Success #8: Camilo Pascual

 So just when I get disappointed, autographs start rolling in!

Camilo Pascual was a starting pitcher for the Twins in the 19060s. He started with Washington and came over when Calvin Griffith moved the team to the Twin Cities. The three seasons prior to the move, Pascual had turned in two seasons with ERAs south of 3.15 and one season with an ERA of 2.64. At the time, he was becoming one of the most feared pitchers in the league. With the Twins, he would become one of the best. With Pascual atop the rotation, alongside starters Jim Kaat, Jim Perry, and Mudcat Grant the Twins had a much feared pitching staff. Four seasons after the move, the young talent in the field and at the plate, paid off for the Twins and they won the AL pennant.

When I researched Pascual's career, Johan Santana eerily came to mind. Consistently low ERA and four straight 200+ strikeout seasons (leading the league) after the move to Minnesota. Near the end of his tenure with the Twins, Pascual began developing trouble in his arm and his numbers began to suffer. The Twins traded him back to Washington (an expansion team) where he pitched a few more years with them and various other teams before retiring.

Pascual returned to the organization in 1978 as pitching coach and would later become an international scout for many MLB teams. He's credited for the Oakland A's signing of Jose Canseco. This year, the Twins will honor him by inducting him into their own Hall of Fame. A well-deserved honor.

From what I could find, it didn't appear that Pascual was a reliable signer through the mail. I felt I was taking a chance with him. Or maybe my letters of request are better than I think! Either way, Pascual returned my baseball from his Miami, FL home in just 6 days, which seems to be the norm when I catch guys at home.

Mailed: 2/17/12
Received: 2/23/12 (6 days)

Where, Oh Where to Begin . . .

. . . Fox Sports North's list of 50 Greatest Twins seems as good a place as any!

Rick Aguilera, Bob Allison, Earl Battey, Bert Blyleven, Lyman Bostock, Tom Brunansky, Rod Carew, John Castino, Michael Cuddyer, Gary Gaetti

Greg Gagne, Ron Gardenhire, Dan Gladden, Dave Goltz, Mudcat Grant, Eddie Guardado, Larry Hisle, Kent Hrbek, Torii Hunter, Jim Kaat

Tom Kelly, Harmon Killebrew, Chuck Knoblauch, Jerry Koosman, Corey Koskie, Gene Larkin, Billy Martin, Gene Mauch, Joe Mauer, Sam Mele

Paul Molitor, Justin Morneau, Jack Morris, Joe Nathan, Tony Oliva, Camilo Pascual, Jim Perry, Kirby Puckett, Frank Quilici, Brad Radke

Jeff Reardon, Johan Santana, Roy Smalley, Rick Stelmaczek, Kevin Tapani, Cesar Tovar, Zoilo Versalles, Frank Viola, Dave Winfield, Al Worthington

Now I have to admit, when the list was announced last year, I hadn't heard of everyone on that list. I'd heard of most of them but a few names escaped me. A few names were head scratchers and surely wouldn't be on my own list of "50 Greatest Twins". Like John Castino, Frank Quilici, and Rick Stelmaczek. Others were great MLB players but not necessarily for the Twins, like Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield. And some were deceased and would be very difficult to obtain through the mail, like Kirby, Harmon, Lyman Bostock, and Zoilo Versalles. Other names I expected to see on the list (or wanted to see on that list), were the likes of Randy Bush, Scott Erickson, Jacque Jones, Matt Lawton, Shane Mack, Doug Mientkiewicz, and Butch Wynegar.

Some of these names I was not interested in, even as a Twins fan. The rest, gave me a good place to start! Oh, and I compiled a list of my own personal All Time Favorite 15, and listed it to the right hand side of the blog. They are currently in alphabetical order, but sometimes when I'm in the midst of a dry spell (autograph receiving that is) I may post about the 15 and count backwards to my #1 favorite Twin of All Time and why they're worthy of my mention.