Kevin Tapani
Encyclopedia
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.
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He quarterbacked Escanaba High School to the 1981 MHSAA Class A State Football Championship. He then went on to attend Central Michigan University
where he was a star pitcher for the Chippewas from 1983 to 1986, finishing with a career record of 23-8, helping the Chippewas to three Mid-American Conference titles, and tossing a no-hitter against Eastern Michigan University
in 1986.
Tapani was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 9th round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft, but he did not sign. He was then selected on June 2, 1986 in the second round of the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics
. He signed five days later and was assigned to Medford A's of the low Single-A Northwest League
. However he didn't stay at Medford long as after stops in Modesto and Huntsville
, he made his final start of his first season in professional baseball pitching for the AAA Tacoma Tigers and finished the year a combined 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 85 2/3 Innings. 1987 found Tapani back at Single-A Modesto, despite dominating at the level the previous year, and turned in another good season with a 10-7 record, a 3.76 ERA, and 121 strikouts in 148 1/3 innings. On December 11, a three-team trade was completed that saw Tapani and fellow A's minor league pitcher Wally Whitehurst
move to the New York Mets, starter Bob Welch and reliever att Young] move from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the A's, minor league pitcher Jack Savage
go from the Dodgers to the New York Mets
, shortstop Alfredo Griffin
and closer Jay Howell
move from the Mets to the Dodgers, and reliever Jesse Orosco
go from the Mets to the Dodgers.
Following the trade, Tapani was again sent to single-A to start the 1988 season, but after 3 starts with the St. Lucie Mets
in which he only allowed 3 earned runs in 19 innings, he was promoted to the AA Jackson Mets
where he went 5-1 but only started 5 of the 24 games he saw action in. As fellow future-Twin Rick Aguilera
would see in his own climb to the major leagues, with no openings in the 1988 Mets starting rotation of Dwight Gooden
, Bob Ojeda
, Sid Fernandez
, Ron Darling
, and young phenom David Cone
, even promising starters were groomed in minor league bullpens since this was the only way to crack the big league pitching staff. 1989 saw Tapani start 7-5 with a 3.47 ERA for the AAA Tidewater Tides before being called up to the Mets in July. making his major league debut on July 4. He entered the game in the 1st inning after starter Ojeda had given up eight runs to the Houston Astros
while only getting two outs. Thrown into the fire, Tapani completed 4 1/3 innings while giving up 2 hits, 3 walks, and only allowing one more run. Over the next four weeks, he would only get into two more games, pitching a total of 7 2/3 innings in relief.
. He entered the game in the 1st inning after starter Ojeda had given up eight runs to the Houston Astros
while only getting two outs. Thrown into the fire, Tapani completed 4 1/3 innings while giving up 2 hits, 3 walks, and only allowing one more run. Over the next four weeks, he would only get into two more games, pitching a total of 7 2/3 innings in relief. On July 31, just prior to the end of the non-waiver trade deadline, Tapani was included in the blockbuster trade that sent 1988 A.L.
Cy Young Award
winner Frank Viola
, who was vocal in his desire to get a big salary increase in free agency, from the Minnesota Twins to the Mets in exchange for major league swingman Rick Aguilera
, minor league relievers Tim Drummond
and Jack Savage, and phenom starter David West. Tapani was then thrown into the Twins starting rotation and finished the 1989 season 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 32 2/3 innings.
After his promising debut, Tapani was made a fixture of the rotation in 1990 and finished the season 12-8 with 4.07 ERA - good enough for 5th place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting (a distant 131 votes behind the winner, Cleveland Indians
' catcher Sandy Alomar Jr
. He would follow up his rookie season with perhaps his best overall season in 1991, finishing 16-9 with only 40 walks and 135 strikeouts in 244 innings with 2.99 ERA - his lowest and only sub-3.00 ERA of his career. He then garnered enough Cy Young votes
to finish a distant seventh behind winner Roger Clemens
and teammates Scott Erickson
and Jack Morris
who finished second and fourth respectively. Over his 7 seasons with the Twins, Tapani was a workhorse starter the Twins who averaged more than 13 wins and over 200 innings in his five full seasons. After suffering through three poor seasons (the beginning of what would be eight consecutive losing seasons) and looking at losing the soon to be free agent Tapani after the 1995 season, the Twins traded him on July 31 to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ron Coomer
, Chris Latham, José Parra
, and Greg Hansell
. Unfortunately this was a largely forgettable trade on the Twins' part as only Coomer would be only useful player to come over from the Dodgers.
After finishing 4-2 down the stretch for the Dodgers, Tapani pitched in Game 3 against the Cincinnati Reds
in the National League Divisional series and gave up 3 runs and 4 walks in only 1/3 of an inning in relief of starter Hideo Nomo
in a 10-1 loss that capped off the Reds' 3-0 sweep. After being granted Free Agency in December 1995, Tapani signed a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 3, 1996 and turned in another typical "Tapani" season for the Sox - finishing 13-10 with a 4.59 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 225 1/3 innings.
After again being granted free agency following the 1996 season, Tapani moved across town and signed a five-year contract with the Cubs on December 13. On July 20, 1998 while playing for the Cubs, Tapani had perhaps the most memorable day of his career. Throwing 8 innings against the Braves, he allowed just three runs and topped it off by hitting a third inning grand slam off former Twins teammate Denny Neagle
in an 11-4 romp over the Atlanta Braves
.
In his career, Tapani pitched adeptly in both the American League
and National League
, and played his last game on September 27, 2001
. His career record: 143 wins, 125 losses, and an ERA
of 4.35. In 1998
with the Chicago Cubs
, Tapani earned his best record of 19-9, though his ERA was 4.85. In 1991
, with the Twins, Tapani had his lowest ERA of 2.99 to go with a 16-9 record and 7th place in the 1991 Cy Young Award
voting.
Major League Baseball
Major 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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The 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...
, 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...
, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The 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...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The 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...
, and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The 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...
from 1989 to 2001.
Early life
Tapani was raised in EscanabaEscanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He quarterbacked Escanaba High School to the 1981 MHSAA Class A State Football Championship. He then went on to attend Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
where he was a star pitcher for the Chippewas from 1983 to 1986, finishing with a career record of 23-8, helping the Chippewas to three Mid-American Conference titles, and tossing a no-hitter against Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
in 1986.
Tapani was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 9th round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft, but he did not sign. He was then selected on June 2, 1986 in the second round of the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft by 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....
. He signed five days later and was assigned to Medford A's of the low Single-A Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
. However he didn't stay at Medford long as after stops in Modesto and Huntsville
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
, he made his final start of his first season in professional baseball pitching for the AAA Tacoma Tigers and finished the year a combined 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 85 2/3 Innings. 1987 found Tapani back at Single-A Modesto, despite dominating at the level the previous year, and turned in another good season with a 10-7 record, a 3.76 ERA, and 121 strikouts in 148 1/3 innings. On December 11, a three-team trade was completed that saw Tapani and fellow A's minor league pitcher Wally Whitehurst
Wally Whitehurst
Walter Richard Whitehurst is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from to with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees...
move to the New York Mets, starter Bob Welch and reliever att Young] move from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the A's, minor league pitcher Jack Savage
Jack Savage
John Joseph "Jack" Savage is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1987 and the Minnesota Twins in 1990. He was born on April 22, 1964 in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, and he went on to attend the University of...
go from the Dodgers to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The 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...
, shortstop Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Griffin
Alfredo Claudino Griffin is a former Major League Baseball player, who played shortstop for four teams from 1976 to 1993. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Playing career:...
and closer Jay Howell
Jay Howell
Jay Canfield Howell is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Chicago Cubs , New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers .Howell was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers when they won the 1988 World Series...
move from the Mets to the Dodgers, and reliever Jesse Orosco
Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,...
go from the Mets to the Dodgers.
Following the trade, Tapani was again sent to single-A to start the 1988 season, but after 3 starts with the St. Lucie Mets
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a minor league baseball team based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the New York Mets major-league club.The team plays at Digital Domain Park...
in which he only allowed 3 earned runs in 19 innings, he was promoted to the AA Jackson Mets
Jackson Mets
The Jackson Mets were a professional baseball team based in Jackson, Mississippi, from 1975 through 1990. As of 2010, they are the longest-tenured club to be based in the Jackson metropolitan area...
where he went 5-1 but only started 5 of the 24 games he saw action in. As fellow future-Twin 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....
would see in his own climb to the major leagues, with no openings in the 1988 Mets starting rotation of Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, Bob Ojeda
Bob Ojeda
Robert Michael Ojeda is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. Ojeda is best remembered as an anchor in the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets starting rotation , and for being the lone survivor of a March 22, boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians pitchers...
, Sid Fernandez
Sid Fernandez
Charles Sidney Fernandez was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher from to . Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Fernandez was proud of his roots and wore uniform number 50 in honor of Hawaii being the 50th state...
, Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
, and young phenom David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
, even promising starters were groomed in minor league bullpens since this was the only way to crack the big league pitching staff. 1989 saw Tapani start 7-5 with a 3.47 ERA for the AAA Tidewater Tides before being called up to the Mets in July. making his major league debut on July 4. He entered the game in the 1st inning after starter Ojeda had given up eight runs to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
while only getting two outs. Thrown into the fire, Tapani completed 4 1/3 innings while giving up 2 hits, 3 walks, and only allowing one more run. Over the next four weeks, he would only get into two more games, pitching a total of 7 2/3 innings in relief.
Major league career
Tapani made his Major League debut on July 4, 19891989 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants ; Dave Stewart, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Rickey Henderson*National League Championship Series MVP: Will Clark...
. He entered the game in the 1st inning after starter Ojeda had given up eight runs to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
while only getting two outs. Thrown into the fire, Tapani completed 4 1/3 innings while giving up 2 hits, 3 walks, and only allowing one more run. Over the next four weeks, he would only get into two more games, pitching a total of 7 2/3 innings in relief. On July 31, just prior to the end of the non-waiver trade deadline, Tapani was included in the blockbuster trade that sent 1988 A.L.
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...
winner 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...
, who was vocal in his desire to get a big salary increase in free agency, from the Minnesota Twins to the Mets in exchange for major league swingman 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....
, minor league relievers Tim Drummond
Tim Drummond
Tim Drummond is an American bass guitarist who has toured and recorded with many notable artists including Conway Twitty, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Ry Cooder, J. J. Cale, Lonnie Mack, Miles Davis, B.B...
and Jack Savage, and phenom starter David West. Tapani was then thrown into the Twins starting rotation and finished the 1989 season 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 32 2/3 innings.
After his promising debut, Tapani was made a fixture of the rotation in 1990 and finished the season 12-8 with 4.07 ERA - good enough for 5th place in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting (a distant 131 votes behind the winner, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The 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...
' catcher Sandy Alomar Jr
Sandy Alomar, Jr.
Santos "Sandy" Alomar, Jr., or in the Spanish-language naming system Santos Alomar Velázquez , is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the San Diego Padres , Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox and , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Los Angeles Dodgers , and New York Mets...
. He would follow up his rookie season with perhaps his best overall season in 1991, finishing 16-9 with only 40 walks and 135 strikeouts in 244 innings with 2.99 ERA - his lowest and only sub-3.00 ERA of his career. He then garnered enough Cy Young votes
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...
to finish a distant seventh behind winner Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
and teammates 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...
and Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
who finished second and fourth respectively. Over his 7 seasons with the Twins, Tapani was a workhorse starter the Twins who averaged more than 13 wins and over 200 innings in his five full seasons. After suffering through three poor seasons (the beginning of what would be eight consecutive losing seasons) and looking at losing the soon to be free agent Tapani after the 1995 season, the Twins traded him on July 31 to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 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...
, Chris Latham, José Parra
José Parra (baseball)
José Miguel Parra was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played from -. He also played two seasons in Japan, for the Yomiuri Giants in and the Orix Buffaloes in , as well as in South Korea and Taiwan.-External links:...
, and Greg Hansell
Greg Hansell
Gregory Michael Hansell in Bellflower, California, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Hansell played for four different major league ballclubs during his career: the Los Angeles Dodgers , Minnesota Twins , Milwaukee Brewers , and Pittsburgh Pirates...
. Unfortunately this was a largely forgettable trade on the Twins' part as only Coomer would be only useful player to come over from the Dodgers.
After finishing 4-2 down the stretch for the Dodgers, Tapani pitched in Game 3 against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The 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....
in the National League Divisional series and gave up 3 runs and 4 walks in only 1/3 of an inning in relief of starter Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
in a 10-1 loss that capped off the Reds' 3-0 sweep. After being granted Free Agency in December 1995, Tapani signed a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 3, 1996 and turned in another typical "Tapani" season for the Sox - finishing 13-10 with a 4.59 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 225 1/3 innings.
After again being granted free agency following the 1996 season, Tapani moved across town and signed a five-year contract with the Cubs on December 13. On July 20, 1998 while playing for the Cubs, Tapani had perhaps the most memorable day of his career. Throwing 8 innings against the Braves, he allowed just three runs and topped it off by hitting a third inning grand slam off former Twins teammate Denny Neagle
Denny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
in an 11-4 romp over the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The 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....
.
In his career, Tapani pitched adeptly in both 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...
and National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, and played his last game on September 27, 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. His career record: 143 wins, 125 losses, and an 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...
of 4.35. In 1998
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The 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...
, Tapani earned his best record of 19-9, though his ERA was 4.85. In 1991
1991 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves ; Jack Morris, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Kirby Puckett*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Avery...
, with the Twins, Tapani had his lowest ERA of 2.99 to go with a 16-9 record and 7th place in the 1991 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...
voting.
Later life
After retirement, Tapani returned to his home in Minnetonka, MN to live with his wife and three children, Sarah (b 1992), Ryan (b 1995), and Luke (b 1997). In 1999, Tapani was elected as a member of the Central Michigan Athletics Hall of Fame. He has been involved with little league and youth baseball since his retirement including coaching both of his sons teams.External links
- Kevin Tapani statistics provided by baseball-almanac.com.