WCCO is looking back at some of the best players to ever take the field for the Twins and breaking it down by decade and position.
The 90's started off terribly, then a World Series championship, and then eight more years of of losing. But, hey, we had 1991.
Just like our list from the 1960's,1970's and 1980's we picked a player for each position (which they had to actually play), along with three starting pitchers and a reliever.
Catcher: Terry Steinbach
While a case could have been made for Brian Harper, Terry Steinbach spent his twilight years in the league with his hometown team. The Twins didn't get his best years, but he was still one of the team's best hitters with a .256/.321/.399 slash line and hitting 30 home runs while driving in 150 RBI in his three seasons with the team. Plus, he's #OneOfUs
First Base: Kent Hrbek
While Kent Hrbek had a meteoric rise in the 80's, his downturn in the '90's was tough to see. He had a great '91 World Series, but injuries derailed his career. He announced in July of 1994 that the season would be his last, only to have the last month and a half taken away because of an owner's strike.
Second Base: Chuck Knoblauch
Before the yips, before coins and batteries being thrown at him, Chuck Knoblauch was a highly touted prospect first round draft pick for the Twins, and he delivered in 1991. Knoblauch won the AL Rookie of the Year in 1991 along with a key defensive play in the World Series that forced Lonnie Smith to hold at third when he could have scored. He hit .304 in his time with the Twins, but then requested to be traded, which saw four bad years as a Yankee and one as a Royal.
Third Base: Scott Leius
We'll be honest, there wasn't much to pick from here. Leius spent much of the '90's platooning with other third basemen, but was with the Twins much of the decade. He hit a fine .252/.327/.366, but the others to choose from included Coomer, Pagliarulo, or Reboulet.
Shortstop: Pat Meares
Once Greg Gagne left in free agency in 1993, the Twins had a solid prospect to replace him in Pat Meares. Meares kept the starters role from '93-'98. Meares was a fine hitter, .265/.301.381 for the Twins and was a solid fielder.
Left Field: Marty Cordova
This was a close one. Cordova edged out Shane Mack, who is one of the most underrated Twins of all time. Cordova, like Knoblauch, was a highly touted prospect who didn't disappoint on arrival. Cordova landed in the bigs in 1995 and won the AL Rookie of the Year after hitting .277 with 24 home runs and 24 RBI. His production continued in the 1996 season but fell off after that. A back injury kept him from seeing his full potential.
Center Field: Kirby Puckett
The 90's saw the end of the greatest Twin of all time. His production never dropped, hitting .314 with 23 home runs and 99 RBI in his final season in 1995. Puckett was forced to retire after the season after being diagnosed with glaucoma and losing vision in his right eye.
Right Field: Matt Lawton
Matt Lawton patrolled right field for the Twins from 1995-2000. Lawton was a rock for the team in the field and the batter's box. He slashed .277/.379/.428 for the seven years he was the team. He also hit 72 home runs and drove in 384 RBI.
Starting Pitcher: Brad Radke
For 11 years, Brad Radke was an anchor of the Twins pitching staff. Debuting in 1995, the 8th round draft pick underwhelmed going 11-14 with a 5.32 ERA. The 1996 season was similar, but in 1997 he was 20-10 with a 3.87 ERA. He was an innings-eater and an ace for the Twins.
Starting Pitcher: Scott Erickson
Erickson had a fantastic 1991 season, going 20-8 with a 3.18 ERA and was the perfect 1-2 tandem with Jack Morris on the World Series winning Twins team. Erickson came back with a strong 1992 season but was never able to regain the greatness he had in 1991. He will go down in Twins history as the first Twin to throw a no-hitter at the Metrodome.
Starting Pitcher: Kevin Tapani
Tapani was a quintessential workhorse for the Twins in the early to mid-90's. Stuck behind Erickson and Morris in 1991, he had his best season going 16-9 with a 2.99 ERA. Things went downhill for Tapani in 1993 and was traded to Toronto in 1995.
Relief Pitcher: Rick Aguilera
The Twins Hall of Famer closer didn't start out on that path. A flegeding starting pitcher for the first four years of his career, Aguilera didn't find the bullpen until 1989 with the Mets. He came to the Twins in the Frank Viola trade and the Twins found their closer. He saved 254 games for the Twins over 11 seasons and two stints with the team.
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