Randy Bush Maximized A Minimal Role For 12 Seasons With The Twins

[Al from SoDak]

Randy Bush fits into a couple of memorable groups of Twins players held in high esteem by the fan base: the 1982 rookies, and the seven players who were part of both World Series championship teams in 1987 and 1991.

Twins Hall-of-Famer and hometown kid Kent Hrbek fits into both of these groups, too. As such, much has been written and said about Mr. Hrbek. Perhaps that is why Randy Bush is often overlooked, but not today. Today we take a closer look at Bush.

Robert Randall Bush was born in Dover, Delaware on October 5, 1958. (Here on Twins Daily, Thiéres Rabelo named Randy Bush the best-ever Twins player from the state of Delaware.)

He attended the University of New Orleans, playing only one season but leaving his mark. He batted .369 with a team-leading 18 home runs, 77 runs batted in, and a slugging percentage of .764. That one season would later be enough to merit his selection to the school’s Hall of Fame. A more immediate effect was that his one season at UNO got the attention of the Major League Baseball teams, specifically the Minnesota Twins, who drafted Bush in the second round of the 1979 MLB draft.

After being drafted and signed by the Twins, Bush always even-keeled and played in AA Orlando and AAA Toledo from 1979 to 1982. Foreshadowing his Twins’ future, he usually did not play full-time, but he always played well enough to contribute to the team. He played left field, right field, first base, and was a designated hitter. The one season Bush was granted extensive playing time – as an outfielder in 1981 with Orlando – he proved his worth by batting .291/.404/.494 with 22 home runs and 94 runs batted in.

He debuted with the Twins on May 1, 1983. He struck out in his only plate appearance. His first hit came four days later against the Boston Red Sox. He had to wait a bit longer for his first home run, which came on September 6, 1982, in game two of a doubleheader. Bush pinch-hit (of course) for Gary Ward and hit a home run against Charlie Hough in an 11-7 loss. He homered again the next day and then had a two-home run game on September 20 against Toronto. The stoic, calm Bush was in the big leagues to stay.

Once with the Twins, Bush continued his role from the minor leagues as a bench player who filled in when others were hurt or needed rest. He played occasional outfield or first base but was mainly used as a designated hitter, then as a pinch hitter in later years. He had over 400 plate appearances only four times in his career, with a high of 466 in 1988. Conversely, he had six seasons with less than 300 plate appearances. 

Bush had a reputation as a great pinch-hitter. In truth, he had some great years and some less-than-stellar years, which we can attribute to small sample sizes. Bush’s career slash line as a pinch hitter was .242/.346/.353. His overall pinch-hitting OPS was a pedestrian .699, but he did have three seasons where his pinch-hitting OPS was over 1.000. 

• 1984, 25 Plate Appearances, .400/.440/.600
• 1986, 32 Plate Appearances, .433/.469/.700
• 1991, 43 Plate Appearances, .382/.500/.618

I’m certain his performance in the 1991 championship year solidified his reputation as a great pinch-hitter. During that season, Bush tied an American League record with seven pinch hits in a season consecutively. That record still stands and is shared with Bill Stein of the Rangers in 1981 and Ross Gload of the White Sox in 2006.

Despite his limited use, Bush had some highlights with the Twins. He hit over ten home runs in six different seasons of his career. He drove in eight runs in one game versus Texas on May 20, 1989, with three hits, including two home runs. He was fifth in the American League with seven triples in 1986. Surprisingly, Bush was fifth in the AL in 1988 with 14 intentional walks (behind Wade Boggs, Mike Greenwell, Greg Brock, and George Brett). Bush hit 96 career home runs, all of which came against right-handed batters. That is an MLB record for most home runs exclusively against only pitchers of a certain handedness. His career slash line was .251/.334/.413. He had a career OPS+ of 102.

In the postseason, Bush played much more extensively in 1987 than in 1991. He started four games at DH against the Tigers in the American League Championship Series with an OPS of .864, a triple amongst his three hits, and one RBI. He also had three stolen bases. In the World Series, he started once at DH and appeared as a pinch-hitter in three other games. In those games, his OPS was only .500, with one hit in six plate appearances. But he started game two at DH and went 1 for 3 with a bases-loaded double, 2 RBI, and a run scored on an epic slide as the Twins blew the game open in the fourth inning.

In 1991, Chili Davis was the designated hitter, so Bush did not play at all in the ALCS against Toronto, but he did get three pinch-hit opportunities in the World Series against Atlanta. He appeared in two of the losses in Atlanta and could not reach base in either game. As we all know, game seven of the 1991 World Series was the epic pitcher's duel between Jack Morris and John Smoltz that went scoreless through nine innings. Despite that, both teams had plenty of base runners and opportunities. Randy Bush was used as a pinch-hitter for Greg Gagne leading off the eighth inning. He got a hit and was immediately replaced by pinch-runner Al Newman. After Dan Gladden popped out, Chuck Knoblauch singled with Newman going to third base. Things were looking promising with Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek coming up next. The Braves intentionally walked Puckett, leading to Hrbek lining out to Mark Lemke for an unassisted double play. That was the end of Bush’s influence on this game. We all know how the game ended – Gene Larkin’s pinch-hit single over the heads of drawn-in outfielders Brian Hunter and Ron Gant to score Gladden. 

Bush played twelve years with the Twins from 1982 to 1993. He never played for another MLB team. In fact, of players who have played only for the Twins, the only ones to compile more seasons than Randy Bush are Tony Oliva (15), Joe Mauer (15), and Kent Hrbek (14). Three others can match Bush’s 12 seasons with the Twins and only the Twins. They are Kirby Puckett, Brad Radke, and Glen Perkins. That’s a very narrow and select group from Minnesota Twins history.

Randy Bush returned to the University of New Orleans to coach from 2000 to 2004, with a record of 144-145. UNO won a conference title in 2000. Since 2005, Bush has served various roles with the Chicago Cubs, often as an assistant general manager. He received a third World Series ring from the 2016 Cubs victory.

In addition to the University of New Orleans Hall of Fame, Bush has been inducted into the Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame. When Bush returned from his full-time work in the Cubs front office after the 2021 season, MLB Trade Rumors quoted him as saying, “I honestly feel like the luckiest guy in the world with all the blessings I’ve had in my baseball life. It’s been unbelievable.”

Bush was part of the 1982 rookie class that included Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Frank Viola, Tim Laudner, Tom Brunansky, and even coach/manager Tom Kelly. In Kent Hrbek’s Tales from the Minnesota Twins Dugout, Hrbek calls Bush one of his best friends in baseball. Bush was also one of the seven players who appeared on both World Series-winning teams, along with Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, Al Newman, and Gene Larkin.

Randy Bush always seemed calm, emotionless, and ready to do whatever it took to help the Twins win. In later years, when he was almost exclusively a pinch hitter, he never seemed to be overwhelmed by any situation. He never looked nervous. Randy Bush was just a perfect bench player who helped his teams reach the mountaintop twice. In my book, that makes him a legend.

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[myjah]

I feel like Randy Bush isn't that random. 

[Al from SoDak]

1 hour ago, myjah said:

I feel like Randy Bush isn't that random. 

Thanks for the comment. I've struggled with how random the players should be. I don't want to make them so random that nobody wants to read it. I'll try to do better.

[theBOMisthebomb]

49 minutes ago, Al from SoDak said:

Thanks for the comment. I've struggled with how random the players should be. I don't want to make them so random that nobody wants to read it. I'll try to do better.

It's kind of a summary of the push/pull of Bush's career. He seems random and forgettable then you mention him in the same breath alongside Puckett and Hrbek. I've talked to many younger generation Twins fans who don't recognize Randy Bush so I am glad you profiled his career. 

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Al from SoDak said:

Thanks for the comment. I've struggled with how random the players should be. I don't want to make them so random that nobody wants to read it. I'll try to do better.

iF one does not want to read it, because it is not a front line player, they are fair weather baseball fans and not much to be concerned about.

This thread has reminded me of gents that had slipped from memory and I am glad you reminded me of them.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

I remember Randy Bush as a walk drawing machine.  I don't know if that's entirely accurate, but he seemed to walk as much as he struck out, which would be pretty amazing in this day and age.  In his best seasons, he seemed like a guy who should have gotten more at bats, but maybe the limited sample size played to his strengths. 

Bush is one of those guys that doesn't get the credit, but fills an important role better than others could have.  It's pretty hard to play 12 years with a team and not be pretty helpful. 

[oregontwin]

I remember him hitting 2 walk off home runs in the same at bat and even then needing the home plate umpire to overrule the first base ump who blew it twice by calling both balls foul.

[Al from SoDak]

2 hours ago, theBOMisthebomb said:

It's kind of a summary of the push/pull of Bush's career. He seems random and forgettable then you mention him in the same breath alongside Puckett and Hrbek. I've talked to many younger generation Twins fans who don't recognize Randy Bush so I am glad you profiled his career. 

Yeah, interesting career. Here forever. Never seemed great, but never seemed out of place.

[Al from SoDak]

2 hours ago, RpR said:

iF one does not want to read it, because it is not a front line player, they are fair weather baseball fans and not much to be concerned about.

This thread has reminded me of gents that had slipped from memory and I am glad you reminded me of them.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement

[Goofé Dean]

Seems like a perfectly appropriate subject for this series to me.

Also a nice nostalgia shot for those of us who were kids rooting for the '87 and '91 teams.