Twins Video
You have to go back to 2011 to the last time the Orioles (Vlad Guerrero) and Rays (Johnny Damon) had a 100-game DH, and 2010 for the Blue Jays (Adam Lind) and Indians (Travis Hafner). The White Sox have had their share of veteran sluggers, but the last time they had a player DH in 100 games was 2008 (Jim Thome, who also reached 99 games at DH in '09).
That would be the longest drought without an "everyday" DH, except for the fact the Twins have them beat ... by a decade. The last Twins player to DH 100 games? Paul Molitor in 1998 (he also accomplished the feat in '97 & '96). The last time the Twins even had a guy DH in half their games was in 2009 (Jason Kubel, 82).
Things were especially unstable at DH last season. Miguel Sano and Byungho Park shared the team lead in appearances at DH with just 36. Joe Mauer (34), Robbie Grossman (19) and Kennys Vargas (13) also had at least 10 games at DH. The only other teams to fail to have a player reach even 60 games at DH were the Yankees (led by A-Rod's 57 games) and A's (led by 53 games at DH for Khris Davis).
But it's not like that was all by design. Of course, if Park continued his hot start Paul Molitor would have gladly penciled him in at DH 100-plus times last season. Park had a .900 OPS through his first month and a half in the big leagues before falling apart.
And maybe Terry Ryan would never have brought in Park if the team didn't feel it was too early to make 23-year-old Sano an everyday DH. To be fair, that was an entirely sensible approach to take (deciding to put him in right field is another discussion). Even the greatest designated hitters of all-time spent many of their younger years in the field.
Any discussion about great designated hitters has to start with David Ortiz, right? Despite being in his mid-20s, the Twins were primarily DHing Ortiz in his last three years in Minnesota, but he played first base in 79 games over his first two seasons in Boston. Once he turned 29, Ortiz never played in more than 10 games in the field in a season.
Chili Davis mostly played outfield prior to coming to Minnesota in 1991 and switching to DH as a 31-year-old. Jim Thome was a third baseman through age 25 and didn't switch to DH until joining the White Sox at age 35. Paul Molitor played all over the diamond before becoming a primary DH at age 35.
Edgar Martinez primarily played third base until he was 32. Harold Baines was an outfielder before he switched to DH in his age 28 season. Frank Thomas was one of the biggest dudes to play the game, but even he played more first base until he was 30.
One last bit of DH info fun, since the DH was instituted in 1973 the Twins have had a 100-game DH 12 times. That's the exact number of seasons David Ortiz played at least 100 games as a DH.
Here is the list of Twins' leader in DH games for each season (over 100 games in bold):
16: Miguel Sano/Byungho Park 36
15: Miguel Sano 69
14: Kennys Vargas 40
13: Ryan Doumit 49
12: Ryan Doumit 48
11: Jim Thome 59
10: Jim Thome 79
09: Jason Kubel 82
08: Jason Kubel 85
07: Jason Kubel 36
06: Rondell White 54
05: Matt LeCroy 63
04: Jose Offerman 39
03: Matt LeCroy 63
02: David Ortiz 95
01: David Ortiz 80
00: David Ortiz 88
99: Marty Cordova 85
98: Paul Molitor 115
97: Paul Molitor 122
96: Paul Molitor 143
95: Pedro Munoz 77
94: Dave Winfield 76
93: Dave Winfield 105
92: Chili Davis 125
91: Chili Davis 150
90: Gene Larkin 43
89: Jim Dwyer 73
88: Gene Larkin 86
87: Roy Smalley 73
86: Roy Smalley 114
85: Roy Smalley 56
84: Randy Bush 88
83: Randy Bush 104
82: Randy Johnson 66
81: Glenn Adams 62
80: Jose Morales 85
79: Jose Morales 77
78: Glenn Adams 100
77: Craig Kusick 85
76: Craig Kusick 79
75: Tony Oliva 120
74: Tony Oliva 112
73: Tony Oliva 142
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