Minnesota Twins: Vote For The Franchise Four
Major League Baseball wants us to pick the Mount Rushmore of Minnesota Twins players which isn’t an easy task. They aren’t really calling it the ‘Mount Rushmore’ either, but they did think up a catchy name: ‘Franchise Four’.
This is up for all MLB teams and the winners will be honored during this year’s All-Star Game which is going to be held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Side note: Target Field might be the last American League stadium to ever host the Midsummer Classic, because the National League is hosting seemingly for the next 50 years. End of side note.
The makers of the ballot have put six faces up for election, but you can also vote for a write-in candidate. I know Eric Perkins of KARE-TV has already used this option in one of his votes.
The candidates are:
As it should be, everyone that’s on the ballot really truly deserves to be there. Mauer is the only active player on the ballot and will probably hurt his chances of election, plus his down year and the current squad’s struggles.
Two others I’d expect to have struggles is Walter Johnson and Jim Kaat. Johnson never played as a Minnesota Twin, but was so dominant as the man for the Washington Senators. He’s arguably the best pitcher to ever pitch, but the Twins are really reluctant to embrace their Senator histort. Kaat was also really, really good and pitched for the Twins, but his success hasn’t exactly been well-remembered throughout Twins Territory for some reason. That’s a real shame.
Kent Hrbek was Perkins’ write-in vote. Hrebk, Johan Santana and Brad Radke are just the start of some big potential write-ins.
My ballot has Walter Johnson, Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett and Joe Mauer on it. Yes, I am ready to hear why Mauer didn’t deserve my vote.
Voting ends on May 8 an you can vote right here.