Article: Twins Bite-Sized History, Part 7: Changes & Reconstruction

[John Bonnes]

The 1982 season ushered in a new era of Twins baseball, both with a new stadium and a new generation of Twins players. But there were new questions. It was becoming clear that the 1.4 million attendance threshold included in the Metrodome lease was not going to be met, giving Calvin Griffith the option of breaking the lease and perhaps moving to another market.  Part 7 of a 12-part series that breaks Twins history into fun-sized chunks.You can find more here:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6  

Local business leaders responded by mounting a ticket-buying campaign of the cheapest unused tickets available to artificially inflate the attendance. For instance, on May16, 1984, the paid attendance was 51,683, but the number of fans present was closer to 8,700. Flirtations with other markets, particularly Tampa Bay, were made, but instead local banker and business executive Carl Pohlad purchased the team in the summer of 1984.

 

On the field, the team was growing – and experiencing growing pains. The promise of brighter days was apparent in 1984 when the Twins suddenly competed for the division, even though they had finished just 70-92 the year before. They led the AL West for all of August and found themselves tied for first place as late as September 23. But six straight losses, including blowing a 10-run lead against Cleveland in the last series of the year, left them in second place.

 

Those brighter days were also personified by a rookie call-up. Center fielder Kirby Puckett made his debut just 21 games into the season, hit .296 and finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting. The next year he would collect his first MVP vote. These were previews.

 

The feature presentation started in 1986 when Puckett hit .328 and added power to his resume, slugging 31 home runs. Over the next 10 years, he would finish in the top 10 of American League MVP voting seven times, make 10 straight All-Star teams, and win six Gold Gloves. His success endeared him to the fans, but not as much as his zeal for the game. The Twins would retire his number in 1997 and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, his first year of eligibility.

 

While Puckett signified an apparently brighter future, the Twins struggled in 1985 and 1986, in part due to an explosive bullpen. Closer Ron Davis became the symbol for the team’s failings, both supported and reviled by Twins fans. In 1985, after several blown games, a sympathetic newspaper story led to “I believe in R.D.” t-shirts becoming fashionable in the Metrodome. But equally popular was the trade that sent him and his 9.08 ERA to the Cubs in August of 1986.

 

There were big changes in Twins offices, too.

 

 Part 7 of a 12-part series that breaks Twins history into fun-sized chunks.You can find more here:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6  

 

Click here to view the article

[jkcarew]

Nice article.  It's interesting to me that (IMO) it seems a sort of myth has grown regarding the '87 team...that being that it was Andy MacPhail's team.  It wasn't.  It was a team built by the Griffith organization. (Also fwiw, Calvin Griffith acted as his own general manager).

 

Pucket, Viola, Hrbek, Gagne, Gaetti, Brunansky, Laudner, Lombardozzi, Bush, Larkin,...all acquired by the Griffith organization.  And all (except Larkin) developed by the Griffith organization.

 

To the extent we give credit to MacPhail for the Blyleven, Gladden, Reardon acquisitions (and Baylor/Smalley/Newman, if you like)...even some of that credit, then, goes to Calvin.  It was Griffith who pilfered MacPhail from the Astros a year before he sold the club to Polad.

 

The issues related to Calvin Griffith's ownership are well documented...particularly after the death of the reserve clause.  But talent evaluation and player development had been an organizational strength of his...really, from the 1950's right up until his exit from the game in 1985.

[theBOMisthebomb]

I'd pay every penny I have to relive the 1984-1991 Twins seasons.

[Doomtints]

Hrbek was truly exciting in those early days. He was smart, always smiling, and his positive attitude was spreading. It was clear that good things were coming.

[twinssporto]

I miss Kirby...I miss the chemistry of those 1980"s Twins...

 

The current team needs to build some chemistry and a clubhouse.  That's what we need in a new manager and players.  

[John Bonnes]

 

  On 10/23/2018 at 4:39 PM, jkcarew said:

Nice article.  It's interesting to me that (IMO) it seems a sort of myth has grown regarding the '87 team...that being that it was Andy MacPhail's team.  It wasn't.  It was a team built by the Griffith organization. (Also fwiw, Calvin Griffith acted as his own general manager).

 

FWIW, I remember a story either during the 87 World Series or immediately thereafter stating exactly this. I also think I remember something about this in a Twis history book - maybe Doug Grow's "We're Gonna Win Twins?" 

 

It's a fair point. But it's also worth noting that MacPhail's wheeling-and-dealing to add critical pieces was something that Griffith (or Fox) never would have done as GM, and that was in fact one of the narratives at the time when he sold the team. It may have needed both halves of the coin - Griffith's eye for young talent AND MacPhail's willingness to go beyond that core.

 

(And maybe add to it Pohlad's willingness to spend some money, which seems quaint now, but was still several levels higher than Griffith's.)

[Teddy]

It's hard to remember when Puck was so skinny (comparatively, that is).