Four Favorite Twins Lefties
by John Sickels on Apr 19, 2009 12:29 PM EDT
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The Cliff Lee piece triggered some memories in my brain regarding southpaws. This doesn't have much to do with prospects, but I thought it was a worthwhile Sunday diversion. Here are my Four Favorite Minnesota Twins left-handers of all time. This is not a list of BEST pitchers. These are just my personal favorites for one reason or another.
1) Frank Viola
The 1982 and 1983 Twins were young and talented teams. They didn't win many games, but the nucleus of future success was there: Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky. . .there was a good core here. The pitching wasn't very good, which held the team back. Frank Viola, one year out of college, went 4-10, 5.21 in 22 starts, but he seemed to have the best arm among the starters. He struggled again in '83, but in '84 he broke out with an 18-12, 3.21 season. His breakthrough and the arrival of a young energetic outfielder named Kirby Puckett kept the Twins in first place for much of the season, until a final collapse dropped them to an 81-81 record. Viola was also the ace of the 1987 World Championship team. He is my favorite Twins lefty because, once he broke through in ‘84 he was the first YOUNG Twins pitcher I remembered who didn't scare me every time he took the mound. He was a pleasure to watch.
2) Jerry Koosman
Minnesota native Koosman was famous for his days with the Mets, but after going 11-35 combined between 1977 and 1978, he wanted out. The Mets were happy to oblige his desire to return to his home state team, shipping him to Minnesota for a young prospect named Jesse Orosco. Koosman revived his career by going 20-13, 3.38 for the Twins in '79, then won 16 more in 1980. He was old but it was nice to have a still-solid "big name" pitcher on the mound for two years. Alas, it didn't last long: Calvin Griffith, strapped for cash as always, shipped the expensive Koosman to Chicago in the 1981 strike season.
3) Johan Santana
What more can you say about this guy? Although I have less emotional connection to him than I do to Viola or Koosman, Santana was the best pitcher in Twins history, and a brilliant piece of player acquisition (Rule 5) and development (started as a swingman, Earl Weaver style usage of a young pitcher).. He has Hall of Fame talent, if he lasts long enough, which admittedly is always an open question.
4) Tom Hall
I never actually saw Tom Hall pitch. . .he was way before my time. But for some reason I thought his baseball card was very cool, and there was always something I found aesthetically pleasing about his statistical lines. He was good in the minors, too, going 14-5, 2.16 with a 177/48 K/BB in 167 innings for Wisconsin Rapids in 1967 for example. I liked his high strikeout rate, and the fact that he saw successful service as a swingman for several years, pitching well as both a starter and reliever. Did anyone here see him pitch?
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eddie
Was never that much into Eddie. Aguilera was my favorite closer.
by John Sickels on Apr 19, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
perkins
The way he’s going he could climb up my list soon.
Not to mention he’s a minnesota boy!
Faves
Viola was certainly a favourite of mine, and Santana is really a beaut… but I have a few other oldies that I liked too. Ron Perranoski came from the Dodgers and was a stalwart for four years, leading the AL in saves in 1969 and 1970. Tom Hall took over the closer’s role from him.
One of the all-time name game pitchers, Joe Grzenda, spent a year in the Twins’ pen, but I guess that’s hardly enough time to call him a Twins’ fave.
Jim Kaat was there so long it seemed like his team, though he always seemed a little bland to me and I didn’t warm up to him… appreciated but didn’t love him.
One lefty I cheered for to make it, but it didn’t quite work out, was Dan Serafini… one of his rookie cards didn’t even get his first name right… called him Ken Serafini (his name is Daniel Joseph, so go figure). I noticed this spring he pitched the Italian team to a win over Canada in the WBC’s early rounds.
The one that's going to get me for the rest of my days
Francisco Liriano, just because of that stretch in 2006 where he made Santana the clear #2 on the team. He’s rapidly becoming my Fantasy Kryptonite, where every time I look at him I see that 2006 pitcher instead of reality.
Feels like you can re-name this list “Four Favorite Mets Lefties” and nobody would notice the difference ;)
El Sid and Bobby Ojeda would deserve a spot. :)
by Lunkwill Fook on Apr 20, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
oops
you added your post while I was typing mine.
"Dying is no big deal. The least of us will manage that. Living is the trick." - Red Smith
I saw Tom Hall Pitch
We was one those guys who would pitch the second game of double headers or be a long man out of the bullpen. He was always better than expected for his role. The Twins had great starting pitching in those days. One of those guys you thought could go to another team and be a good starter. Could be real tough on left handed hitters. I was in my early teens when I did see him, but that’s what I recall.
Bert Blyleven says he was the best pitcher in Twins history
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Apr 20, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions
blyleven
I love The Bert. Will write about Twins RHP shortly.
by John Sickels on Apr 20, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
blyleven
I know this about lefty’s, but Bert would be my number 1 righty. An incredible 1 to 7 curveball. He was the pitcher I tried to copy/learn from when I pitched in high school. And, I met him before the Twins game yesterday. Class act all around.
Always appreciated
the outing Geoff Zahn would give.
"I saw your act, just didn't make it for me. Just a lot of fluff."
Do you realize, John . . .
that all four of these guys pitched for the Mets also? I think maybe you’re a closet Mets fan too.
It has been a long time since I looked at Kooz’ stats – he must have been hating life in 77 and 78. How does a guy give up 88 ER in 226 innings, have a WHIP of 1.22 and lose 20 games?
"Dying is no big deal. The least of us will manage that. Living is the trick." - Red Smith
The Way Glen Perkins' season is going
John Sickles may have to add a fifth lefty to his list.
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Apr 20, 2009 5:43 PM EDT reply actions
Tom Hall
I remember “The Blade” more with the early Big Red Machine bullpen along side guys like Pedro Borbon. Pretty much every bullpen guy was a swing man back then. Today he’d be a LOOGY. I recall him being death to lefties. Then again, today he would have to put up those strike out numbers because a guy his size would have two and a half strikes against him because of his size.
About Koosman in 77 & 78…the Mets went into rebuilding mode. They were putting a team on the field where Lee Mazzilli was head and shoulders better than the rest of the line up. Maz was a nice player, but… If Koos won with those teams he’d have had to led the league in ERA and hoped for better than usual offensive support.
by choo choo coleman on Apr 20, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions
When I was a kid
my favorite song was “Sneaky Snake.”
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