George Weiss (1894)
Jack Smith (1895)
Karl Spooner (1931)
Dave Bristol (1933)
Tom Haller (1937)
Dave Goltz (1949)
Marty Barrett (1958)
Jim Deshaies (1960)
Hensley Meulens (1967)
Josh Byrnes (1970)
Mark Hendrickson (1974)
Right-hander Dave Goltz pitched for the Twins through most of the 1970s. He was born in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, went to high school in Rothsay, Minnesota. He was a four-sport star, playing basketball, football, and participating in track as well as playing baseball (he was all state in both basketball and baseball). Goltz was drafted by Minnesota in the fifth round in 1967. He had two very good years in the low minors, then missed all of the 1969 season due to military service and made only two appearances in 1970 due to injuries. He came back to have a fine 1971 campaign and was doing fairly well in AAA in 1972 when he was called up to Minnesota in mid-July to replace an injured Jim Kaat. He pitched extremely well the rest of the way, going 3-3, 2.67 with a WHIP of 1.10 and an ERA+ of 121. The Twins moved him to the bullpen for 1973, however, and he did not flourish in the role. He was moved back to the rotation in late July and was extremely inconsistent, mixing brilliant outings with horrible ones. The next year, he was in the rotation from the beginning, and had the first of five consecutive very good seasons for the Twins. His best years were 1977-1978, when he went a combined 35-21, 2.99 with a WHIP of 1.24 in 523.1 innings (303 0f which came in 1977, when he won 20 games and finished sixth in Cy Young voting). He had double-digit complete games in each of those five seasons, with a high of nineteen in 1977. He started to slip in 1979 and the Twins allowed him to become a free agent. It turned out to be a good decision, as he never had as good a season again. Goltz had a poor year in 1980, went to the bullpen in 1981, and when he was no better at the start of 1982 he was released in late April. California signed him in late May and he did somewhat better, but he did nothing in 1983 and was released again in early July, ending his playing career. He won twenty games once, got a World Series ring (with the Dodgers in 1981), and set one record, although not a good one. Dave Goltz holds the record for most runs allowed while getting a save, giving up eight runs while getting a three-inning save against Cleveland on June 6, 1973. Gene Mauch once was quoted as saying Goltz was the best starting pitcher he had ever managed. As a Twin, Dave Goltz was 96-79, 3.48 with a 1.31 WHIP. He appeared in 247 games, 215 of them starts, and worked 1,638 innings. After retirement, Goltz returned to Minnesota. He is currently an insurance agent, with offices in Fergus Falls and Rothsay, Minnesota. He also was the baseball coach for Fergus Falls Community College for two years.
Left-hander Jim Deshaies was with the Twins for most of 1993 and all of 1994. Born and raised in Massena, New York, he attended LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, one of six major league players that school has produced. He was drafted by the Yankees in the twenty-first round in 1982. He put up some really good numbers in the Yankees' system, reaching AAA by 1984. He also made his major league debut that year, making two starts for the Yankees in August. He did not have a good year in AAA in 1985, however, and was traded to Houston in mid-September as part of a deal for Joe Niekro. It was a good move for Deshaies, as he was immediately placed in the Astros rotation and stayed there for six years. He was pretty good for five of those years; the best was 1989, when he went 15-10, 2.91 with a WHIP of 1.15. He pitched poorly in 1991, however, and when contract expired he was allowed to become a free agent. He signed with Oakland, but was released in spring training of 1992. San Diego signed him in late April, sent him to AAA, and brought him to the majors in early July, place him in their starting rotation. He bounced back pretty well, but was a free agent after the season, signing with Minnesota. He did okay in 1993, not great but not terrible. The Twins fell out of the race, however, and in late August Deshaies was traded to San Francisco for Andres Duncan, Aaron Fultz, and a player to be named later (Greg Brummett). Deshaies was a free agent after the season and returned to Minnesota for 1994. He was much worse in his second go-round with the Twins, leading the league both in home runs allowed and in earned runs allowed. As a Twin, he was 17-25, 5.71 with a WHIP of 1.46. He appeared in 52 games, all of them starts, and pitched 297.2 innings. He became a free agent again and signed with Philadelphia for 1995. He did well in AAA, but flopped in two starts with the Phillies and was released in late July, ending his playing career. In 1986, he struck out the first eight batters of the game, setting a modern-day record. He also holds the record for most at-bats without an extra-base hit. Since 1997, Jim Deshaies has been a television broadcaster for the Houston Astros.