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New Book Revisits Ortiz Twins Career

Posted on July 14, 2017July 14, 2017 by David Shama

A recently released local book about the era of the Twins in the Metrodome includes new insights regarding David Ortiz’s departure from Minnesota after the 2002 season. Ortiz created the impression over the years that leaving the Twins was something he welcomed, but quotes from former Minnesota teammates alter that perspective.

Ortiz, who played parts of six seasons with the Twins, became one of baseball’s most feared hitters after joining the Red Sox. The Twins gave up on the DH-first baseman after too many injuries and mixed results in his performance. Ortiz flourished, though, with the Red Sox where one season he hit 54 home runs, and closed his career as a 40-year-old in 2016 with a .315 batting average while hitting 38 home runs and driving in 127 runs.

Tom Kelly (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins)

Last spring the Hall of Fame-bound Ortiz was critical of his Twins experience in his new hardcover book, Papi: My Story. Among his digs at the Twins was Tom Kelly’s fondness for slap hitters, accusing the manager of trying to make the 6-3, 230-pound slugger into a lightweight at the plate to take advantage of the Metrodome’s bouncy artificial surface.

In an online review of the book last May, Sports Illustrated’s Jack Dickey offered this quote from Ortiz regarding Kelly: “So I kissed his ass for a couple of years and became the biggest slap hitter you’ll ever see.”

Dickey also wrote that Ortiz was critical of Kelly for once ordering the team back on the field after a game because of a poor performance. As a manager, Kelly was all in regarding fundamentals. Ortiz considered such post-game instruction inappropriate for professional players.

In Bob Showers’ book The Twins in the Dome, the local author quotes former Minnesota teammates Corey Koskie and Torii Hunter about Ortiz’s feelings toward the Twins after the 2002 season. Koskie was at Ortiz’s wedding in November of 2002 when Ortiz was suspicious he would soon be departing the Twins.

“He started to cry,” Koskie said in the book. “He saw the writing on the wall regarding his future with the Twins. He was sobbing and saying, ‘I am going to miss you guys so much.’ “

Ortiz was released soon thereafter and the move not only bothered him, but also Hunter who said in the book his friend called him expressing surprise and said, “I can’t believe it. I don’t know what I did. I don’t know what’s going on.”

Hunter told Showers he felt “blindsided” about the release of someone he thought was a valuable talent (Ortiz had his best Minnesota season in 2002, hitting .272 with 20 home runs and 75 RBI). “I made a phone call to the front office and we had some words,” Hunter said. “I fought for him but I had no voice. I was only four years (experience) in the big leagues, so I had no voice. I told them he was the best hitter on the team but they didn’t believe me.”

Showers also interviewed Kelly about his years of managing the Twins from 1986-2001. Regarding Ortiz, Kelly talked about injuries, mentioning a broken bone in Ortiz’s hand and also a bad knee. “We just couldn’t keep him on the field,” Kelly said.

Kelly managed the Twins to World Series championships in 1987 and 1991, with Minnesota winning game seven both years in the Metrodome. The 1987 win was a shock to all of baseball and uplifted the local sports environment that hadn’t experienced a world championship since the 1954 Minneapolis Lakers won the NBA title.

Following the first World Series, Kelly received a surprise visit by police officials from Minneapolis and other local communities. “We want to thank you,” they said in Showers’ book. “You don’t understand how much life has improved in our cities this past month during the playoffs and World Series.”

The law enforcement officers cited declines in crime rates and gained Kelly’s attention. “These are things that don’t go through your head, things that don’t register while you’re playing,” Kelly said in the book.

Kelly was touched, too, by the boxes of letters he received from the public. “There had to be at least six or seven letters, mostly from women, describing how better their lives became during the playoffs and World Series,” he said. “They were having troubles in the household or facing possible divorce and the games brought them back together with their spouse. …Those letters absolutely knocked me over.”

The Twins played in the Metrodome from 1982-2009. Those years come alive in Showers’ book that includes interesting quotes from the players and others who were part of that era. Showers not only interviewed a lengthy list of sources, but filled his 275- page book with great photos. There are even pictures of every Twin from the Dome years—starting with Paul Abbott and ending with Delmon Young. The book will stir nostalgia in Twins fans.

Showers will be signing copies of the book from 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 21 in the Delta SKY360° Club at Target Field as part of the Twins’ 30-year celebration of the 1987 World Series. He will be at the stadium’s Majestic Clubhouse Store the next day at a time to be determined. Signed copies of the book are also available at www.itascabooks.com.

Showers is a Bloomington resident who while growing up in Iowa attended his first Twins game in 1971 at Met Stadium. He has also authored The Twins at the Met; and Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne.

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Sano, Puckett All-Stars in Third Years

Posted on July 12, 2017July 12, 2017 by David Shama

Miguel Sano was one of three Twins on the American League’s roster for last night’s All-Star Game in Miami. Being an All-Star could have prompted longtime Twins fans to make a few comparisons with the late Kirby Puckett.

Sano is 24 years old, the same age Puckett was when he played his first big league season with the Twins in 1984. Sano has already participated in parts of two seasons with the Twins but last night’s All-Star Game was his first.

Puckett initially played in MLB’s summer showcase at age 26. As with Sano, Puckett made the All-Star roster for the first time when he was in his third season with Minnesota. The year was 1986 and Puckett was on his way to a final batting average of .328, with 31 home runs and 96 RBI.

Sano and Puckett, both right-handed hitters with hefty physiques, drew comparisons earlier this season when Sano got to 10 home runs in 32 games, the fastest of any Twins hitter since Puckett pulled that off in 23 games. Those are numbers that can be indicative of a team’s best hitter—its biggest weapon in the batting order.

Puckett was the Twins’ leader for parts of the 1980s and 1990s during a 12-year career when he hit over .300 eight times. He finished his career with a .319 lifetime batting average and 207 home runs. Even more lasting to his legacy are the two World Series titles he helped bring to the Twins.

Sano has emerged as the Twins’ most important offensive player at the age Puckett was just arriving at the Metrodome. His home runs, RBI and slugging percentage are tops on the team. Those totals of 21 and 62, and the .538 percentage, rank sixth, third and ninth in the American League. His batting average is .276.

The Twins, who had a 59-102 record last season, are among baseball’s surprise teams at the All-Star break. The club is 45-43, only 2.5 games behind the first place Indians in the American League’s Central Division. Part of that success is attributable to Sano whose 62 RBI are 21 more than his nearest teammate (Brian Dozier).

Miguel Sano (photo courtesy of Minnesota Twins).

Sano is starting to make his name more prominent nationally, and who knows if the path might lead to Cooperstown where Puckett is enshrined in baseball’s Hall of Fame. Monday night on national TV Sano reached the finals of the All-Star weekend’s Home Run Derby where he lost to Yankee slugger Aaron Judge.

In last night’s All-Star game Sano drove in the American League’s first run in a 2-1 win over the National League. Minnesota’s other representatives in the game were 34-year-old starter Ervin Santana and bullpen closer Brandon Kintzler, 32.

Santana, with a 10-6 record and 2.99 ERA, might be headed to the best season of his career but at his age he doesn’t have the potential to headline the Twins like Sano. As a reliever, Kintzler won’t assume that role either.

Joe Mauer, 34, has a resume of three AL batting titles and that 2009 league MVP Award, but he has been fading for years. He has missed the .300 batting mark for the past three seasons.

Byron Buxton’s fielding in center field could make even Puckett smile but he’s been hitting around .200 much of the season and the long-term prospect for becoming a threat at bat is up for debate, even though Buxton is only 23 years old. Sano is the team’s alpha dog already and perhaps will be for another 10 years or more.

Even at third base Sano has been a contributor. He has committed an acceptable 12 errors and his fielding percentage of .970 is 60 points better than his career MLB number entering this season.

The 6-4, 262-pound Sano has shown a nimbleness and strong arm in the field while contributing to a surprisingly strong defense that hasn’t received enough credit when discussion occurs about the team’s collective success.

Puckett was extraordinary in the field and seven times in his career reached double digits in stolen bases. Sano will never be the all-around player Puckett was, not even close. Puckett hit for average and power, and seven times he was a Gold Glove winner for his work in center field. He even reached double figures seven times in stolen bases.

Sano seems on track to become one of baseball’s best sluggers, easily surpassing Puckett’s career home run total. Puckett’s best home run years were when he hit 31, 28 and 24. Sano, who already has 64 career homers, is a free swinger who struck out 178 times last season in 431 plate appearances and probably will top that this year. Puckett never struck out more than 99 times in a season.

Sano, like Puckett, not only has the potential to be the club’s offensive leader for years to come but could emerge as a vocal leader like Kirby. What’s that Puckett once said to teammates? “Jump on my back, boys.” Sano, a native of the Dominican Republic, perhaps could say something like that in both Spanish and English to teammates in the future if the Twins have contending teams.

A sad note in any language, though, is that Puckett, who died in 2006, won’t be able to join his former teammates from the 1987 club for a reunion weekend in Minneapolis July 20-22 celebrating 30 years since the Twins were baseball’s world champions. Among those expected are ex-players Keith Atherton, Juan Berenguer, Bert Blyleven, Randy Bush, Sal Butera, Mark Davidson, George Frazier, Gary Gaetti, Dan Gladden, Kent Hrbek, Gene Larkin, Tim Laudner, Steve Lombardozzi, Al Newman, Jeff Reardon, Roy Smalley, Mike Smithson, Les Straker, and Frank Viola. Expected also are manager Tom Kelly, and coaches Tony Oliva, Rick Stelmaszek and Dick Such.

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Twins Buy-Sell Decision Still Too Early

Posted on June 25, 2017June 25, 2017 by David Shama

A Sunday notes column with the Twins leading off:

The Twins are a surprise contender for the American League Central Division title, and this morning were only a half game out of first place. The turnaround from 2016 when Minnesota finished with a 59-103 record doesn’t predict, however, whether the front office will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline July 31.

Club president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners on Friday it’s too early to determine what direction the franchise will go with its roster by the end of July, and even in August when MLB teams can still make moves through waiver deals. He made it clear that whatever course the club determines will be decided by Derek Falvey, the chief baseball officer who was hired last fall.

“We’ll try to do what’s best for our club,” St. Peter said. “I have great confidence in Derek Flavey to lead that decision making process. … It’s a little early to get into where we stand in that. Obviously our club has been competitive but it’s also obvious we have a lot of work to do.”

Falvey and others involved with the Twins leadership, including general manager Thad Levine, are taking a long-term view in rebuilding the franchise. While it’s a positive to be playing above .500 with a 38-34 record, the goal is to become a consistent winner that can deliver championships. The Twins have holes on their roster, including at times an alarming lack of quality pitching. The farm system only has a couple of prospects who will make top 100 lists of baseball’s most promising players.

“There are a lot of positives with this (current roster) group of players,” St. Peter commented. “That said, we’ve also seen challenges and we need to find ways to get better. I am optimistic that Derek is going to explore every avenue going forward, and not just in the short-term but probably more importantly over the long-term.”

On July 22 the Twins celebrate the 30th anniversary of their 1987 World Series championship team during a pregame ceremony at Target Field before Minnesota plays the Tigers. That Twins won the first world title by a Minnesota pro sports team since the 1954 Minneapolis Lakers were NBA champs.

The 1965 Twins were in the World Series, the 1981 North Stars reached the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Vikings lost four times in Super Bowls in the 1970s, but St. Peter said Upper Midwest sports fans are “eternally grateful to that group (the ’87 Twins) for actually bringing home a world championship.”

The ’87 team wasn’t a preseason favorite to reach the World Series. Part of the love affair for fans with that team was how they surprised most everyone with their success. “It’s by far, in my opinion, the most popular group-team in Minnesota sports history,” said St. Peter who expects many members of the team to be in Minneapolis for the reunion.

Earlier this year the Twins’ Eduardo Escobar represented the club in a cow milking contest against the Angels’ Blake Parker in Anaheim. St. Peter said a milking contest could be part of his franchise’s plans for next season and help celebrate agriculture.

Asked about potential Twins to participate, St. Peter identified Escobar and Chris Gimenez who he said was known as a “decent milker” while participating in cow milking with other clubs. Years ago the promotion was popular at Met Stadium.

It’s not believed (just kidding) cow milking skills or experience will be factors in determining the Twins’ roster coming out of spring training in 2018.

Longtime Wolves followers might wonder about the reported relationship between Jimmy Butler and coach Fred Hoiberg during the last two seasons in Chicago. Butler, the All-Star small forward traded to the Wolves last week, was apparently critical and challenging of Hoiberg’s coaching. Hoiberg, who played for the Wolves and worked for the organization years ago, is a terrific person and classy guy.

Westgate sports book moved the Wolves from 100-1 to 60-1 to win next year’s NBA title after the Minnesota-Chicago trade, according to a Friday online story by Todd Dewey for the Las Vegas Review–Journal. The Bulls’ odds went from 100-1 to 200-1.

Athlon Sports is celebrating 50 years since its inception and its Big Ten football magazine now on newsstands includes a feature ranking the 50 top college players dating back to 1967. Minneapolis’ Larry Fitzgerald Jr., the wide receiver who played at Pittsburgh, is No. 23. Former Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss, who scored at least one touchdown in each of his college games at Marshall, is No. 22. Running back Herschel Walker, who also played for the Vikings and won the Heisman Trophy while leading Georgia to the national championship, is No. 1 on the list.

Teddy Bridgewater’s rehabilitation of his knee is ongoing but optimism about his chances of playing quarterback again for the Vikings is more certain than several months ago.

Jennifer Hines, tournament director for the 3M Championship, is one of three women in the country directing PGA tournaments. Another director is Hines’ sister, Tracy West, with the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.

This year’s 3M Championship is July 31-August 6 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine. Jack Nicklaus will be among the golf legends expected to play in a special event. Joe Durant won the tournament last year. Admission is free all week.

Creative Charters, the Stillwater-based fan tour company, is offering a package with more than football for the Gophers game on September 9 in Corvallis against Oregon State. The trip includes activities on the Oregon coast with fishing, whale watching, wine tasting and more. Details at Creativecharter.com.

The 29th annual Bruce Smith Golf Classic last Monday at Faribault Golf Club included former Gophers Seth Helgeson, Darrell Thompson and Ben Utecht. The fundraising event benefits Faribault schools and has generated about $225,000 over the years. It honors Bruce Smith, the Faribault native who won the 1941 Heisman Trophy playing for the Gophers.

Kaitlin Langer, who finished her senior season at St. Thomas as the D3Hoops.com Player of the Year, majored in real estate studies and is “affiliated with a RE/MAX office in Rosemount,” according to the latest issue of the University of St. Thomas magazine.

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