The Franchise 1993 (Part 2)

Roster/Stats (Pitchers)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1993

SP Kevin Tapani 12-15 4.43 ERA 98 ERA+ 1.32 WHIP 3.71 FIP 2.8 WAR
Kevin Tapani in 1993 looked very similar to Kevin Tapani in 1992, the main difference that he essentially flipped his won/loss record. Accordingly, everybody wondered what had happened to Tapani.

SP Scott Erickson 8-19 5.19 ERA 84 ERA+ 1.50 WHIP 4.05 FIP 1.0 WAR
Erickson came into his final two starts of the 1993 season with the chance to join Pedro Ramos (1961) in the Twins’ 20-loss club. He earned a no-decision in both, including a 6 1/3 inning effort at Fenway Park in a Twins’ loss. He still ended the season with a league-worst 19 losses, but gained some credit from Tom Kelly for “being competitive enough to stare down 20 losses.”

SP Willie Banks 11-12 4.04 ERA 107 ERA+ 1.54 WHIP 4.09 FIP 2.4 WAR
Banks had some success in his first full season in the majors, and may have been the best of the Twins rotation in 1993. Still, the former first round pick was not developing as quickly as the Twins would have liked, so his success meant that his trade value peaked. The Twins sent him to Chicago in exchange for Matt Walbeck and Dave Stevens. As it turned out, 1993 was Banks’ best career season. He bounced around the league playing for six different teams. Banks became a somewhat effective bullpen arm, but never reached the promise that he seemed to have as a first round pick.

SP Jim Deshaies 11-13 4.41 ERA 99 ERA+ 1.25 WHIP 4.92 FIP 2.6 WAR
Jim Deshaies had been a very effective starter for the Houston Astros in the latter part of the 1980′s, but was considered a reclamation project when the Twins signed him as a free agent after the 1992 season. By mid-season, Deshaies was considered the most reliable starter in the rotation. Deshaies’ success led to a late August trade with the contending San Francisco Giants in which the Twins picked up three players, to most recognizable of which was reliever Aaron Fultz who, at the time, was still seven years away from his major league debut. Immediately after the season ended, Deshaies became a free agent and ultimately signed to return to Minnesota for the 1994 season.

SP Eddie Guardado 3-8 6.18 ERA 70 ERA+ 1.68 WHIP 4.97 FIP -0.6 WAR
When Pat Mahomes started the season 0-5 with an 11.29 ERA, the Twins looked to 22-year old Eddie Guardado to fill in the final spot in the rotation. Guardado was drafted by the Twins in the 21st round of the 1990 draft. His 16 starts in 1993 would represent over half of his career starts when his career ended 17 years later.

CL Rick Aguilera 4-3 3.11 ERA 140 ERA+ 1.02 WHIP 3.60 FIP 2.3 WAR
While the rest of the team struggled, the one area in which the Twins were set was at the closer position. There were plenty of rumors at the end of the season – the Atlanta Braves were the most often mentioned team, but Aguilera would return to the Twins for 1994.

RP Mike Trombley 6-6 4.88 ERA 89 ERA+ 1.50 WHIP 4.36 FIP 0.1 WAR
RP Mike Hartley 1-2 4.00 ERA 109 ERA+ 1.50 WHIP 3.82 FIP 0.8 WAR
RP Carl Willis 3-0 3.10 ERA 141 ERA+ 1.25 WHIP 2.80 FIP 1.3 WAR
RP Larry Casian 5-3 3.02 ERA 145 ERA+ 1.28 WHIP 2.92 FIP 1.1 WAR
The bullpen was stretched by a starting staff that pitched just five complete games all season, but ended up being a relative strength for a fairly bad team.

The Franchise 1993 (Part 1)

1993 Minnesota Twins

Manager: Tom Kelly 8th Season (8th with Minnesota 598-559)
71 W 91 L 693 RS 830 RA 5th AL West 23 GB (Chicago White Sox 94-68)
4.28 RPG (AL = 4.71) 4.71 ERA (AL = 4.32)
.679 DER (14th AL)

All Stars (2) Rick Aguilera, Kirby Puckett

Franchise (1901-1993) 6878-7475-110; 27-29 Post Season; 19-21 WS
Washington (1901-1960) 4214-4864-104; 8-11 WS
Minnesota (1961-1993) 2660-2611-6; 19-18 Post Season; 11-10 WS

The Sporting News ran mid-season report on the Twins in July:

What went wrong? The Twins played poorly in all phases of the game during the horrific first half. They set a major league record by going 85 games into a season without a complete game and had the worst ERA in the AL from late April to the All-Star Break…

Scott Erickson and Kevin Tapani, the two starters the Twins were counting on, were 8-20…

Though the fielding has been statistically solid, there has been numerous miscommunications among rookies who have filled in because of so many injuries. Even veterans have made basic mistakes in the field.

In retrospect 1993 signaled the beginning of the dark ages at Metrodome. While the Twins expected to contend based on past performance of their main players, age was catching up to many of the stars who had helped the team win two World Series in the previous seven seasons. The rookies who came in to replace them, however, were not quite up to the task.

C Brian Harper .304/.347/.425 12 HR 107 OPS+ 2.3 WAR
1993 Proved to be Harper’s last season in a Twins uniform. The Twins, in what was described by Andy MacPhail as a financial decision as opposed to a baseball decision, decided not to pick up Harper’s option year. He landed in Milwaukee as a part time option in 1994, and returned for two appearances with the A’s after the strike. In six years with the Twins, Harper batted .306/.342/.431 with a 110 OPS+, not to mention a World Series ring.

1B Kent Hrbek .242/.357/.467 25 HR 120 OPS+ 1.8 WAR
OF-1B Dave McCarty .214/.257/.286 2 HR 46 OPS+ -3.2 WAR
Hrbek’s numbers were up a bit from 1992, but his body suffered through another injury-plagued season. Though the signs of physical breakdown were evident, there did not seem to be a clear successor for Hrbek in the organization. The Twins had hoped that McCarty could step in, but the numbers from his first season weren’t promising.

2B Chuck Knoblauch .277/.354/.346 2 HR 90 OPS+ 2.8 WAR
Knoblauch’s numbers in 1993 looked almost identical to his Rookie-of-the-Year numbers from two years prior, but expectations had been adjusted and it was considered a disappointing season.

SS Pat Meares .251/.266/.309 2 HR 55 OPS+ -0.7 WAR
The Twins initially let Greg Gagne go thinking that Scott Leuis would take over, but a torn rotator-cuff suffered by Leuis in May meant that rookie Pat Meares would be the very day shortstop by default. Meares got off to a good start, but appeared over matched in his first major league season.

3B Mike Pagliarulo .292/.350/.423 3 HR 108 OPS+ 1.4 WAR
The Twins unloaded Pagliarulo in August for a player to be named later. Pagliarulo got to finish the season with a team that was in contention, and the Twins ended up getting Erik Schullstrom who would hang around in the bullpen for the Twins in 1994 and 1995. Pagliarulo finished his career in 1995 with the Texas Rangers.

LF Shane Mack .276/.335/.412 10 HR 100 OPS+ 1.1 WAR
Mack’s production was down a but due in part to injuries. Though there was a lot of speculation that the Twins might want to unload him in the offseason for financial reasons. Mack ended up signing a one-year deal to play in 1994, with an extra quarter-million promised by the Twins if he was traded mid-season in 1994.

CF Kirby Puckett .296/.349/.474 22 HR 120 OPS+ 0.5 WAR
With all of the contract speculation out of the way, the new discussion surrounding Minnesota institution Kirby Puckett was how long he would remain in center field. The WAR numbers tell the story: according to B-R, Puckett was worth 3.5 wins with his bat, but worth -3.0 in the field. He played 47 games in right field in 1993, but by 1994 Puckett was a full time right fielder.

RF Pedro Munoz .233/.294/.393 13 HR 83 OPS+ -2.3 WAR
Munoz was one of the many Twins  plagued by injury throughout the 1993 season. He would rebound in 1994.

DH Dave Winfield .271/.325/.442 21 HR 105 OPS+ -0.2 WAR
The Twins acquired 41-year-old Minnesota native Dave Winfield in an attempt to replace Chili Davis as the team’s power-hitting designated hitter. Winfield had an very good season considering his age, and his pursuit of 3,000 hits was probably the highlight of the season.

UT Jeff Reboulet .258/.356/.304 1 HR 80 OPS+ 1.8 WAR
IF Chip Hale .333/.408/.425 3 HR 125 OPS+ 1.5 WAR
UT Gene Larkin .264/.357/.347 1 HR 91 OPS+ 0.0 WAR

The Franchise 1992 (Part 2)

Roster/Stats (Pitchers)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1992

SP John Smiley 16-9 3.21 ERA 126 ERA+ 1.12 WHIP 3.23 FIP 2.3 PW 18 WS 4.7 WAR
When it became clear that Jack Morris was going to sign with Toronto, the Twins signaled a seriousness about contending again in 1992 by making a trade for John Smiley. It was noted that Smiley, with his price tag large enough prior to free agency at the end of 1992, was not the kind of player the team usually went after. Andy MacPhail felt that the window was closing, however, and sent Midre Cummings and Denny Neagle to Pittsburgh for what essentially became a one-year rental. Smiley pitched well for the Twins, but in the long run it was probably a good decision not to give him a large payday at the end of the season.

SP Kevin Tapani 16-11 3.97 ERA 102 ERA+ 1.25 WHIP 3.26 FIP 0.4 PW 12 WS 2.1 WAR
SP Scott Erickson 13-12 3.40 ERA 119 ERA+ 1.32 WHIP 4.22 FIP 1.9 PW 14 WS 3.7 WAR
Tapani and Erickson are an instructive case in terms of the effect of win-loss record on perception of pitchers. In 1991, Tapani was probably a better pitcher, certainly towards the end of the season. Erickson, however, got much more attention both locally an nationally due, in part, to his hot streak in early summer (rightfully so) and the fact that he reached the magic number of 20 wins (not as strong a reason). The roles reversed somewhat in 1992. By some measures, Erickson had more success than Tapani, but ended up just one win over .500; Tapani wasn’t as good as he had been a year before, but began to get a lot more attention as a very good starting pitcher.

SP Bill Krueger 10-6 4.30 ERA 94 ERA+ 1.31 WHIP 4.08 FIP -0.4 PW 8 WS 1.0 WAR
Krueger was 34-years-old and a veteran of nine major league seasons with four different teams by the time he came to Minnesota. The journeyman lasted until August 31 with the Twins before being traded to Montreal.

SP Willie Banks 4-4 5.70 ERA 71 ERA+ 1.65 WHIP 4.49 FIP -1.1 PW 1 WS -0.7 WAR
The Twins made pitcher Willie Banks the third overall pick in the 1987 draft. He made a few appearances down the stretch in 1991, but 1992 was supposed to be his first shot as a regular in the major leagues. Injuries and poor performance derailed those plans. Among the unique aspects of Banks’ trouble was the finding that the muscles in his right (pitching) arm were much weaker than those in his left arm. For some reason Banks had used his left hand for everything but pitching.

SP Pat Mahomes 3-4 5.04 ERA 80 ERA+ 1.58 WHIP 4.05 FIP -0.6 PW 2 WS -0.1 WAR
The Twins drafted Mahomes in the sixth round of the 1988 draft. He earned a starting job out of spring training but was replaced by early June.

CL Rick Aguilera 2-6 2.84 ERA 143 ERA+ 1.16 WHIP 3.40 FIP 1.3 PW 11 WS 0.8 WAR
On August 24, The Sporting News published a blurb questioning the practice of using the save stat as a measurement for reliever effectiveness. It zeroed in on Aguilera’s save totals – second best in baseball at the time – but added that he had blown six saves and that he only had saves in 66% of games in which he entered with just a one run lead. The point of the article whose author is not acknowledged seemed to be indirect praise for Dennis Eckersley, who, one would infer, did not blow any saves (he only blew three in 1992 – by far his best season in that regard – but Eck did blow 8 the year before and 10 the year after…). It is true that 1992 was Aggie’s worst season since becoming a regular closer, but he was still well above average for the position.

RP Carl Willis 7-3 2.72 ERA 149 ERA+ 1.06 WHIP 2.72 FIP 1.4 PW 8 WS 1.6 WAR
RP Tom Edens 6-3 2.83 ERA 143 ERA+ 1.32 WHIP 2.95 FIP 1.2 PW 8 WS 1.5 WAR
RP Mark Guthrie 2-3 2.88 ERA 141 ERA+ 1.09 WHIP 2.89 FIP 0.7 PW 8 WS 1.2 WAR
RP Gary Wayne 3-3 2.63 ERA 155 ERA+ 1.35 WHIP 3.49 FIP 0.8 PW 4 WS 0.8 WAR
One of the unsung reasons the 1992 Twins were as good as they were was the bullpen. In front of Aguilera, who was still one of the best closers in baseball, the Twins had at least four reliable relievers who were well above league average. In essence, the 1992 Twins were able to shorten games. The team lost Edens in the expansion draft to the Marlins, and traded Wayne to the Rockies – but Willis and Guthrie remained for the 1993 season.

The Franchise 1992 (Part 1)

1992 Minnesota Twins

Manager: Tom Kelly 7th Season (7th with Minnesota 527-468)
90 W 72 L 747 RS 653 RA 2nd AL West 6.0 GB (Oakland 96-66)
4.61 RPG (AL = 4.32) 3.74 ERA (AL = 3.94)
.706 DER (6th AL)

All-Stars (3) Rick Aguilera, Chuck Knoblauch, Kirby Puckett

Franchise (1901-1992) 6807-7384-110; 27-29 Post Season; 19-21 WS
Washington (1901-1960) 4214-4864-104; 8-11 WS
Minnesota (1961-1992) 2589-2520-6; 19-18 Post Season; 11-10 WS

If 1991 was an example of everything coming together in one magical season, 1992 might be an example of the opposite. The roster going into the season was, with a few notable changes, much the same as the previous season. Whether it was injury or regression to the mean, the career seasons of 1991 changed to disappointing seasons in 1992. The Twins were still contenders most of the year, but ultimately could not complete with the Oakland A’s.

Roster/Stats (Hitters)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1992

C Brian Harper .307/.343/.410 9 HR 108 OPS+ 1.0 BFW 12 WS 2.3 WAR
Harper continued to hit in 1992 but also remained one of the league’s most popular catchers to run on. AL baserunners stole 118 bases off of Harper, most in the league. He caught 50 runners, making his caught stealing percentage 30%. Given a chance to discuss this early in the season, Harper went on the defensive:

“I can remember making only eight or nine throws. When there is a double steal or even a steal of home, the catcher is blamed. That’s not right. I get blamed when there is pitch in the dirt or over my head and I don’t even make a throw. It’s not me who is 3-for-17, it is the team. It’s me and Smiley and Edens and Mahomes. It’s the team.”

1B Kent Hrbek .244/.357/.409 15 HR 112 OPS+ 0.1 BFW 10 WS 1.4 WAR
Three hours after a spring deal to send backup first baseman Paul Sorrento to Cleveland for some prospects was announced, Kent Hrbek dislocated his shoulder sliding into third base in a spring training game. Hrbek missed most of April, but he may have come back too early. Hrbek struggled through his worst full season in the majors (though there are many who would love to “struggle” as much). Throughout the season, Hrbek avoided blaming his struggles on shoulder, but it was quietly lingering and his season ultimately ended early in September due to the continuing problems.

2B Chuck Knoblauch .297/.384/.358 2 HR 108 OPS+ 0.9 BFW 23 WS 4.8 WAR
Knoblauch improved on his Rookie of the Year numbers from 1991 and earned a spot on the American League All Star Roster. Even with the improvement at the plate, Knoblauch took the most pride in his defense, taking every opportunity he could to call attention to the team’s focus on defense.

SS Greg Gagne .246/.280/.346 7 HR 73 OPS+ 1.1 BFW 13 WS 0.9 WAR
After a fairly hot start with the bat, batting .297/.342/.386 at the end of May, Gagne finished the season with his traditional below-average offensive numbers that look a lot better when considered in tandem with his defense, still amongst the league’s best shortstops. It was a contract year for Gagne, who said he wanted to stay with the Twins but ultimately landed as a free agent with Kansas City for a three-year, $10 million deal. In ten seasons with the Twins, Gagne batted .249/.292/.385 while playing some of the most steady defense at shortstop in franchise history.

3B Scott Leuis .249/.309/.318 2 HR 74 OPS+ -1.5 BFW 7 WS 0.8 WAR
3B Mike Pagliarulo .200/.213/.238 0 HR 25 OPS+ -0.8 BFW 1 WS -0.3 WAR
The third base platoon that worked so well in 1991 short circuited due to injury problems for Pagliarulo and significant drops in performance for both.

LF Shane Mack .315/.394/.467 16 HR 138 OPS+ 2.6 BFW 27 WS 6.0 WAR
By 1992 Mack, in his age 28 season, had established himself as one of the best players on the team. With Dan Gladden gone, Mack was truly an every day player. He led the team on OBP, and was only .004 behind Kirby Puckett for the team lead in OPS. Despite being in the top ten in most AL offensive categories, Mack’s performance came with very little fanfare. It would have been one thing to slip under the national radar (despite being on the defending World Championship team), but Mack didn’t get much attention even within Minnesota.

CF Kirby Puckett .329/.374/.490 19 HR 138 OPS+ 2.9 BFW 31 WS 6.7 WAR
While Puckett was having his typical great season at the plate, the dark cloud of contract negotiations was present throughout the season. He finished second in AL MVP voting behind Dennis Eckersley, and had his best season in five years. While few doubted that Puckett would eventually end up with the Twins, there were some tense moments – and the talks dragged on past the season. It was clear that the Twins would not be able to sign all of their free agents, and it was thought that Kirby’s payday would mean the exit for a lot of other players. After a few winter visits to other teams, Puckett finally inked a five-year deal worth $30 million – estimated to be at least $5 million less than he could have made by signing with another team.

RF Pedro Munoz .270/.298/.409 12 HR 95 OPS+ -1.1 BFW 11 WS 1.0 WAR
Munoz struggled a bit in his first attempt at playing everyday. He struck out 90 times in 439 plate appearances while walking only 17 times – one of the worst ratios in the league. Still, his power made him almost a league average hitter, and the Twins had high hopes for his future.

DH Chili Davis .288/.386/.439 12 HR 129 OPS+ 1.5 BFW 14 WS 2.2 WAR
Davis didn’t quite display the power he had shown in 1991, but was still put up some pretty good numbers. A lower strikeout rate didn’t quite make up for the power that was lacking, but Davis’ 1992 season still was among the top seasons for a designated hitter in Twins history. Davis was one of the casualties of the Puckett contract. He became a free agent and ultimately returned to the California Angels. He quietly remained a very productive hitter until the end of the decade, capping his career with a pair of World Series rings courtesy of his time with the Yankees.

1B/RF/DH Gene Larkin .246/.308/.359 6 HR 85 OPS+ -1.3 BFW 8 WS -0.3 WAR
DH/OF/1B Randy Bush .214/.263/.302 2 HR 57 OPS+ -1.3 BFW 1 WS -1.0 WAR
A couple of career Twins had their last bit of significant playing time in 1992. Both would return in 1993, but neither would appear in more than 56 games. Neither Gene Larkin or Randy Bush were ever regular starters for the Twins, but both had significant roles on two World Championship teams and are still remembered fondly in the Upper Midwest.

UT Jeff Reboulet .190/.311/.277 1 HR 65 OPS+ 1.2 BFW 6 WS 0.7 WAR
C Lenny Webster .280/.331/.407 1 HR 104 OPS+ -0.4 BFW 2 WS 0.4 WAR

The Franchise 1991 (Part 2)

Roster/Stats (Pitchers)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1991

SP Jack Morris 18-12 3.43 ERA 125 ERA+ 1.29 WHIP 3.66 FIP 2.3 PW 18 WS 4.1 WAR
The Twins lost one new-look free agent in Gary Gaetti, but took advantage of the availability of another in Jack Morris. The St. Paul native was 36-years-old by the time he took the mound for his home team after 14 seasons with the Detroit Tigers. Morris’ fresh start in Minnesota may have been the reason for his resurgence as a pitcher, he had one of the best seasons of his career, certainly his best in five years. His biggest value, however, might have been the fact that he took pressure off of Minnesota’s young pitching staff. His true value to the team showed in the post season, where Morris posted a 4-0 record in five starts for the Twins, including a very memorable 10-inning shutout in Game 7 of the World Series. After the season, Morris signed as a free agent with the Blue Jays, where he went on to win another World Series ring. Despite a short time with the Twins, Morris is considered one of the greats in team history, thanks in large part to that one October game.

SP Kevin Tapani 16-9 2.99 ERA 143 ERA+ 1.09 WHIP 3.49 FIP 3.5 PW 21 WS 6.0 WAR
While Jack Morris and Scott Erickson grabbed all the headlines, Kevin Tapani slipped somewhat under the radar in 1991. Interestingly, the numbers suggest he was the team’s best pitcher. The 27-year-old improved in just about every statistical category from his rookie season with the Twins. Perhaps Tapani doesn’t get the credit he deserves due to his mediocre postseason performance.

SP Scott Erickson 20-8 3.18 ERA 135 ERA+ 1.27 WHIP 3.76 FIP 3.1 PW 18 WS 4.2 WAR
For a couple of months in early summer Scott Erickson was the best pitcher in baseball. Though he lost his first two decision of the season because his team was shut out, Erickson went on a roll after that. From April 21 to June 24, Erickson did not lose a game. He won 12 consecutive decisions with an ERA of 1.24, allowed opposing batters to hit just .198/.257/.269 all while lasting at least into the seventh inning in each start. It wasn’t a coincidence that Erickson’s streak was parallel with the team’s winning streak. Erickson became almost as popular for his style, wearing all black socks with polished black shoes and an icy stare into the batter. Injury might have derailed his dominance, but Erickson was still one of the league’s best pitchers at the end of the season. When asked who Erickson most reminded him of, Jack Morris told a reporter “Cy Young.”

SP Allan Anderson 5-11 4.96 ERA 86 ERA+ 1.41 WHIP 5.47 FIP -1.1 PW 3 WS -0.1 WAR
Just a few years removed from being the team’s best pitcher, Anderson was given his final opportunity in 1991. Anderson spent some time in August with triple-A Portland, and was not included on the postseason roster. He became a free agent after the season and spent the next two years playing in the minor leagues for various American League organizations, but did not return to the majors.

SP David West 4-4 4.54 ERA 94 ERA+ 1.32 WHIP 4.99 FIP -0.1 PW 3 WS 0.6 WAR
After spending the entire 1990 season with the major league club, David West started 1991 in the minors. He was called up for his season debut on July 4 in part because of Anderson’s struggles and in part due to injuries. He was primarily a starter but came out of the bullpen as well. He pitched well in limited play in the post season, but was credited with the win after pitching three scoreless innings in the clinching Game 5 of the ALCS.

SP/RP Mark Guthrie 7-5 4.32 ERA 99 ERA+ 1.60 WHIP 4.13 FIP -0.1 PW 5 WS 0.5 WAR
Guthrie spent all of May and June as a regular in the starting rotation, but Tom Kelly liked using him more as a reliever, particularly to get left-handed hitters out late in games.

CL Rick Aguilera 4-5 2.35 ERA 183 ERA+ 1.07 WHIP 3.00 FIP 2.9 PW 15 WS 2.5 WAR
It is easy to forget that just two years prior to 1991 Rick Aguilera was a solid but unspectacular starting pitcher. By the time the 1991 season started, he was considered one of the best closers in the game. He might have been number one on the list had his best seasons not come during Dennis Eckersley’s prime. While his role was more specialized than the ace relievers just five years before, Tom Kelly was not afraid to use Aggie for more than one inning at a time. He pitched multiple innings in about a third of his appearances, including a couple of three-inning games.

RP Carl Willis 8-3 2.63 ERA 163 ERA+ 1.07 WHIP 2.92 FIP 1.7 PW 10 WS 1.5 WAR
Carl Willis was one of those unlikely sources of production for the Minnesota Twins in 1991. By the time he came to the Twins, Willis was a 30-year-old career minor leaguer. In 63 major league appearances for three different teams between 1984 and 1988, he was 2-6 with 5.90 ERA (67 ERA+). His main problem over that span was control – he walked 51 batters in 103.2 innings pitched. He was able to find the plate in 1991 – allowing just 19 walks in 89 innings pitched. Despite being primarily a junk ball pitcher, Willis earned the nickname “Big Train” from teammate Kevin Tapani, who explained that the journeyman was good at “tooting his own horn.”

RP Steve Bedrosian 5-3 4.42 ERA 97 ERA+ 1.36 WHIP 5.04 FIP -0.2 PW 5 WS -0.1 WAR
The answer to the trivia question “name only Cy Young Award winner on the 1991 Twins,” Steve Bedrosian came to the Twins in an offseason trade for a PTBNL. For the first time since he was a starter in 1985, the 33-year-old was not the primary closer for his team. Bedrosian performed well in the set up roll, giving the Twins some big innings during the pennant race. Bedrosian briefly retired following the season because of circulation problems in his throwing arm, but returned in 1993 to finish his career with the Atlanta Braves.

RP Terry Leach 1-2 3.61 ERA 119 ERA+ 1.43 WHIP 3.11 FIP 0.3 PW 4 WS 0.6 WAR
The submariner was once again one of the team’s most reliable relievers. Unlike 1990, however, in 1991 Leach had some help in the bullpen. Leach became a free agent at the end of the season and ultimately signed with the White Sox, where he would finish his career.

The Franchise 1991 (Part 1)

1991 Minnesota Twins

Manager: Tom Kelly 6th Season (6th with Minnesota 437-396)
95 W 67 L 776 RS 652 RA 1st AL West 8.0 GA (Chicago 87-75)
4.79 RPG (AL = 4.49) 3.69 ERA (AL = 4.09)
.710 DER (3rd AL)

All-Stars (4) Rick Aguilera, Scott Erickson, Jack Morris, Kirby Puckett

Franchise (1901-1991) 6717-7312-110; 27-29 Post Season; 19-21 WS
Washington (1901-1960) 4214-4864-104; 8-11 WS
Minnesota (1961-1991) 2499-2448-6; 19-18 Post Season; 11-10 WS

Minnesota caught lightning in a bottle in 1991. Unlike in 1987, the state’s only other World Series championship, the 1991 team did not advance thanks to a weak division. Quite the contrary, the last place team in the AL West was .500. The Twins were by far the best in a very good division. They got “normal” years from the expected stars- Hrbek, Puckett, etc., but also got some great performances from some unexpected places (the third base platoon, Munoz). The Twins found some long-awaited answers for questions that had lingered – second base, right field, and designated hitter. A couple of key veteran free agents, Jack Morris and Chili Davis, contributed and the young pitching staff, many of whom were acquired in the Frank Viola deal a few years earlier, all seemed to mature at once. In short, everything went right for this team.

Roster/Stats (Hitters)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1991

C Brian Harper .311/.336/.447 10 HR 111 OPS+ 0.7 BFW 15 WS 1.7 WAR
By 1991 it had become automatic that the Twins would get offensive production out of their veteran catcher. Harper had another very good season with the bat, and continued to be an underrated defensive catcher, mainly because he had a weak throwing arm, perhaps the most visible tool of a catcher.

1B Kent Hrbek .284/.373/.461 20 HR 125 OPS+ 0.9 BFW 19 WS 2.4 WAR
While Hrbek had another very good season, his season is probably best remembered for the tackle of Ron Gant in Game 2 of the World Series. The move made Hrbek a villain everywhere but in the upper-Midwest (almost AJ Pierzynski-like). Perhaps my favorite Hrbek moment of 1991, however, was his feud with Hawk Harrelson, the White Sox play-by-play man.

2B Chuck Knoblauch .281/.351/.350 1 HR 91 OPS+ 0.4 BFW 20 WS 2.3 WAR
Tom Herr, Wally Backman, Fred Manrique, and Nelson Liriano. The Twins had a long line of failed second basemen since their first World Series win in 1987. Things were different in 1991. For the first time in a long time, the Twins felt they had an in-house option at second base. Chuck Knoblauch was the 25th pick overall in the 1989 draft out of Texas A&M. Knoblauch played every inning of the team’s first 11 games, and was upset when Tom Kelly gave him a rest in game 12. “I know when I’ll need a rest, and I figure it will be around October 4.” said Knoblauch. Hiss .351 OBP was impressive for a rookie, but a lot of Knoblauch’s value came from his defense. With Gagne next to him, the Twins had one of the best double play combinations in baseball, and perhaps the best defensive infield in the game.

SS Greg Gagne .265/.310/.395 8 HR 90 OPS+ 0.6 BFW 12 WS 2.1 WAR
Gagne went 76 consecutive games without an error in 1991, one of the most steady performances from a very consistent shortstop. He also hit a three-run home run in Game 1 of the World Series.

3B Mike Pagliarulo .279/.322/.384 6 HR 91 OPS+ 0.9 BFW 9 WS 2.5 WAR
3B Scott Leius .286/.378/.417 5 HR 116 OPS+ 0.7 BFW 8 WS 1.7 WAR
One man played first base for the Twins for the bulk of the preious decade. When Gary Gaetti left after the 1990 season, the Twins had a pretty large hole to fill. It was perhaps no surprise that the team looked to two men to fill the role. Mike Pagliarulo had put up some pretty large power numbers with the Yankees in 1986 and 1987, but had fallen on some hard times and signed with the Twins in what might have been his last shot. The right-handed part of the platoon, Scott Leuis, was drafted by the Twins in the 13th round of the 1986 draft. His first major league experience came as a September call up for a last place team. The combination of Pags and Leius performed better than anyone could have predicted. Both were very good defensively, but the offensive production was one of the pleasant surprises of the 1991 season.

LF Dan Gladden .247/.306/.356 6 HR 80 OPS+ -1.7 BFW 7 WS 0.4 WAR
Gladden came full circle in 1991. He had his worst season since 1987, but once again seemed to get a lot of credit for team success. The emergence of Pedro Munoz, however, meant that the front office wasn’t as keen on Gladden as an everyday left fielder. He would be 34 years old in 1992, and he was seeking a multi-year seven-figure deal. Gladden and the Twins parted ways following the 1991 World Series. He went on to have a couple of productive years with the Tigers, then finished his playing career in Japan. The last memory most Twins fans have of Gladden is the trot home to score the World Series winning run.

CF Kirby Puckett .319/.352/.460 15 HR 119 OPS+ 1.3 BFW 21 WS 3.7 WAR
The Sporting News described 1991 as a “normal” season for Puckett, who had been putting up such big numbers for so many years that his batting lines had become an expectation. With team success came individual recognition. Puckett once again won the AL Gold Glove in the outfield (despite the fact that Tom Kelly had somewhat quietly started the process of moving him to right field) and finished seventh in AL MVP voting. Puckett’s seasons, and really his career, was highlighted by his performance in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.

RF Shane Mack .310/.363/.529 18 HR 140 OPS+ 2.1 BFW 20 WS 4.9 WAR
Somewhat lost in the shuffle of all the great performances in 1991, it is difficult to overstate Shane Mack’s contributions to the 1991 team. One of the major differences between him and some of the other players was that 1991 was not an outlier for Mack. He was one of the team’s best performers the year before, and would continue to be for the next three years. The big change for Mack in 1991, however, was power. He had 12 career home runs in almost 800 major league plate appearances prior to 1991.

DH Chili Davis .277/.385/.507 29 HR 141 OPS+ 2.5 BFW 22 WS 3.3 WAR
8, 8, 3, and 5. Those numbers represent the season home run total for the top Twins designated hitter from 1987 to 1990. Chili Davis, a key free agent signing in the off season, obliterated those numbers. His performance in 1991 still stands as the best season for a designated hitter in team history.

OF/1B Gene Larkin .286/.361/.373 2 HR 100 OPS+ -0.8 BFW 4 WS 0.9 WAR
It is interesting that Gene Larkin doesn’t get the “World Series hero” credit that Kirk Gibson does. Like Gibson, Larkin limped to the plate dramatically and won a World Series game with his bat. I suppose the major difference is that Gibson was his league’s MVP in 1988, while Larkin was a solid yet unspectacular role player for the 1991 Twins whose feat remains, for better or worse, overshadowed by what his teammate did the night before.

IF Al Newman .191/.260/.211 0 HR 30 OPS+ -2.3 BFW 4 WS -1.2 WAR
Newman was clearly well-liked, because with the numbers he posted in 1991 it is amazing that he got as much playing time as he did. Even more amazing is the fact that a 30 OPS+ guy was able to sign as a free agent with the Texas Rangers and earn almost 300 plate appearances the following season.

OF Pedro Munoz .283/.327/.500 7 HR 121 OPS+ 0.6 BFW 6 WS 0.3 WAR
The Twins acquired Pedro Munoz as almost an after-thought in their attempt to fill the second base hole in 1990. While Nelson Liriano was a bit of a bust, they had a player in Pedro Munoz. The 22-year-old was able to fill in both in right and left field. He performed well enough to earn an every day job in 1992.

OF Randy Bush .303/.401/.485 6 HR 140 OPS+ 0.6 BFW 6 WS 0.9 WAR
Bush thrived in the late-inning pinch hitter role. He had some big hits in 1991, which might be his best season.

C Junior Ortiz .209/.293/.261 0 HR 52 OPS+ -0.8 BFW 1 WS 0.0 WAR
Ortiz became the personal catcher for Scott Erickson, changed his name twice, and overall provided some comic relief from the backup catcher role.

All-Franchise Team: 1981-1990

C Brian Harper 6.0 WAR (1988-1990) – It is tempting to write Tim Laudner’s name in this spot. His entire career came during this decade, and he was the catcher for the 1987 World Series team. While Laudner logged more time with the Twins in the decade, it is easy to forget just how good Harper was in his first couple of seasons with the Twins. Not largely remembered as a great defensive catcher, the rationale the team gave when he took over for Laudner for good in 1989 was because he was a better catcher.

1B Kent Hrbek 29.9 WAR (1981-1990) – As much of a no-brainer as there is. The team’s starting first baseman in 1981 was Danny Goodwin. The next non-Hrbek regular first baseman for the Twins was Scott Stahoviak in 1995.

2B John Castino 7.7 WAR (1981-1983) – The position was pretty much a revolving door most of the decade, but Castino was one of the few “stars” on the Twins during the lean years of the early 1980′s.

SS Greg Gagne 12.1 WAR (1983-1990) – Gagne was so steady for the Twins at shortstop. While he didn’t provide the offense the team had hoped for, he played excellent defense up the middle for the bulk of the decade.

3B Gary Gaetti 23.8 WAR (1981-1990) – Another no-brainer. Played 1,361 games for the Twins, all in this decade.

LF Gary Ward 8.5 WAR (1981-1983) – The conventional wisdom would probably put Dan Gladden here. While largely credited as the catalyst for the 1987 World Series team, Gladden’s numbers don’t even approach Ward – Gladden posted just 3.5 WAR from 1987-1990.

CF Kirby Puckett 27.9 WAR (1984-1990) – Other candidates for center field include Darrell Brown and Mickey Hatcher. Enough said.

RF Tom Brunansky 14.6 WAR (1982-1988) – He was not the same player after the Twins traded him away, but it’s not like they got much in return.

DH Roy Smalley 2.2 WAR (1981-1982, 1985 – 1987) – Smalley’s inclusion on this list is more of an indictment on the team’s luck with designated hitters in the decade. Randy Bush might have been a better choice, but he played much more in the outfield than at DH in the decade. Perhaps Bush should be the pinch-hitter on the all-decade team.

SP Frank Viola 24.5 WAR (1982-1989) – Easily the best Twins pitcher of the decade. Led the team to one World Series, and his trade was the key to the pitching foundation of a second.

SP Bert Blyleven 9.3 WAR (1985-1988) – While Blyleven was not the same pitcher in his second stint with the Twins, he still provided some valuable innings.

SP Allan Anderson 7.9 WAR (1986-1990) – For two years Anderson looked like he might be the pitcher of the future for the Twins.

RP Jeff Reardon 4.3 WAR (1987-1989) – While I think Reardon tends to be overrated a bit, he doesn’t have a lot of competition for best closer of the decade- a fact that no doubt lends itself to Twins fans seeing him in a better light.

RP Juan Berenguer 5.0 WAR (1987-1990) – Whether as a starter, long reliever, set-up man, closer, or music video star, you could make a case that Juan Berenguer was one of the most valuable of the Twins pitchers for the latter part of the decade.

The Franchise 1990 (Part 2)

Roster/Stats (Pitchers)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1990

SP Allan Anderson 7-18 4.53 ERA 93 ERA+ 1.34 WHIP 4.02 FIP -0.8 PW 7 WS 1.2 WAR
Anderson got off to a miserable start, going 2-11 with a 5.63 ERA through June. Most observers believed that the left-hander’s problems on the mound were mental in nature. Anderson did what he could to improve, including some visits with a sports psychiatrist. Whatever he tried seemed to work for the second half of the season. In 14 starts he went 5-7 with a 3.47 ERA, though most of the headlines surrounding Anderson in the last couple of months were about his effort to avoid losing 20 games.

SP Kevin Tapani 12-8 4.07 ERA 103 ERA+ 1.21 WHIP 3.10 FIP 0.4 PW 10 WS 2.4 WAR
In his first year as a major league regular, Tapani got some high praise:

“He gets the ball and throws it, and he is always around the plate. For a young man, he’s got a lot of poise. I think it’s important for a pitcher not to show any emotion on the mound. Tapani gives up a home run and says ‘Give me the ball, lets go.’ That’s the way Catfish Hunter used to be. He reminds me of Catfish Hunter.”

The quote, as pointed out by Jim Caple in The Sporting News, came from umpire Vic Voltaggio. His performance made him one of the mid-season favorites for AL Rookie of the Year Honors. Though he finished fifth for that particular award, Tapani seemed to find a home in Minnesota’s starting rotation.

SP Roy Smith 5-10 4.81 ERA 87 ERA+ 1.55 WHIP 4.29 FIP -1.1 PW 5 WS 0.4 WAR
With the team’s emphasis on young pitching, veteran Roy Smith, who was fresh off of his best season, had a bit of a short leash. By the end of the season Smith saw most of his action out of the bullpen. He was released by the Twins after the season. Smith signed with the Orioles and appeared in 17 games in 1991, his final taste of major league action.

SP David West 7-9 5.10 ERA 82 ERA+ 1.50 WHIP 5.10 FIP -1.3 PW 4 WS 0.3 WAR
David West was considered by many to be the centerpiece of the package the Twins received for Frank Viola in 1989. While he might have had the most potential, he struggled in his first attempt at full-time major league duty.

SP Mark Guthrie 7-9 3.79 ERA 111 ERA+ 1.33 WHIP 2.96 FIP 0.7 PW 9 WS 2.6 WAR
Guthrie ended his first season as a major league regular with 11 consecutive quality starts. Though he was mentioned in several trade rumors during the offseason, Andy MacPhail denied that the Twins organization was interested in trading any of its pitching, saying “we are not that good yet.”

SP Scott Erickson 8-4 2.87 ERA 147 ERA+ 1.41 WHIP 4.39 FIP 1.1 PW 9 WS 2.3 WAR
Erickson was drafted and signed by the Twins in June of 1989. A fourth round pick who had led the nation in victories with the University of Arizona in 1989, it didn’t take long for Erickson to make his way up through the Twins’ system. He skipped triple A all together and made his  major league debut exactly a year to the day after he signed. Erickson’s best pitch was a sinking fastball that tended to force hitters to hit ground balls. Erickson rode that pitch to success in 1990, and by the end of the season he was considered one of team’s best pitchers.

CL Rick Aguilera 5-3 2.76 ERA 153 ERA+ 1.13 WHIP 2.99 FIP 1.4 PW 12 WS 1.3 WAR
At first, Aguilera was not pleased when the Twins wanted to move him to the bullpen to take over the closing role upon the departure of Jeff Reardon. After only two months on the job, however, Aguilera’s success was such that the Twins rewarded his willingness (and success) with a three-year contract extension worth $2 million per year. By season’s end, Aggie was already among the league’s elite closers.

RP Juan Berenguer 8-5 3.41 ERA 123 ERA+ 1.43 WHIP 4.23 FIP 0.8 PW 8 WS 1.2 WAR
Berenguer had another very good year with the Twins. As a result the same collusion settlement that made Gaetti a free agent and Aguilera’s emergence as the Twins’ closer, Berenguer went off seeking ace-reliever money, signing as a free agent with Atlanta for about $1 million more per year than he would have made with the Twins. Had it not been for a lingering injury that kept Berenguer out of the 1991 post season, he might have faced his former team in the World Series.

RP Tim Drummond 3-5 4.35 ERA 97 ERA+ 1.54 WHIP 4.09 FIP -0.1 PW 4 WS 0.6 WAR
Drummond is the forgotten man in the Viola trade. This was really his only year of note.

RP Terry Leach 2-5 3.20 ERA 132 ERA+ 1.29 WHIP 2.81 FIP 0.7 PW 7 WS 1.4 WAR
Like most of the team’s new pitchers in 1989-1990, Terry Leach had recently been traded from the Mets organization. Unlike most of his teammates, Leach was a 36-year-old veteran reliever and he did not come to the Twins in the Viola deal. Leach signed as a free agent prior to the 1990 season after having a couple of mediocre seasons. He turned things around with the Twins, actually pitching just as well if not better than he did at his mid-1980′s peak.

The Franchise 1990 (Part 1)

1990 Minnesota Twins

Manager: Tom Kelly 5th Season (5th with Minnesota 342-329)
74 W 88 L 666 RS 729 RA 7th AL West 29.0 GB (Oakland 103-59)
4.11 RPG (AL = 4.30) 4.12 ERA (AL = 3.91)
.689 DER (11th AL)

All-Stars (1) Kirby Puckett

Franchise (1901-1990) 6622-7245-110; 19-25 Post Season; 15-18 WS
Washington (1901-1960) 4214-4864-104; 8-11 WS
Minnesota (1961-1990) 2408-2381-6; 11-14 Post Season; 7-7 WS

While the Twins finished in last place in 1990, there were plenty of bright spots to keep fans happy and optimistic. In the offseason before, the team locked up both Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek to long term deals. The young pitchers acquired in the Frank Viola trade continued to show promise, Brian Harper continued to play solid catcher and emerged as one of the better hitters in the league, and the team seemed to find an answer in right field with the emergence of Shane Mack as one of the team’s best players.

Aside from the bright-looking future, 1990 is probably best remembered by Twins fans for the historic pair of triple plays the team turned in one game.

Roster/Stats (Hitters)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1990

C Brian Harper .294/.328/.432 6 HR 106 OPS+ 1.0 BFW 14 WS 2.7 WAR
C Junior Ortiz .335/.384/.388 0 HR 111 OPS+ 0.3 BFW 8 WS 1.4 WAR
Harper estimated that he had moved 55 times in his life by 1990, when, for the first time, he had the same job as a major league regular catcher that he had the year before. He spent most of the season flirting with the AL leader board in batting average, and earned himself a third season as starting catcher with his play behind the plate. To back up Harper, the Twins brought in one of the game’s great characters in Junior Ortiz via trade from Pittsburgh.

1B Kent Hrbek .287/.377/.474 22 HR 131 OPS+ 1.6 BFW 19 WS 2.0 WAR
At the end of the 1989 season Andy MacPhail identified seven players who were “very important” and  free agents. Four of the players were not considered financial bank-busters: Juan Berenguer, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, and Brian Harper. Of the remaining three: Kirby Puckett, Jeff Reardon, and Hrbek; MacPhail figured the Twins had the budget to keep just two. Puckett was the no-brainer, which left the decision between Hrbek and Reardon. From Dave Nightingale’s story in TSN, 4/30/90:

“It was a tough decision; tough to think of having to lose either of them,” said MacPhail. “But among the factors we considered was the age of the pitcher in question and the ‘local hero’ aspect of the first baseman.”

Thus, the Twins made no real attempt to prevent Reardon from moving on down the road.

Hrbek, on the other hand, signed a five-year, $14 million contract to stay in Minnesota despite being courted by Montreal, Seattle, and Detroit, all reportedly dangling more money than the Twins. Once again in 1990, he was among the elite first basemen in the American League.

2B Al Newman .242/.304/.278 0 HR 60 OPS+ -1.5 BFW 5 WS 1.0 WAR
2B Fred Manrique .237/.254/.346 5 HR 62 OPS+ -1.7 BFW 2 WS -0.5 WAR
2B Nelson Liriano .254/.332/.357 0 HR 88 OPS+ -1.0 BFW 5 WS 0.7 WAR
At the trade deadline the Twins acquired Nelson Liriano and outfielder Pedro Munoz from Toronto in exchange for pitcher John Candelaria. Liriano would be the latest in a long line of players the Twins hoped would plug the hole at second base; a list that included the failed stint of Fred Manrique at the beginning of the season. Though Liriano was serviceable for the last few months of the season, the Twins released him in the spring of 1991 thanks to the play of rookie Chuck Knoblauch.

SS Greg Gagne .235/.280/.361 7 HR 73 OPS+ -1.1 BFW 7 WS 2.8 WAR
A search for “Gagne” in the archives of The Sporting News for 1990 returns just two hits. He didn’t make the news much and was easy to take for granted. Once again almost all of Gagne’s value came from his defense at shortstop, but it was more than enough value for the Twins.

3B Gary Gaetti .229/.274/.376 16 HR 76 OPS+ -1.0 BFW 13 WS 1.7 WAR
Gaetti’s production slipped even further off of his three year peak (1986-1988) and, unfortunately for him, it came in the 31-year-old’s contract year (though he was locked up for the Twins through 1992, he became a free agent thanks to a collusion ruling). He said all of the right things about wanting to remain in Minnesota, but ultimately seemed hurt that the team would not offer him more than a three-year deal. He signed with the Angels for reportedly about the same money he would have gotten from the Twins. Gaetti remained in the league for another 10 seasons, playing for California, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago Cubs, and Boston before finally hanging up his spikes in 2000 at the age of 41. He never again enjoyed the success he had at his peak, but played remarkably well for his age in the late 1990′s.

Upon Gaetti’s departure, Kent Hrbek remarked that it felt to him like the old gang was breaking up. Of the original group that came up through the minor leagues, took their lumps together in 1982, and ultimately reached the World Series in 1987, only Hrbek and Randy Bush remained.

LF Dan Gladden .275/.314/.376 5 HR 88 OPS+ -0.3 BFW 11 WS -1.3 WAR
Gladden did not like losing, and that became evident as the last-place season wore on. Gladden became more and more vocal about decisions the team was making. Particularly frustrating to Gladden was the team’s decision to promote Paul Abbott to from Portland when Kevin Tapani was injured in the late summer. Gladden did not like that Abbott, with a 5-14 record at Portland, was promoted instead of other pitchers who had winning records. His public comments quite possibly setting the stage for his departure following the 1991 season.

CF Kirby Puckett .298/.365/.446 12 HR 120 OPS+ 1.6 BFW 22 WS 2.3 WAR
The first season of Puckett’s record-setting contract looked a lot like previous years. While the trend of power numbers coming down continued from 1989, he was still one of the best hitters and most valuable bats in the league. Of note, perhaps, is the fact that 1990 represented a break for Puckett from winning the AL Gold Glove. It may be due to Tom Kelly’s use of Shane Mack in center and his frankness in the fact that he felt Mack would catch more balls than Puckett. Uncharacteristically of the game’s most inert award, the Gold Glove came back to Puckett in both 1991 and 1992.

RF Shane Mack .326/.392/.460 8 HR 132 OPS+ 2.0 BFW 14 WS 2.5 WAR
The Twins grabbed Mack in the 1989 Rule V draft in hopes that he might be the answer to their problems in right field. Mack performed better than the Twins thought he would, and was one of the team’s most valuable players in 1990.

DH Gene Larkin .269/.343/.392 5 HR 100 OPS+ -0.6 BFW 9 WS -0.9 WAR

RF/DH/1B Randy Bush .243/.338/.387 6 HR 97 OPS+ -0.3 BFW 3 WS 0.0 WAR

OF John Moses .221/.303/.267 1 HR 57 OPS+ -1.1 BFW 1 WS -0.8 WAR

The Franchise 1989 (Part 2)

Roster/Stats (Pitchers)
Bold = Player new to Minnesota in 1989

SP Frank Viola 8-12 3.79 ERA 110 ERA+ 1.24 WHIP 3.30 FIP 0.7 PW 10 WS 3.0 WAR
The Twins took a but of a PR hit in the aftermath of the Frank Viola trade. Here are Pat Reusse’s thoughts from the Star Tribune on 8/1/1989:

Throw away the hankies. Put the sweatshirts in mothballs. Erase the videotapes of Game 7.

The Twins said goodbye to the ’80s and the goodwill that went with it. The ’90s are arriving with another rebuilding project.

Smilin’ Carl Pohlad and Andy MacPhail have decided to trade Viola and his $7.9 million for a number of pitching suspects. They better be right, because last night the World Series officially became ancient history and kid gloves are coming off.

Go ahead, folks, take your shots. It’s open season on the Twins.

…and, the same columnist a week later…

This is a trade for which Pohlad, MacPhail and Bell deserve at least as much admiration from the local sporting public as Calvin Griffith received on Feb. 3, 1979, when he sent a first baseman named Rod Carew to California for a veteran middle reliever named Paul Hartzell and above-average prospects Ken Landreaux, Dave Engle and Brad Havens.

It’s the same trade, with the same motive. Only the names and the salary-inflation spiral have changed.

History, of course, vindicated this trade, but in 1989 it was hard to see Frank Viola playing for another team. He left the Twins with a career 112-93 record, a 3.86 ERA (111 ERA+), and a Cy Young award and World Series championship to his credit.

SP Allan Anderson 17-10 3.80 ERA 110 ERA+ 1.36 WHIP 3.97 FIP 0.5 PW 12 WS 2.4 WAR
With Viola on his way out, Anderson became the ace of the staff. He pitched well for the second consecutive year, and seemed to give the Twins lots of hope for the future.

SP Roy Smith 10-6 3.92 ERA 107 ERA+ 1.34 WHIP 4.33 FIP 0.2 PW 10 WS 2.4 WAR
Smith, who was acquired from the Indians in the 1986 Ken Schrom trade, had a few short stints with the Twins between 1986 and 1988. The 27-year-old finally got the chance for some regular playing time in 1989 and made the most of it. Smith felt he had pitched well enough to earn a regular job, but he was bumped from the rotation late in the season as the Twins made an effort to get a few rookies in the mix. There was some talk that Smith might be the team’s long reliever in 1990, an idea that he was not too fond of.

SP Shane Rawley 5-12 5.21 ERA 80 ERA+ 1.57 WHIP 4.77 FIP -1.6 PW 3 WS 0.2 WAR
The Twins tried to get some value from the Tom Herr debacle by making the unhappy infielder the centerpiece of a deal to bring Shane Rawley to the pitching staff. The 33-year-old left-hander had some good seasons with Philadephia, the best of which came during the hitter-friendly year of 1987. He seemed to be struggling in 1988 with an 8-16 record. While conventional wisdom generally chalked that record up to bad look, Rawley’s underlying numbers suggest that 8-16 was probably about right for how well he pitched. He had almost an identical season for the Twins in 1989, and it became clear that Rawley’s problem was not bad luck, but that he just wasn’t that great of a pitcher at this stage of his career. He never returned to the major leagues after 1989.

SP Rick Aguilera 3-5 3.21 ERA 130 ERA+ 1.16 WHIP 2.83 FIP 0.7 PW 5 WS 1.5 WAR
Aguilera was the most well-known of the players the Twins received in the Viola trade thanks to his post season experience in 1986. With just Aggie alone, the trade already seemed to be paying dividends for the Twins by the end of the 1989 season:

Aggie w/Twins 11 GS 75.2 IP 3-5 3.21 ERA 130 ERA+ 17 BB 57 K
Viola w/Mets 12 GS 85.1 IP 5-5 3.38 ERA 98 ERA+ 27 BB 73 K

SP Mike Dyer 4-7 4.82 ERA 87 ERA+ 1.56 WHIP 3.73 FIP -0.9 PW 2 WS 0.0 WAR
The Twins drafted Dyer in the fourth round of the 1986 draft. He made his major league debut in 1989. In his only season with the Twins, Dyer was used primarily as a starting pitcher. His most successful seasons, from 1994-1996 with Pittsburgh and Montreal, Dyer was primarily a relief pitcher.

CL Jeff Reardon 5-4 4.07 ERA 103 ERA+ 1.10 WHIP 3.54 FIP 0.2 PW 11 WS 1.0 WAR
“The Terminator’s” last year with the Twins was, quality-wise, an awful lot like his first (1987). Like 1987, he struggled early on. Reardon’s fastball did not seem to have its usual velocity for the first two months of the season. Once he regained his regular velocity, things went much better. Reardon pitched well down the stretch and ended with what looks like a league-average season for a closer. Reardon left after the season as a free agent and signed with the Boston Red Sox. He had one great year with the Twins (1988), but will always be remembered as one of the last pieces to fit into place for the 1987 World Series run.

RP Juan Berenguer 9-3 3.48 ERA 120 ERA+ 1.35 WHIP 3.74 FIP 0.8 PW 9 WS 1.2 WAR
On May 27, the Twins and the Texas Rangers exchanged pleasantries on the field in a game that included several brush back pitches. At the center of the issue was Juan Berenguer, who threw one pitch four feet over the head of Texas shortstop Scott Fletcher. After hearing that manager Bobby Valentine made some comments about Berenguer’s pitch, Juan responded:

He thinks he is a smart manager, but he is dumb. That pitch was not that close. Next time, it might be closer.

RP Gary Wayne 3-4 3.30 ERA 127 ERA+ 1.28 WHIP 3.90 FIP 0.6 PW 6 WS 0.9 WAR
Wayne was originally drafted by the Expos in 1984, but the Twins grabbed him in the rule V draft following the 1988 season. He pitched very well as a left-handed specialist in 60 appearances with the Twins.