Success #22: Brad Radke (again)

I wish Brad Radke was still pitching for the Twins. Maybe not Brad Radke himself. The poor guy's arm would have fallen off by now. But someone like Radke. Someone with the experience. And the class. And the determination. And the loyalty. I think the young guys in our rotation could learn a thing or two from Radke. There aren't too many pitchers left like Brad Radke. He's one of the good ones.

A year ago, when I mailed Radke an 8x10, I took a chance on his address. I found a house online that was owned by Heather Radke, newly constructed in Florida. There were a few addresses that collectors online had tried and not had good success with. I didn't want to waste a baseball on a risky address so I sent an 8x10 to the newly built home in Heather Radke's name. Of course I got it back, and wished I had sent a baseball!

But I felt guilty about that. I should have appreciated the awesome 8x10. And I did. So despite my desire to send a baseball to the address I now knew was legit, I did not. But by the end of last summer, as baseballs kept rolling in, I could not have not having a Brad Radke baseball. But when I looked up the address I had used before, I found their house to be for sale! I took another chance and sent one anyway, but was not very hopeful.

However, 9 days later, I got my Brad Radke baseball in the mail! I think I can leave him alone now.

Mailed: 6/13/12
Received: 6/22/12 (9 days)

Success #21: Joe Nathan

If I was to make a list of my top 5 favorite Minnesota Twins ever, Joe Nathan would probably make the top 3. Maybe even the top 2. 

Joe Nathan was an integral part of Twins GM Terry Ryan's claim to fame. Joe Mauer was rising through the ranks fast and A.J. Pierzynski was the odd man out. Ryan dealt Pierzynski to the San Francisco Giants in what will go down as one of the most lopsided trades in both teams' histories, for pitchers Boof Bonser, Francisco Liriano, and Joe Nathan. Prior to the trade, Nathan had proved to be one the the hottest relief, set-up men in the NL. But the Twins had other plans for him.

After losing "Everyday" Eddie Guardado to the Seattle Mariners, the Twins had an opening for closer. The plugged Nathan in the role in his first year with the team and he notched 23 saves in his first half of a season and was named to the All-Star team! He finished the 2004 season with 44 saves in 47 appearances, and instantly became a Minnesota fan favorite.

Over the next 5 years Nathan would establish himself as one of the best closers in baseball. In 2006, I got to see Nathan pitch over Spring Break in California, as he tossed an inning in a World Baseball Classic game in Angel Stadium, Anaheim. Later that season, Kelli and I went to a Twins game in Kansas City. We met Nathan before the game on the third baseline. He signed a few baseballs for us! In 2007, I was in attendance as Johan Santana struck out 17 Texas Rangers over 8 innings, and Nathan came in to slam the door in the 9th. Despite his nervous ticks, and the way he sometimes made me chew my fingernails off, he was my favorite part of every Twins game.

Nathan missed the 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery. He came back in 2011 and after a rocky start, blowing a handful of saves early in the season, removed himself from the closer role. Later in the season, Nathan found himself in the role again, long enough to become the Twins all-time leader in saves, passing Rick Aguilera, with 260 saves. The Twins declined his option after the season and Nathan became a free-agent, signing with the Texas Rangers, where in 2012, he returned to All-Star form at 37 years old, saving 37 games.

I hate seeing Nathan in a uniform other than a Minnesota one, but he made the right decision for him. He remains one of my favorite Twins to date and he has a reputation as a great through-the-mail signer. Already having a baseball signed from our meeting in Kansas City, I sent him an 8x10. His signature looks awesome on it!

Mailed: 6/4/12

Received: 6/22/12 (18 days)

Success #20: Ben Revere

Many Twins fans thought the Twins reached when they selected Ben Revere in the first round (28th overall) of the 2007 amateur draft. He had a weak arm and lacked power but made up for it with speed. Lots of speed. In his first full season of minor league ball, he batted .379 for the Beloit Snappers with 44 stolen bases and 10 triples. At the end of that 2008 season, Baseball America ranked Revere as the Twins second best prospect.

Thanks to injuries to starting left-fielder Delmon Young and starting center-fielder Denard Span, Revere got his first real opportunity in the majors in 2011. He hit for good average for most of the season and stole 34 bases. His speed in the outfield made up for his lack of arm strength as he was able to track down many balls other outfielders couldn't. That didn't stop some teams from taking advantage of his arm when they could however, creating a liability at times for the team. 

But his hustle was inspiring and his smile was infectious and Revere became a fan favorite almost immediately. Ever since Nick Punto left, I had been searching for a new favorite player, myself. Revere reminded me of Punto in many ways. You never questioned Revere's heart. He loved playing baseball. He was fast and made entertaining, and sometimes acrobatic plays in the field. His stats weren't overly impressive, but Revere seemed to possess something that sparked the team.

In 2012, Revere took over full-time duties in right-field and batted near the top of the order for most of the season. He batted .294 and led the team with 40 stolen bases. In a dismal season, Revere was a bright spot for the team, living up to his first-round status. 

On our way to a game in July, we stopped at a Pro Shop in Roseville, MN where Ben was signing autographs. He was supposed to sign from 11-12. He stayed until almost 12:45 making sure to meet most people there. The doors were almost closed on us but we begged and played the card, "We drove all the way from Iowa," and were let inside. He signed Hayes' first ever game ticket, a hat, and a baseball, despite the fact that he had already sent me one in the mail. That personality that won fans over on the field, was genuine. 

After two last-place finishes in a row, the Minnesota Twins entered the 2013 offseason with a lot of work to do. Primarily, in building a pitching rotation from the ground up. A shift in pitching philosophy was sorely needed and the Twins didn't have the players in their system to instill it. What they did have, was outfield depth. With Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks, Chris Parmelee, Joe Benson, and Max Kepler waiting in the wings (not to mention 2012 number 2 overall draft choice Byron Buxton), Revere became expendable. Last month, despite already trading Denard Span to the Nationals, the Twins traded Revere to the Phillies for pitchers Vance Worley and Trevor May. Worley provides immediate help in the rotation while May becomes a top prospect with a power arm.

I'm sad to see Revere go, but wish him luck with Philadelphia. In his two years with the club, he was one of my favorites.

Mailed: 6/4/12

Received: 6/16/12 (12 days)

Success #19: Dan Gladden

There's a special place in my childhood memories for "The Dazzle Man" Dan Gladden. I don't know what it was about him, but I remember him as one of my favorites. Maybe it was his long hair and how it made him look and play like a wild thing. Maybe it was his outfield position, always my favorite. Maybe it was his game winning run in the 10th inning of Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. 

Either way, I remember Dan Gladden as one of my favorites growing up. Gladden had a phenomenal rookie season with the San Francisco Giants and finished 4th in the Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1984 after batting .351 in 384 plate appearances. In 1987, Gladden was traded to the Twins and helped them win their first World Series in his first season. After winning his second World Series with the Twins in 1991, Gladden signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. 

Gladden had decent years as a Twin, but is probably more of a fan favorite because of his involvement with the team's two World Series Championships and because of his involvement with the team's radio network after his career ended. In his 4 seasons with the Twins, his batting averages ranged from the .240s to the .290s. 

In 1993, Gladden left the Tigers because of the impending MLB players strike and played a season in Japan, where he won a Japan Series Championship. When he returned to the MLB it was with the Minnesota Twins again, but as a scout in 1995. In 2000, Gladden became the color commentator on the Twins Radio Network, alongside Herb Carneal and John Gordon. Gladden still works for the Twins Radio Network with Cory Provus.

I've noted the seven Twins before, who were members of both the 1987 and 1991 World Series teams. Gladden was one of them. Kirby Puckett remains the only one that I will never be able to get, without purchasing. I sent Gladden's baseball to Target Field and received it in 22 days. I've had decent luck with sending items directly to Target Field lately. I'm not sure if I want to push my luck though.

Mailed: 4/10/12
Received: 5/2/12 (22 days)

Success #18: Randy Bush

There were only seven Twins players that were part of both 1987 and 1991 World Championship teams. Randy Bush was one of those seven.

Randy Bush was drafted by the Twins in 1979 and made his debut with the ballclub in 1982. He retired in 1993 having played all 12 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. Bush went into coaching almost immediately after retiring as a player and in 2006 stepped into the assistant general manager position for the Chicago Cubs.

I have to be honest, I don't remember much about Bush from when I was young. Things were different in the late-80's than they are now. ESPN didn't dominate television. It wasn't as easy to know every player on every team and all of their stats. What I knew of the Twins was what my dad told me, what I caught on local television, and what I overheard listening on the radio. Randy Bush wasn't Kirby Puckett. Or Frank Viola. Or Kent Hrbek. Or Danny Gladden. He wasn't Greg Gagne either. Those guys were my favorites. Those were the names I heard night in and night out. But he was a staple in the Twins organization all the same. 

Part of the reason that I probably don't remember much of Randy Bush is because he was a bit of a specialist. He played mostly in right field but logged time in left field, at first base, and as designated hitter often. Twice he led the American League in pinch-hits, which meant he came in off the bench. In doing a bit of research, I uncovered that Bush's numbers against lefties was so bad, that he simply wasn't in the lineup when a lefty was on the mound. Ever. In fact, in 12 seasons as a Twin, Bush only had 119 plate appearances against LHP. That's astonishing! 

Tom Kelly used Bush in a way that allowed his strengths to shine. It's probably why he was, and still is a favorite of many Twins fans. His weaknesses were never really exposed under the tutelage of Tom Kelly and instead, he became a reliable, consistent player who did what he was asked to do when he was called upon.

Randy Bush was a somewhat easy success, despite having to send the baseball to Wrigley Field. He has a good track record through the mail. I hate sending mail to the stadium because you never know how it's going to be handled. But three successes in a row, Pavano, Valencia, and Bush have come via team mail. I may not be done contacting Bush, as it'd be fun to get his signature on some World Series memorabilia, being one of the seven to win both 1987 and 1991 World Series Championships with the Twins.

Mailed: 4/7/12
Received: 4/30/12 (23 days)

Back to Blogging

I hadn't written a blog post since May, yet the baseballs kept rolling in! I began work on my Masters this past semester and with that added to my full docket of classroom teaching and helping my lovely wife father two sweet, young, busy, growing children, I could not find the time to write about the players I had been hearing from.

But I'm back! Or at least, I want to be. I just posted about Danny Valencia and I have heard from so many more since then. I'm determined to write about each one. Even had an opportunity to meet one of my favorite Twins this past season! And with TwinsFest 2013 right around the corner and personal days requested away from work for the Mrs. and I to attend for the first time, I decided to kick it into gear.

I have a document saved on my computer of the players I want to contact, the players I have attempted and the ones I've heard back from, and their addresses. I revisited it the other day to make sure it was up to date and realized that my journey is far from over. There are so many players I would love to contact.

Call it a New Year's Resolution.

Success #17: Danny Valencia

I'm not sure Danny Valencia ever got a fair shake with the Twins. As I write this, he is no longer a Twin actually, traded early this past season to the Boston Red Sox (who have since, traded him now this offseason to the Baltimore Orioles). At the time I sent him a baseball, he was a Twin, and one of my favorites. He was the second player on the current roster I attempted to reach so I was elated to get a response.

Danny Valencia was a 19th round draft choice of the Minnesota Twins in 2006 and spent 4 seasons in their minor league system before getting his chance at big league play in 2010. Third base had been a black hole for the Twins since the departure of Corey Koskie and Valencia's minor league numbers were well above average from the beginning, leaving many Twins fans pining for a call-up. It didn't come as early as some wanted. Valencia's discipline at the plate, and fielding was to blame.

But in 2010 he got his opportunity and in 85 games batted .311 and finished 3rd in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. He followed that up by playing in 154 games in his sophomore season and belting 15 HRs. Many considered the season a bit of a "sophomore slump" however as his batting average dropped to .246 and his plate discipline once again became an issue. 2012 was supposed to be his season to break out of his slump but Trevor Plouffe never really gave Valencia the chance. Valencia struggled early on in the season, Trevor Plouffe took the opportunity and ran with it, hitting 14 HRs in June and July. Valencia was sent to AAA to get in some at-bats but soon after, found himself traded to Boston.

I never felt that Valencia received a fair opportunity from Gardenhire to succeed as a Twin and I don't know why. Some pegged Danny as arrogant, but those opinions were more or less influenced by Gardenhire's spin on game situations in press conferences. Valencia was a competitor and worked hard. He stayed away from the party scene and wanted baseball to be his life. I sent him a baseball after watching a video of him give a clubhouse tour in spring training on MLB Network and he laughed at his empty mailbox. 

I hope Danny Boy can find himself some success in the majors again, maybe even this season with Baltimore. I think he has loads of talent. It just hasn't been honed in yet.

Mailed: 4/10/12

Received: 4/26/12 (16 days)