Article: The All-Time Worst Twins: Butch Huskey

[rghrbek]

 

Big bad Hosken Powell, Disco Bombo Rivera and the Mighty Willie Norwood? That brings back memories that I've been trying to suppress. Years of therapy down the drain. All 3 have career OPS below .700 and the combined for a CAREER WAR of 2.7 over a combined 16 seasons, dragged down by Willie's career - 1.3. Twins Fever, Catch It. 

 

Disco Bombo?   Thought it was Disco Dan, as in Danny Ford.  Actually it probably works for both

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

All things considered Delmon has to be up there. We saw a couple good moments but immense talent in a guy who never seemed to try, care, or be nice to anybody. 

Edited December 20, 2016 by Hosken Bombo Disco

[Dantes929]

 

All things considered Delmon has to be up there. We saw a couple good moments but immense talent in a guy who never seemed to try, care, or be nice to anybody. 

I thought of DYoung but 2010 happened and I don't think y  a top 10 MVP vote getter should be put on the list.    Rondell White was a big disappointment.   What I didn't get was the criticism the Twins got from the hindsight crowd.   It was a great signing.   Sometimes good moves don't work out.

I guess I still haven't seen anything that takes 0-17 WL record off the lead spot.

[Platoon]

Fred Bruckbauer. I think he had an era of infinity. Pitched once, faced 4 hitters, retired none, and never appeared in MLB again. He came in with the Senators roster I think. A legend in his own time!

[Platoon]

It should be noted, that given a chance, I would have been the hands down winner of this dubious distinction! Yet another millstone to hang around Terry Ryan's neck!

[Monkeypaws]

Craig Kusick was part of the Lumber Company, but his heir apparent, Bob Gorinski, came up a bit short.

 

I'd gladly have dinner with any of these old Twins. They made the show. 'nuff said.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Monkeypaws

[snepp]

Rondell White

Auto-correct failure.

 

 

It's RonDL.

[Darius]

This list starts and ends with Joe Mauer.

[spinowner]

 

To me, the worst Twins would have to be veterans or hyped youngsters that were absolute disappointments, rather than obscure up-for-a-while types. Certainly Nishioka and Brett Boone. I would add Phil Nevin. And Cry-Baby Tommy Herr took it to a whole new level.

 

How about a twist on the topic? Best ever Twin with the worst ever single skill.

 

Earl Battey was a great catcher and hitter, but holy cow was that man slow on the bases. Every guy who ever played pro ball was better than I was, in every respect -- except that I was faster than Earl Battey. You were faster than Earl Battey.

Earl Battey once made an out on a 9-3 play.

[spinowner]

Tony Batista.

[drivlikejehu]

I have vague but fond memories of Butch Huskey. I was a rather young baseball fan when he spent a couple of years in nearby Norfolk, Virginia. In 1995 he was the power attraction on a team known for its pitching, with the 'Generation K' of Isringhausen, Wilson, and Pulsipher seemingly poised to take the league by storm. Carl Everett, Alex Ochoa, Paul Byrd, and Jay Payton were also on that club.

[LaBombo]

Punto with that head first slide,

Nishi's compound break.

Tommy Herr was such a d*^che,

West was a mistake.

 

Daaaavid West.... Daaavid West.

Just give him the ball.

 

David would walk in a run,

Summer...  Spring... or Faaaaall.

 

Edited December 21, 2016 by LaBombo

[operation mindcrime]

Clete Thomas & Joe Benson

[Doomtints]

You all are listing players who made very memorable bad plays or weren't very good.  Generally, players you all dislike for one reason or another.  But let me offer a different perspective. 

 

Ron Davis is the only player I know of in Twins history who single-handedly destroyed a playoff run.  He had 14 blown saves in 1984 including two in the final week of the season.  The Twins finished the year 3 games back in the division.  With any other closer, or even a closer by committee, the Twins go to the playoffs in 1984, which would have been just two years after a 60-102 season. 

 

And with a Hrbek, Puckett, Brunansky, and Viola all firing on all cylinders already, they would have actually won a couple of playoff games in the process.  The Twins had the required 3 good starting pitchers for the playoffs -- something they didn't have in 1987. 

 

Buffalo 66 should have been written about Ron Davis. 

 

If you asked this question any time between 1985 and 2000, Ron Davis would be the unanimous answer.  Some of you just don't know who he is. Most of the names being thrown out here are rather inconsequential players. They sucked but they did not destroy a season all on their own. 

Edited December 21, 2016 by Doomtints

[Buford_T_Justice]

I'll echo the Ron Davis love here. I was in high school when he was destroyed our playoff chances, including an epic meltdown against Cleveland at the end of the year.

 

More recently, I would nominate Kendrys Morales. Good player, but absolutely horrible after a layoff to start the year. .234/.259/.325 in 154 AB with 1 freakin' HR. Then, of course, he's torching us the last 2 years in a KC uni. Schmuck!

[theBOMisthebomb]

You all are listing players who made very memorable bad plays or weren't very good.  Generally, players you all dislike for one reason or another.  But let me offer a different perspective. 

 

Ron Davis is the only player I know of in Twins history who single-handedly destroyed a playoff run.  He had 14 blown saves in 1984 including two in the final week of the season.  The Twins finished the year 3 games back in the division.  With any other closer, or even a closer by committee, the Twins go to the playoffs in 1984, which would have been just two years after a 60-102 season. 

 

And with a Hrbek, Puckett, Brunansky, and Viola all firing on all cylinders already, they would have actually won a couple of playoff games in the process.  The Twins had the required 3 good starting pitchers for the playoffs -- something they didn't have in 1987. 

 

Buffalo 66 should have been written about Ron Davis. 

 

If you asked this question any time between 1985 and 2000, Ron Davis would be the unanimous answer.  Some of you just don't know who he is. Most of the names being thrown out here are rather inconsequential players. They sucked but they did not destroy a season all on their own.

I'm with you that RD was terrible in his own choke job sort of way. He induced nightmares for me many years after he left. The performance by Jepsen in 2016 was reminiscent of RD, just not as bad and in less clutch situations. RD'S son Ike was/is a big leaguer - I booed Ike a few years ago at Target Field for the sins of his father.

[The Wise One]

No one said Nolasco with an ERA + of 74.  Any others mentioned thus far had minimal disposal fees. Not Ricky.  

[EddieMatthews]

If an Old-timers Bomb Squad were named from 1961 thru 2010 they would be able to win a 7 game series from the New-timers Bomb Squad from 2011 - 2016.  The recent revolving door has had numerous deplorable (can I use that term again?) players.  

 

Many of the players named from the Old-timers had some redeeming years in their careers.  The New-timers were cast-offs, dumpster, AAA players that couldn't make it to the bigs with any other team.  This when compounded by many questionable roster moves, makes it the all-time worst.

 

I'm not going to build an entire line-up, but will name a few.  1B - Morneau (post concussion) followed by Mauer (post concussion) 2B - Nishi, SS - Nishi, OF - Rene Tosoni, Willihammer, Hicks, etc. And Pitching - pick from the 50+ players that revolved across the mound in that period.

 

Nishi gets "worst" at two positions, a team record.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

 

Big bad Hosken Powell, Disco Dan Ford, Bombo Rivera and the Mighty Willie Norwood? That brings back memories that I've been trying to suppress. Years of therapy down the drain. All 3 have career OPS below .700 and the combined for a CAREER WAR of 2.7 over a combined 16 seasons, dragged down by Willie's career - 1.3. Twins Fever, Catch It. 

FTFY

[Richie the Rally Goat]

 

According to fangraphs, the worst player in Twins history (I'm not counting Senators) is Denny Hocking. During his years with the Twins, he accumulated -2.6 WAR, and never had more than .5 WAR in any season. Two other years with above 0 WAR (.3 and .1) and otherwise he was pretty much all negative WAR each year he played.

Denny Hocking was bad, but the stat is deceiving, he was actually one of the better players in a terribly inept period for twins baseball.

 

WAR is a counting stat, so he accumulated badness over a long period of time with a lot of chances.

 

In the mid-90s he was the only one that stuck around long enough to keep accumulating stats.

 

T-Nish on the other hand...

[Michael (ClassicMNTwins)]

We would be remiss in not announcing Butch Huskey's nickname, one that was prevalent while he was still active: "No-Tools." As in Butch "No-Tools" Huskey. I don't have a link handy to cross reference / corroborate that, but I bet other older Twins fans may chime in.

 

Gotta be Ron Davis, both for longevity, maximum psychological harm he did to the home nine in his 5 year tenure.

[savvyspy]

I would bet my game worn Scott Klingenbeck jersey its Scott Klingenbeck.

[Deduno Abides]

Worst Twins ever?

 

Hall of Famer Steve Carlton and ex-manager Frank Quilici have to be at that party.

 

If you were to ask Tom Kelly, he would say the next minor leaguer the fans want to see, or "The problem with having Pedro Munoz is that you have to play Pedro Munoz."

[BrianTrottier]

 

Tsuyoshi Nishioka.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3b5aOelFL4

 

It's hard for me to imagine anyone who can really compete with Nishioka in this contest.

[snepp]

Pedro Munoz did alright for me on Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball on the SNES.

 

 

:/

[GCTF]

 

Tsuyoshi Nishioka.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3b5aOelFL4

I always thought he did pretty well for a guy they pulled in off the street as a joke.

[drjim]

I always thought he did pretty well for a guy they pulled in off the street as a joke.

I like the Joe Souchery joke. He assumed we signed the wrong Nishioka.

 

The other great story is from Tom Kelly that first spring training. Two days in, in a casual conversation with Dark Star, he says "Well, the new Japanese guy can't play."

[Loosey]

Ruben Sierra?

[Vote for Gardy]

This is a hard one to decide. Jim Hoey has to be the worst pitcher ever. Dave Engle has to be the worst all star of all time. Rondell White has to be on the list of worst players.

[USAFChief]

I like the Joe Souchery joke. He assumed we signed the wrong Nishioka.

The other great story is from Tom Kelly that first spring training. Two days in, in a casual conversation with Dark Star, he says "Well, the new Japanese guy can't play."

TK was right.