The 1987 Minnesota Twins: The Pitching Staff

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Minnesota Twins World Series-winning team in 1987, I am taking a closer look at specific areas of the team. In this first post, I will take a look at the pitching staff, starting with the starting rotation.
Note: Stats shown are regular season stats


The Starters


1. Frank Viola (17-10, 2.90 ERA, 36 starts-251.2 innings)
2. Bert Blyleven (15-12, 4.01 ERA, 37 starts-267 innings)
3. Les Straker (8-10, 4.37 ERA, 31 appearances (26 starts)-154.1 innings)
4. Mike Smithson (4-7, 5.94 ERA, 21 appearances (20 starts)-109 innings)
5. Joe Niekro (4-9, 6.26 ERA, 19 appearances, 18 starts-96.1 innings)


Others Who Started Regular Season Games (with number of starts): Steve Carlton (7), Mark Portugal (7), Juan Berenguer (6), Allan Anderson (2), Roy Smith (1), Jeff Bittiger (1), Dan Schatzeder (1)


Notes: -This rotation was clearly led by Viola and Blyleven, who pitched seven and eight complete games respectively. Otherwise, not much to see here.


-It is notable that Carlton and Niekro, both toward the end of their careers and in Carlton's case a Hall of Fame career, made starts for the Twins in 1987.


-Berenguer, who is best remembered for his work out of the bullpen, made six starts in 1987 and had a 2.92 ERA while pitching at least six innings in five of those outings. He did not start a game after June 27.


-Blyleven would top 200 innings in each of the next three seasons (two with the Twins), and finally earned a well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame in 2011.


The Bullpen


1. Jeff Reardon (8-8, 4.48 ERA, 31 saves-63 apperances)
2. Juan Berenguer (8-1, 3.94 ERA-47 appearances (6 starts))
3. George Frazier (5-5, 4.98 ERA, 54 appearances-81.1 innings)
4. Keith Atherton (7-5, 4.54 ERA, 59 appearances-79.1 innings)
5. Dan Schatzeder (3-1, 6.39 ERA, 30 appearances (1 start)


Notes: -Reardon and Berenguer were clearly the most recognizable names here, but Frazier and Atherton also made plenty of appearances in less glamorous roles.


Other Notables


1. Steve Carlton (1-5, 6.70 ERA, 9 appearances-7 starts)
2. Mark Portugal (1-3, 7.77 ERA, 13 appearance-7 starts)
3. Joe Klink (0-1, 6.65 ERA, 12 appearances)
4. Allan Anderson (1-0, 10.95 ERA, 4 appearances-2 starts)
5. Roy Smith (1-0, 4.96 ERA, 7 appearances-1 start)
6. Jeff Bittiger (1-0, 5.40 ERA, 3 appearances, 1 start)
7. Randy Niemann (1-0, 8.44 ERA, 6 appearances)


-It is worth noting that Viola carried his momentum from 1987 into 1988, when he won the American League Cy Young Award with a 24-7 record along with a 2.64 ERA over 35 starts (255.1 innings) as he pitched seven complete games for a third straight season.


-Anderson would start at least 30 games in each of the next three seasons for the Twins, higlighted by leading the American League in ERA (2.45) in 1988 and winning a combined 33 games in 1988 and 1989.


-Portugal would have better seasons later in his career, particularly with the Houston Astros, highlighted by going 18-4 with a 2.77 ERA for the Astros in 1993.