No. 4: Minnesota Twins’ Tom Brunansky
Years with the Minnesota Twins: 1982-1988 (7 Seasons)
Key Stats with the Minnesota Twins: 916 G, 829 H, 450 R, 163 HR, 469 RBI, 36 SB, 394 BB, .250 BA, 16.1 WAR, 1.2 dWAR, One Time All-Star, 1987 World Series
While Tom Brunansky doesn’t have as nice of a stat line as Buddy Lewis does, he was an important part of a Twins team that brought home the first title in Minnesota Twins history. Brunansky provided a burst of power that helped the team get over the hump.
Brunansky never hit for great average over his time with the Twins, only earning 829 hits for a .250 batting average, but he showed excellent power, blasting homers and knocking in 469 RBI. His 163 homers rank him eleventh in team history after only seven years.
While he wasn’t exceptionally fast, Brunansky managed to score 450 runs and steal 36 bases (about 64 runs and 5 steals per season, solid numbers for a power hitter. He also was solid at drawing walks, taking 394 walks over seven seasons, placing him 30th in team history.
Brunansky was a solid defender, finishing with a 1.2 dWAR, best in team history among rightfielders, helping him produce a career WAR of 16.1 and earning him a trip to the 1985 All-Star Game. He was the only Twin to represent the team when the All-Star game was held at the Metrodome.
Brunanasky’s main contribution came during 1987, helping the team bring home the World Series title. He hit 32 homers with 85 RBI over the year, but led the team in batting average in the ALCS and tied for the most runs scored in both the American League Championship Series and WS. Those playoff contributions help land him in the number four spot on this list.