Hard Throwers and You: Twins Pitchers (2007-Today)
Who do you think the hardest throwers are that have been on the Twins the past handful of seasons or so? One thing is safe to say; if Joel Zumaya throws even a single pitch in the regular season in 2012, he'll probably vault to the top of the list. That got me thinking: Who are the 20 hardest throwers in Twins history, at least as far as we can get good, reliable data on?
So here's today's little contest/game:
1. Only one guess per comment.
2. No subsequent guesses. Someone else must post in between two of yours.
3. I will fill in correct answers with the name of the person who first got it (as soon as I can).
4. I will give a blank for the hurler's name, average fastball velocity, if he's a current Twin, how many years he is/was a Twin, how many innings he pitched as a Twin, and his Twins ERA and K/9 as helpful hints. (minimum of 10 innings as a Twin)
5. There's only good data back to 2007 using the place I'm using, so keep that in mind. NO CHEATING.
6. You must guess a name AND a position in order. (ex: Glen Perkins, fifth)
Any questions? Let's begin.
1. Jim Hoey - 95.2, No, 1 year, 24.2 IP, 5.47 ERA, 5.1 K/9 (Go Twins!)
2. Jesse Crain - 94.5, No, 7 years, 382 IP, 3.42 ERA, 6.2 K/9 (2wins87)
3. Matt Garza - 94.1, No, 2 years, 133 IP, 4.47 ERA, 7.1 K/9 (Andrew Bryz-Gornia)
4. Lester Oliveros - 93.6, Yes, 1 year, 13.1 IP, 4.05 ERA, 6.1 K/9 (Go Twins!)
5. Joe Nathan - 93.6, No, 7 years, 463.1 IP, 2.16 ERA, 10.9 K/9 (John_Locke)
6. Matt Capps - 93.3, Yes, 2 years, 92.2 IP, 3.59 ERA, 5.3 K/9 (John_Locke)
7. Bob Keppel - 93.2, No, 1 year, 54 IP, 4.83 ERA, 5.3 K/9 (Go Twins!)
8. Julio DePaula - 92.9, No, 1 year, 20 IP, 8.55 ERA, 3.6 K/9 (Go Twins!)
9. Juan Rincon - 92.5, No, 8 years, 441 IP, 3.69 ERA, 8.4 K/9 (2twins87)
10. Sean Henn - 92.4, No, 1 year, 11.1 IP, 7.15 ERA, 7.1 K/9 (John_Locke)
11. Alex Burnett - 92.4, Yes, 2 years, 98.1 IP, 5.40 ERA, 6.4 K/9 (John_Locke)
12. Boof Bonser - 91.9, No, 3 years, 391.2 IP, 5.12 ERA, 7.3 K/9 (nick5253)
13. Johan Santana - 91.8, No, 8 years, 1308.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 9.5 K/9 (2wins87)
14. Bobby Korecky - 91.6, No, 1 year, 17.2 IP, 4.58 ERA, 3.1 K/9 (DJL44)
15. Ramon Ortiz - 91.4, No, 1 year, 91.0 IP, 5.14 ERA, 4.4 K/9 (Andrew Bryz-Gornia)
16. Matt Guerrier - 91.4, No, 7 years, 472 IP, 3.38 ERA, 5.9 K/9 (John_Locke)
17. Francisco Liriano - 91.4, Yes, 6 years, 683.1 IP, 4.19 ERA, 8.9 K/9 (2wins87)
18. Carlos Silva - 91.4, No, 4 years, 773.2 IP, 4.42 ERA, 3.6 K/9 (DJL44)
19. Carmen Cali - 91.3, No, 1 year, 21 IP, 4.71 ERA, 6.0 K/9 (DJL44)
20. Brian Bass - 91.2, No, 1 year, 68.1 IP, 4.87 ERA, 4.2 K/9 (Go Twins!)
So there you have it. Let's see what you have Twinkie Town fans!
UPDATE: Now that the list is finished....any big surprises? Thoughts?
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Comments
Update
Updated as of Jim Hoey at #1
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:10 AM EST reply actions
Updated
Through Oliveros. Good job folks!
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:14 AM EST reply actions
I am going to quit because I pretty much know all of these
and I have them all scratched out on a piece of paper at my desk……And I have an odd memory for random Twins relievers apparently…..
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Updated
Through DePaula, haha.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:21 AM EST reply actions
Wrong
No Jon Rauch.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:40 AM EST up reply actions
Jon Rauch doesn't throw THAT hard
If he was on this list, he’d be near the bottom.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
One more thing though
Shouldn’t Juan Morillo be on this list? He could hurl upper 90’s averaging 97-98mph if I remember correctly.
And I have a reason for remembering this because I was at the game that he pitched his first game for the Twins against the Angels (He pitched 2 innings total – was sent down to bring Joe Mauer off the DL)
That was the game AFTER the night Kubel hit for the cycle with a Grand Slam….I remember his fastball thwacking off the glove of Redmond distinctly…And his sliders going everywhere else uncontrollably….I also thought he might be able to do something if he could get control.
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Morillo didn't have enough innings
Those 2 innings you’re thinking of are the only 2 innings he ever pitched for the Twins (in 3 games). Brandon’s criteria has a minimum of 10 innings pitched.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:40 AM EST up reply actions
Yep, this is right.
And as I recall, he gave up a bomb to Jason Bartlett, I think.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
He only pitched the ninth in this game and only gave up a single actually
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
I meant this:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200904270.shtml
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
Ah yeah gotcha...I guess I skimmed the line and missed you referencing Bartlett
I need to read more perhaps, and watch less baseball and remember less random stats……….yeah probably not going to happen
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Ah my bad, I missed that part
I read the “if Joel Zumaya throws even a single pitch in the regular season in 2012, he’ll probably vault to the top of the list.” and assumed this included most everybody…
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Ha
Well that we can blame on Brandon :-)
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:43 AM EST up reply actions
Matt Garza #3
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:46 AM EST reply actions
Updated
Through Garza. Some toughies still up there.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
Ramon Ortiz #15
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:53 AM EST reply actions
Which I wouldn’t picture him as one of the top 15 hardest throwers in Twins history…
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller.
by Andrew Bryz-Gornia on Feb 15, 2012 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
Silva #18
Tons of IP for 4 years, can’t be any current SPs…
First on that one
And I made sure someone posted in between. Took me 3 guesses
Cheated on #19 & #20
Had to look them up. Those will be extremely hard for anyone to guess…
#20 is Brian Bass
1 year of mediocrity, quite a few innings ate up – must be a long relief role guy…was at a couple of his games as well….unfortunately.
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
I just saw #15's line as well so now I'm not sure which is Bass...I don't think he had that many innings though
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Updated
Only one left is 19. It’s a tough one.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 12:17 PM EST reply actions
BINGO
Last one here.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
I'm looking at his Baseball-Reference page
and I still don’t know who he is.
by MidseasonAcquisition on Feb 15, 2012 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
Also
Should I do a ‘softest tossers’ for next week?
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 12:18 PM EST reply actions
This is why I always take scouting reports with a grain of salt
I often see scouting reports saying a prospect throws “92-94”. As you can see, throwing even 92MPH is very rare.
Makes me really hope Zumaya is healthy
Hard throwing pitchers are awesome to watch
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
And even so....
the top was Jim Hoey. Hard ball ain’t all, friends.
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 12:28 PM EST up reply actions
Done
So you’ve all completed the list. If you think I’ve incorrectly attributed anything, let me know.
Otherwise, soft tossers for next week!
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 12:28 PM EST reply actions
Thanks, that was fun
soft tossers might need to be top 50
Soft Tossers=Almost every Twins Pitcher in the last 10 years
See above list, nobody throws very hard.
Remember, remember the seventh of November.
Cuddyer Velo
86.9
Thanks for reading.
by brandonwarne52 on Feb 15, 2012 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
Mostly OT but...
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Tell Gardy there's nobody around to protect him now." Ozzie Guillen
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Feb 15, 2012 4:55 PM EST reply actions
In a deck of cards
I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let’s make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." – Harmon Killebrew
I would like to see Dallas vs the Giants on Thanksgiving, Make it happen NFL!

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