Minnesota Twins: The 40 Best Players In Team History (No. 6-10)
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 6-10).
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 6-10) will begin with arguably the most dominant pitcher in team history.
No. 10: Johan Santana (35.7 WAR)
The Minnesota Twins possessed one of the best pitchers in the game during most of the previous decade. Johan Santana was nothing short of dominant during a chunk of his eight seasons in Minnesota. His stretch from 2004 to 2006 was one of the best in history.
During his time with the Twins, Santana held a record of 93-44, struck out 1,381 batters and maintained a 3.22 ERA. He was named to three All-Star teams and won two Cy Young Awards. While his personal achievements were great, his value to the team according to WAR was even more impressive.
Santana’s best wins above replacement total came in 2004 when he put up 8.7. During his dominant three-year stretch, Santana recorded an incredible 23.4 wins above replacement. Santana was the man to have on the mound and he was a huge factor in the success of the Twins.
From 2004 to 2006, Santana had a record of 55-19 with 748 strikeouts and a sub-three ERA. He was first in the American League in strikeouts each of those years, along with being the leader in WAR among pitchers. It was as if nobody could touch him. He helped the Twins to two playoff appearances in that span, also.
During his time in Minnesota, Santana was nothing short of masterful. If not for injuries, he would be looked at as a future Hall of Famer. He was one of the best in Twins history and his numbers prove it.
No. 9: Chuck Knoblauch (37.9 WAR)
Chuck Knoblauch was a speedster with a knack for hitting and a good glove while with the Twins. During his tenure in Minnesota, which lasted from 1991 to 1997, Knoblauch was a star who used his speed to his advantage.
Knoblauch helped the Twins win the 1991 World Series during a year in which he won the American League Rookie of the Year. His best years, however, were still to come. Knoblauch would end up with two different seasons of double digit home runs for the Twins and he would bat over .300 three times.
Along with his batting average, Knoblauch was a base thief. He stole 25 or more bases every year with the Twins, including 62 in 1997. His 276 stolen bases is first in Twins franchise history. With his speed, he was able to score often. He scored 100 runs in a season four separate times. With all of his tools, Knoblauch was able to rack up wins above replacement.
He ranked in the top ten in WAR in all three seasons from 1995 to 1997, including a mark of 8.6 in 1996. That mark was good for third in the American League. He would rack up 3.5 or more WAR during every season in Minnesota except his rookie year.
Knoblauch was valuable to the Twins, as shown by his WAR totals. He was also able to take home one Gold Glove Award, a Silver Slugger and four All-Star berths. He is one of the most decorated Twins in history, which earned him induction into the Minnesota Twin Hall of Fame.
No. 8: Kent Hrbek (38.4 WAR)
While he may not be a Baseball Hall of Famer, Kent Hrbek is a legend in Twins Territory. He is, to this day, a Twins fan favorite and justifiably so. He was a member of both the 1987 and 1991 World Series championship teams, was an All-Star and brought lots of pop to the lineup.
Hrbek’s whole career was spent in a Twins uniform and spanned from 1981 to 1994. He went to one All-Star Game and finished second in the 1984 American League MVP race. He hit 20 or more home runs in ten seasons, including 34 in 1987. Hrbek’s bat was incredibly valuable to the Twins during their winning seasons.
He consistently picked up around three wins above replacement year in and year out, including 5.5 in 1984. He had two other seasons of 4.4 and 4.0, respectively. While Herbie struggled in playoff situations, he still was able to produce in the regular season and get the team in those situations through his value while in the lineup.
Hrbek is a Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer, and rightfully so. He is second in club history in home runs, runs batted in and walks. He is fifth in hits, fourth in runs and third in games played. Hrbek’s name is all over the Twins’ major categorical lists and that has helped him stay in the hearts and minds of Twins fans.
Hrbek was a key part in two of the greatest seasons in Twins history. His bat was one of the best in franchise history and he is remembered by everyone who loves Twins baseball. His value is also shown in his WAR statistics.
No. 7: Tony Oliva (43.0 WAR)
Tony Oliva may be one of the most underappreciated players to ever play the game. He is widely considered one of the best players to not be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the numbers show he should be. If not for injuries, he may have been a shoo-in.
Oliva was an eight-time American League All-Star during his fifteen year career (wholly spent with the Twins). He was a .304 career hitter, good for sixth in Minnesota Twins history. He is in the top ten in almost every offensive category in Twins history.
Oliva was a valuable part of the first magical Twins season in 1965 when they won the American League pennant, eventually losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. Oliva was an All-Star and finished second in the MVP voting that year. It was also one of five years he would record 5.0 or more wins above replacement.
His best season, according to the WAR statistic, was in 1970 when he accumulated 7.0 wins above replacement. That season he was an All-Star, was second in MVP voting, hit .325 and had 23 home runs to go along with 107 runs batted in. The next season would see him hit for his career-best average, .337, before the decline from injuries started.
Tony Oliva is remembered as one of the greatest Twins in history. His production during the era he played in was some of the best in baseball. He was one of the first Minnesota Twins superstars and his value statistics show his place in Twins history is justified.
No. 6: Brad Radke (45.6 WAR)
The Twins had a pitcher who would come to work every day and quietly get the job done during the toughest era for a pitcher in the game’s history. During his 12 years, he would climb the Twins all-time lists and cement his status as a franchise great. Brad Radke was one of the best control pitchers of his era and it made him successful during his career.
Radke played his entire career with the Twins from 1995 to 2006. During that time, he made one All-Star team, received Cy Young and MVP votes, had a 20-win season and helped lead the Twins to four playoff appearances.
He could eat innings, pitching 200 or more innings in nine seasons. He could pitch deep into games, spinning 37 complete games over the course of his career. His value numbers were good too, which shows he was the guy the Twins wanted on the mound whenever possible.
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Radke recorded 4.5 or more wins above replacement in six different seasons, including a career-high 6.5 in 1999. He won 20 games in 1997, a year he pitched 239.2 innings and tossed four complete games all while posting 4.6 WAR. He was a top ten pitcher in the American League according to WAR in three seasons during his career.
Radke’s value numbers show you don’t have to be flashy to be one of the best at your craft. He was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame for his contributions during his 12-year career, and he definitely earned it. His time in Minnesota will be remembered for his ability to get outs effectively and helping the Twins win during a consistently successful era.