Minnesota Twins: The 40 Best Players In Team History (No. 11-15)
Wins Above Replacement has become a powerful stat to measure the value of a player. Here are the all-time best Minnesota Twins based on WAR (numbers 11-15).
The Minnesota Twins have had some good players in their history. From Hall of Famers to fan favorites, there are plenty of big names that have come through to play in the Twins Cities. In an effort to figure out who is the best Twins player of all-time, we have taken a look at the Twins career leaders in Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
WAR is a sabermetric tool to help determine the overall value of a baseball player. It is a way to calculate a player’s total contribution to the team, which shows how truly valuable they are. Position player WAR is complex to calculate, as is pitching WAR.
Without all of the calculations, the concept is fairly simple. Position player WAR is meant to show how many more games the team wins with that certain player in the lineup instead of his replacement. The same concept roles into pitching. It is meant to reflect how many more wins that pitcher is responsible for during innings they pitch compared to someone else.
With that said, the 40 players on this list have the best WAR numbers during their Twins careers. Only their WAR during their time with the Twins is included. So that means there is no David Ortiz, Carlos Gomez or anyone else that had more success elsewhere. This list is strictly who was the best in a Twins uniform.
The next five (numbers 11-15) will begin with a guy in the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
No. 15: Gary Gaetti (27.1 WAR)
Gary Gaetti was a well-decorated and all-around good talent for the Twins during his ten seasons with the team. He showed his skill with his bat and glove, hitting for power and winning Gold Gloves. He even helped the Twins win a championship. All that, and more, helped Gaetti get on this list.
Gaetti was a force for the Twins during his time with the club from 1981 to 1990. He made back to back All-Star appearances in 1988 and 1989, which were not even his best seasons. He hit more than 30 home runs and drove in over 100 runs in 1986 and 1987, with 1986 being his best year statistically and from a value standpoint.
In 1986, Gaetti had his best wins above replacement mark of any season of his career. His 5.8 WAR was good for seventh in the American League that season. During that season, he garnered some MVP votes and won the first of four straight Gold Glove Awards.
Gaetti was a vital part of the 1987 World Series championship squad. He was named the ALCS MVP after hitting .300 with two home runs and five runs batted in against the Detroit Tigers. He hit a home run and drove in four runs in the World Series as the Twins beat the Cardinals in seven games.
Gaetti was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2007 and is remembered as one of the best in franchise history. He ranks in the Twins top ten in games played, at bats, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs and runs batted in. He was a great player, shown not only by his awards and power stats, but also his WAR.
No.13 and 14: Frank Viola and Jim Perry
The Twins first two Cy Young Award winners were great pitchers for the club. Frank Viola was the Cy Young Award winner in 1988, a year after winning the 1987 World Series MVP. Jim Perry was the recipient in 1970, a year he made one of his two All-Star appearances as a Twin.
Viola won 16 or more games for the Twins five times during his years in Minnesota. His best seasons included 1987, when he posted an AL fourth best 8.1 WAR and helping the Twins win the World Series. In 1988, he went 24-7 with a 2.64 ERA and registered 7.7 WAR. He was incredible during those two seasons, and few were as valuable as he was.
Viola was also a workhorse, registering four seasons of 250 or more innings pitched. Not only could he pitch effectively, but he could go deep into games. He worked 47 complete games during his time in Minnesota.
Perry had an incredible three year stretch from 1969 to 1971, which included a record of 61-35, a Cy Young Award, two All-Star selections and 11.6 WAR (6.2 coming in 1969). He pitched no less than 261.2 innings in a season during that stretch. He worked 33 complete games in that span.
Together, these two were workhorse pitchers that could win ballgames, which made them great among their peers. Each was able to snag a Cy Young Award while also being the best option on the mound for their team. Both have been recognized for their efforts and been inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
No. 12: Jim Kaat (30.7 WAR)
Jim Kaat‘s career in the majors spanned from 1959 to 1983. His longevity was incredible. His time with the Twins lasted from 1961 to 1973 (not counting the Washington Senators years). Kaat was an All-Star talent with one of the best gloves on the mound. His value to the Twins was high.
Kaat’s best statistical year came in 1966 when he went 25-13 with a 2.75 ERA in a whopping 304.2 innings pitched. He went to the All-Star Game that season, won his fifth of twelve straight Gold Glove Awards and finished fifth in the MVP voting. It was also his best season in a Twins uniform according to wins above replacement. He posted 4.5 WAR.
During his time with the Twins, Kaat won 189 games, good for first all-time in Twins history. He is also fifth in ERA, first in games started, second in complete games, second in shutouts, first in innings pitched, and second in strikeouts. He is, arguably, the best pitcher in Twins history according to his places in the Twins record books.
Not only was he a great pitcher, but he could field his position better than almost anyone. His 16 career Gold Gloves is second to Greg Maddux, who won 18. His combination of effective pitching and great defense nearly landed him in the Hall of Fame. He will be eligible again through the Veteran’s Committee in 2018.
With such a career, it is no wonder Jim Kaat is so high on this list. He is a Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer, and next year he could be a Baseball Hall of Famer. Only time will tell.
No. 11: Bob Allison (33.9 WAR)
The Minnesota Twins had some bright stars in the 1960s, and that includes a big time outfielder of the era. Bob Allison was an outfielder with a big bat and an ability to drive in runs. He was a great bat to have to compliment the incredible talent that was Harmon Killebrew.
Allison went to three All-Star Games in his career and hit 30 or more home runs three times. His best season, according to wins above replacement, was in 1963 when he put up an American League best 7.4 WAR. The next season he put up the seventh best total in the American League with 6.4.
Allison was a part of the magical 1965 American League pennant winning team, a year he hit 23 home runs and drove in 78 runs. He struggled in the World Series, but was a major factor in the Twins playing as well as they did throughout the season.
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Allison’s 211 home runs in a Twins uniform are the sixth best in team history, along with his top ten spots in runs, runs batted in and total bases. He is one of the best sluggers in team history, and was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
Allison may not have made the Baseball Hall of Fame, but he was a productive member of the Twins during their first years in Minnesota. He is still recognized as an all-time Twins great.