by a right-handed batter since Joe Medwick
Joe Medwick
Joseph Michael Medwick , nicknamed "Ducky", was an American Major League Baseball player. A left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , New York Giants , and Boston Braves...
had 237 hits in 1937
1937 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Griffith Stadium: American League, 8-3-Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award**American League: Charlie Gehringer, Detroit Tigers, 2B...
.
Kent Hrbek
Kent Hrbek
Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...
hit .312 with 25 HR and 76 RBI.
Gary Gaetti
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
hit .301 with 28 HR and 88 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... |
Gary Gaetti Gary Gaetti Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St... |
28 |
| RBI | Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases... |
121 |
| 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 :... |
Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases... |
.356 |
| 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... |
Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases... |
109 |
Pitching
The Twins had three solid starting pitchers: Frank ViolaFrank Viola
Frank 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...
(24-7),
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...
(10-17), and Allan Anderson
Allan Anderson
Allan Lee Anderson is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 6 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He led the American League in ERA in while playing for Minnesota. For his career, he compiled a 49-54 record in 148 appearances, with a 4.11 ERA and 339 strikeouts...
(16-9). Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank 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...
led the 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...
with 24 wins. Allan Anderson
Allan Anderson
Allan Lee Anderson is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 6 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He led the American League in ERA in while playing for Minnesota. For his career, he compiled a 49-54 record in 148 appearances, with a 4.11 ERA and 339 strikeouts...
led the 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...
with a 2.45 ERA. Reliever Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
had 42 saves. 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...
(10-17, 5.43 ERA) led the 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...
with 17 losses, 125 earned runs allowed, and 16 hit batsmen.
| 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... |
Allan Anderson Allan Anderson Allan Lee Anderson is a former professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of 6 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He led the American League in ERA in while playing for Minnesota. For his career, he compiled a 49-54 record in 148 appearances, with a 4.11 ERA and 339 strikeouts... |
2.45* |
| 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... |
Frank Viola Frank Viola Frank 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... |
24* |
| Saves | Jeff Reardon Jeff Reardon Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati... |
42 |
| Strikeouts | Frank Viola Frank Viola Frank 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... |
193 |
- *League leader
Defense
Third baseman Gary GaettiGary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
and center fielder Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
each won their third 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...
.
Roster
| 1988 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Notable transactions
- April 5, 1988: John MosesJohn Moses (baseball)John William Moses , is a retired professional baseball player who played outfield in the Major Leagues from 1982-1992. He later was a 1st Base/Outfield Coach for the Seattle Mariners from 1998–2003 and the Cincinnati Reds in 2006...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - May 28, 1988: John ChristensenJohn Christensen (baseball)John Lawrence Christensen is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball between 1984 and 1988.- New York Mets :...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - June 27, 1988: Dan Schatzeder was signed as a free agent by the Twins.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 117 | 375 | 94 | .251 | 13 | 54 | |
| 3B | 133 | 468 | 141 | .301 | 28 | 88 | |
| CF | 158 | 657 | 234 | .356 | 24 | 121 | |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 166 | 49 | .295 | 3 | 20 | |
| 23 | 38 | 10 | .263 | 0 | 5 | |
| 16 | 17 | 5 | .294 | 0 | 3 | |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 37 | 3 | 0 | 2.68 | 17 | |
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.74 | 7 | |
Awards and honors
- Gary GaettiGary GaettiGary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
, Third Baseman, Gold Glove AwardGold Glove AwardThe 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... - Kirby PuckettKirby PuckettKirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
, Centerfield, Gold Glove AwardGold Glove AwardThe 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... - Kirby Puckett – American League Leader At-Bats (657)
- Kirby Puckett – American League Leader Hits (234)
- Kirby Puckett – American League Leader Singles (163)
- Kirby Puckett – Major League Baseball Leader Total Bases (358)
All-Star Game
1988 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1988 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 59th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 1988 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, the home of...
- Gary Gaetti, Third Base, Reserve
- Tim LaudnerTim LaudnerTimothy Jon Laudner is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.-Playing career:...
, Catcher, Reserve - Kirby Puckett, Outfield, Reserve
- Jeff ReardonJeff ReardonJeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
, Relief Pitcher, Reserve - 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...
, Pitcher, Starter