The Twins will introduce the members of their all-time Metrodome team at the stadium’s last major league baseball game on Sunday, October 4. But what if this group could take to the field against an all-time Met Stadium Twins team?
The Twins, who had relocated from Washington D.C. following the 1960 season, played at Met Stadium from 1961 through the 1981 season, then moved to the dome. Included among the players in that 20 year span is a wrecking crew of three hitters who could give a pitcher from any era heart palpitations.
Sports Headliners consulted with Twins historian Dave Mona who reported on the franchise as a baseball writer for the Minneapolis Tribune in the late 1960s. He has followed the club closely over the years as co-host of the WCCO Radio Sports Huddle program on Sunday mornings.
With Mona’s input on players and my decision on batting order, here’s how the lineup looks: Cesar Tovar (center field); Rod Carew (second base); Tony Oliva (right field); Harmon Killebrew (first base); Bob Allison (left field); Jimmie Hall or Larry Hisle (designated hitter); Zoilo Versalles (shortstop); Earl Battey (catcher); Rich Rollins (third base).
Carew was a seven-time American League batting champ and had a .328 lifetime average. Oliva won three batting titles, had a career average of .304 and in his best power year hit 32 home runs. Killebrew slugged 573 home runs, a total that ranks as 10th best in baseball history.
The all-Metrodome team has four starters and we’ll go with the same number–sort of. Bert Blyleven is on both teams. “Circle Me Bert” won 80 games for the Twins from 1970-74, including his only career 20 game win season (1973). The other starters are Jim Kaat, Jim Perry and Camilo Pascual.
Two relievers? Right-hander Al Worthingon and left-hander Ron Perranoski provide balance and were top closers in the franchise’s early years.
Managing this group is battling Billy Martin. In his one year (1969) as Twins manager the team won a division title. In 1965 Martin was the team’s third base coach and his tutoring of Versalles and Carew contributed to an American League pennant and World Series appearance.
The all-Metrodome team features manager Tom Kelly, catcher Joe Mauer, outfielders Kirby Puckett and Torii Hunter, first basemen Kent Hrbek and Justin Morneau, DH Paul Molitor and pitchers Johan Santana, Frank Viola and Joe Nathan. More at https://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090728&content_id=6110794&vkey=pr_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min
Who would win a game between the all-Met Stadium team and the all-Metrodome club? “Good question. Never thought about that,” Mona said initially.
Mona asked where the game will be played. Outdoors at the Met where the Twins lost the 1965 World Series to the Dodgers, or indoors at the dome where the big top was a factor in the franchise winning two game sevens in the 1987 and 1991 World Series?
We gave into our PR backgrounds and came up with a diplomatic decision. We decided on a seven game series where the winner would be the team with four games in its ballpark.
A final note: the all-Metrodome team is superior in the field. That group is clearly better defensively at first base, third base and in the outfield, and probably at a couple other positions, too.
But never sell a Billy Martin motivated team short, particularly one with a “Killer.” (There goes the diplomacy again).