The next inductees to the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame should be
Justin Morneau
From Killebrew to Carew to Hrbek, the Twins have seen impressive players hold down the first base position, so when fan favorite Doug Mientkiewicz was traded to make way for Morneau, fans knew there was a special player on the way.
Morneau certainly didn’t disappoint, making four All-Star teams and winning the 2006 MVP as a member of the Twins. From 2006-2010, Morneau hit .298/.372/.528, averaging 27 home runs and 105 RBI. However, in 2010, Morneau had a nasty collision on the basepaths, causing a concussion that he was never the same from during his time with the Twins. He was hitting .345/.437/.618 over 81 games at the time of his injury, really having his finest season of his career.
On top of all of that, he had one of the greatest commercials ever in the video above with Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer as the Twins prepared to move into Target Field.
More from Puckett's Pond
- Minnesota Twins: 2022 Year in Review for Twins Baseball
- Minnesota Twins: Making the Case for the Current 2023 Rotation
- Minnesota Twins: Does the MLB or the Twins have a Spending Problem?
- Minnesota Twins: 2 Possible Free Agent Reunions for 2023
- Minnesota Twins: Holiday Wish List for the rest of the Offseason
Corey Koskie
A positive story of Minnesota Twins development, Koskie was drafted in teh 26th round of the 1994 draft out of college. He moved up one level at a time through the Twins minor league system, improving his walk rate at every stop up to AA and showing improved power at every step.
Koskie shared the third base position with Ron Coomer in 1999 before taking over the position all to himself in 2000. In 2001, Koskie had one of the finest seasons of a third baseman in Twins history, hitting .276/.362/.488 with 37 doubles, 26 home runs, 27 stolen bases, 100 runs, and 103 RBI. Koskie’s hard play led to injury issues that began to plague his career, leading to just 118 games in 2004, though he hit 25 home runs in that shortened season.
With injury issues showing up and already 31, the Twins allowed Koskie to leave in free agency. Koskie totaled only 173 more games in his career before retiring after the 2006 season.
Koskie was one of the best ambassadors for the team while part of the Twins, and it’d certainly be fitting to reward that with a spot among the Twins Hall of Famers.
Who else do you think the Twins should consider for the team’s Hall of Fame? Anyone on this list that you don’t believe should get in? Comment below!!