*Note* All Twins Records are Minnesota only. The Washington Senators are included in franchise records, but the Twins are strictly Minnesota from 1961 on. Apologies to Sam Rice and Walter Johnson.
CAREER MILESTONES
The Big One
JIM THOME - 600 HOME RUNS
Thome is sitting on 589 dingers, just 11 shy of 600, a feat many thought he wouldn't reach, but after last season's resurgance and 25 home runs, that number seems more of a foregone conclusion. It isn't though, and Thome will need to stay healthy and get the at-bats he got last year. If all goes well, Thome should enter the club that holds just 7 players (Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Sammy Sosa) sometime around mid-season.
More Thome #'s
2,395 Strikeouts - 2nd all-time
This is obviously a dubious distinction for Thome. A big set-back to a career long-ball champ, he's bound to strikeout and only one guy has whiffed more, and that guy is Reggie Jackson with 2,597, who also happens to be a HOF'er. Thome only had 39 strikeouts last year and will never reach the top spot (thankfully for Jim), unless he plays into his mid-40's.
589 Home Runs - 8th all-time
Thome only needs to hit 9 more homers after 600, 20 on the season, to tie Sammy Sosa for 7th all time. Rodriguez would be next at 613, but since he's active and expected to belt many more, its not likely Thome will catch A-Rod. Thome would have to hit 41 homers this year to catch Griffey for 6th (provided Rodriguez already has passed him).
1,679 Walks - 9th all-time
The active leader in Bases on Balls, needs 29 walks to tie Mel Ott for 8th place. The top 7 are so notorious they don't even need first names: Bonds, Henderson, Ruth, Williams, Morgan, Yastrzemski, & Mantle. Then Ott and Thome. Hall of Fame much?
1,624 RBI's - 30th all-time
If Thome can get to 1,700 this year, he'll pass these guys along the way: Harold Baines, Ernie Banks, Tony Perez, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, and Cal Ripken Jr. Not too shabby.
4,462 Total Bases - 45th all-time
From 2001 to 2003, Thome finished in the top 10 in total bases. Even in a diminished role last year he still tacked on 173 total bases. A similar output could rise Thome another 10 spots to 35th all-time.
1,534 Runs - 57th all-time
66 runs will get Thome to 1,600, which might be a stretch, but he can get into the top 50 with just 37 runs (although Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon are likely to enter first).
428 Doubles - 123rd all-time
Thome won't reach 500 this year, but with just 15 more he can reach the top 100 all-time. Thome hit 16 last year.
2,216 Hits - 168th all-time
Thome needs 84 hits to reach 2,300 where just 137 players have reached. Who's 137th right now...a one Mr. Kirby Puckett with 2,304.
TWINS TOP 10 LISTS
BATTING
GAMES
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 1,000
Place: 15th
Record: Harmon Killebrew 1,939
Special congratulations to Cuddyer who hit the 1K mark on the last regular season game last year! If Cuddy were to play all 162 games this season, he'd finish the year in 11th place on the all-time Twins list.
AT-BATS
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 3,543
Place: 13th
Record: Kirby Puckett 6,294
When healthy, Cuddyer can get 550 at-bats in a season, he had 607 last year. With 457 at-bats he'll become just the 11th Twin to do so. He'll need exactly 600 for sole possession of 10th place.
RUNS SCORED
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 536
Place: 13th
Record: Kirby Puckett 1,071
Cuddyer has posted exactly 93 runs the past 2 seasons each. He needs 110 for 10th place. Doable, but more likely to settle into 11th on the all-time Twins list, an emerging theme here.
HITS
Current Leader: Joe Mauer, 1,011
Place: 12th
Record: Kirby Puckett, 2,304
Mauer has averaged 163 hits per season (excluding his shortened rookie year). That total would easily get Mauer into the top 10 and he could come in as high as 7th place with 207 hits this year, which would tie Torii Hunter.
*Special Note to Justin Morneau (995) and Michael Cuddyer (956) who should both cash in on the 1,000 career hit mark this year.
DOUBLES
Current Leader: Justin Morneau, 215
Place: 8th
Record: Kirby Puckett, 414
Morneau is 37 doubles shy of Gary Gaetti for 7th all-time, he hit 47 in 2008, so he's quite capable of climbing this ladder if healthy.
TRIPLES
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 33
Place: 11th
Record: Rod Carew, 90
Cuddyer needs just 1 more triple to enter the Twins top 10 and tie John Castino. Although, he'll be challenged by Span who already is an AL Triples champion and has 27 on his career.
HOME RUNS
Current Leader: Justin Morneau, 181
Place: 8th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 475
Morneau was heading up this sacred top 10 and would have finished higher than 8th if it weren't for that head of his. Morneau needs 11 to tie Torii Hunter for 7th, 20 to tie Gary Gaetti for 6th, 26 to tie Puckett for 5th, 30 to tie Bob Allison for 4th and 39 to tie Tony Oliva for 3rd. If #33 stays healthy, he could pass all of them and find himself behind only Twins great Kent Hrbek (293) and HOF'er Harmon Killebrew (475).
*Michael Cuddyer (121) needs 11 home runs to tie Jacque Jones for 10th all time)
RBI
Current Leader: Justin Morneau 679
Place: 8th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 1,325
Morneau is just over half of Killebrew's totals, if that gives you an idea of how great #3 was. Fitting that the guy chasing him wears #33. When Morneau is healthy he can post 100 plus RBI as he did for 4 consecutive years from 2006-2009. If he does that in 2011, he'll pass Torii Hunter, Rod Carew, and Gary Gaetti to settle into 5th all time.
WALKS
Current Leader: Joe Mauer, 433
Place: 9th
Record: Harmon Killebrew, 1,371
Mauer averages 70 walks a season. If he gets to 80, he'll pass Oliva, Puckett, & Knoblauch for 6th all-time.
STOLEN BASES
Current Leader: Denard Span, 67
Place: 18th
Record: Chuck Knoblauch, 276
Span only has 3 major league seasons to his credit, but every one has increased his SB level (18,23,26). If Span steals 30 bases this year, he'll climb all the way up to 8th all-time.
HIT-BY-PITCH
Current Leader: Michael Cuddyer, 39
Place: 10th
Record: Chuck Knoblauch, 74
Cuddyer gets hit about 5 times a year, not bad really. The most he's ever been hit in one season was 2003 when he was nicked 10 times. Ten more and he'll cut his place in half to 5th.
PITCHING
WINS
Current Leader: Scott Baker, 55
Place: 13th
Record: Jim Kaat 189
If Baker can earn a rotation spot, and he likely will be the 3rd or 4th starter this year, he has a chance to crack the top 10 with 12 wins this year.
GAMES
Current Leader: Joe Nathan, 412
Place: 4th
Record: Eddie Guardado, 648
Nathan is coming off Tommy John surgery, so his expectations are less than normal. Regardless, he's already become one of the Twins best relief pitchers ever. During his Twins tenure he's appeared in 64 to 73 games each year, which would eclipse Jim "Kitty" Kaat for 3rd all-time.
SAVES
Current Leader: Joe Nathan, 246
Place: 2nd
Record: Rick Aguilera, 254
A Twins record would have been broken last year if not for Nathan's arm being shut down for surgery. Nathan is just 8 saves away from tying Twins great Rick Aguilera for the Franchise record.
INNINGS PITCHED
Current Leader: Scott Baker 824
Place: 16th
Record: Jim Kaat 2,951.1
Baker has averaged 172 innings in his last 4 seasons. If we add 5 more innings to that average, Baker gets to 1,000 innings for his career, which would place Baker at 10th all-time.
STRIKEOUTS
Current Leader: Scott Baker, 647
Place: 12th
Record: Bert Blyleven 2,035
Baker has been good for 138 strikeouts/year for the past 4 years. That average, just like IP, would get Baker the 10th spot in the Twins all-time leaders.
OTHER APPROACHING MILESTONES
100 Home Runs - Jason Kubel (92), Joe Mauer (81)
200 Home Runs - Justin Morneau (181)
300th in HR - Justin Morneau (needs 17)
1,000 Hits - Justin Morneau (995), Michael Cuddyer (956)
100 Stolen Bases - Denard Span (67)
100 Wins - Carl Pavano (97)
1,000 Strikeouts - Carl Pavano (956)
300 Saves - Joe Nathan (247)
25th in Saves - Joe Nathan (247, needs 39 saves)
100th in Saves - Matt Capps (109, needs 10 saves)
That should about cover it, besides percentages. If you're wondering, Joe Mauer's .327 batting average is 2nd all-time in Twins history, only Rod Carew's .334 stands in front of him. But unlike the statistics above, percentages can actually go down, therefore I left them off, but I'll keep a close eye on it for you!
until next time, remember not to use too much pine tar,
brock
the courtesy wave
Great work as always buddy! Giddy Up!
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