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1997 Minnesota Twins Season
The 1997 Minnesota Twins will not be remembered as the strongest team the Twins ever fielded. Manager Tom Kelly (baseball), Tom Kelly's team consisted of a few solid players, but mainly past-their-prime veterans and never-to-be-established prospects. One of the few bright spots was pitcher Brad Radke's breakout season, in which he won 20 games, at one point had 12 consecutive victories, tying a record Scott Erickson set in 1991. The team finished with a 68–94 record, good enough for fourth place in what proved to be the league's weakest division that season. The Cleveland Indians, who won the division that year, made it all the way to the World Series, but lost in seven games to the Florida Marlins. Offseason *November 4: Signed Juan Rincón as an amateur free agent. *December 5: Signed catcher and Minnesota native Terry Steinbach as a free agent. *December 12: Signed pitcher Bob Tewksbury as a free agent. *December 18: Signed pitcher Greg Swindell as a free agent. Offense ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American League Central
The American League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed in the realignment of 1994 by moving three teams from the American League West and two teams from the American League East. Its teams are all located in the Midwestern United States. Along with the National League East, the AL Central is one of two divisions in the Major Leagues in which all of its members have won a World Series title. In fact, each team has captured at least two World Series championships. The Kansas City Royals were the most recent team from the division to win the World Series. Division membership Current members *Chicago White Sox – Founding member; formerly of the AL West *Cleveland Guardians – Founding member; formerly of the AL East; known as the Cleveland Indians until 2021 *Detroit Tigers – Joined in 1998; formerly of the AL East *Kansas City Royals – Founding member; formerly of the AL West *Minnesota Twins – Founding member; formerly of the A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry Steinbach
Terry Lee Steinbach (born March 2, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1986 to 1999, most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics team that won three consecutive American League pennants and a World Series championship in . He played his final three seasons with the Minnesota Twins. A three-time All-Star player, Steinbach won the 1988 All-Star Game MVP Award and caught two no-hitters during his career. Amateur career Steinbach attended New Ulm High School in New Ulm, Minnesota. The Cleveland Indians selected Steinbach in the 16th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft, but Steinbach chose not to sign. He enrolled at the University of Minnesota, and played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers' college baseball team. With the Golden Gophers, Steinbach played as a third baseman. In 1982, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Designated Hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by the National League in 2022, making it universal in MLB. Within that time frame, nearly all amateur, collegiate, and professional leagues worldwide have adopted the designated hitter or some variant, with the notable exception of Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Major League Baseball rule In Major League Baseball, the designated hitter is a player who does not play a position in the field, but instead replaces the pitcher in the batting order. The DH may only be used for the pitcher (and not any other position player), as stated in Rule 5.11. Use of the DH is optional, but must be determined before the start of the game. Prior to 2022, if a team did not begin a game with a DH, the pitcher (or a pinch hitter) had to bat for t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matt Lawton
Matthew Lawton, Jr. (born November 30, 1971) is an American former professional baseball player whose career spanned 15 seasons, including 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lawton, an outfielder, made his major league debut September 5, 1995, with the Minnesota Twins, who signed him four years prior. He also played in the majors with the New York Mets (2001), the Cleveland Indians (2002–04), the Pittsburgh Pirates (2005), the Chicago Cubs (2005), the New York Yankees (2005), and the Seattle Mariners (2006). Over his major league career, Lawton compiled a .267 batting average with 1,273 hits, 267 doubles, 17 triples, 138 home runs, 631 runs batted in (RBIs), 165 stolen bases, and 681 walks in 1,334 games played. Lawton was drafted by the Twins during the 1991 MLB draft out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. A season later, he made his professional debut in the minor leagues with the Gulf Coast League Twins. He also played in the minors with the Fort Wayne Wiz ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rich Becker
Richard Godhard "Rich" Becker (born February 1, 1972) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, and Detroit Tigers. Career Born in Aurora, Illinois, Becker was selected in the third round of the 1990 MLB draft out of West Aurora High School by the Minnesota Twins. In high school Becker, played competitive football and baseball. In football, he played quarterback and running back on offense and corner back on defense. However, he excelled on the baseball diamond and as a result had come to the attention of elite college baseball programs and scouts from MLB. Becker spent his first minor league season with the Elizabethton Twins. He played in 56 games, had 194 at-bats with 56 base hits, including six home runs for a .289 batting average. He played for the Kenosha Twins, Visalia Oaks and the Nashville Xpress teams before being cal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marty Cordova
Martin Kevin Cordova (born July 10, 1969) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, and Baltimore Orioles. He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Before embarking on a major league career, Cordova played six seasons in the minor leagues. Baseball career Marty began his pro career in the minors in 1989 with the Elizabethton Twins of the Appalachian League. After a season in rookie ball, Cordova moved up to Class A and spent the 1990 season with the Kenosha Twins of the Mid West League. Cordova would then go onto spend the next two seasons with the Visalia Oaks of the Advanced-A California League 1991-1992. After spending two years in Advanced-A, Cordova made the move up to Double-A. In 1993 Cordova joined the Nashville Xpress of the Southern League. In 1994, Cordova moved up to Class AAA and played the season for the Salt Lake Buzz of the Pacific Coast League. A prom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pat Meares
Patrick James Meares (born September 6, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. Meares was the 12th round draft pick of the 1990 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins, from Wichita State University. Meares made his major league debut on May 5, 1993 with the Minnesota Twins. He played six full seasons with the Minnesota Twins, with a high of 152 games in 1996. He was granted free agency after the 1998 season, and he then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 1999 season. He played two full seasons and one incomplete season (1999 with 21 games) with the Pittsburgh Pirates with a career high of a .308 batting average in 1999. Meares played 742 games with the Minnesota Twins and 239 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with a total of 981 professional baseball games in his career. His last major league game took place on October 7, 2001 vs. Chicago Cubs. He led the American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Coomer
Ronald Bryan Coomer (born November 18, 1966), nicknamed "Coom Dawg", is a former first baseman and third baseman in Major League Baseball and the current color analyst and play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs radio on WSCR 670 AM. Coomer had a nine-year major league career from to playing for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was elected to the American League All-Star team in 1999 while with the Twins. During his baseball career he opened up a baseball facility in Orland Park, Illinois, called C.F. Swingtown Baseball Academy, which is no longer owned by Coomer. Baseball career Coomer was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th round of the 1987 amateur draft. After one season, he was released by the A's. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox on March 18, 1991. In 1993, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Isidro Márquez. After two seasons in the minors, Coomer was traded to the Minnesota Twins with Greg Hans ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other is the National League (NL)'s New York Mets. The team was founded in when Frank J. Farrell, Frank Farrell and William Stephen Devery, Bill Devery purchased the franchise rights to the defunct Baltimore Orioles (no relation to the current Baltimore Orioles, team of the same name) after it ceased operations and used them to establish the New York Highlanders. The Highlanders were officially renamed the New York Yankees in . The team is owned by Yankee Global Enterprises, a limited liability company that is controlled by the family of the late George Steinbrenner, who purchased the team in 1973. Brian Cashman is the team's general manage ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters consider several offensive statistics, including batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, as well as their "general impressions of a player's overall offensive value". They are not permitted to vote for players on their team. The award is a bat-shaped trophy, 3 feet (91 cm) tall, engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league and plated with sterling silver. It is given by Hillerich & Bradsby, the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats. Ten Silver Slugger Awards are given each year per league. One each goes to a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop. Three outfielders receive the award, irrespective of their specific position; for instance, three left fielders could win th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chuck Knoblauch
Edward Charles Knoblauch (; born July 7, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1991 through 2002, for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. He played mostly as a second baseman before moving to left field for his final two seasons. Early years Born in Houston, Texas, Knoblauch came from a baseball family, as his uncle Eddie Knoblauch and father Ray Knoblauch played and managed in the minor leagues between the late 1930s and mid-1950s. Knoblauch played for the Bellaire High School baseball team, which also produced many other former major leaguers, including Chris Young and Jose Cruz, Jr. Knoblauch missed his senior season (1986) due to a broken leg, but he cheered from the bench as the team won the state championship. Chuck was drafted in the 18th round of the 1986 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, but did not sign. Knoblauch went on to play college baseball for Tex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scott Stahoviak
Scott Edmund Stahoviak (born March 6, 1970) is a former Minnesota Twins first baseman. He attended Creighton University Creighton University is a private Jesuit research university in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate and undergra ..., and was an integral part of Creighton's NCAA College World Series appearance in 1991. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Stahoviak was drafted by the Twins in the first round (27th overall) in the 1991 amateur draft. He signed with the Twins on June 13, 1991. He made his major league debut in 1993 and also played from 1995 through 1998. Stahoviak played at least part of every season in the minor leagues from until except . His last two seasons were spent in the Chicago Cubs organization. He used to be a gym teacher at Saint Norbert School in Northbrook, IL. He now teaches Physical Education ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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