Neha Patil (Editor)

1973 Minnesota Twins season

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General manager(s)
  
Calvin Griffith

Manager(s)
  
Frank Quilici

Owner(s)
  
Calvin Griffith (majority owner, with Thelma Griffith Haynes)

Local television
  
WCCO-TV (Ray Scott, Ralph Fritz)

Local radio
  
830 WCCO AM (Herb Carneal, Ray Christensen)

The 1973 Minnesota Twins finished 81–81, third in the American League West.

Contents

Offseason

  • November 30, 1972: Rich Reese was purchased from the Twins by the Detroit Tigers.
  • November 30, 1972: César Tovar was traded by the Twins to the Philadelphia Phillies for Joe Lis, Ken Sanders and Ken Reynolds.

    • Regular season

    With the American League's new designated hitter rule taking effect, on April 6 in Oakland, California, Tony Oliva became the first DH to hit a home run.

    On July 3, Tony Oliva hit three home runs against the Kansas City Royals. The Twins-record feat was accomplished twice before, by both Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew in 1963.

    Two Twins made the All-Star Game: second baseman Rod Carew and pitcher Bert Blyleven. 907,499 fans attended Twins games, the third lowest total in the American League.

    On September 27, California Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan struck out sixteen Twins and set a major league season mark of 383 strikeouts. Minnesota's Rich Reese was Ryan's 383rd victim.

    Pitcher Bert Blyleven finished with a 20–17 record and set several team records: total innings pitched (325.0), complete games (25), shutouts (9), strikeouts (258).

    Rod Carew won his third AL batting title with a .350 average. Bobby Darwin continued to show potential as a hitter with 18 home runs and 90 RBI. Tony Oliva limped through the season, hitting 16 HR and collecting 92 RBI. Bert Blyleven won 20 games for the first time, and three other pitchers had double digit wins: Jim Kaat (11–12), Dick Woodson (10–8), and Joe Decker (10–10). Kaat also won his 12th Gold Glove Award.

    Notable transactions

  • June 5, 1973: Luis Gómez was drafted by the Twins in the 7th round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.
  • August 15, 1973: Jim Kaat was selected off waivers from the Twins by the Chicago White Sox.
  • August 17, 1973: Rich Reese was signed as a free agent by the Twins.

    • Starters by position

    Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Other batters

    Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Starting pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Other pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Relief pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Farm system

    LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Wisconsin Rapids

    References

    1973 Minnesota Twins season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA