1973 Minnesota Twins season

1973 Minnesota Twins
81-81, third in the AL Western Division
Major League affiliations
Location
Other information
Owner(s) Calvin Griffith (majority owner, with Thelma Griffith Haynes)
General manager(s) Calvin Griffith
Manager(s) Frank Quilici
Local television WCCO-TV
(Ray Scott, Ralph Fritz)
Local radio 830 WCCO AM
(Herb Carneal, Ray Christensen)
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The 1973 Minnesota Twins finished 81-81, third in the American League West.

Offseason

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.

Season standings

AL West W L Pct. GB Home Road
Oakland Athletics 94 68 0.580 50–31 44–37
Kansas City Royals 88 74 0.543 6 48–33 40–41
Minnesota Twins 81 81 0.500 13 37–44 44–37
California Angels 79 83 0.488 15 43–38 36–45
Chicago White Sox 77 85 0.475 17 40–41 37–44
Texas Rangers 57 105 0.352 37 35–46 22–59

Record vs. opponents

1973 American League Records

Sources:

Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK TEX
Baltimore 7–11 6–6 8–4 12–6 9–9 8–4 15–3 8–4 9–9 5–7 10–2
Boston 11–7 7–5 6–6 9–9 3–15 8–4 12–6 6–6 14–4 4–8 9–3
California 6–6 5–7 8–10 5–7 7–5 10–8 5–7 10–8 6–6 6–12 11–7
Chicago 4–8 6–6 10–8 7–5 5–7 6–12 3–9 9–9 8–4 6–12 13–5
Cleveland 6–12 9–9 7–5 5–7 9–9 2–10 9–9 7–5 7–11 3–9 7–5
Detroit 9–9 15–3 5–7 7–5 9–9 4–8 12–6 5–7 7–11 7–5 5–7
Kansas City 4–8 4–8 8–10 12–6 10–2 8–4 8–4 9–9 6–6 8–10 11–7
Milwaukee 3–15 6–12 7–5 9–3 9–9 6–12 4–8 8–4 10–8 4–8 8–4
Minnesota 4–8 6–6 8–10 9–9 5–7 7–5 9–9 4–8 3–9 14–4 12–6
New York 9–9 4–14 6–6 4–8 11–7 11–7 6–6 8–10 9–3 4–8 8–4
Oakland 7–5 8–4 12–6 12–6 9–3 5–7 10–8 8–4 4–14 8–4 11–7
Texas 2–10 3–9 7–11 5–13 5–7 7–5 7–11 4–8 6–12 4–8 7–11

Notable transactions

Roster

1973 Minnesota Twins
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats

= Indicates team leader

Batting

Starters by position

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
1B Lis, JoeJoe Lis 103 253 62 .245 9 25
2B Carew, RodRod Carew 149 580 203 .350 6 62
LF Holt, JimJim Holt 132 441 131 .297 11 58
RF Darwin, BobbyBobby Darwin 145 560 141 .252 18 90
DH Oliva, TonyTony Oliva 146 571 166 .291 16 92

Other batters

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
Borgmann, GlennGlenn Borgmann 12 34 9 .265 0 9
Reese, RichRich Reese 22 23 4 .174 1 3

Pitching

Starting pitchers

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

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Blyleven, BertBert Blyleven 40 325 20 17 2.52 258
Decker, JoeJoe Decker 29 170.1 10 10 4.17 109

Other pitchers

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

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Bane, EddieEddie Bane 23 60.1 0 5 4.92 42

Relief pitchers

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

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Corbin, RayRay Corbin 51 8 5 14 3.03 83
Campbell, BillBill Campbell 28 3 3 7 3.14 42
Sanders, KenKen Sanders 27 2 4 8 6.09 19
Albury, VicVic Albury 14 1 0 0 2.70 13

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Tacoma Twins Pacific Coast League Kerby Farrell
AA Orlando Twins Southern League Harry Warner
A Lynchburg Twins Carolina League Dick Phillips
A Wisconsin Rapids Twins Midwest League Johnny Goryl
A-Short Season Geneva Twins New York–Penn League Fred Waters

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Wisconsin Rapids

Notes

  1. 1 2 Rich Reese page at baseball Reference
  2. Joe Lis at Baseball Reference
  3. Luis Gómez at Baseball-Reference
  4. Jim Kaat at Baseball Reference

References

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