Jason Kubel hits for cycle

by Jon Marthaler on Apr 17, 2009 11:37 PM EDT in By the Numbers Comment 11 comments

After the Twins went 22 years without one, last May, Carlos Gomez hit for the cycle. Friday night, Jason Kubel became the second Twin in two seasons to accomplish the feat.

Below the cut, a whole bunch of factual information, regarding cycles and the Twins.

A few did-you-knows about cycles:

The last Twin to hit for the cycle was Gomez, last May 7. Before he did it, the last Twin to do it was Kirby Puckett, against Oakland on August 1, 1986 .
Kubel is the seventh player in baseball history to hit a grand slam as part of his cycle, and only the third since 1933. The last one was Miguel Tejada, in 2001.
Kubel is the fourth Twin to complete his cycle with a home run.
Kubel is the first Twin to hit for the cycle against California/Anaheim/Los Angeles.
Kubel is the third guy in the major leagues - in the last five days - to hit for the cycle. The Dodgers' Orlando Hudson and the Rangers' ian Kinsler have already done it this year.
Lyman Bostock was the only Twin to go 4-4 to complete his cycle; he also walked and hit a sacrifice fly. No Twin - and only one player in the majors since 1957 - has ever hit for the cycle in just four plate appearances.
Gary Ward (September 18, 1980) was the only Twin to accomplish the feat in a loss.
Rod Carew (May 20, 1970 ) was the first Twin to hit for the cycle.
Cesar Tovar (September 19, 1972) completed his cycle with a walkoff, two-run home run in the bottom of the 9th.
Larry Hisle (June 4, 1976 ) took until the 10th inning to complete his cycle, hitting a two-run homer in the top of the 10th, which turned out to be the game-winner.
Mike Cubbage (July 27, 1978) was one of two Twins (Carew was the other) to do it from an infield position.
Kubel is the fourth Twin to get his cycle from left field, after Ward, Hisle, and Tovar.
Like Kubel, Gomez, Puckett, Bostock, Hisle, and Tovar completed their cycles in the Twins' final at-bat of the game.
Three teams - Tampa Bay, Florida, and San Diego - have never had a player hit for the cycle.
There have been 285 cycles in the major leagues, since 1882.

JASON KUBEL - April 17, 2009 - Home
Twins 11, Los Angeles Angels 9
Hitting fourth, playing LF
1st: Double (RBI)
3rd: Single
6th: Triple
7th: Strikeout
8th: Home Run (4 RBI)

CARLOS GOMEZ - May 7, 2008 - Away
Twins 13, Chicago 1
Hitting leadoff, playing CF
1st: Home Run (1 RBI)
3rd: Strikeout
5th: Triple
6th: Double
9th: Single
9th: Strikeout

KIRBY PUCKETT - August 1, 1986 - Home
Twins 10, Oakland 1
Hitting leadoff, playing CF
1st: Triple
3rd: F-8
5th: Ground-rule double
6th: Single
8th: Home run (2 RBI)

GARY WARD - September 18, 1980 - Away
Milwaukee 9, Twins 8
Hitting leadoff, playing LF
1st: Double
3rd: Single
5th: Home Run (1 RBI)
7th: Triple
8th: L-6

MIKE CUBBAGE - July 27, 1978 - Home
Twins 6, Toronto 3
Hitting 5th, playing 3B
2nd: Double, thrown out at third
4th: Home Run (2 RBI)
5th: Single
7th: Triple

LYMAN BOSTOCK - July 24, 1976 - Away
Twins 17, Chicago 2
Hitting 4th, playing CF
1st: Walk
2nd: Triple
4th: Home Run (1 RBI)
6th: F-7 (SF)
8th: Double
9th: Single

LARRY HISLE - June 4, 1976 - Away
Twins 8, Baltimore 6
Hitting 5th, Playing LF
2nd: 5-3
4th: Double
5th: Triple
8th: Single
10th: Home Run (2 RBI)

CESAR TOVAR - September 19, 1972 - Home
Twins 5, Texas 3
Hitting leadoff, playing LF
1st: Triple
3rd: 1-3
5th: Single
7th: Double
9th: Home Run (2RBI, Walkoff)

ROD CAREW - May 20, 1970 - Away
Twins 10, Kansas City 5
Hitting 2nd, playing 2B
1st: Single
3rd: Home Run (1 RBI)
5th: Double
6th: 4-3
8th: Triple

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Comments

It just goes to show

You can’t turn the channel, you cant turn off the radio, and you never should leave the dome early. Great job Kubel, you’ll never hit a bigger shot.

Also, great job by the guys. This team for years has never quit. Ever.

"Baseball is the only field endeavor in which a man can succeed only three times out of ten and be considered a good performer."
Ted Williams

by RileysCannibalJct on Apr 17, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Cool Beans!

Thanks Jon! Looks like Kubel’s and Tovar’s might be the two big contenders for most exciting cycle in team history.

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on Apr 18, 2009 1:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

3 cycles

It’s so crazy to see three cycles in a week. I was surprised when Kinsler got one only a few days after Hudson but 3 is just ridiculous. You’d think they were a common occurrence the way they’ve rolled in this week.

Peyton's good but have you ever heard of Jeff George?

by halfchest on Apr 18, 2009 2:20 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

I wonder what the percentage of cycles have...

…been accomplished by leadoff hitters?

"I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. See, my mule don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it . . ."

by Skippy tastes better than Jiff on Apr 18, 2009 3:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Three in a row for the Twins, Ward-Puckett-Gomez,

I noticed that. And Hisle, that’s four. High percentage of the whole.

by Jesse on Apr 18, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Cycle

There are so many obscure statistics in baseball, every player must hold the record for something. The cycle is one of those odd stats. If a player hits 2 doubles a triple and a home run in a game he will fade into obscurity even it’s more valuable than the cycle. It’s a stat of chance that rarely happens. That being said, Kubel is a hero nonetheless. I hope this is the spark that will inspire us to play up to our ability! Go twins!

by mmaland on Apr 18, 2009 8:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

by cmathewson on Apr 18, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

second

second footnote of this story

Kubel is the seventh player in baseball history to hit a grand slam as part of his cycle, and only the third since 1933. The last one was Miguel Tejada, in 2001.

by DedicatedFollowerOfFashion on Apr 18, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs