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Major League Baseball team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1981 Minnesota Twins finished a combined 41–68, seventh in the American League West. In the strike split season, the Twins were 17–39, seventh place in the first half and 24–29, fourth place in the second half. 469,090 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League. It was also their 21st and final season at Metropolitan Stadium, before moving their home games to the Metrodome the next season. The franchise would not play another outdoor home game until 2010, when Target Field opened.
1981 Minnesota Twins | ||
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League | American League | |
Division | West | |
Ballpark | Metropolitan Stadium | |
City | Bloomington, Minnesota | |
Owners | Calvin Griffith (majority owner, with Thelma Griffith Haynes) | |
General managers | Calvin Griffith | |
Managers | Johnny Goryl, Billy Gardner | |
Television | KMSP-TV (Bob Kurtz, Larry Osterman) | |
Radio | 830 WCCO AM (Herb Carneal, Frank Quilici) | |
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Only one Twins player made the All-Star Game: relief pitcher Doug Corbett.
On August 24, first baseman Kent Hrbek made his major league debut, in a Yankee Stadium game. His twelfth-inning home run beat the Yankees 3-2. Later that week, Hrbek was topped by catcher Tim Laudner, who debuted on August 28 and hit home runs in his first two games.
On September 20, Gary Gaetti made his major league debut and started at third base for the Twins. In his first at bat in the second inning, he homered off Texas Rangers pitcher Charlie Hough to become the third Twin to homer in his first-ever at bat. Gaetti joined Rick Renick (1968) and Dave McKay (1975). Later, Andre David (1984) and Eddie Rosario (2015) will join the trio in Twins history.
The Twins played their final game at Metropolitan Stadium on September 30, losing 5-2 to the Kansas City Royals. The club played their last outdoor home game for the next twenty-eight seasons in 56-degree temperature in front of 15,900 fans. "The Met" had been the Twins' home since their Minnesota opener on April 21, 1961 (also a loss). Gary Ward had the final Twins hit in the Met, a single in the ninth inning. Pete Mackanin homered in the second for the final Twins Met Stadium home run.
John Castino batted .268 with 6 HR and 36 RBI. Shortstop Roy Smalley had 7 HR and collected 22 RBI.
Statistic | Player | Quantity |
---|---|---|
HR | Roy Smalley | 7 |
RBI | Mickey Hatcher | 37 |
BA | John Castino | .268 |
Runs | Gary Ward | 42 |
Reliever Doug Corbett was the Twins' only bright spot on the mound, racking up 17 saves.
Statistic | Player | Quantity |
---|---|---|
ERA | Fernando Arroyo | 3.93 |
Wins | Pete Redfern | 9 |
Saves | Doug Corbett | 17 |
Strikeouts | Pete Redfern | 77 |
Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oakland Athletics | 64 | 45 | .587 | — | 35–21 | 29–24 |
Texas Rangers | 57 | 48 | .543 | 5 | 32–24 | 25–24 |
Chicago White Sox | 54 | 52 | .509 | 8½ | 25–24 | 29–28 |
Kansas City Royals | 50 | 53 | .485 | 11 | 19–28 | 31–25 |
California Angels | 51 | 59 | .464 | 13½ | 26–28 | 25–31 |
Seattle Mariners | 44 | 65 | .404 | 20 | 20–37 | 24–28 |
Minnesota Twins | 41 | 68 | .376 | 23 | 24–36 | 17–32 |
AL West First Half Standings |
W | L | Pct. | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oakland Athletics | 37 | 23 | .617 | — |
Texas Rangers | 33 | 22 | .600 | 1+1⁄2 |
Chicago White Sox | 31 | 22 | .585 | 2+1⁄2 |
California Angels | 31 | 29 | .517 | 6 |
Kansas City Royals | 20 | 30 | .400 | 12 |
Seattle Mariners | 21 | 36 | .368 | 14+1⁄2 |
Minnesota Twins | 17 | 39 | .304 | 18 |
AL West Second Half Standings |
W | L | Pct. | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kansas City Royals | 30 | 23 | .566 | — |
Oakland Athletics | 27 | 22 | .551 | 1 |
Texas Rangers | 24 | 26 | .480 | 4+1⁄2 |
Minnesota Twins | 24 | 29 | .453 | 6 |
Seattle Mariners | 23 | 29 | .442 | 6+1⁄2 |
Chicago White Sox | 23 | 30 | .434 | 7 |
California Angels | 20 | 30 | .400 | 8+1⁄2 |
Sources: | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | BAL | BOS | CAL | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIL | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TEX | TOR |
Baltimore | — | 2–2 | 6–6 | 3–6 | 4–2 | 6–7 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 7–6 | 7–5 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 5–2 |
Boston | 2–2 | — | 2–4 | 5–4 | 7–6 | 6–1 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 2–5 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 3–6 | 4–0 |
California | 6–6 | 4–2 | — | 6–7 | 7–5 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 2–8 | 6–4 | 2–4 | 6–6 |
Chicago | 6–3 | 4–5 | 7–6 | — | 2–5 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 7–6 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 7–5 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 6–7 | 5–7 | 5–2 | — | 1–5 | 4–4 | 3–6 | 2–1 | 7–5 | 3–2 | 8–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 |
Detroit | 7–6 | 1–6 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 3–2 | 5–8 | 9–3 | 3–7 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 6–4 |
Kansas City | 3–5 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 4–4 | 2–3 | — | 4–5 | 9–4 | 2–10 | 3–3 | 6–7 | 3–4 | 5–3 |
Milwaukee | 4–2 | 7–6 | 3–4 | 1–4 | 6–3 | 8–5 | 5–4 | — | 9–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–5 | 6–4 |
Minnesota | 0–6 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 3–9 | 4–9 | 3–9 | — | 3–3 | 2–8 | 3–6–1 | 5–8 | 5–1 |
New York | 6–7 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 7–5 | 5–7 | 7–3 | 10–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 4–3 | 2–3 | 5–4 | 2–3 |
Oakland | 5–7 | 5–7 | 8–2 | 6–7 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 8–2 | 3–4 | — | 6–1 | 4–2 | 10–2 |
Seattle | 2–4 | 3–9 | 4–6 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 1–5 | 7–6 | 2–2 | 6–3–1 | 3–2 | 1–6 | — | 5–8 | 3–3 |
Texas | 1–2 | 6–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–9 | 4–3 | 5–4 | 8–5 | 4–5 | 2–4 | 8–5 | — | 6–2 |
Toronto | 2–5 | 0–4 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 2–4 | 4–6 | 3–5 | 4–6 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–10 | 3–3 | 2–6 | — |
1981 Minnesota Twins | |||||||||
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Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
Other batters |
Manager
Coaches
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Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | Sal Butera | 62 | 167 | 40 | .240 | 0 | 18 |
1B | Danny Goodwin | 59 | 151 | 34 | .225 | 2 | 17 |
2B | Rob Wilfong | 93 | 305 | 75 | .246 | 3 | 19 |
3B | John Castino | 101 | 381 | 102 | .268 | 6 | 36 |
SS | Roy Smalley | 56 | 167 | 44 | .263 | 7 | 22 |
LF | Gary Ward | 85 | 295 | 78 | .264 | 3 | 29 |
CF | Mickey Hatcher | 99 | 377 | 96 | .255 | 3 | 37 |
RF | Dave Engle | 82 | 248 | 64 | .258 | 5 | 32 |
DH | Glenn Adams | 72 | 220 | 46 | .209 | 2 | 24 |
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hosken Powell | 80 | 264 | 63 | .239 | 2 | 25 |
Pete Mackanin | 77 | 225 | 52 | .231 | 4 | 18 |
Ron Jackson | 54 | 175 | 46 | .263 | 4 | 28 |
Butch Wynegar | 47 | 150 | 37 | .247 | 0 | 10 |
Rick Sofield | 41 | 102 | 18 | .176 | 0 | 5 |
Ron Washington | 28 | 84 | 19 | .226 | 0 | 5 |
Kent Hrbek | 24 | 67 | 16 | .239 | 1 | 7 |
Chuck Baker | 40 | 66 | 12 | .182 | 0 | 6 |
Tim Corcoran | 22 | 51 | 9 | .176 | 0 | 4 |
Tim Laudner | 14 | 43 | 7 | .163 | 2 | 5 |
Lenny Faedo | 12 | 41 | 8 | .195 | 0 | 6 |
Ray Smith | 15 | 40 | 8 | .200 | 1 | 1 |
Gary Gaetti | 9 | 26 | 5 | .192 | 2 | 3 |
Greg Johnston | 7 | 16 | 2 | .125 | 0 | 0 |
Mark Funderburk | 8 | 15 | 3 | .200 | 0 | 2 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Albert Williams | 23 | 150.0 | 6 | 10 | 4.08 | 76 |
Pete Redfern | 24 | 141.2 | 9 | 8 | 4.07 | 77 |
Fernando Arroyo | 23 | 128.1 | 7 | 10 | 3.93 | 39 |
Jerry Koosman | 19 | 94.1 | 3 | 9 | 4.20 | 55 |
Roger Erickson | 14 | 91.1 | 3 | 8 | 3.84 | 44 |
Brad Havens | 14 | 78.0 | 3 | 6 | 3.58 | 43 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darrell Jackson | 14 | 32.2 | 3 | 3 | 4.41 | 26 |
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doug Corbett | 54 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 2.57 | 60 |
Jack O'Connor | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5.86 | 16 |
Don Cooper | 27 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4.30 | 33 |
John Verhoeven | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.98 | 16 |
Bob Veselic | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.18 | 13 |
John Hobbs | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.18 | 1 |
Terry Felton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.50 | 1 |
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Orlando
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