Monthly Archives: June 2020

Keeping Track

Random Rewind: 1961, Game Twenty-five

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MINNESOTA 5, LOS ANGELES 4 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Friday, May 12.

Batting stars:  Pedro Ramos was 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.  Jim Lemon was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Pedro Ramos struck out eight in eight innings, giving up four runs on six hits and five walks.  Ray Moore pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Earl Averill was 2-for-4 with a home run (his sixth) and a double.  Eli Grba was 1-for-2 with a home run.  Ken Hunt was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his fifth.  Johnny James struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up a walk.

The game:  Neither team got a hit for the first three innings.  In the fourth, Leon Wagner led off with a walk and Hunt hit a one-out two-run homer to give the Angels a 2-0 lead.  The Twins tied it in the bottom of the fourth.  Harmon Killebrew drew a one-out walk, Earl Battey singled, and Lemon hit a two-run double, making the score 2-2.

Los Angeles pitcher Grba homered in the top of the fifth, but Twins pitcher Ramos answered with a homer of his own in the bottom of the fifth, once again tying the game.  In the sixth, Lemon led off with a walk and went to second on a ground out.  Bob Allison was intentionally walked and Reno Bertoia was accidentally walked, loading the bases.  Ramos then came through again, knocking a two-run single to left to give the Twins a 5-3 lead.

The Angels put men on second and third with two out in the seventh, but did not score.  Averill led off the ninth with a home run, cutting the margin to 5-4, but Moore came in and allowed only a two-out walk to Faye Throneberry before closing the door.

WP:  Ramos (3-2).  LP:  Grba (3-3).  S:  Moore (4).

Notes:  Billy Gardner was the second baseman.  He would be replaced by Billy Martin after he was acquired on June 1 for Billy Consolo.  The Twins had quite the Billy club in 1961.  A little odd, too, that one future Twins manager was replaced by another.

Bertoia was at third base.  Bill Tuttle was the mostly regular at third, with Killebrew playing a fair number of games there as well.  At this stage of the season, however, Tuttle was an outfielder; he did not shift to third until late June, and had not played the position in the majors before.  He would not play it again, either, as he shifted back to the outfield in 1962.

The only position player substitution came in the ninth inning, when Dan Dobbek came in to replace Lemon in left field.

Battey was batting .345 in the young season.  He would finish at .302.  Killebrew was batting .342.  He would finish at .288.  Zoilo Versalles was batting .319.  He would finish at .280.  Lenny Green was batting .308.  He would finish at .285.  The Twins batted .250, good for seventh in the league.  Cleveland led the league at .266.

Killebrew, naturally, led the team in home runs with 46.  Allison hit 29, Battey had 17 and Lemon hit 14.  The Twins hit 167 home runs, fourth in the league.  New York led with 240.

It would be hard to say who the staff ace was in 1961.  Ramos led the team in starts at 34, and also pitched in relief 8 times.  He was 11-20, 3.95. 1.30 WHIP.  Camilo Pascual was 15-16, 3.46, 1.21.  Jack Kralick was 13-11, 3.62, 1.33, and Jim Kaat was 9-17, 3.90, 1.35.  The only other pitcher to make double digit starts was Don Lee, who was 3-6, 3.52, 1.11.  Closers weren't really a thing then--Moore led the team with 14 saves.  Each of the four main starters pitched over 200 innings and they had 49 complete games, so their weren't just a whole lot relief innings to be concerned about.

As a team, the Twins had an ERA of 4.28, seventh in the league.  Baltimore led at 3.22.  The Twins were fifth in WHIP at 1.39.  Baltimore led at 1.25.

I'm guessing that, back in the day, both starting pitchers hitting a home run wasn't that rare, but it was certainly uncommon.  I don't recall it happening in any of the random rewind games, nor do I recall it in the 1965 or 1969 rewinds, although I certainly could have forgotten.

Record:  The Twins were 13-12, in fourth place in the American League, 5.5 games behind Detroit.  They would finish 70-90, in seventh place, 38 games behind New York.

The Angels were 9-14, tied for eighth in the American League, 8.5 games behind Detroit.  They would finish 70-91, in eighth place, 38.5 games behind New York.

Detroit went 101-61 and finished eight games out of first place.  That had to be discouraging.

Random record:  The Twins are 41-40 in Random Rewind games.  If we do this for 162 games (which we won't, unless there's no 2020 season at all), we'd be at the half-way point of the random season.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 21

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Matt Kilroy (1866)
Randy Moore (1906)
Harold Seymour (1910)
Ed Lopat (1918)
Merle Harmon (1926)
Jackie Collum (1927)
Charlie Moore (1953)
Rick Sutcliffe (1956)
Jay Pettibone (1957)
Donovan Osborne (1969)
Garrett Jones (1981)
Jeff Baker (1981)

Harold Seymour wrote a three-part History of Baseball, published from 1960-1990.

Merle Harmon broadcast Minnesota Twins games from 1967-1969.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to MagUidhir, Sheenie, and UncleWalt’s daughter.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 21 →

Keeping Track

Random Rewind: 2009, Game Sixty-two

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OAKLAND 4, MINNESOTA 3 IN OAKLAND

Date:  Thursday, June 11.

Batting stars:  Justin Morneau was 2-for-4.  Delmon Young was 2-for-4.  Joe Crede was 1-for-4 with a three-run homer, his tenth.

Pitching star:  Nick Blackburn pitched eight innings, giving up three runs on six hits and three walks and striking out three.

Opposition stars:  Jack Hannahan was 2-for-4 with a triple.  Adam Kennedy was 1-for-2 with a two-run homer (his fifth), a walk, and a hit-by-pitch.  Trevor Cahill pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks and striking out two.  Brad Ziegler struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

The game:  The Twins started the second with two singles, but nothing came of it.  In the fourth Morneau singled with one out.  Jason Kubel walked and Crede followed with a three-run homer, putting the Twins ahead 3-0.

That's all the Twins did on offense, but for a while it looked like that would be enough.  Blackburn appeared to be in control, giving up just three hits through seven innings.  With one out in the eighth, however, Hannahan tripled, Orlando Cabrera had an RBI single, and Kennedy hit a two-run homer, tying the score at 3-3.

We went to the bottom of the ninth.  Sean Henn started the inning and walked Jason Giambi.  Matt Guerrier came in and hit Kennedy with a pitch, moving the deciding run to second.  A bunt moved the runners up and Rajai Davis singled, ending the game in Oakland's favor.

WP:  Ziegler (1-1).  LP:  Henn (0-2).  S:  None.

Notes:  Brian Buscher was at first base, with Morneau at DH.  Kubel, who played the majority of games at DH, was in right field.  Michael Cuddyer, normally in right, was in center.  Carlos Gomez, normally in center, was given the day off.

Matt Tolbert was at second base in place of Alexi Casilla.  Casilla was in the process of losing the second base job, and would have lost it by now had the Twins had a decent alternative.  As his competition was Tolbert and Punto, he still managed to play the most games at the position, 72.

Brendan Harris was at shortstop.  He and Nick Punto shared the shortstop spot until the end of July, when the Twins traded for the above-mentioned Orlando Cabrera.

Gomez came in to run for Kubel in the eighth.  He then went to center, with Cuddyer moving to right.

Mauer, whose season didn't start until the first of May, was batting .410.  He would finish at .365.  Morneau was batting .340--he would finish at .274.  Kubel was batting .311--he would finish at .300.  Denard Span, who did not play in this game, batted .311.  He was essentially a regular, but is not listed as one because he did not play the most games at any one position.  He played 84 games in center, 74 in left, and 39 in right.

At the other end of the batting scale, Tolbert was batting .183.  For some reason, he led off in this game.  He would finish at .232.  Buscher was batting.195.  He would finish at .235.  The Twins were still third in batting in 2009 at .274.  Los Angeles led with .285.

Cuddyer led the team in home runs with 32.  Morneau was right behind at 30 and Mauer and Kubel were not far back at 28.  Crede contributed 15 and Young 12.  The Twins were ninth in home runs with 172.  New York led with 244.

Blackburn had a solid year for the Twins, going 11-11, 4.03.  He led the starters in ERA and was tied for the most starts with Scott Baker, who led the team in wins.  He went 15-9, 4.37.  From there it got kind of ugly.  Francisco Liriano 5-13, 5.80 and Glen Perkins was 6-7, 5.89.  Kevin Slowey went 10-3 despite a 4.86 ERA, and Carl Pavano was 5-4, 4.64 in 12 starts.  Anthony Swarzak also made 12 starts and went 3-7, 6.25.

The Twins did have a pretty solid bullpen.  Joe Nathan saved 47 games and had a 2.10 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP.  Guerrier, although he did not pitch well in this game, had an ERA of 2.36 and a WHIP of 0.97.  Jose Mijares appeared in 71 games, posting an ERA of 2.34 and a WHIP of 1.18.  Also contributing were Jon Rauch (1.72 ERA, 1.21 WHIP in 17 games) and Ron Mahay (2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP in 16 games).

The starters, though, dragged the Twins down to eleventh in ERA at 4.50.  Seattle led with 3.87.  They were sixth in WHIP at 1.38.  Seattle led that, too, at 1.30.

There were several "oh, yeah" Twins in this game:  Tolbert, Harris, Crede, Buscher, Henn.  The main thing I remember about Crede is the Twins Territory ad that referred to him as "Home Run Greedy Crede".

Oakland players with a Twins connection are Cabrera and Kurt Suzuki.

Hannahan's triple was one of five he had in his career.

The Twins were in a stretch where they won four out of five.  This was their only loss.

Record:  The Twins were 30-32, in second place in the American League Central, four games behind Detroit.  They would finish 87-76, in first place, one game ahead of Detroit.

The Athletics were 27-32, in fourth (last) place in the American League West, seven games behind Texas.  They would finish 75-87, in fourth place, 22 games behind Los Angeles.

Random record:  The Twins are 40-40 in Random Rewind games.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–June 20

Ned Cuthbert (1845)
Jim Delahanty (1879)
Cum Posey (1890)
Billy Werber (1908)
Andy Etchebarren (1943)
Dave Nelson (1944)
Paul Beeston (1945)
Dickie Thon (1958)
Doug Gwosdz (1960)
Paul Bako (1972)
Juan Castro (1972)
Carlos Lee (1976)
Kevin Gregg (1978)
Kendrys Morales (1983)
Adalberto Mejia (1993)

Cum Posey, played for, managed, and owned the Homestead Grays in the Negro National League.

Paul Beeston has been president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays from 1989-1997 and from 2010-2016, at which time he became president emeritus.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–June 20 →

Friday Music Day

FMD: Time Has Come Today

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Your doorbell rings. On the steps is a traveler, someone who looks to be in their early twenties. They’re a local resident. They think they haven’t gone far out of their way, but they seem confused. In reality, they’re lost. They have appeared on your doorstep at the end of a sudden journey.

The traveler looks down at a note in their hand. By their puzzled expression, it’s clear that the note was not there a moment ago. They hand you the note. It reads:

I have arrived from the past. When I left, it was August 7th, 1965. My journey has left me unable to talk with you, but I can listen. I know the general outline of the intervening years between now and when I left.

Back home, I play & listen to music all the time — it helps me make sense of the changing world around me. I am permitted to stay with you for the span of five songs. Please play songs that will tell me something about your world, and how your world emerged from the world I just left. I will take what I hear back with me.

You bring them inside your home, stall for time by getting them something to drink. What are you going to play? Why?

WGOM Videos

Max Roach – “Tears for Johannesburg” + “Prayer/Protest” from “Tryptich”

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Max Roach, drums; Abbey Lincoln, vocals; Eddie Kahn, bass; Clifford Jordan, tenor sax, Coleridge Perkinson, piano.

Live on Belgian television, possibly circa 1964. Roach’s We Insist! Freedom Now Suite is a landmark jazz album and an artistic jewel of the Civil Right Movement.

We get two pieces of ”Tiptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace” here. I’m not sure why the third was not included on the video, but it’s worth a listen to complete Roach’s thought. (Follow the link above.) He doesn’t simply “Peace” as a nirvana state. It’s jagged, weary, even incomplete.

”Tears for Johannesburg” was Roach’s artistic reckoning with the Sharpsville massacre, which I’d encourage you to read about — particularly right now.

Juneteenth marks the last arrival of the news of an emancipation formally proclaimed two and a half years earlier. By the time of its arrival in Galveston, the proclamation’s author had been reelected & assassinated. We should not forget that slavery continued in a couple Union states until the 6 December 1865, when the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified and finally abolished the practice. Nor should we forget that last Union state to ratify that amendment was Kentucky — on 18 March 1976.

Johnson’s amnesty, Reconstruction’s failure, Jim Crow, the mass perpetuation Lost Cause myth, federal anti-immigrant laws, segregation, and redlining thwarted a national reckoning with the political, social, and moral devastation of slavery & racism for generations.

Juneteenth’s rightly a day of celebration. It’s also a reminder of how far we yet have to go as a country, how fragile progress can be. It is a call seeking a response, because the work of emancipation remains incomplete.

3 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 103 votes, average: 9.67 out of 10 (3 votes, average: 9.67 out of 10)
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Keeping Track

Random Rewind: 1990, Game Seventy-six

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MINNESOTA 4, BALTIMORE 3 IN MINNESOTA

Date:  Sunday, July 1.

Batting stars:  Kirby Puckett was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Al Newman was 2-for-3 with a stolen base (his sixth) and two walks.  Kent Hrbek was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer (his eleventh) and a walk.  Greg Gagne was 2-for-4.

Pitching stars:  Roy Smith pitched six innings, giving up two runs on eight hits and one walk and striking out five.  Rick Aguilera struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up two walks.

Opposition stars:  Cal Ripken was 3-for-5 with a home run (his ninth) and two RBIs.  Steve Finley was 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk.  Joe Orsulak was 2-for-5.  Pete Harnisch pitched six innings, giving up two runs on eight hits and a walk and striking out five.

The game:  The Twins loaded the bases with two out in the third but did not score.  They put two on with two out in the fourth but did not score.  Instead, the Orioles started the scoring in the fifth when Finley hit a one-out home run.

The Twins answered back in the fifth.  This time they put two on with none out, as Gene Larkin and Puckett started the inning with singles.  Hrbek then hit a three-run homer to put the Twins up 3-1.  Ripken homered with one out in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-2.

It stayed 3-2 until the eighth.  Then Orsulak led off with a double and Ripken had an RBI single, and the game was tied 3-3.  The Twins put men on first and third with two out in the bottom of the eighth, but to no avail.

The Orioles could only manage a one-out walk to Mickey Tettleton in the top of the ninth.  In the bottom of the ninth, Puckett led off with a walk and Hrbek singled, putting men on first and second.  A force out put men on first and third, and Brian Harper delivered an RBI single, giving the Twins the victory.

WP:  Aguilera (2-1).  LP:  Gregg Olson (4-3).  S:  None.

Notes:  John Moses was in left in place of Dan Gladden.  Larkin was in right field.  Paul Sorrento was the DH.

The Twins really didn't have a regular right fielder.  Moses played the most games there with 52, but Shane Mack was right behind at 51.  Larkin played 47 games in right, Randy Bush 31, Carmelo Castillo 20, and Pedro Munoz 19.

The Twins also didn't really have a regular DH.  Larkin had the most games there with 43, with Castillo second at 35.  Bush was the DH for 27 games, Sorrento for 23, Jim Dwyer 22, Hrbek 20, Harper 11, and Moses 10.

Puckett was batting .308.  He would finish at 298.  Harper was batting .301.  He would finish at .294.  Among those who had at least 300 at-bats, Mack was the only .300 hitter, batting .326.  The Twins would bat .265 on the season, good for fourth place in the league.  Boston led at .272.

Hrbek led the team in home runs with 22.  Gary Gaetti hit 16 and Puckett 12.  The Twins hit just 100 home runs, tied for last with Kansas City.  Detroit led the league with 172.

Smith had a good enough game here, but he did not have a good season, going 5-10, 4.81, 1.55 WHIP.  My recollection of him is that he was a fairly big guy (6'3", 200 lbs.), but he did not throw hard at all.  He'd had a good year in 1989 (10-6, 3.92), but that was the only good year he ever had in the majors.

The Twins' rotation was not very good in 1990.  Allan Anderson led the team in starts with 31, but he went 7-18, 4.53.  Kevin Tapani made 28 starts, going 12-8, 4.07, 1.21 WHIP.  David West made 27 starts and went 7-9, 5.10, 1.50 WHIP.  Mark Guthrie battled injuries but did okay when healthy, going 7-9, 3.79, 1.33.  Scott Erickson made the jump from AA to the majors in late June and did okay, going 8-4, 2.87, 1.41 WHIP.

The Twins had three solid relievers in Rick Aguilera (5-3, 2.76), Terry Leach (2-5, 3.20) and Juan Berenguer (8-5, 3.41).  John Candelaria also did well out of the bullpen (7-3, 3.39), but he was traded to Toronto at the July deadline.

The Twins were eleventh in team ERA at 4.12; Oakland led with 3.18.  The Twins were eighth in WHIP at 1.39; Oakland led there, too, at 1.22.

The Twins really struggled to find a second baseman.  Newman got the most playing time there, 89 games, but he batted just .242 with a .582 OPS, and Tom Kelly preferred to use him as a utility man anyway.  They acquired Fred Manrique early in the season, but he batted just .237 and was released in August, having played 67 games at second.  Nelson Liriano was acquired in the Candelaria trade and played 50 games at second, batting .254.  The next year, Chuck Knoblauch would take over at second.

This was the "worst" part of the worst-to-first connection for the Twins.  Kelly never liked that phrase.  He said something to the effect of "we finished last, but we weren't the worst".  He had a point:  the Yankees actually had the worst record in the league at 67-95, and the Twins were only a game and a half behind Kansas City.  Plus, the Twins' record that year was among the best that a last-place team has ever had, as they lost fewer than 90 games.

This game snapped a four-game losing streak for the Twins.  They would go on to win four of the next five.

Record:  The Twins were 36-40, in fifth place in the American League West, 12 games behind Oakland.  They would finish 74-88, in seventh (last) place, 29 games behind Oakland.

The Orioles were 34-42, in fifth place in the American League East, 10.5 games behind Boston.  They would finish 76-85, in fifth place, 11.5 games behind Boston.

Random record:  The Twins are 40-39 in Random Rewind games.