1997 Minnesota Twins
Encyclopedia
The 1997 Minnesota Twins
will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. Manager Tom Kelly
's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly past-their-prime veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was pitcher Brad Radke
’s breakout season. The team finished with a 68-94 record, good enough for fourth place in the league’s weakest division.
had a 35-home run, 100-RBI season with the Oakland Athletics
in a contract year. Unfortunately for the Twins, he followed it up with a 12-home run, 54-RBI season with his hometown team. Scott Stahoviak
played in half the games at first base but batted only .229. Second baseman Chuck Knoblauch
, the team’s lone all-star, had a great year with the Twins, batting .291 and stealing a career-high 62 bases. The contrast between his season and his team’s season led him to demand a trade, a demand the team obliged by sending him to the New York Yankees
the following February. Ron Coomer
had a competent year at third, hitting .298 with 13 home runs. Pat Meares
hit .276, an above-average season for him. The primary outfielders – Marty Cordova
, Rich Becker
, and Matt Lawton
– had mediocre seasons. This was disappointing, because Cordova and Becker were coming off of the best years in their careers. Designated hitter
Paul Molitor
had a good year, batting .305 with 89 RBI, but it did not match his stellar 1996 numbers. Veterans like Roberto Kelly
and Greg Colbrunn
performed reasonably well off the bench.
had a breakout year, going 20-10 with an ERA of 3.87. Bob Tewksbury
and Rich Robertson spent most of the year in the starting rotation, but both had losing records. In the final two spots, LaTroy Hawkins
, Scott Aldred
, and Frank Rodriguez
respectively had 20, 15, and 15 starts. Of these three, Rodriguez was the only one with an ERA under 5. Rick Aguilera
had a good year as the team’s closer, earning 26 saves in not very many opportunities. Eddie Guardado
, Mike Trombley
, Greg Swindell
, and Todd Ritchie
had competent seasons in the bullpen. At the end of the season, Dan Serafini
played well in six games, giving some hope for the future.
All-Star Game
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...
will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. 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....
's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly past-their-prime veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was pitcher Brad Radke
Brad Radke
Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's...
’s breakout season. The team finished with a 68-94 record, good enough for fourth place in the league’s weakest division.
Offseason
- November 4: Signed Juan RincónJuan RincónJuan Manuel Rincón is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is with the Bridgeport Bluefish in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Rincón bats and throws right-handed. He throws a low 90s fastball and a mid low 80s slider...
as an amateur free agent. - December 5: Signed catcher and Minnesota native Terry SteinbachTerry SteinbachTerry Lee Steinbach is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for 14 years from to . He was drafted in 1980 out of New Ulm High School by the Cleveland Indians. He was the starting catcher for Oakland Athletics teams that won three straight American League pennants from 1988 to...
as a free agent. - December 12: Signed pitcher Bob TewksburyBob TewksburyRobert Alan Tewksbury is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Tewksbury's talent was initially discovered by Andy Michael in Concord. Michael contacted the New York Yankees and Tewksbury was drafted by them out of Saint Leo University in the 19th round of the 1981 draft...
as a free agent. - December 18: Signed pitcher Greg SwindellGreg SwindellForest Gregory "Greg" Swindell is an American former Major League Baseball player, who had a 17-year career as a left-handed pitcher from to...
as a free agent.
Offense
In 1996, catcher Terry SteinbachTerry Steinbach
Terry Lee Steinbach is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for 14 years from to . He was drafted in 1980 out of New Ulm High School by the Cleveland Indians. He was the starting catcher for Oakland Athletics teams that won three straight American League pennants from 1988 to...
had a 35-home run, 100-RBI season with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
in a contract year. Unfortunately for the Twins, he followed it up with a 12-home run, 54-RBI season with his hometown team. Scott Stahoviak
Scott Stahoviak
Scott Edmund Stahoviak is a former Minnesota Twins first baseman. He was born on March 6, 1970, in Waukegan, Illinois. He attended Creighton University, and was an integral part of Creighton's NCAA College World Series appearance in 1991...
played in half the games at first base but batted only .229. Second baseman 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...
, the team’s lone all-star, had a great year with the Twins, batting .291 and stealing a career-high 62 bases. The contrast between his season and his team’s season led him to demand a trade, a demand the team obliged by sending him to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
the following February. Ron Coomer
Ron Coomer
Ronald "Coom Dawg" Coomer is a former first baseman and third baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 9-year career from to . He played for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers...
had a competent year at third, hitting .298 with 13 home runs. 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....
hit .276, an above-average season for him. The primary outfielders – Marty Cordova
Marty Cordova
Martin Keevin "Marty" Cordova [cor-DOH-vuh] , is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder. He played for the Minnesota Twins , Toronto Blue Jays , Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles...
, Rich Becker
Rich Becker
Richard "Richie" Godhard Becker was a Major League Baseball player between 1993-2000.Born in Aurora, Illinois, Becker was selected in the third round of the 1990 Major League Baseball amateur draft out of West Aurora High School by the Minnesota Twins. In high school Becker, excelled at football...
, and Matt Lawton
Matt Lawton
Matthew "Matt" Lawton, Jr. is a retired professional baseball whose career spanned 15 seasons, including 12 seasons in Major League Baseball. Lawton, an outfielder, made his major league debut September 5, 1995, with the Minnesota Twins, who signed him four years prior...
– had mediocre seasons. This was disappointing, because Cordova and Becker were coming off of the best years in their careers. Designated hitter
Designated 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...
Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
had a good year, batting .305 with 89 RBI, but it did not match his stellar 1996 numbers. Veterans like Roberto Kelly
Roberto Kelly
Roberto Conrado Kelly is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball and is currently the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants. He previously managed the Giants' single-A team, the Augusta GreenJackets. Kelly played for several major league clubs...
and Greg Colbrunn
Greg Colbrunn
Gregory Joseph Colbrunn was a Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons.Colbrunn was part of the victorious Arizona Diamondbacks 2001 World Series winning team....
performed reasonably well off the bench.
| 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... |
Marty Cordova Marty Cordova Martin Keevin "Marty" Cordova [cor-DOH-vuh] , is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder. He played for the Minnesota Twins , Toronto Blue Jays , Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles... |
15 |
| RBI | Paul Molitor Paul Molitor Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins... |
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 :... |
Paul Molitor Paul Molitor Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins... |
.305 |
| 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... |
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... |
117 |
Pitching
Brad RadkeBrad Radke
Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's...
had a breakout year, going 20-10 with an ERA of 3.87. Bob Tewksbury
Bob Tewksbury
Robert Alan Tewksbury is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Tewksbury's talent was initially discovered by Andy Michael in Concord. Michael contacted the New York Yankees and Tewksbury was drafted by them out of Saint Leo University in the 19th round of the 1981 draft...
and Rich Robertson spent most of the year in the starting rotation, but both had losing records. In the final two spots, LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Through 2011, he was third of all active pitchers in career games pitched.-Minnesota Twins:...
, Scott Aldred
Scott Aldred
Scott Phillip Aldred is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and current minor league pitching coach.-Early life:Aldred was born in Flint, Michigan...
, and Frank Rodriguez
Frank Rodriguez (baseball)
Francisco Rodriguez is a former major league pitcher.-Amateur career:Rodriguez won the Dick Howser Trophy in 1991. At the time of the award, Rodriguez was playing for Howard Junior College in Big Spring, Texas...
respectively had 20, 15, and 15 starts. Of these three, Rodriguez was the only one with an ERA under 5. 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....
had a good year as the team’s closer, earning 26 saves in not very many opportunities. 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...
, 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:...
, Greg Swindell
Greg Swindell
Forest Gregory "Greg" Swindell is an American former Major League Baseball player, who had a 17-year career as a left-handed pitcher from to...
, and Todd Ritchie
Todd Ritchie
Todd Everett Ritchie is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues from -....
had competent seasons in the bullpen. At the end of the season, Dan Serafini
Dan Serafini
Daniel Joseph Serafini is a left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent and coach/owner of Throw Like a Pro Baseball Academy.-Minor league career:...
played well in six games, giving some hope for the future.
| 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... |
Brad Radke Brad Radke Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's... |
3.87 |
| 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... |
Brad Radke Brad Radke Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's... |
20 |
| 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.... |
26 |
| Strikeouts | Brad Radke Brad Radke Brad William Radke is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played his entire 12 season career with the Minnesota Twins. Radke won 148 career games and was one of the most consistent pitchers in the Twins organization during the late 90's... |
174 |
Defense
Steinbach played well at catcher, backed up by Greg Myers. Stahoviak played in 81 games at first, with Colbrunn in 64. Knoblauch won a Gold Glove at second base in a season that gave no indication of his future throwing problems. Coomer (third base) and Meares (shortstop) were average at their positions. The three outfielders played well in the field.Roster
| 1997 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
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| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
Manager Coaches |
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Notable transactions
- January 24: Signed first baseman Greg ColbrunnGreg ColbrunnGregory Joseph Colbrunn was a Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons.Colbrunn was part of the victorious Arizona Diamondbacks 2001 World Series winning team....
as a free agent. - June 3: Drafted future major leaguers such as Michael CuddyerMichael CuddyerMichael Brent Cuddyer is a Major League Baseball right fielder who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed, and wore number 5 for Minnesota Twins.-High school:...
(1st round, 9th pick), Matthew LeCroyMatthew LeCroyMatthew Hanks LeCroy is a former Major League Baseball catcher, first baseman, and designated hitter...
(1st, 50th), Michael RestovichMichael RestovichMichael Jerome Restovich is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder.-High school career:...
(2nd round), J.C. RomeroJ.C. RomeroJuan Carlos Romero is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Minnesota Twins , the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim , the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies....
(21st round), and Nick PuntoNick PuntoNicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
(33rd round). (Punto did not sign with the team.) - July 31: Relief pitcher Dave StevensDave Stevens (baseball)David James Stevens is an American former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Stevens played for the Minnesota Twins , Chicago Cubs , Cleveland Indians , and Atlanta Braves .-External links:...
claimed off waivers from the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. - August 14: Traded Colbrunn to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for a player to be named later. On October 1, the Braves sent the Twins minor leaguer Mark Lewis to complete the deal. - August 20: Traded Roberto KellyRoberto KellyRoberto Conrado Kelly is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball and is currently the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants. He previously managed the Giants' single-A team, the Augusta GreenJackets. Kelly played for several major league clubs...
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 players to be named later. On October 9, the Mariners sent the Twins Joe MaysJoe MaysJoeseph Emerson Mays is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.Mays is a 1994 graduate of Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida. He also attended Manatee Community College in Bradenton. He and his wife, Melinda , have two children.Mays began his major league career with the...
and minor leaguer Jeromy Palki to complete the deal. - November 18: Catcher Damian MillerDamian MillerDamian Donald Miller is a former Major League Baseball catcher who last played for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school years:...
and outfielder/first baseman Brent BredeBrent BredeBrent David Brede is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 5th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft, Brede made his MLB debut with the Twins on September 8,...
lost to the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona DiamondbacksThe Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in the expansion draft. - December 11: Signed outfielder Otis NixonOtis NixonOtis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a center fielder and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999...
as a free agent. - December 12: Traded outfielder Rich BeckerRich BeckerRichard "Richie" Godhard Becker was a Major League Baseball player between 1993-2000.Born in Aurora, Illinois, Becker was selected in the third round of the 1990 Major League Baseball amateur draft out of West Aurora High School by the Minnesota Twins. In high school Becker, excelled at football...
to the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for outfielder Alex OchoaAlex OchoaAlex Ochoa is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder. He is a Cuban American and is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Red Sox....
. - December 16: Signed pitcher Mike MorganMike MorganMichael Thomas Morgan is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He competed for twelve different teams over 25 years, and is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have played Major League baseball over four decades...
as a free agent. - December 23: Signed infielder and Minnesota native Brent GatesBrent GatesBrent Robert Gates is a former Major League Baseball second and third baseman. He is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota....
as a free agent. - December 24: Signed pitcher Mike Nakamura as a free agent.
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 |
|---|
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 |
|---|
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 |
|---|
Miscellaneous
- The highest paid Twin in 1997 was Knoblauch at $6,150,000, followed by Molitor at $3,500,000.
- In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
breaking MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's color-line, the Twins wore uniforms of the 1909 St. Paul Colored GophersSt. Paul Colored GophersThe St. Paul Colored Gophers was a small club of black baseball players formed in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1907. The club lasted only 4 years, as the market in St. Paul was too small. They were not a formal Negro League team, as the Negro League was not created until 1920...
at home against ClevelandCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
on July 13, 1997.
Awards and honors
- Paul MolitorPaul MolitorPaul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
, Lou Gehrig Award
All-Star Game
1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th 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 8, 1997 at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the...
- The lone representative of the Twins in the All-Star Game was second baseman Chuck KnoblauchChuck KnoblauchEdward 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...
.