1988 Minnesota Twins season

Last updated

1988  Minnesota Twins
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
City Minneapolis, Minnesota
Record91–71 (.562)
Divisional place2nd
Owners Carl Pohlad
General managers Andy MacPhail
Managers Tom Kelly
Television KMSP-TV
(Jim Kaat, Ted Robinson)
Twinsvision
(Dick Bremer, Harmon Killebrew)
Radio 830 WCCO AM
(Herb Carneal, John Gordon)
←  1987 Seasons 1989  →

The 1988 Minnesota Twins season was the 28th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 7th season at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and the 88th overall in the American League.

Contents

The Twins finished at 91–71, second in the American League West. 3,030,672 fans attended Twins games, at the time, establishing a new major league record. Pitcher Allan Anderson had his most successful season in 1988, winning the American League ERA title at 2.45 and compiling a record of 16-9 in 30 starts.

Offseason

Regular season

Five Twins made the All-Star Game, third baseman Gary Gaetti, outfielder Kirby Puckett, catcher Tim Laudner, starting pitcher Frank Viola, and relief pitcher Jeff Reardon.

On September 16, Puckett got his 1000th hit, becoming just the fifth major leaguer to achieve that total before completing his fifth year.

On September 17, reliever Reardon collected his 40th save of the season. With 41 saves as a 1985 Montreal Expo, he became the only major league player to reach 40 saves in each league.

Frank Viola became the first Twins player since Jim Perry in 1970 to win the AL Cy Young Award.

Offense

Kirby Puckett hit .356 with 24 HR, drove in 121 runs and scored 109. Puckett led the AL with 234 hits, 163 singles, and 358 total bases. Puckett's 234 hits were the most by a right-handed batter since Joe Medwick had 237 hits in 1937.

Kent Hrbek hit .312 with 25 HR and 76 RBI. Gary Gaetti hit .301 with 28 HR and 88 RBI.

Team Leaders
Statistic PlayerQuantity
HR Gary Gaetti 28
RBI Kirby Puckett 121
BA Kirby Puckett .356
Runs Kirby Puckett 109

Pitching

The Twins had two solid starting pitchers: Frank Viola (24-7), and Allan Anderson (16-9). Frank Viola led the AL with 24 wins. Allan Anderson led the AL with a 2.45 ERA. Reliever Jeff Reardon had 42 saves. Bert Blyleven (10-17, 5.43 ERA) led the AL with 17 losses, 125 earned runs allowed, and 16 hit batsmen.

Team Leaders
Statistic PlayerQuantity
ERA Allan Anderson 2.45*
Wins Frank Viola 24*
Saves Jeff Reardon 42
Strikeouts Frank Viola 193
*League leader

Defense

Third baseman Gary Gaetti and center fielder Kirby Puckett each won their third Gold Glove Award.

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 10458.642—54‍–‍2750‍–‍31
Minnesota Twins 9171.5621347‍–‍3444‍–‍37
Kansas City Royals 8477.52219½44‍–‍3640‍–‍41
California Angels 7587.4632935‍–‍4640‍–‍41
Chicago White Sox 7190.44132½40‍–‍4131‍–‍49
Texas Rangers 7091.43533½38‍–‍4332‍–‍48
Seattle Mariners 6893.42235½37‍–‍4431‍–‍49

Record vs. opponents

1988 American League record

Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKSEATEXTOR
Baltimore —4–95–74–74–95–80–124–93–93–104–87–56–65–8
Boston 9–4—8–47–58–56–76–610–37–59–43–96–68–42–11
California 7–54–8—9–48–45–75–83–94–96–64–96–78–56–6
Chicago 7–45–74–9—3–93–97–66–64–93–95–89–48–57–5
Cleveland 9–45–84–89–3—4–96–69–45–76–74–85–76–66–7
Detroit 8–57–67–59–39–4—8–45–81–118–54–89–38–45–8
Kansas City 12–06–68–56–76–64–8—3–97–66–68–57–57–64–8
Milwaukee 9–43–109–36–64–98–59–3—7–56–73–98–48–47–6
Minnesota 9–35–79–49–47–511–16–75–7—3–95–88–57–67–5
New York 10–34–96–69–37–65–86–67–69–3—6–65–75–66–7
Oakland 8–49–39–48–58–48–45–89–38–56–6—9–48–59–3
Seattle 5–76–67–64–97–53–95–74–85–87–54–9—6–75–7
Texas 6–64–85–85–86–64–86–74–86–76–55–87–6—6–6
Toronto 8–511–26–65–77–68–58–46–75–77–63–97–56–6—

Roster

1988 Minnesota Twins
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

OutfieldersManager

Coaches

Notable transactions

Notable games

Player stats

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 Tim Laudner 11737594.2511354
1B Kent Hrbek 143510159.3122576
2B Steve Lombardozzi 10328760.209327
SS Greg Gagne 149461109.2361448
3B Gary Gaetti 133468141.3012888
LF Dan Gladden 141576155.2691162
CF Kirby Puckett 158657234.35624121
RF Randy Bush 136394103.2611451
DH Gene Larkin 149505135.267870

Other batters

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

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Tom Herr 8630480.263121
Al Newman 10526058.223019
John Moses 10520665.316212
Brian Harper 6016649.295320
Mark Davidson 10010623.217110
Tom Nieto 24604.06700
Jim Dwyer 204112.293215
John Christensen 233810.26305
Eric Bullock 16175.29403
Kelvin Torve 12163.18812
Doug Baker 1170.00000
Dwight Lowry 770.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Frank Viola 35255.12472.64193
Bert Blyleven 33207.110175.43145
Allan Anderson 30202.11692.4583
Charlie Lea 24130.0774.8572
Freddie Toliver 21114.2764.2469
Les Straker 1682.2253.9223

Other pitchers

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

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Roy Smith 937.0302.6817
Joe Niekro 511.21110.037
Steve Carlton 49.20116.765

Relief pitchers

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

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Jeff Reardon 6324422.4756
Juan Berenguer 578423.9699
Keith Atherton 497533.4143
Mark Portugal 263334.5331
Germán González 160013.3819
Karl Best 110006.009
Dan Schatzeder 100101.747
Jim Winn 91006.009
Mike Mason 501010.807
Tippy Martinez 300018.003
Dan Gladden 10000.000

Awards and honors

All-Star Game

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Portland Beavers Pacific Coast League Jim Mahoney and Jim Shellenback
AA Orlando Twins Southern League Duane Gustavson
A Visalia Oaks California League Scott Ullger
A Kenosha Twins Midwest League Ron Gardenhire
Rookie Elizabethton Twins Appalachian League Ray Smith

[13]

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References

  1. ↑ Eric Bullock at Baseball Reference
  2. ↑ Don Baylor at Baseball Reference
  3. 1 2 Dan Schatzeder at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ Mike Smithson at Baseball Reference
  5. ↑ Vic Rodriguez at Baseball Reference
  6. ↑ Brian Harper at Baseball Reference
  7. ↑ Sal Butera at Baseball Reference
  8. ↑ Billy Beane at Baseball Reference
  9. ↑ John Moses at Baseball Reference
  10. ↑ "Tom Brunansky Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ John Christensen at Baseball Reference
  12. ↑ "Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007
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