Do You Remember These Guys As Twins?

[Ted Schwerzler]

While the Minnesota Twins have been pretty good since Derek Falvey and Thad Levine took over the front office, we’re not far off from those awful Twins teams of a decade or so ago. I found myself scratching my head thinking, “remember these guys?”

This isn’t intended to be a space where the thought process derives from guys being bad or otherwise unproductive, but more about remembering that these players wore a Twins uniform. Some of them were very brief, and some were in games that didn’t count, but they were there and going through the motions nonetheless.
 
Here are a few of the more obscure ones I could come up with:
 
Carlos Quentin

This one may be my favorite and is where this idea came from. Remember Quentin being a two-time All-Star for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres? He had a pretty good career posting an .831 OPS and 154 homers. He retired in 2014, though, until he didn’t. In February of 2016, Minnesota signed Quentin to a minor league deal. He played 15 games for the Twins in Spring Training and posted an .833 OPS. However, instead of bringing him north, the Twins opted to play Miguel Sano in right field and asked Quentin to go to Rochester. He chose to be released instead. That Twins club lost 103 games.

Jason Bartlett

You remember the piranha Jason Bartlett, a scrappy shortstop for Ron Gardenhire clubs in the early 2000s. This is about the 34-year-old Bartlett that came back in 2014 and was all of a sudden a left fielder. In over 7,400 Major League innings, Bartlett had never played the outfield, but he acted as a defensive replacement for Gardy. That role lasted just two games and seven innings. It didn’t go well, and he hasn’t played since.
 
Sean Burroughs

Another former Padres player that had some name recognition. Burroughs played in 440 games at the Major League level from 2002 to 2006. He then didn’t resurface until 2011 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Coming to camp with the Twins in 2012, he played in 10 games compiling a .343 OPS before being released.
 
John Ryan Murphy

Minnesota acquired Murphy from the Yankees in exchange for Aaron Hicks. Both guys looked like they needed a fresh start, and after Murphy took star closer Glen Perkins deep at Target Field, apparently the Twins decided they needed to be that place. He played in just 26 games for Minnesota, posting a .413 OPS. Somehow, despite a .591 OPS in 143 Major League games since, Murphy was still getting big league jobs until 2020.

Vance Worley

One guy that will never forget his time with the Twins is Vance Worley. Ask him to sign a Minnesota baseball card, and he’d rather shred it. Acquired in the Ben Revere trade alongside Trevor May, Worley was the club’s Opening Day starter in 2013. He was beaten to a 7.21 ERA in just over 48 innings and never pitched with the club again. It was May who Minnesota wanted most in the Phillies deal, but the Major League-ready arm certainly didn’t work out.
 
Sam Fuld

One of my favorite acquisition stories in Twins history, Terry Ryan worked a laugher in Sam Fuld. Claiming him a couple of weeks into the season from Oakland, Fuld played 52 games for Minnesota before the Athletics needed his services back. In the deal, Tommy Milone was acquired by Minnesota and went on to pitch in 49 games for the Twins. Just the idea of flipping Oakland their asset back and gaining something in the ordeal was incredible.

David Murphy

Murphy’s Baseball Reference page ends at Triple-A in 2016, and that’s because he never actually played for the Twins. Needing outfield help, he was signed to Triple-A Rochester and played ten games before Minnesota needed his services. The 2016 Twins were an abomination, losing 103 games, and rather than accept his promotion to the big leagues, a 34-year-old Murphy called it quits.

 
What are some players you remember being involved in weird Twins roster decisions?

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[strumdatjag]

I remember Jason Bartlett was such a quiet guy, that he had trouble communicating with his teammates in the field.  Being able to shout “I got it” really helps in baseball.   Sonebody correct me if my memory is wrong.   

[Chachi]

Bret Boone

[Brandon]

20 minutes ago, Chachi said:

Bret Boone

Phil Nevin

or Hall of Famer Steve Carlton

[Brandon]

This was a fun article.  THere should be a way to like articles or emoji them like we can with comments.

 

[Chachi]

Rondell White

[dberthia]

I'll never understand why Nic Turley was ever allowed to don a major league uniform.

[Andrew Mahlke]

So many good ones. Some of my favorites: Shane Robinson, Alex Presley, Dennys Reyes, Josmil Pinto, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, and Chris Colabello

[Seth Stohs]

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

This was a fun article.  THere should be a way to like articles or emoji them like we can with comments.

There is. Right under the article... 

[AceWrigley]

1972, one year in, and one year out: Wayne Granger and Dave LaRoche. Pretty good bullpen arms acquired for Tom Hall and Leo Cardenas and turned into Larry Hisle and Joe Decker. We hardly knew ya.

[Rosterman]

I seemed to remember Jason Bartlett expressing interest to return to the Twins as a systems coach. Never happened.

[Guest]

Yes, Jason Bartlett…one of those little piranhas. ?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

15 minutes ago, aTwinsFanInMaryland said:

Yes, Jason Bartlett…one of those little piranhas. ?

Welcome to TD - great first post - Keep it up!

[Brandon]

1 hour ago, Seth Stohs said:

There is. Right under the article... 

found it..... I scrolled up earlier and i guess i missed it.

 

[Twinsrtheworst]

Willie Banks and Pat Mahomes.  I remember being so excited for Marty Cordova...ug

[mikelink45]

Elmer Valo was with us for half of 1961 - he actually played 20 years and had 28.5 WAR

I suspect you can take half the 1961 roster and get a "who is he?' for them.

Or 1963 when Vic Wertz finished with the Twins.  He is the guy that hit the ball that Willie Mays made his famous catch on.

This was a wonderful article - you can do one for every year of the franchise.

[DuluthRoots]

Pretty sure I had this card in '61.

[blindeke]

Your list is great because these were all truly embarrassing roster additions. Myself, I was at the dome for a rare Corky Miller at-bat and at Target Field for a Byung-ho Park home run, 

[Juza]

I always loved those early 2000's teams when they had a full roster of Jason's and batted them in order just for fun. Jason Kubel, Jason Bartlett, and Jason Tyner.  Good times ...

[Rosterman]

Brian Dinkelman, who was actually a second baseman and outfielder and split his time at each position for the 2011 Twins. He hit a whopping .301, which was higher than anything he ever hit in abseball before and definitely afterwards. 

 

He stayed with the Twins after retiring and will be starting his ninth in the organization, 4th as a minor league manager.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dinkel001bri

 

 

 

[darwin22]

A few more to add (see below).  I didn't have the time to research everyone, but I think the vast majority of these players lasted no more than 1 season with the Twins.

Otis Nixon-1998

Wally Backman-1989

Mark Funderburk-1981

Chris Speier-1984

Boomer Wells-1982

Chip Hale-96

Bob Tewksbury-97

Sidney "the pontoon boat" Ponson- 2007*--------My vote for the WORST Twins SP of all time!

Billy Beane- 86-87

Jason Marquis- 2012

Joe Crede-2007

Steve Howe-1985

Luis Tiant-1970

John Smiley-1992

and finally......

Bartolo "Big Sexy" Colon-2017

 

[Monkeypaws]

Steve Carlton and Dave Hollins, the latter of whom was dealt for young David Arias, who just made the Hall of Fame.

 

Can't unremember Vance Worley's glasses

 

[Trov]

Jason Tyner, the 1 HR wonder. A first round pick from Mets that ended up with Twins getting his 1 career HR in over 1300 career at-bats.  I remember it was in Cleveland and barely made it out.  

How about Dave Hollins, who we traded for future HOF David Ortiz, lets not mention it was not because of Ortiz time with Twins though. 

I fondly remember Midre Cummings too, because he hit a walk off extra inning hit against Cleveland at the dome, when I was there with good seats as a teenager on dollar dog night, the first year they had it and there was no limit.  We were terrible team, and Cleveland was winning divisions over and over, so the walk off win was sweet end to like 4 hot dog night. 

[Rad Bradke]

8 hours ago, Trov said:

Jason Tyner, the 1 HR wonder. A first round pick from Mets that ended up with Twins getting his 1 career HR in over 1300 career at-bats.  I remember it was in Cleveland and barely made it out.  

How about Dave Hollins, who we traded for future HOF David Ortiz, lets not mention it was not because of Ortiz time with Twins though. 

I fondly remember Midre Cummings too, because he hit a walk off extra inning hit against Cleveland at the dome, when I was there with good seats as a teenager on dollar dog night, the first year they had it and there was no limit.  We were terrible team, and Cleveland was winning divisions over and over, so the walk off win was sweet end to like 4 hot dog night. 

Wow, that’s even better than a 3 dog night!

[wsnydes]

9 hours ago, Rad Bradke said:

Wow, that’s even better than a 3 dog night!