1981 Minnesota Twins season

Last updated

1981  Minnesota Twins
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Metropolitan Stadium
City Bloomington, Minnesota
Record41–68 (.376)
Divisional place7th
Owners Calvin Griffith (majority owner, with Thelma Griffith Haynes)
General managers Calvin Griffith
Managers Johnny Goryl, Billy Gardner
Television KMSP-TV
(Bob Kurtz, Larry Osterman)
Radio 830 WCCO AM
(Herb Carneal, Frank Quilici)
←  1980 Seasons 1982  →

The 1981 Minnesota Twins season was the 21st season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, the 81st overall in the American League and the 21st and final season at Metropolitan Stadium, as the team moved to the Metrodome the next season.

Contents

The Twins finished with a 41–68 record, seventh in the American League West. In the strike split season, the Twins were 17–39, seventh place in the first half and 24–29, fourth place in the second half. 469,090 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League. The franchise would not play another outdoor home game until 2010, when Target Field opened.

Offseason

Regular season

Only one Twins player made the All-Star Game: relief pitcher Doug Corbett.

On August 24, first baseman Kent Hrbek made his major league debut, in a Yankee Stadium game. His twelfth-inning home run beat the Yankees 3-2. Later that week, Hrbek was topped by catcher Tim Laudner, who debuted on August 28 and hit home runs in his first two games.

On September 20, Gary Gaetti made his major league debut and started at third base for the Twins. In his first at bat in the second inning, he homered off Texas Rangers pitcher Charlie Hough to become the third Twin to homer in his first-ever at bat. Gaetti joined Rick Renick (1968) and Dave McKay (1975). Later, Andre David (1984) and Eddie Rosario (2015) will join the trio in Twins history.

The Twins played their final game at Metropolitan Stadium on September 30, losing 5-2 to the Kansas City Royals. The club played their last outdoor home game for the next twenty-eight seasons in 56-degree temperature in front of 15,900 fans. "The Met" had been the Twins' home since their Minnesota opener on April 21, 1961 (also a loss). Gary Ward had the final Twins hit in the Met, a single in the ninth inning. Pete Mackanin homered in the second for the final Twins Met Stadium home run.

Offense

John Castino batted .268 with 6 HR and 36 RBI. Shortstop Roy Smalley had 7 HR and collected 22 RBI.

Team Leaders
Statistic PlayerQuantity
HR Roy Smalley 7
RBI Mickey Hatcher 37
BA John Castino .268
Runs Gary Ward 42

Pitching

Reliever Doug Corbett was the Twins' only bright spot on the mound, racking up 17 saves.

Team Leaders
Statistic PlayerQuantity
ERA Fernando Arroyo 3.93
Wins Pete Redfern 9
Saves Doug Corbett 17
Strikeouts Pete Redfern 77

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 6445.587—35‍–‍2129‍–‍24
Texas Rangers 5748.543532‍–‍2425‍–‍24
Chicago White Sox 5452.5098½25‍–‍2429‍–‍28
Kansas City Royals 5053.4851119‍–‍2831‍–‍25
California Angels 5159.46413½26‍–‍2825‍–‍31
Seattle Mariners 4465.4042020‍–‍3724‍–‍28
Minnesota Twins 4168.3762324‍–‍3617‍–‍32
AL West
First Half Standings		WLPct.GB
Oakland Athletics 3723.617—
Texas Rangers 3322.6001+1⁄2
Chicago White Sox 3122.5852+1⁄2
California Angels 3129.5176
Kansas City Royals 2030.40012
Seattle Mariners 2136.36814+1⁄2
Minnesota Twins 1739.30418
AL West
Second Half Standings		WLPct.GB
Kansas City Royals 3023.566—
Oakland Athletics 2722.5511
Texas Rangers 2426.4804+1⁄2
Minnesota Twins 2429.4536
Seattle Mariners 2329.4426+1⁄2
Chicago White Sox 2330.4347
California Angels 2030.4008+1⁄2

Record vs. opponents

1981 American League record

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKSEATEXTOR
Baltimore —2–26–63–64–26–75–32–46–07–67–54–22–15–2
Boston 2–2—2–45–47–66–13–36–72–53–37–59–33–64–0
California 6–64–2—6–77–53–30–64–33–32–22–86–42–46–6
Chicago 6–34–57–6—2–53–32–04–12–45–77–63–32–47–5
Cleveland 2–46–75–75–2—1–54–43–62–17–53–28–42–24–2
Detroit 7–61–63–33–35–1—3–25–89–33–71–25–19–36–4
Kansas City 3–53–36–00–24–42–3—4–59–42–103–36–73–45–3
Milwaukee 4–27–63–41–46–38–55–4—9–33–34–22–24–56–4
Minnesota 0–65–23–34–21–23–94–93–9—3–32–83–6–15–85–1
New York 6–73–32–27–55–77–310–23–33–3—4–32–35–42–3
Oakland 5–75–78–26–72–32–13–32–48–23–4—6–14–210–2
Seattle 2–43–94–63–34–81–57–62–26–3–13–21–6—5–83–3
Texas 1–26–34–24–22–23–94–35–48–54–52–48–5—6–2
Toronto 2–50–46–65–72–44–63–54–61–53–22–103–32–6—

Notable transactions

Roster

1981 Minnesota Twins
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Sal Butera 6216740.240018
1B Danny Goodwin 5915134.225217
2B Rob Wilfong 9330575.246319
3B John Castino 101381102.268636
SS Roy Smalley 5616744.263722
LF Gary Ward 8529578.264329
CF Mickey Hatcher 9937796.255337
RF Dave Engle 8224864.258532
DH Glenn Adams 7222046.209224

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Hosken Powell 8026463.239225
Pete Mackanin 7722552.231418
Ron Jackson 5417546.263428
Butch Wynegar 4715037.247010
Rick Sofield 4110218.17605
Ron Washington 288419.22605
Kent Hrbek 246716.23917
Chuck Baker 406612.18206
Tim Corcoran 22519.17604
Tim Laudner 14437.16325
Lenny Faedo 12418.19506
Ray Smith 15408.20011
Gary Gaetti 9265.19223
Greg Johnston 7162.12500
Mark Funderburk 8153.20002

Pitching

= Indicates league leader

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Albert Williams 23150.06104.0876
Pete Redfern 24141.2984.0777
Fernando Arroyo 23128.17103.9339
Jerry Koosman 1994.1394.2055
Roger Erickson 1491.1383.8444
Brad Havens 1478.0363.5843

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Darrell Jackson 1432.2334.4126

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Doug Corbett 5426172.5760
Jack O'Connor 283205.8616
Don Cooper 271504.3033
John Verhoeven 250003.9816
Bob Veselic 51103.1813
John Hobbs 40003.181
Terry Felton 100040.501

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Toledo Mud Hens International League Cal Ermer
AA Orlando Twins Southern League Tom Kelly
A Visalia Oaks California League Dick Phillips
A Wisconsin Rapids Twins Midwest League Ken Staples
Rookie Elizabethton Twins Appalachian League Fred Waters

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Orlando

Notes

References

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