Aug 25, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins hat and glove lays on the field during the game. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Based on his WAR, Larry Hisle could challenge Span for 10 on this list. His best season with the Twins came in 1977. That season, Hisle hit 28 home runs and led the AL in RBI with 119. He slashed .302/.369/.533 and finished 12 in AL MVP. His best five years of his career were the five he spent with the Twins
Randy Bush spent his entire 12 year career with the Twins. A career .251 average, Bush was primarily a pinch hitter or bench player. Yet he was still an important cog in the Twins machine during 1987 and 1991. His lowly 1.6 WAR, yes it’s correct, does not constitute a ranking in the top 10. Maybe the amount of time with the Twins is an argument to be made. However, he is a clear honorable mention.
Dan Gladden played long enough with the Twins to be apart of the two World Series championships. He hit a grand slam in the ’87 World Series, which was the first of two grand slams hit by the Twins in that series. Gladden was not a star player but he was a smart player. His hustle made him a favorite among fans. With only a 5.6 WAR with the Twins, he does not have enough credentials to make the top 10.
Marty Cordova‘s rookie year in 1995 was one of his best seasons. He won Rookie of the Year. He hit .277 and had a 20/20 season. The next year he drove in 111 and hit .309. After that his career declined. Maybe Cordova peeked early in his career. Whatever the case, winning Rookie of the Year and meeting the qualifications for this list is worthy of an honorable mention.
Matt Lawton was almost around long enough to be with the Twins during their 2002 run for the playoffs. He was part of the “Soul Patrol” along with Hunter and Jones. Lawton, like many others mentioned so far, had his best statistical years with the Twins. In 2000, he was named an AL All-Star. His career went down hill after being traded mid-2001.
Jason Kubel often received “Kuuuub” cheers from Twins fans. Similar to Trevor Plouffe and Lew Ford. Kubel’s best year with the Twins came in 2009. That season he hit an even .300 and smacked 28 home runs while driving in 103. For the amount of time he spent with the Twins, a 3.6 WAR is quite low. It is not good enough to make the list but it is worth an honorable mention.
Credit for stats and info go to Twins Sortable Stats, Baseball-reference and the Star Tribune.