Article: The All-Time Worst Twins: Scott Klingenbeck

[Cody Christie]

There have been plenty of great players in the history of the Twins franchise and there have also been plenty of duds. In my on-going offseason series, I have been taking a look at some of the worst players to ever wear a Twins uniform.

 

So far the series has covered Butch Huskey and Rondell White. Huskey struggled as a designated hitter for the Twins and his was an interesting career to follow. White was an All-Star career but his time in Minnesota was lacking. These are just two names in a long list of Twins players' futility.

 

Next on the list of all-time worst, Mr. Scott Klingenbeck...The Baltimore Orioles drafted Scott Klingenbeck in the fifth round of the 1992 amateur draft. His college experience helped him to travel quickly through their farm system. He pitched well in the low minor leagues and he made his debut during the 1994 season. In that game, he threw seven innings and allowed three earned runs to earn the victory.

 

Klingenbeck had a strong start to the 1995 season at the Triple-A level for the Orioles. He posted a 2.72 ERA and a 3-1 record. This left the club little choice but to call him up during the middle months of the season. There were a few bumps in the road on his return to the big leagues. His ERA jumped to 4.88 and he posted a 1.596 WHIP over five starts. This was only be the beginning of the bad.

 

The Twins traded for Klingenbeck at the beginning of July in the deal that sent Scott Erickson to the Orioles. Erickson hadn't been able to regain his form from the first couple of years in the big leagues. He was only 27-years old but the Twins wanted to get some younger prospects for him. Klingenbeck had looked good during his minor league career but things would quickly go south in Minnesota.

 

He made 18 appearances with the Twins in 1995 including four starts for the club. His ERA was a hefty 8.57 with an ugly 1.924 WHIP. He didn't exactly have control of his pitches as he walked 24 batters, hit four batters, and had five wild pitches over 48.1 innings. It was beginning to look like the Twins had given up a king's ransom to acquire a lackluster pitcher.

 

For the start of the 1996 season, the Twins sent Klingenbeck back to the minor leagues to try to find himself. He improved by posting a 3.11 ERA and a 9-3 record over 22 starts. By the middle of the season, the Twins needed some help at the big league level and Klingenbeck was the guy. He struggled again with the transition and posted a 7.85 ERA and a 1.814 WHIP. This was his last trip to the big leagues with the Twins.

 

At the start of the next season, Klingenbeck was sent back to the Triple-A. The Twins dumped him on Cincinnati, his hometown team, as part of a conditional deal. He got one more brief taste of the majors in 1998 and he looked a little better with an ERA close to 6.00 and a 1.456 WHIP. The next year was his last in professional baseball before retiring in 1999.

 

Klingenbeck's numbers in the minor leagues made it seem that he could be able to transition into at least a back of the rotation starter. That was one of the reasons the Twins traded for him but this hope never came to fruition. His time in the Twins organization translated to a 1-3 record, an 8.30 ERA, and a 1.883 WHIP. He also put together a -1.7 WAR in his Twins tenure.

 

Following his professional baseball career, Klingenbeck opened a sports bar and grill in Cincinnati. That venue is no longer open but it sounds like it was a decent place to eat.

 

In the end, Klingenbeck will be more remembered as the man the Twins got back for Scott Erickson because his time in a Twins uniform was very unmemorable...

 

What other players should be featured in this series? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

 

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[theBOMisthebomb]

Rondell White.

Tommy Herr (maybe). At the time, ol ' Tommy seemed like the worst Twin ever - not sure what the #s actually say.

[TwinsCD]

I went to college in the Baltimore area around the time Klingenbeck came up and I remember how excited the Orioles were about him coming up thru their organization.  So when the Twins traded Erickson for him, I thought that it could end up being ok.  Ummmm, no.  He definitely deserves to be on this list.

 

I would nominate a number of players that showed up from the late 90s when the team was beyond awful...guys like Kevin Maas, Scott Stahoviak, Matt Merullo, etc.  I'm sure you'll find plenty of pitchers from that time too.

[HitInAPinch]

Heed the Klingenbeck warning on any trade with the Dodgers.....

[LewFordLives]

 

Heed the Klingenbeck warning on any trade with the Dodgers.....

Or the Tapani trade for that matter. Does anyone remember Jose Parra? ......anyone.........anyone?

 

As far as all-time bad Twins it begins and ends with Nishioka. Not just for his poor play, but the money they paid for him and the JJ Hardy trade that cleared the way for his signing.

[Doomtints]

The Orioles did a nice job of dumping a dud onto Terry Ryan.  Luckily that has not happened at any other time and Ryan's HOF display is a shoo-in.  

[Doomtints]

 

Heed the Klingenbeck warning on any trade with the Dodgers.....

 

Why?  Klingenbeck's minor league numbers are nowhere near the assets that have been discussed.

[notoriousgod71]

 

The Orioles did a nice job of dumping a dud onto Terry Ryan.  Luckily that has not happened at any other time and Ryan's HOF display is a shoo-in.  

 

Terry has said that was his best trade ever because he didn't think he'd be able to find anyone to take a 27 year old former 20 game winner off his hands.

[Rhino and Compass]

You could build this list out of guys acquired from the Orioles. Jim Hoey can be next!

[Rosterman]

Wow! Heatrtless. How about Chuck Schilling and Russ Nixon from Boston for Dick Stigman. Interesting that he WAS a Twin because he was on the 28-man roster that was cut to 25 in mid-may, but never got in a game during that time.

 

Whatever happened to that rule?