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TOP 40 VORP: Carlos Silva

SBG October 17, 2007, at 9:41 pm 56 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

In 2003, the Minnesota Twins won their second consecutive American League Central Division championship, but they failed to get past the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series matchup. The Twins made a mid-season trade for Shannon Stewart and installed Johan Santana into the starting rotation, caught fire after the All-Star game to win the division going away. The Twins won 11 games in a row from September 13 to September 24 before losing three of four to the Detroit Tigers. That series helped the Tigers avoid 120 losses and the losing pitchers for the Twins on those three losses were the immortal Brad Thomas, the 46-year old Jesse Orosco, and flat out bust Adam Johnson. In other words, the Twins weren't trying. There was plenty of optimism for the Yankees series, so Twins fans were certainly disappointed with the result, but general manager Terry Ryan was probably wringing his hands, wondering how he was going to compete in 2004, given that he definitely had to shed some payroll. Let's just say for the record that Mr. Ryan handled that situation with aplomb. Here are a few of the moves that he made.

November 14, 2003: Traded A.J. Pierzynski and cash to the San Francisco Giants. Received Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser. You might have heard of that deal.

November 20, 2003: Selected Matt Guerrier off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. That's worked out okay, too.

December 3, 2003: Traded Eric Milton to the Philadelphia Phillies. Received a player to be named later, Carlos Silva, and Nick Punto. The Philadelphia Phillies sent Bobby Korecky (minors) (December 17, 2003) to the Minnesota Twins to complete the trade.

While that last deal isn't as ballyhooed as the November 14th deal, it has turned out to be a tremendous deal for the Twins. Not only did the Twins avoid a $10 million salary in 2004 for Eric Milton, who "rewarded" the Phillies with a 4.75 ERA in 201 innings in 2004 before becoming a huge millstone around the necks of the Cincinnati Reds, but they got a guy in Carlos Silva, who is now one of the TOP 40 VORP players in club history. And, incidentally, in the four seasons that Silva has pitched for the Twins, he's made less than $10 million.

Surprised? I'll admit that I am, and it does tend to make me think (along with other instances and for other reasons) that VORP isn't exactly the best measurement of a pitcher's contribution. Nevertheless, the name of this feature is TOP 40 VORP and in the number 36 spot is Carlos Silva.

More after the jump...


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Top 40 VORP: An Update

SBG October 13, 2007, at 8:45 am 21 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

I started a feature last year during the 2006 season writing features about the top 40 Minnesota Twins as rated by their cumulative Value Over Replacement Player or VORP. I got about half way through the list and then the season started, my wife had a baby, and so forth. So, I decided to put off finishing the list until the off-season. Since then, there has been some adjustment, as two new active players have joined the TOP 40, pushing two others out of the list. In addition, there are three other active players on the list, and each of them moved up. I've previously profiled two of them, best buddies Joe Mauer and Torii Hunter. The third one (guess who?) is a little higher up the list and he moved past three all-timers this year (one of whom has his number retired).

I plan (hope) to get through all of the players this off-season. As we move up the list, I would like to take a little more time to write better and more in depth articles. Of course, that desire directly competes with the stated goal of finishing the entire list. Another thing I've thought about is developing a history of the Minnesota Twins section in the website that chronicles the Twins over the course of the last 47 seasons, including recaps of the various teams and articles about the players. To do a bangup job with something like that would take a long, long time (it sounds like a book, actually), so I can't imagine that actually getting finished by just me. If only I could find someone (DPWY) to help me... someone who likes to do research (DPWY)... who has a website already but struggles with a poor server (DPWY).

Anyway, as part of that project, I think that it would be cool to have not just posts of players that are on the front page but are then lost in the rumble of game logs and notes from the ditch, and so forth, but static pages that can be accessed of the truly elite players in Twins history. My idea is to have a post of the TOP 40 VORP player as the beginning -- and feedback and contributions from the Nation could be incorporated into a definitive SBG Nation profile of a given player. These are probably pipe dreams, but if I could just devote my life to this page, that's what I would have. Kind of a WIKI for the Minnesota Twins.

Okay.

Let's review where we've been. Here's a list of the players that I've profiled so far and their positions in the list as of the end of the 2006 season and how that portion of the list looks after the 2007 season.

Position 2006 2007
20 Rick Aguilera ?
21 Eric Milton Rick Aguilera
22 Brian Harper Eric Milton
23 Torii Hunter Joe Mauer
24 Earl Battey Brian Harper
25 Eddie Guardado Earl Battey
26 Gary Gaetti Eddie Guardado
27 Larry Hisle Gary Gaetti
28 Zoilo Versalles Larry Hisle
29 Cesar Tovar Zoilo Versalles
30 Scott Erickson ?
31 Joe Mays Cesar Tovar
32 Joe Mauer Scott Erickson
33 Dave Boswell Joe Mays
34 Steve Braun Dave Boswell
35 Jerry Koosman Steve Braun
36 Mike Trombley ?
37 Jimmie Hall Jerry Koosman
38 Geoff Zahn Mike Trombley
39 Matt Lawton Jimmie Hall
40 Rich Rollins Geoff Zahn

As you can see, Torii Hunter has moved into the top 20 and Joe Mauer moved to position 23 from 32. Also, two current players have moved into positions 36 and 30. All-timers Rich Rollins and Matt Lawton are no longer all-timers. So, I have done 21 profiles so far and I have another 21 to go (plus an update for each of Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer). I'll get cracking soon.

TOP 40 VORP: Rick Aguilera

SBG February 25, 2007, at 10:36 am 19 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 20th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Rick Aguilera. (Note: After the 2007 season, Aguilera's VORP total is now 21st All-Time.) Aguilera is the ninth pitcher and third reliever covered in this series. He has the highest VORP total of any reliever in Twins history.

Rick Aguilera was the winning pitcher in two of the most exciting World Series games you will ever see. He came to the Twins in the blockbuster Frank Viola deal and was a big part of the Twins second World Championship. Aguilera had two stints with the Twins, having been traded to the Red Sox and returning after his contract with the Red Sox expired. Aguilera was a very good player for the Twins – he was willing to pitch as a reliever and a starter. I was a big fan and really enjoyed watching him pitch for the Twins. But, sometimes baseball is a cruel mistress. My most enduring memory of Rick Aguilera as a Twin is a profoundly negative one. It’s sad, but true. This very good player for the Twins was part of a huge moment that signaled the end of the glory years of the late eighties and early nineties. That moment was nothing less than the beginning of a long cold Dark Age known as the mid-to-late nineties.

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TOP 40 VORP: Eric Milton

SBG February 23, 2007, at 10:01 pm 12 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 21st highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Eric Milton.

Eric Milton was a left handed starting pitcher with the Minnesota Twins from 1998-2003. The major prize of the Chuck Knoblauch trade, Milton was thrust into the starting rotation as a 22 year old rookie. Milton showed promise and stuck in the starting rotation for the rest of his Twins career. However, he never really became the pitcher that a lot of Twins fans may have hoped for. The Twins eventually traded Milton to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2003 season, netting Carlos Silva and Nick Punto, as well avoiding Milton’s $9,000,000 2004 salary. The sixth starter and eighth pitcher overall on the TOP 40 VORP list, Milton was a good, but not great starter. I was a fan of Eric Milton and he is one of the top 21 players, but I was thrilled when the Twins moved him. Such is the life of a baseball fan, I suppose.


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TOP 40 VORP: Brian Harper

SBG February 22, 2007, at 9:37 pm 43 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 22nd highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Brian Harper.

Brian Harper was a catcher with the Minnesota Twins from 1988-93. Harper was an unlikely member of this list. He kicked around with five different teams before he hooked on with the Twins. For the six seasons that he wore a Twins uniform, Harper was a quality major league player and his performance was absolutely stunning. After he left the Twins, Harper was quickly out of the game. But, for those six years, Harper lived the dream. And in 1991, he was a member of the World Champions. He also provided one of the most memorable moments of that great regular season.


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TOP 40 VORP: Torii Hunter

SBG February 21, 2007, at 11:17 pm 42 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 23rd highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Torii Hunter.

Torii Hunter is the current center fielder for the Minnesota Twins. Hunter is known for his engaging personality, his fielding prowess, and his spotty, yet occasionally spectacular output. Hunter burst onto the national scene in the first half of 2002 and was able to parlay that half season of success into $44 million. He appeared to be the heir apparent to the great Kirby Puckett. He wasn't. Since then, he’s generally failed to live up to the promise that he showed in that heady time six years ago. Then again, maybe he’s been exactly the player that people should have expected back then. My personal feeling at the time was that Hunter was going to be a superstar. My own disappointment may be a result of my own unrealistic expectations. Then again, I never offered Hunter his huge contract.

In the lens of history, Hunter’s contributions to this team, I believe, will be viewed favorably. He was a major contributor to four AL Central division championships and has been a fan favorite. Even still, not unlike a certain homegrown first baseman that is far higher on this list, Hunter leaves me wanting more. But, that’s just me.


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TOP 40 VORP: Earl Battey

SBG February 20, 2007, at 8:13 pm 11 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 24th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Earl Battey.

Earl was the first Twins catcher, having come West with the Senators in 1961. He had five very good seasons to start his Twins career, but quickly faded and was done after his 32 year old season. I have absolutely no recollection of Battey, but I do know that he’s been widely regarded as the best catcher in Twins history. As you will see, he doesn’t have the highest VORP as a catcher, for the Twins and there’s a certain number 7 that’s about to grab that mantle indisputably over at least the next four years, barring injury. Nevertheless, Battey was a quality player for the Twins and for a period of five years in a Twins uniform, he was one of the best catchers in the American League.


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TOP 40 VORP: Eddie Guardado

SBG February 13, 2007, at 10:48 pm 9 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 25th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Eddie Guardado.

Eddie was a failed starter who, as a reliever, became a key part of the resurgent Twins of the first part of this decade. Eddie was a colorful character who appeared to love pitching for the Minnesota Twins. Guardado was known primarily for two things. First was his ability to take the ball frequently – he was “Everyday” Eddie. The second thing was his “ability” to make things interesting. Everyday Eddie was a valuable member of one of the best bullpens in club history. The club leader in pitching appearances, Eddie may be a surprise to be this high on the list, but his performance, when closely examined, was pretty good.


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TOP 40 VORP: Gary Gaetti

SBG February 10, 2007, at 2:31 pm 24 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 26th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Gary Gaetti.

Aaron Gleeman has been counting down the top 40 players in Twins history. Gleeman’s an outstanding writer and he’s the reason why I started this website in the first place (and also, for that matter, this feature). Less than a week ago, Gleeman profiled Gary Gaetti and he wrote “When everything is taken into account, I suspect Gaetti's place in Twins history is somewhat overrated, although it's tough to say for sure given his unique career.” Aaron wrote a nice piece on Gaetti, but he fails to really grasp the essence of what Gaetti meant to Twins fans. Then, it dawned on me. I was writing about Cesar Tovar and I really had no knowledge about Tovar other than what I read. I never experienced Tovar, his leaving the Twins in 1973. I was eight then. I think Gleeman is 25 now, which would have made him about eight or so when Gaetti last played for the Twins. SBG::Tovar as AG::Gaetti.

Aaron’s right: in terms of the numbers, Gaetti was (and is) probably overrated in fans’ minds. But, in terms of the drama of the franchise, G-man was a high impact player for the Twins during a key time in franchise history. That was never more apparent than on October 7, 1987, when “The G” ended the Twins’ 17 year post season drought with a BANG! And another BANG!

I’ve always thought that the love for Doug Mientkiewicz displayed by Twins fans is irrational. What’s the attraction to a first baseman who can’t hit and who hides behind his wife’s apron strings? I’ll confess though, that I understand that fixation when viewed through the lens of my own love for Gaetti. He may be just 26th on this list, but he’s on the extremely short list of my all-time favorite Twins players. The G-Man was a funny looking, chain-smoking, hard-nosed ballplayer who struck out, hit the ball over the fence, dove around like a maniac, and played the game with reckless abandon. Plus, he played a key role in an unlikely ascension to the top of the baseball world.

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Top 40 VORP: Larry Hisle

SBG February 10, 2007, at 7:53 am 17 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 27th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Larry Hisle.

Larry Hisle was a power hitting outfielder for the Minnesota Twins during the mid 1970s. Hisle was somewhat of a surprise success story for the Twins, considering his career before becoming a Minnesota Twin. To be a Twins fan in the late 1970s was to experience a systematic exodus of the team’s best players. Recently, much has been made of the Twins’ inability to keep players from leaving via free agency. I’ve argued that the Twins have not lost any really good players because of money. (David Ortiz’s departure wasn’t because the Twins couldn’t afford him and it wasn’t like he started a bidding war.) No, life was tough as a Twins fan back about the time when Larry Hisle left. Good players were leaving all the time. And Hisle was one of them.

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Top 40 VORP: Zoilo Versalles

SBG February 8, 2007, at 8:30 pm 16 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 28th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, the 1965 AL MVP, Zoilo Versalles.

Zoilo Versalles was a shortstop for the Minnesota Twins during the 1960s. Versalles as I mentioned above, won the 1965 AL MVP for the AL Champion Minnesota Twins. Versalles was a young star who peaked early and was effectively done as a major leaguer before his 30th birthday.

Versalles was just 25 years old when he won the AL MVP. But, he had just 1.9 VORP left in his Twins career.


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TOP 40 VORP: César Tovar

SBG February 7, 2007, at 9:03 pm 23 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 29th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, César “Pepito” Tovar.

César Tovar was, for lack of a more precise term, a player for the Minnesota Twins from 1965-72. Tovar famously played all nine positions in one game for the Twins on September 22, 1968. For some purists, the idea of a player playing all nine positions in one game might be construed as making a mockery of the game. However, if a team is going to allow a player to play all nine positions in one game, a player of the versatility of Pepito Tovar would be the ideal candidate.

Tovar was a utility player for the Twins in that he played many different positions. But, he wasn’t a utility player in the mold of Denny Hocking or Al Newman. Tovar brought a lot of value to the team when he was in the line up. And, he was in the lineup a lot. Often enough, that is, to accumulate the 29th highest VORP total in Twins history.


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TOP 40 VORP: Scott Erickson

SBG January 29, 2007, at 9:32 pm 32 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 30th highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Scott Erickson.

Scott Erickson was a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins from 1990-95. If you are old enough to remember the 1991 season, it is really hard to believe that Scott Erickson ended up in a relatively pedestrian 30th place on this list. I wrote in the last installment of this list that Joe Mays had “one glorious season” in 2001. Ten years earlier, Erickson had an astounding half season in 1991 before things changed in a way that was hard to believe.

Erickson had more productivity besides the 1991 season, but Scott Erickson’s Twins career really centers around that World Championship season.


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TOP 40 VORP: Joe Mays

SBG January 22, 2007, at 8:21 pm 10 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 31st highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Joe Mays.

Joe Mays was a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins from 1999-2003 and 2005. Mr. Mays had one glorious season in 2001 under the dull Minnesota Teflon sky. That season excited Twins fans who were awakening from a years long slumber, landed him a huge contract, and was the end of his effectiveness as a major league pitcher. Even now, he is just 32 years old, but I doubt that he’ll ever be pitch at the major league level again. But, on the strength of that 2001 season primarily, Mays has the 31st highest VORP in Twins history.

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TOP 40 VORP: Joe Mauer

SBG January 22, 2007, at 2:00 am 11 LTEs - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)

The Top 40 VORP list continues with the player that accumulated the 32rd highest VORP total as a member of the Minnesota Twins (to date), Joe Mauer.

Joe Mauer, in case you are living under a rock, is the current catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He’s been in the majors since 2004. Despite playing just two years as a regular after his injury plagued rookie season, Mr. Mauer now sits 32nd on the list. The question, of course, is not where he is now on the list, it’s where he’ll end up.

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