1993 Minnesota Twins
Encyclopedia
The 1993 Minnesota Twins
underperformed in their last year in the old American League West Division, finishing with a 71-91 record, leaving the team tied for fifth place with the California Angels
. There were bright spots for Manager Tom Kelly
. This included Kirby Puckett
winning the All-Star MVP award
on July 13, after hitting a home run and an RBI double. Another bright spot was St. Paul
native Dave Winfield
getting his 3,000th hit
in his first year back with his hometown team. The hit came off of Dennis Eckersley
on September 16.
, hitting .271 with 21 home runs and 76 RBI. Other offensive highlights included Kent Hrbek
becoming the second Twin (along with Harmon Killebrew
) to reach 1,000 RBI and Brian Harper becoming only the fourth catcher in the prior 40 years to hit .300 in three consecutive seasons. Chuck Knoblauch
continued his solid leadoff hitting, batting .277 and stealing a team-leading 29 bases. The weaker spots in the regular lineup included Pedro Muñoz
(.233 average).
, Willie Banks
, and Jim Deshaies
having ERAs in the low fours. Unfortunately, Scott Erickson
was not able to follow up his very successful first three years in the majors, posting an ERA of 5.19 and leading the majors in losses (19). The fifth spot in the rotation was uncertain, with Eddie Guardado
making 16 starts and Mike Trombley
10.
There were strong pitchers in the bullpen, starting with closer Rick Aguilera
. He had 34 saves, and was American League Pitcher of the Month for June. Also having strong years were Larry Casian
with an ERA of 3.02, Mike Hartley
(4.00), and Carl Willis
(3.10). This was not so much the case for pitchers such as George Tsamis
(6.19) and Brett Merriman (9.67).
played in about half the team's games at third, with reasonable competence. (Jeff Reboulet
and Terry Jorgenson also saw time at the position.) The team intended Scott Leius
to be the starting shortstop, but an early injury prevented this from occurring. It paved the way for Pat Meares
to man the position for several years. He surprised the team by playing reasonably well during his rookie year. Puckett always excelled in center field, while Shane Mack
and Munoz did okay on either side of him.
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...
underperformed in their last year in the old American League West Division, finishing with a 71-91 record, leaving the team tied for fifth place with the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. There were bright spots for Manager Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly (baseball)
Jay Thomas Kelly , is the former manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team from to . Currently, he serves as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Twins....
. This included 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...
winning the All-Star MVP award
Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award given to the most outstanding player in each year's MLB All-Star Game. Awarded each season since , it was originally called the "Arch Ward Memorial Award" in honor of Arch Ward, the man who...
on July 13, after hitting a home run and an RBI double. Another bright spot was St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
native Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
getting his 3,000th hit
3000 hit club
In Major League Baseball , the 3,000 hit club is a term applied to the group of batters who have collected 3,000 or more regular-season hits in their careers. Cap Anson was the first to join the club on July 18, 1897, although his precise career hit total is unclear. Two players—Nap Lajoie and...
in his first year back with his hometown team. The hit came off of Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
on September 16.
Offseason
- October 26, 1992: Mike MaksudianMike MaksudianMichael Bryant Maksudian is a former Major League Baseball catcher/corner-infielder. He spent 1992 with the Toronto Blue Jays, 1993 with the Minnesota Twins, and 1994 with the Chicago Cubs. In 41 career at-bats, he collected 9 hits and 6 RBIs. He was famous for consuming insects in the Jays'...
was selected off waivers by the Twins from the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. - December 5, 1992: David WestDavid West (baseball)David Lee West , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1988-1998...
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 Mike HartleyMike HartleyMichael Edward Hartley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of East Carolina University.Signed as an amateur free agent by the St...
. - December 9, 1992: Jim DeshaiesJim DeshaiesJames Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - December 17, 1992: Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins. - January 8, 1993: Randy BushRandy BushRobert Randall Bush , is a former professional baseball player and currently a front office member of the Chicago Cubs. With the hiring of Theo Epstein, Bush will continue as an assistant General Manager, and will be involved in the hiring process of the field and scouting staff.Bush played for...
was signed as a free agent by the Twins.
Regular season
- The Twins’ all-star representatives were outfielder 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...
and closer Rick AguileraRick AguileraRichard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....
.
- The highest paid Twin in 1993 was Puckett at $5,300,000, followed by Hrbek at $3,100,000.
Offense
Not only did Winfield get his 3,000th hit, but he also got his 500th double and 450th homer. He had a serviceable year as the team's primary designated hitterDesignated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, hitting .271 with 21 home runs and 76 RBI. Other offensive highlights included 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...
becoming the second Twin (along with Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
) to reach 1,000 RBI and Brian Harper becoming only the fourth catcher in the prior 40 years to hit .300 in three consecutive seasons. Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch
Edward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...
continued his solid leadoff hitting, batting .277 and stealing a team-leading 29 bases. The weaker spots in the regular lineup included Pedro Muñoz
Pedro Muñoz (baseball)
Pedro Javier Muñoz González is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played seven seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics.-External links:...
(.233 average).
| 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... |
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... |
25 |
| 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... |
89 |
| 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 :... |
Brian Harper Brian Harper Brian 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... |
.304 |
| 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... |
89 |
Pitching
The starting rotation was reasonably competent, with Kevin TapaniKevin Tapani
Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:...
, Willie Banks
Willie Banks (baseball)
Willie Anthony Banks was a pitcher for Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins , Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers , Florida Marlins , New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox .Banks was a member of the 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins, the 1995...
, and Jim Deshaies
Jim Deshaies
James Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :...
having ERAs in the low fours. Unfortunately, Scott Erickson
Scott Erickson
Scott Gavin Erickson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Career:Erickson was born in Long Beach, California, and began his professional career, after being drafted by the NY Mets in 1986, Houston Astros in 1987, and Toronto Blue Jays in 1988, in when he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins...
was not able to follow up his very successful first three years in the majors, posting an ERA of 5.19 and leading the majors in losses (19). The fifth spot in the rotation was uncertain, with Eddie Guardado
Eddie Guardado
Edward Adrian Guardado is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Throughout his career, Guardado had played with the Minnesota Twins , Seattle Mariners , Cincinnati Reds , and the Rangers .His common nickname is "Everyday Eddie", a testament to his durable arm during his first stint with the...
making 16 starts and Mike Trombley
Mike Trombley
Michael Scott Trombley and raised in Wilbraham, Massachusetts is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from -.-External links:...
10.
There were strong pitchers in the bullpen, starting with closer Rick Aguilera
Rick Aguilera
Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....
. He had 34 saves, and was American League Pitcher of the Month for June. Also having strong years were Larry Casian
Larry Casian
Lawrence Paul Casian , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1990-1998. He is currently an assistant coach for the baseball team at the University of Portland....
with an ERA of 3.02, Mike Hartley
Mike Hartley
Michael Edward Hartley is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of East Carolina University.Signed as an amateur free agent by the St...
(4.00), and Carl Willis
Carl Willis
Carl Blake Willis was a relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins...
(3.10). This was not so much the case for pitchers such as George Tsamis
George Tsamis
George Alex Tsamis is a former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched one season in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins in 1993. He is the current manager of the St. Paul Saints, and has been since 2003. He led the Saints to the 2004 Northern League championship.- Playing career...
(6.19) and Brett Merriman (9.67).
| 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... |
Willie Banks Willie Banks (baseball) Willie Anthony Banks was a pitcher for Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins , Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers , Florida Marlins , New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox .Banks was a member of the 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins, the 1995... |
4.04 |
| 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... |
Kevin Tapani Kevin Tapani Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:... |
12 |
| Saves | Rick Aguilera Rick Aguilera Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs.... |
34 |
| Strikeouts | Kevin Tapani Kevin Tapani Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:... |
150 |
Defense
The team was strong defensively. Harper was a strong catcher, with a .988 fielding percentage. Hrbek was always strong at first base as well, making only five errors in 1993. Knoblauch was a good second baseman at this point in his career. Mike PagliaruloMike Pagliarulo
Michael Timothy Pagliarulo, aka "Pags" , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman during the 1980s and into the mid 1990s...
played in about half the team's games at third, with reasonable competence. (Jeff Reboulet
Jeff Reboulet
Jeffrey Allen Reboulet was a Major League Baseball infielder. He is an alumnus of Louisiana State University....
and Terry Jorgenson also saw time at the position.) The team intended Scott Leius
Scott Leius
Scott Thomas Leius is a former American League baseball player during the 1990s. Leius was a late season call up by the Minnesota Twins and debuted with the parent club on September 3, 1990...
to be the starting shortstop, but an early injury prevented this from occurring. It paved the way for Pat Meares
Pat Meares
Patrick James Meares is a former Major League Baseball shortstop.Meares was the 12th round draft pick of the 1990 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins, from Wichita State University....
to man the position for several years. He surprised the team by playing reasonably well during his rookie year. Puckett always excelled in center field, while Shane Mack
Shane Mack (baseball player)
Shane Lee Mack is a former left and center fielder in Major League Baseball.Mack played for Richard Gahr High School in Cerritos, California from 1978-1982. Upon graduation, he accepted an athletic scholarship to play for the UCLA Bruins baseball team where he starred from 1982-1984...
and Munoz did okay on either side of him.
Notable transactions
- June 3, 1993: 1993 Major League Baseball Draft1993 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.-Compensation picks:-Other notable players:*Scott Rolen was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1993 amateur draft....
- Torii HunterTorii HunterTorii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...
was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round (20th pick). - Jason VaritekJason VaritekJason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round (21st pick), but did not sign. - Dan PerkinsDan Perkins (baseball)Daniel Lee Perkins is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Perkins played for the Minnesota Twins in .Perkins last played professional baseball in with the Akron Aeros.-External links:...
was drafted by the Twins in the 2nd round. - Javier ValentínJavier ValentínJosé Javier Valentín Rosario is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. From -, he played for the Cincinnati Reds after playing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and playing in four brief stints for the Minnesota Twins from -. He is the younger brother of former Major League...
was drafted by the Twins in the 3rd round.
- Torii Hunter
- June 27, 1993: Randy Bush was released by the Twins.
- June 30, 1993: Alan NewmanAlan NewmanAlan Spencer Newman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played parts of two seasons in the majors, 1999 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and 2000 for the Cleveland Indians. He then went on to play three seasons in Japan, 2001-02 for the Yakult Swallows and 2003 for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.-...
and minor leaguer Tom Hauk were traded to the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for Gary Scott. - August 15, 1993: Mike PagliaruloMike PagliaruloMichael Timothy Pagliarulo, aka "Pags" , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman during the 1980s and into the mid 1990s...
was traded by the Twins to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for a player to be named later. On August 16, the Orioles sent Erik SchullstromErik SchullstromErik Paul Schullstrom is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Minnesota Twins in 1994 and 1995. He was born on March 25, 1969 in San Diego, California, and he attended Fresno State University. Schullstrom was 6'5" and 220 pounds...
to the Twins to complete the trade. - August 28, 1993: Jim DeshaiesJim DeshaiesJames Joseph "Jim" Deshaies , also known as "JD", is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball and currently a TV commentator with the Houston Astros.- Major-league career :...
was traded by the Twins to the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
for Aaron FultzAaron FultzRichard Aaron Fultz is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher.Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 6th round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft, Fultz spent the first three seasons of his Major League career with them , compiling a 10-5 record in 167 games played...
, minor leaguer Andres Duncan, and a player to be named later. On September 1, the Giants sent Greg BrummettGreg BrummettGregory Scott "Spike" Brummett is a former right-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins in 1993....
to the Twins to complete the trade.
Roster
| 1993 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF | 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... |
156 | 622 | 184 | .296 | 22 | 89 |
| RF | Pedro Muñoz Pedro Muñoz (baseball) Pedro Javier Muñoz González is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played seven seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics.-External links:... |
104 | 326 | 76 | .233 | 13 | 38 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Jorgensen Terry Jorgensen Terry Allen Jorgensen is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He played in parts of three seasons in the majors for the Minnesota Twins between and .... |
59 | 152 | 34 | .224 | 1 | 12 |
| Randy Bush Randy Bush Robert Randall Bush , is a former professional baseball player and currently a front office member of the Chicago Cubs. With the hiring of Theo Epstein, Bush will continue as an assistant General Manager, and will be involved in the hiring process of the field and scouting staff.Bush played for... |
35 | 45 | 7 | .156 | 0 | 3 |
| Derek Parks Derek Parks Derek Gavin Parks is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played parts of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins.-External links:... |
7 | 20 | 4 | .200 | 0 | 1 |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|