The best starting pitcher in Twins history

1961 The starting pitchers had a history that began in Washington DC with the Senators. For all the starters there years with team, w-l, pct, era, SO/W and WAR. We started out with a very good starting staff. In the early years the started averaged 34 starts per year.

Camilo Pascual 13 years starting in DC – 145-141 .507 3.66 SO/W = 2.07. WAR 33.2

Jim Kaat 15 years beginning in DC . 190- 159/.544 3.34 2.54 SO/W WAR 30.7

Jack Kralick 5 years 34-32/.515 3.63 1.99 WAR 11.7

Pedro Ramos 7 years 78-112/.411 4.19 WAR 5.8

In 1962 Kaat, Kralick, and Pascual continued to dominate the rotation. In 1963 Dick Stigman, Lee Stange and Jim Perry came on as starters. In 1964 Kaat, Pascual, and Perry were joined by Mudcat Grant.

Jim Perry 10 years 128-90/.587 3.15 1.89 WAR 26.4 Great Career.

Mudcat Grant 4 years 50-35/.588 3.35 6.0 WAR

In 1965 Grant won 21 games, Jim Kaat 18, Perry 12, and Pascual who had injuries 9. It was our world series year. Pascual had a reduced place in the Rotation with 19 starts in 1966 and Jim Merritt and Dave Boswell shared one of the four rotation spots. In 1967 we had six starters with Kaat first and joined by Dean Chance as the number 2, Boswell, Merritt and Perry were other primary starters.

Jim Merritt 4 years 37-41/.474 3.03 3.90 great SO/W ratio WAR 11.4

Dave Boswell 7 years 67-54/.554 3.49 1.88 11.2 WAR

Dean Chance 3 years 41-34/.547 2.67 Great Era. 13.1 WAR he was a star.

In 1969 Dick Woodson, Bob Miller, and Tommy Hall made significant starts in support of Kaat, Chance, and Bowell. Tommy Hall was my favorite. Hall was six foot and weighed 150. I am six foot and 230, I cannot imagine. His nickname was The Blade. In nine years, his record was of 52-33 with 32 saves and he was with the Big Red Machine their first two years.

Tommy Hall 4 years 25-21/.543 3.00 2.32 WAR 6.6

In 1970 behind Kaat and Perry were Blyleven 25 games, Bill Zepp (love the name, but I cannot remember him), Luis Tiant, Dave Boswell. 1971 Perry, Kaat, Blyleven and an assortment. 1972 Blyleven, Perry and Woodson were the big three, Kaat and Dave Goltz were behind them.

Jim Kaat 15 of 25 years a Twin, 190-159/.544 3.34. 2.54 K/BB rate – amazing for that many years. 30.7 WAR for Twins.

Bert Blyleven 11 of 22 years with Twins. 149-138/.519 3.28 and an amazing K/BB rate 3.02 WAR 49.4.

In 1973 Blyleven started 40 games, Kaat 28, then Joe Decker 24, Dick Woodson 23, Mike Adams 22. 1974 Blyleven, Decker, Goltz and Albury were the top five. 1975 Blyleven and Jim Hughes were 1 – 2 then Goltz and Albury. Goltz was the ACE in 1976 with Bill Singer, Jim Hughes, and Pete Redfern. 1977 Goltz was backed by Paul Thormodsgard (yup – him), Geoff Zahn, Pete Redfern. 1978 Roger Erickson had the most starts, then Geoff Zahn, Dave Goltz and Roger Serum. 1979 had Jerry Koosman and Dave Goltz leading the rotation. Paul Hartzell, Roger Erickson, and Geoff Zahn completed the rotation.

Dave Goltz 8/12 years, 96 – 79/.549 3.48 1.80 K/BB and 24.6 WAR

Geoff Zahn 4 years 53-53/.500 3.90 1.37 and 9 WAR

Koosman and Zahn in 1980 with Erickson, Redfern, and Darrell Jackson. 1981 had 8 pitchers start and Redfern had the most starts 23 and Albert Williams 22.

Jerry Koosman 3/19 years, 39-35/.527 3.77 1.94 K/BB 11.1 WAR

Brad Havens was sort of our ACE in 1982 with Albert Wiliams, Bobby Castillo, and Rookie Frank Viola. 1983 Viola took over ACE position and was backed by Ken Schrom (I am amazed by the names in the rotations), Albert Williams, and Bobby Castillo. 1984 Mike Smithson 36 starts, Viola 35, John Butcher 34, Schrom 21. 1985 Smithson 35, Viola 36, Butcher 33, Schrom 26, and Blyleven was back – 14. 1985 Viola, Blyleven, Smithson dominated the rotation.

The Champion season, 1987, Blyleven, Viola and that famous Les Straker were 1,2,3 and Smithson 4!

Mike Smithson 4 years 47-48/.495 4.46 1.93 K over BB and 4.7 WAR

Frank Viola 8 years, 112-93/.546 3.86 2.33 K over BB and 11.6 WAR

1988 Viola, Blyleven were joined by Alan Anderson and behind them were Charlie Lea, Freddie Toliver, and Straker. 1989 Allan Anderson, Roy Smith, Shane Rawley, and Frank Viola were the main rotation. 1990 saw a rotation of Anderson, David West, Kevin Tapani, Mark Guthrie, Scott Erickson, and Roy Smith.

Allan Anderson 6 years, 49 – 54/.476 4.11 8.5 WAR

The WS year of 1991 Jack Morris started 35 games, it is his durability that made him HOF, Kevin Tapani, Scott Erickson, Allan Anderson, Guthrie and West were our starters.

Jack Morris, 1 year, 18 -12/.600. 3.43 1.77, 4.3 WAR

Kevin Tapani 7 years 75-63/.543. 4.06 2.84 19.2 WAR

Allan Anderson 6 years 49-54/.476 4.11 1.61 8.5 WAR

Scott Erickson 6 years 61-60/.504 4.22 1.44 12.7 WAR

John Smiley joined Erickson and Tapani in 1992 with Bill Krueger and Bob Kipper. We also had Pat Mahomes, Willie Banks, and Mike Trombley – three young pitchers who were the promise of the future! Tapani, Erickson and Willie Banks lead 1993 with Jim Deshaies and Eddie Guardado. 1994 the same except banks was replaced by Mahomes and someone named Carlos Pulido filled the rotation.

1995 Brad Radtke and Tapani lead the rotation with Erickson, Trombley, and Frankie Rodriguez. 1996 Rodriguez was joined by Rich Robertson, Radtke, Aldred and Aguilera. 1997 It was Radtke, Robertson, Naulty, Tewksbury, LaTroy Hawkins, and Scott Aldred. 1998 LaTroy Hawkins started 33 games, Eric Milton 32, Radke 32, and Tewksbury 25.

Brad Radke 12 years. 148 – 139/.516 4.22 3.30 great K over BB! 45.7 WAR

Rick Aquilar will eventually make his mark as a reliever but was 40 – 47 as a starter.

1999 it was Milton, Hawkins, and Radke. Joe Mays, Dan Perkins, and Mike Lincoln were three more starters. 2000 we had a solid rotation of five guys who dominated the starts. Santana, Mays, Milton, Radke, and Redman.

Eric Milton 6 years 57-51/.528 4.76 2.66 14.8 WAR

2001 Milton, Mays, Radtke over 30 starts, Todd Jones 24, Kyle Lohse 19 and Santana only 11. In 2002, Lohse, Milton and Rick Reed +30 starts, Santana 13, Radtke 21, Joe Mays 17, Matt Kinney 12. 2003 Santana got only 18 starts out of 45 appearances (will we do this to Romero too) Lohse, Kenny Rogers, Mays and Radtke got the starts.

Joe Mays 6 years 48-65/.425 4.85 1.56 10.7 WAR

Kyle Lohse 6 Years 51-57/.472 4.88 1.94 WAR 6.6

2005 Santana is let loose and is the ACE, with Lohse, Mays, and Radtke. 2006 Santana still the Ace, Carlos Silva, Radtke, Boof Bonser, and Scott Baker. 2007 Santana, Silva, and Bonser all have 30+ starts, Scott Baker and Matt Garza are next. 2008 Nick Blackburn takes over with the most starts, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins and Livan Hernandez.

Johan Santana 8 mostly under-utilized years 93-44/.679 3.22 3.79 K/BB 35.7 WAR

2009 Baker, Blackburn, Liriano, Slowey and Perkins. 2010 Pavano, Liriano, Baker, Blackburn and Slowey.

Scott Baker 7 years, 63-48/.568 4.15 3.44 WAR 15.8.

Francisco Liriano 7 years 50-52/.490 4.33 2.43 9.4 WAR

2011 Pavano was followed by Brian Duensing, Blackburn, Liriano, Baker. 2012

Kevin Slowey 5 years 39-29/.574 4.66 4.70 excellent k/BB rate. 4.4 WAR

Nick Blackburn 6 years 43-55/.439 4.85 1.92 3.2 WAR

Carl Pavano 4 years, 33-33/.500 4.32 3.08 2.6 WAR

2012 Scott Diamond had the most starts, Blackburn, Liriano, De Vries, Pavano in that order. What can I say about 2013 – Kevin Correia had the most starts, Mike Pelfrey was second, Scott Diamond third, Sam Deduno fourth. I think I will stop there.

So who are the best starters? Here they are ranked by WAR.

Johan will have an argument if we look at WAR per year 4.4, Blyleven 4.5, Radke 3.8, Pascual 2.6, Perry 2.6, Goltz 3.1, Dean Chance 3.3, and Koosman 3.7!

1. Bert Blyleven 11 of 22 years with Twins. 149-138/.519 3.28 and an amazing K/BB rate 3.02 WAR 49.4.

2. Brad Radke 12 years. 148 – 139/.516 4.22 3.30 great K over BB! 45.7 WAR

3. Johan Santana 8 mostly under-utilized years 93-44/.679 3.22 3.79 K/BB 35.7 WAR

4. Camilo Pascual 13 years starting in DC – 145-141 .507 3.66 SO/W = 2.07. WAR 33.2

5. Jim Kaat 15 years beginning in DC . 190- 159/.544 3.34 2.54 SO/W WAR 30.7

6. Jim Perry 10 years 128-90/.587 3.15 1.89 WAR 26.4 Great Career.

7. Dave Goltz 8/12 years, 96 – 79/.549 3.48 1.80 K/BB and 24.6 WAR

8. Kevin Tapani 7 years 75-63/.543. 4.06 2.84 19.2 WAR

9. Eric Milton 6 years 57-51/.528 4.76 2.66 14.8 WAR

10. Dean Chance 3 years 41-34/.547 2.67 Great Era. 13.1 WAR he was a star.

11. Scott Erickson 6 years 61-60/.504 4.22 1.44 12.7 WAR

12. Frank Viola 8 years, 112-93/.546 3.86 2.33 K over BB and 11.6 WAR

13. Jack Kralick 5 years 34-32/.515 3.63 1.99 WAR 11.7

14. Jim Merritt 4 years 37-41/.474 3.03 3.90 great SO/W ratio WAR 11.4

15. Dave Boswell 7 years 67-54/.554 3.49 1.88 11.2 WAR

16. Jerry Koosman 3/19 years, 39-35/.527 3.77 1.94 K/BB 11.1 WAR

To continue the debate WHIP leaders

1. Jim Merritt

2. Dean Chance

3. Johan Santana

4. Rick Aquilera

5. Bert Blyleven

6. Jim Perry

7. Mudcat Grant

Best ERA – Chance 2.67, Milton

Most Wins and I count Wins – good pitchers are in enough innings to dominate a game.

Jim Kaat 190

Bert Blyleven 149

Brad Radke 148

Camilo Pascual 145

Jim Perry 128

Frank Viola 112

Best Win Pct.

1. Johan Santana 679

2. Mudcat Grand 588

3. Jim Perry 588

Hits per nine innings

1. Dave Boswell 7.147

2. Johan Santana 7.345

3. Dean Chance 7.373

4. Jim Merritt 7.641

Strikeouts – okay Walter was part of our franchise.

1. Walter Johnson 3509

2. Bert Blyleven 2035

3. Camilo Pascual 1885

4. Jim Kaat 1851

5. Brad Radke 1467

6. Johan Santana 1381

7. Frank Viola 1214

8. Jim Perry 1025

9. Dave Goltz 887

My starting Rotation has the following:

1. Johan Santana

2. Bert Blyleven

3. Brad Radke

4. Jim Kaat

5. Jim Perry

Camilo Pascual just misses and Dean Chance did not pitch long enough to make my list.