The Minnesota Twins are just 25 days away from Opening Day in Baltimore. As we near that day, here is more Twins history related to that number.
The Minnesota Twins are preparing for a 2018 season with expectation after making the playoffs in 2017 as a Wild Card team. We will highlight numbers from team history that represent the number of days until Opening Day on March 29th in Baltimore.
Something that has been great about this countdown is to recall some of the greatest moments in Twins history. Today we take a closer look at the player who is responsible for “the slide” from game two of the 1987 World Series. He is also one of seven players to have been a member of both Twins World Series championship teams. That player is number 25, Randy Bush.
Career with the Twins
Bush came to the Twins as a second-round draft pick in the 1979 MLB draft. He was known best as a designated hitter through much of his career but did play a bit as a corner outfielder and at first base. Bush debuted with the Twins in 1982 and played his whole career with the Twins until his release from the team on June 27, 1993.
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The left-handed hitting Bush regularly played as the designated hitter and pinch hitter during the 1987 World Series. As mentioned above, he was a major part of a big fourth inning in game two of that series. Bush first drove in Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek on a double to put the Twins up 3-0. Then off the bat of Tim Laudner was able to score from second, sneaking around the tag at the plate to help the Twins to go up 5-0.
The next season in 1988, Bush very likely put up his best individual season of baseball. He hit .261/.365/.434 with 14 home runs and 20 doubles. By the time the 1991 season came around, Bush was primarily a pinch hitter by that point in his career. Even as Bush moved into that reduced role, he was as accomplished as you can be as a pinch hitter. Bush twice recorded 13 pinch hits in a season which led the American League in 1991.
Another World Series
Bush had a stint coaching his alma mater the University of New Orleans baseball team following his playing career from 2000 to 2005. The former Twins player can currently be found in the role of assistant general manager under Theo Epstein with the Chicago Cubs. That role allowed Bush to enjoy a third World Series as part of the 2016 World Series winning Cubs.
Next: Twins front office must remain aggressive
As we await sunshine filled days at Target Field, we reach 25 days on the countdown to Opening Day. We also remember the contributions of number 25, Randy Bush.