Many all-time greats come to mind when you think of Minnesota Twins players who have competed in Major League Baseball’s Annual All-Star Game. If you are an older fan, you immediately think of Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, and Tony Oliva. If you were around when the team won their two world championships, Gary Gaetti and Rick Aguilera would come to mind.
If you came of age at the turn of this century, your mind conjures up the names of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Joe Nathan. And if you are the youngest of fans, Carlos Correa is probably one of your favorite players. But there is one Twins Hall of Famer who produced the team’s greatest All-Star Performance. The year was 1993, and the player was Kirrrbbbyyy Puckkkettt.
Minnesota Twins’ 1993 Season
1993 was a difficult year to be a Minnesota Twins fan. The team, one year removed from their World Series Championship in 1991, had started the season poorly and was languishing far back in the American League West Division standings.
Some of the heroes of the championship years were gone such as Gary Gaetti, Greg Gagne, and Frank Viola. Others were aging warriors like first baseman Kent Hrbek, Mike Pagliarulo, and Randy Bush.
Since the team had fallen so far in the standings, only two of its players earned All-Star Game selections. Relief pitcher Aguilera was chosen for his third straight appearance as a Minnesota Twin. And center fielder Kirby Puckett would return to the ‘Mid-Season Classic’ for his eighth straight appearance.
1993 All-Star Game
As it turns out, Aguilera did not appear in the 1993 game, which was played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. But Kirby Puckett. He did the Minnesota Twins proud. Puckett, starting in left field and batting sixth, started the American League (AL) comeback in the second inning. With the AL down 2-0 in the second inning, Pucket hit a solo shot over the center field wall off NL starter Terry Mulholland to bring the AL within one at 2-1.
But Kirby wasn’t done yet. With the score tied at 2-2 in the fifth inning, Puckett took a John Burkett pitch and doubled into the left-center field gap, scoring Ken Griffey to put the American League up 3-2. They would never look back as they went on to defeat the National League 9-3. For his herculean efforts, Pucket was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Twins Disappointing Remainder of the Season
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But that was one of the high points of the Minnesota Twins’ season. The team would finish 71-91 and not return to the playoffs until 2002. Twins fans did get a treat on September 16th of that year when Minnesota native Dave Winfield earned his 3,000th career hit in a 5-4 Twins win against the Oakland Athletics.
As for Kirby Puckett. he would hit a disappointing .296 for the season, but he would go on to play two more All-Star seasons for the Twins before contracting glaucoma and being forced to retire in 1996.
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