1979 Minnesota Twins Season
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1979 Minnesota Twins Season
The 1979 Minnesota Twins season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 82–80, fourth in the American League West. Offseason In January 1979, the Twins attempted to trade first baseman Rod Carew to the New York Yankees in exchange for Chris Chambliss, Juan Beníquez, Dámaso García, and Dave Righetti, but were unable to finalize a deal. Carew would instead be traded to the California Angels on February 3. Notable transactions * October 3, 1978: Dave Johnson was released by the Twins. * December 4, 1978: Dan Ford was traded by the Twins to the California Angels for Ron Jackson and Danny Goodwin. * December 8, 1978: Greg Field (minors) and a player to be named later were traded by the Twins to the New York Mets for Jerry Koosman. The Twins completed the deal by sending Jesse Orosco to the Mets on February 7, 1979. * January 6, 1979: Mike Marshall was signed as a free agent by the Twins. * February 3, 1979: Rod Carew was traded by the Twins to the Cali ...
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American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the West Coast of the United States, west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each. Division membership Current members * Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the National League West, NL West (1969–1993) and National League Central, NL Central (1994–2012) * Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels were formerly known as ...
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Dámaso García
Dámaso Domingo García Sánchez (7 February 1957 – 15 April 2020) was a Dominican professional baseball second baseman, best known for his time spent with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB), in the 1980s. García was originally a footballer. In 1974, he was the club captain of Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra. That year, García also played as the captain for the Dominican Republic national football team at the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. Playing career García made his major league debut in 1978 with the New York Yankees. He played in 29 games over the following two seasons, before being traded with Chris Chambliss and Paul Mirabella to the Toronto Blue Jays for Tom Underwood, Rick Cerone, and Ted Wilborn, prior to the 1980 season. As Toronto's regular second baseman from 1980 through 1986, García batted over .300 twice (1982 and 1983), with his .310 mark placing him 6th in the American League (AL), in 1982. García ...
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Paul Hartzell
Paul F. Hartzell is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in all or part of six seasons, between 1976 and 1984. During that time, he pitched for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers of the American League (AL). Hartzell retired in July 1981, but returned to baseball in 1984, playing at each level of professional baseball in one season, culminating with his first MLB appearance since June 14, 1980, when he appeared in relief for the Brewers on September 15, 1984. He was known as a ground-ball pitcher. Baseball career College Hartzell was a two-sport varsity athlete, starring in baseball for the Lehigh University Engineers for three varsity seasons. In 1975, he posted one of the best seasons in Lehigh history for a pitcher, setting school records with 92 innings, 10 complete games, and a 1.66 earned run average (ERA). That mark is currently second in school history. Hartzell gradu ...
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Dave Engle
Ralph David Engle (born November 30, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball utility player who played for the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers of the American League and the Montreal Expos of the National League from 1981 to 1989. Pro career A graduate of the University of Southern California, Engle was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 1978 amateur draft by the California Angels. On February 3, 1979, he was traded by the Angels along with Brad Havens, Paul Hartzell and Ken Landreaux to the Minnesota Twins for Rod Carew. He played catcher, first base, third base, outfield and designated hitter. In the minor leagues, Engle won the International League batting title in 1980, beating out Wade Boggs .307 to .306. Four years later, he was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1984. During his sophomore season, Engle became the first player to hit a home run in Minneapolis's newly opened Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. This occurred on opening ...
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Ken Landreaux
Kenneth Francis Landreaux (born December 22, 1954) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1977 through 1987. Playing career After graduating from Dominguez High School in Compton, California, Landreaux was drafted by the Houston Astros in the eighth round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft, but chose to attend Arizona State University. While at Arizona State, he played in the 1975 and 1976 College World Series on teams that included future major leaguers Floyd Bannister, Chris Bando, and Bob Horner. Landreaux was selected by the California Angels in the first round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft. In his major league debut with the Angels, on September 11, 1977, against the Chicago White Sox, Landreaux threw out three base runners from the outfield. In , the Angels traded Landreaux, Dave Engle, Paul Hartzell, and Brad Havens to ...
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Mike Marshall (pitcher)
Michael Grant "Iron Mike" Marshall (January 15, 1943 – May 31, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1967 and from 1969 through 1981 for nine different teams. Marshall won the National League Cy Young Award in 1974 as a Los Angeles Dodger and was a two-time All-Star selection. He was the first relief pitcher to receive the Cy Young Award. Early life Marshall was born in Adrian, Michigan, on January 15, 1943. He attended Adrian High School in his hometown, before studying at Michigan State University. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies on September 13, 1960. Career Marshall did not pitch professionally until 1965 in the minor leagues. Marshall was purchased by the Detroit Tigers in 1966. He made his Major League debut with the Tigers on May 31, 1967, pitching one inning against the Cleveland Indians. He pitched in 37 games for the Tigers that season, all in relief, recorded 1 ...
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Jesse Orosco
Jesse Russell Orosco (born April 21, 1957) is a Mexican American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances, having pitched in 1,252 games. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s and made the NL All-Star team in 1983 and 1984. He won a World Series in 1986 World Series, 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 World Series, 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed, but batted right-handed. He retired in 2003 after having been with the Mets, Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and Minnesota Twins. He retired when he was 46 years old, one of the oldest players to still be playing in the modern age. Orosco is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades, appeared in Major League games in four decades. Orosco's longevity was greatly aided b ...
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Jerry Koosman
Jerome Martin Koosman (born December 23, 1942) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies between and . Koosman is best known as a member of the Miracle Mets team that won the 1969 World Series. New York Mets Rookie year Koosman was discovered by the son of a Shea Stadium usher, John Lucchese, who caught Koosman when he pitched in the United States Army at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Mets offered Koosman a contract after his discharge from the military. Koosman was about to be cut from the Mets in 1966, when Joe McDonald, the assistant farm director, requested Koosman be retained at least until his first payday, as he owed the Mets money they had wired him after his car broke down en route to spring training. After leading all International League pitchers in strikeouts in , Koosman broke into the Mets’ rotation in . He posted a 19–12 record wi ...
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New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other being the American League's (AL) New York Yankees. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The team's colors evoke the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants. For the 1962 and 1963 seasons, the Mets played home games at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan before moving to Queens. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets played their home games at Shea Stadium, named after William Shea, the founder of the Continental League, a proposed third major league, the announcement of which prompted their admission as an NL expansion team. Since 2009, the Mets have played their home games at Citi Fi ...
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Danny Goodwin
Danny Kay Goodwin (born September 2, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter from 1975 to 1982. He also played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league with the Nankai Hawks in . Goodwin is the only baseball player to be drafted first overall in the Major League draft in two separate drafts. 1971 and 1975 draft first overall pick Goodwin was initially drafted first overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft as a catcher straight out of Peoria Central High School. He chose, instead, to attend Southern University and A&M in Baton Rouge. He batted .394 with twenty home runs and 166 runs batted in for SUBR. In 1973, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. He was a three-time All-America, at the NAIA level his sophomore and junior years, and at the NCAA level his seni ...
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Ron Jackson (baseball, Born 1953)
Ronnie Damien Jackson (born May 9, 1953 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a coach and a former player in Major League Baseball. He was the hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox in 2004 when they won their first World Series in 86 seasons. From 1975 through 1984, Jackson played first base and third base with the California Angels (1975–78, 1982–84), Minnesota Twins (1979–81), Detroit Tigers (1981) and Baltimore Orioles (1984). He batted and threw right-handed. Jackson was called up to the Angels after hitting .281 in 144 games for the Salt Lake City Gulls of the Pacific Coast League, and made his major league debut on September 12, 1975. In a 10-year career, Jackson compiled a .259 batting average with 56 home runs and 342 RBI in 926 games. Jackson played for managers Gene Mauch, Sparky Anderson, Dick Williams and Jim Fregosi. With the Angels, he hit a career-high .297 in 1978, and in 1979 posted personal highs in hits (158), doubles (40), home runs (14), RBI (68), ...
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Dan Ford
Darnell Glenn Ford (born May 19, 1952) is a former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Disco Dan", he played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1975 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins, California Angels, and Baltimore Orioles. He was the starting right fielder with the 1983 World Series Champion Orioles. In 1,153 career games, Ford had a batting average of .270, 121 home runs and 566 runs batted in (RBI). Early life Ford went to John C. Fremont High School in Los Angeles, California. He served in the United States Army. Career Ford was picked 18th overall in the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He spent four years in the minor league system for the Athletics before he was traded on October 23, 1974, to the Twins with Dennis Myers for Pat Bourque. For the next four seasons, Ford was a regular in the Twins' lineup. He hit the first home run at the renovated Yankee Stadium off Rudy May on the fifth pitch of the game after Jerry Terrel ...
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