Minnesota Twins: The Top 5 Left Fielders in Franchise History
As the Minnesota Twins coming up on their 120th season, we look back at the five best left fielders in franchise history.
The Minnesota Twins are one of the oldest franchises in baseball, dating back to 1901, when they were the league bottom-dweller known as the Washington Senators. Since that time, the team has won three championships, six pennants, and eleven division titles.
It has also suffered through seven 100+ loss seasons, fourteen playoff defeats, and have lost over 1100 games to the New York Yankees. The team has had some really good seasons, and some really bad seasons. Throughout it all, there have been some excellent players who have carried the team.
These excellent players deserve some recognition , so Puckett’s Pond will be putting together a list of the top players at each position to get ready for the top 50 players of all time. In order to make it on this list, players need to have played over 400 games, been excellent on offense and defense, and played an important role for the team.
We’ll continue to move in positional order, heading out to left field. The team has had several really good left fielders, but not every one could make the list, apologies to Eddie Rosario and Jason Kubel. With that being said, we’ll get into it.
Honorable Mentions
Washington Senators’ Roy Sievers
Years with the Washington Senators: 1954-1959 (6 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Washington Senators: 856 G, 823 H, 480 R, 180 HR, 574 RBI, 8 SB, 435 BB, .267 BA, 14.6 WAR, -10.0 dWAR, Five Top-25 MVP Finishes, Three Time All-Star
Roy Sievers was one of the best power hitters in team history, blasting his way to 180 home runs over just six seasons in Washington. That number sets him at ninth in team history, and that was just over six years. He also knocked in 574 RBI over that same amount of time, averaging 95 RBI per season.
The only reason Sievers doesn’t make the list is because of his defense, an abysmal -10.0 dWAR, and his team didn’t win a lot during his time there. This list includes a lot of players who helped the team win big games and meant a lot to the team, but Sievers unfortunately doesn’t make the cut.
Minnesota Twins’ Jacque Jones
Years with the Minnesota Twins: 1999-2005 (7 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Minnesota Twins: 976 G, 974 H, 492 R, 132 HR, 476 RBI, 67 SB, 231 BB, .279 BA, 11.9 WAR, -1.3 dWAR
It was really hard to not include Jacque Jones on this list as one of the Top 5 left fielders in team history, because he’s in the top five if the list just includes Minnesota Twins players. But, because the franchise started in Washington, Jones doesn’t make the cut.
Jones played a key role for the early 2000s team that was often threatened with contraction. Jones hit 132 home runs and 476 RBI in just seven seasons while playing decent defense. He provided stability for a team that needed it, but he wasn’t good enough to be in the Top 5.
Washington Senators’ George Case (Photo by Conlon Photography/Sports Studio Photos/Getty Images)
No. 5: Washington Senators’ George Case
Years with the Washington Senators: 1937-1945, 1947 (10 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Washington Senators: 1108 G, 1306 H, 739 R, 20 HR, 355 RBI, 321 SB, 392 BB, .288 BA, 18.3 WAR, -1.9 dWAR, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, Three Time All-Star
Like many Washington Senators on this list during this time, George Case never got to experience a World Series. Case played for the team during a time when the Senators lacked the pitching necessary to win a title, but he played well enough himself.
Though Case could never hit for power, the left fielder was excellent at making contact. He finished his Senators career with a .288 batting average and 1,306 career hits and both marks place him in the top twenty-five all time in team history.
He also managed to score a lot of runs because of his speed, averaging about seventy-four runs per season. That speed also helped him go down as one of the best base stealers in franchise history, stealing 321 bases, third-best in team history. His defense was okay, as his dWAR mark of -1.9 is a pretty good rating for a left fielder, but without his speed, Case would not be on this list.
George Case finished his career with a WAR of 18.3, fourth best among left fielders, helping making the Senators interesting to watch over the beginning of the end of their time on the East Coast. His impressive hitting numbers and stellar work as a leadoff hitter make him an easy choice for this list.
No. 4: Minnesota Twins’ Dan Gladden
Years with the Minnesota Twins: 1987-1991 (5 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Minnesota Twins: 644 G, 661 H, 358 R, 38 HR, 238 RBI, 116 SB, 169 BB, .268 BA, 5.7 WAR, -1.4 dWAR, 1987 and 1991 World Series
If you look at stats alone, Dan Gladden isn’t even close to this list. His thirty-eight home runs are nothing special. His hits (661) and games (664) don’t come to close to placing in the top fifty in team history.
His WAR of 5.7 isn’t good, and his dWAR of -1.4 is average for a left fielder. He scored 359 runs and had a .268 batting average. Neither one of those numbers is good. But now that we’ve gone over what Gladden wasn’t the best at, let’s talk about why he’s on this list.
Gladden was fast. Over just five seasons, Gladden stole 116 bases. That number is good enough for eighteenth in team history, which is impressive for just five seasons. But not even his speed was his best contribution to the Minnesota Twins organization. That contribution is this:
Or how about this:
Gladden played for the Twins over a five-year period where the team won two World Series titles, playing playoff hero both years. In 1987, he hit one home run and had 12 RBI in 12 games, hitting over .300 over the course of the playoffs.
In 1991, Gladden added three more RBI and hit a leadoff double in the 10th inning before scoring the World Series-winning run three batters later. Gladden may not be the most skilled player in team history, but his playoff contributions earn him a spot on this list.
No. 3: Minnesota Twins’ Shane Mack
Years with the Minnesota Twins: 1990-1994 (5 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Minnesota Twins: 633 G, 668 H, 351 R, 67 HR, 315 RBI, 71 SB, 200 BB, .309 BA, 19.6 WAR, 0.4 dWAR, 1991 World Series
Shane Mack was one of the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ players that all major league teams need to be successful. Mack played all three outfield positions for the Minnesota Twins over his short five seasons with the team and was a key member of the 1991 World Series team.
Mack’s best tool was his hitting ability, working to a .309 batting average over his time with the team, good for tenth in team history. He was always able to hit, with four of his five seasons in a Twins uniform finishing with a .310 or above batting average.
He also was a true five-tool player, averaging 13 homers and 14 stolen bases each season, all while playing strong defense, finishing with a 0.4 dWAR, a really good number for left fielders. Mack finished his Twins career with the Twins with a 19.6 WAR, a really high number for only having played five years.
Mack’s best season came in 1991, when the Minnesota Twins were in the middle of their best season, as he hit .310 with 18 home runs and 74 RBI. He also built up a 5.0 WAR and was worth 14 more runs than the average outfielder, once again playing a key role for the Twins.
Shane Mack may have only been a member of the Minnesota Twins for a short time, but he left a major mark on the franchise. He helped the team to their best year as a franchise and was there when the team needed him most, helping him lock down a spot in the top 5 of these rankings.
No. 2: Washington Senator’s Heinie Manush
Years with the Washington Senators: 1930-1935 (6 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Washington Senators: 792 G, 1078 H, 576 R, 47 HR, 491 RBI, 29 SB, 205 BB, .328 BA, 21.1 WAR, -2.4 dWAR, 1926 Batting Title, Two Top-25 MVP Finishes, One Time All-Star, 1933 AL Pennant, Hall of Fame
You may have heard of Heinie Manush because of his odd nickname, one he earned because of his German ancestry, or because of his spot in baseball’s hall of fame, but Manush was one of the Senators’ top players during their 1933 run to the American League Pennant.
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Manush played with six different teams over his seventeen-year career, but he played more games with the Senators than with any other team. Manush was an outstanding hitter, averaging a .328 batting average with the franchise and averaging 180 hits per season.
His hitting helped him score 576 times and knock in 491 RBI, all of which help make up his WAR of 21.1 (half of his career WAR). He also was a solid defender, using his baseball smarts to make up for his lack of power (47 home runs) and speed (29 stolen bases).
Manush’s best baseball memory was of his time playing with the Senators in the 1933 World Series, helping them make it back to the postseason after a nine year absence. Heinie Manush proved to be one of the most valuable players in team history, earning the Hall-of-Famer the number two spot on this list.
No. 1: Washington Senators’ Leon “Goose” Goslin
Years with the Washington Senators: 1921-1930, 1933, 1938 (12 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Washington Senators: 1361 G, 1659 H, 854 R, 127 HR, 932 RBI, 117 SB, 488 BB, .323 BA, 43.0 WAR, -1.4 dWAR, 1928 Batting Title, Three Top-25 MVP Finishes, 1924, 1925, 1933 AL Pennant, 1924 World Series, Hall of Fame
No player spent more time patrolling left field for the Washington Senators OR Minnesota Twins than Goose Goslin. The Hall of Fame player earned his nickname because of his tendency to flap his arms when a fly ball was coming his way, but that didn’t stop him from being an above average defender, with a -1.4 dWAR.
Goose, like most corner outfielders, was an excellent hitter, swinging his way to a .323 average and 1,659 hits, impressive numbers for someone who played in 1,361 games. Goose also had a bit of power, hitting 127 home runs and knocking in 932 RBI. Goslin ranks in the top twenty in each one of these categories, making him an impressive all-around hitter.
Goslin was also decently fast, as the outfielder stole 117 bases over his twelve-year time with the team, ranking him seventeenth in team history in that group as well. Goslin’s best season came in 1925 when he hit .334, 18 home runs, and 113 RBI, coupled with a league-leading 20 triples. That wouldn’t be his highest batting average, however, as he won the batting title in 1928 with an incredible .379 average.
Goslin helped the franchise win its first World Series in 1924 and was one of the top hitters when the team took the AL Pennant in 1924 and 1925. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1968 and there are few who are more deserving. He is definitively one of the team’s greatest players all time.
Next. The Top 5 Third Basemen in Twins History. dark