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Is Kent Hrbek the greatest Minnesota Twin of all time?

The Twins have been fortunately graced with several of the greatest baseball players of all time, but does Kent Hrbek top them all?

It's Kent Hrbek's Birthday, FYI.
It's Kent Hrbek's Birthday, FYI.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

You may have heard that today, May 21st, is Kent Hrbek's bithrday. Hrbek, who was born in Minneapolis and raised in Bloomington (the "Triplet" City, if you will), was a career-long Twin, World Series hero, and quite possibly the greatest Minnesota Twin of all time.

Don't believe me? Consider the following points and counter points.


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POINT: Harmon Killebrew hit 559 home runs as a Twin, which is the most by any Twin ever. Easily. Hrbek is second and he only hit 293 home runs as a Twin.

COUNTER-POINT: Hrbek didn't give a shit and actually retired early so he could focus on fishing and drinking beer.

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POINT: Rod Carew has the highest bWAR for a Twin ever with 63.

COUNTER-POINT: Kent Hrbek has a bar named after him behind home plate at Target Field, and he actually gets paid to go there and drink beer.

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POINT: Tony Oliva (a.k.a. Mr. Twin) was the first MLB player to ever win a batting title and Rookie of the Year in the same year.

COUNTER-POINT: Tony Oliva is Kent Hrbek's self-professed favorite baseball player ever. Tony wins this round.

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POINT: Tom Kelly managed the Twins to two World Series Championships.

COUNTER-POINT: Kent Hrbek once dunked an ice cream sandwich in a beer and ate it during a clubhouse interview.

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POINT: Kirby Puckett hit an extra-innings home-run to win walk-off win Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.

COUNTER-POINT: There have only been 18 Grand Slams hit in the World Series history. That's fewer than the number of perfect games that have ever been pitched in MLB. To hit a grand slam, to help lead your team (YOUR team, the team you have rooted and played for your entire life and entire career) win their first World Series Championship... There's only one player in the history of baseball who has ever done that, and that's Kent Hrbek.

Still makes me cry.

Happy Birthday, Kent!