Not to lead anyone on but if the answer ISNT Chuck Knoblauch today, I don’t know who is.
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Miguel Sano
Started great, ended bad: Allan Anderson. Four full seasons, and the last two were like a haunted house mirror image of the first two.
In his first full season, 1988, he won the AL ERA title. Won 16 games that year and 17 in 1989 for an otherwise weak Twins pitching staff.
Then he turned to crap in 1990, losing 18. In 1991 he had the worst ERA of any Twin (among those who pitched at least 20 innings).
Francisco Liriano
Surprised the Donaldson one started “okay”. After he signed Covid hit and nearly wiped away his first season which sucked since he was already old and we were paying for the front end of the contract working out.
Then the season does start and he immediately gets hurt and is hobbled for the rest of the season.
It started bad and ended good since we dumped him on the Yankees somehow.
Kirby Puckett. Amazing career obviously, then suddenly blind. Glaucoma. Retirement. Weight gain. Alleged adultery (pretty strong reason to believe it). Alleged emotional/physical abuse. Restraining order, accused of assault/groping. Death.
Phil Hughes should be dishonorable mention
Started Great, ended Bad: Joey Gallo.
I can’t think of anyone that more perfectly fits this spot and he did it in a single season.
For March/April of 2023 he had an OPS of 1.063 where he went 13 for 55 with 3 2B, 1 3B, and 7HR. Sure he had 22 SOs in there but he also had 9 walks and slugged **.709**.
Marty Cordova. Won the AL Rookie of the year in 95 with 24 HRs and 84 RBIs and a .277 batting average. In 96 he hit 16 HRs with 111 RBIs and a .309 batting average. Then his next 3 seasons as a Twin were lackluster since he was dealing with back injuries and never really was the same player he was the first two seasons. He would only play 4 more MLB seasons after leaving the Twins in 2000
Glen Williams. The Twins had nothing going on at 3rd base when they called him up. He got 13 games before his shoulder exploded and ended his career. In those 13 games he hit .425/.450/.902.
Before my time, but Lyman Bostock for started great/ended bad. He should still be alive today. May he R.I.P.
Delmon Young?
Yeah, it seems like the Bringer of Rain actually brought a lot more clubhouse headaches in his last few years.
At least his departing transaction ended up being one of Falvey’s finer moments; as I recall, that salary dump onto the Yankees sneakily helped us leapfrog them in the Correa sweepstakes.
Phil Hughes is my choice here. Absolutely lit it up. Then he got paid and his mumbers went about as high as his contract.
Started great, ended badly. I’m going back to 1970 now… Brant Alyea
Miguel Sano, but also Marty Cordova?
Kenta Maeda 🙁
Ervin Santana?
Top 10 in Cy Young voting, All Star, 135 ERA+, WHIP<1.2 then gets injured and follows up with only 24.2 IP with and an 8+ ERA
Francisco Liriano.
Who was the first baseman slugger we got from Tampa bay in like 2018?
Boof Bonser.
Started great ended bad would be Chuck Knoblauch.
John Castino somehow won ROY in ’79, had a better sophomore season and was bad for four more years before exiting baseball.
Ramon Ortiz…. didn’t get start 6 n 0 for us one year
Knoblauch is the answer
Josh Willingham, 2012 & 2013 were huge years for him, but he was cooked in 2014.
Started great ended bad has to be Kirby Puckett right??????
Francisco liriano
Ron Davis
My thoughts are winning Rookie of the Year are a curse in Minnesota. Marty Cordova still “dates” ladies who are his age when he was a rookie. He lived close to me (and tanned) to me in Vegas
Knoblach had some scandals when he moved to NY. Anyone remember
38 comments
Not to lead anyone on but if the answer ISNT Chuck Knoblauch today, I don’t know who is.
#
Miguel Sano
Started great, ended bad: Allan Anderson. Four full seasons, and the last two were like a haunted house mirror image of the first two.
In his first full season, 1988, he won the AL ERA title. Won 16 games that year and 17 in 1989 for an otherwise weak Twins pitching staff.
Then he turned to crap in 1990, losing 18. In 1991 he had the worst ERA of any Twin (among those who pitched at least 20 innings).
Francisco Liriano
Surprised the Donaldson one started “okay”. After he signed Covid hit and nearly wiped away his first season which sucked since he was already old and we were paying for the front end of the contract working out.
Then the season does start and he immediately gets hurt and is hobbled for the rest of the season.
It started bad and ended good since we dumped him on the Yankees somehow.
Kirby Puckett. Amazing career obviously, then suddenly blind. Glaucoma. Retirement. Weight gain. Alleged adultery (pretty strong reason to believe it). Alleged emotional/physical abuse. Restraining order, accused of assault/groping. Death.
Phil Hughes should be dishonorable mention
Started Great, ended Bad: Joey Gallo.
I can’t think of anyone that more perfectly fits this spot and he did it in a single season.
For March/April of 2023 he had an OPS of 1.063 where he went 13 for 55 with 3 2B, 1 3B, and 7HR. Sure he had 22 SOs in there but he also had 9 walks and slugged **.709**.
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/joey-gallo/14128/splits?position=3B/OF&season=2023
Scott Diamond
Marty Cordova – AL Rookie of the Year.
Liriano
Carl Pavano
Marty Cordova. Won the AL Rookie of the year in 95 with 24 HRs and 84 RBIs and a .277 batting average. In 96 he hit 16 HRs with 111 RBIs and a .309 batting average. Then his next 3 seasons as a Twin were lackluster since he was dealing with back injuries and never really was the same player he was the first two seasons. He would only play 4 more MLB seasons after leaving the Twins in 2000
Rookie Miguel Sano 😖 – https://youtu.be/EiBT0ajPDNc?si=pup0Z1SNZ1j8doK1
Francisco Liriano or Miguel Sano
Eddie Rosario
Glen Williams. The Twins had nothing going on at 3rd base when they called him up. He got 13 games before his shoulder exploded and ended his career. In those 13 games he hit .425/.450/.902.
Before my time, but Lyman Bostock for started great/ended bad. He should still be alive today. May he R.I.P.
Delmon Young?
Yeah, it seems like the Bringer of Rain actually brought a lot more clubhouse headaches in his last few years.
At least his departing transaction ended up being one of Falvey’s finer moments; as I recall, that salary dump onto the Yankees sneakily helped us leapfrog them in the Correa sweepstakes.
Phil Hughes is my choice here. Absolutely lit it up. Then he got paid and his mumbers went about as high as his contract.
Started great, ended badly. I’m going back to 1970 now… Brant Alyea
Miguel Sano, but also Marty Cordova?
Kenta Maeda 🙁
Ervin Santana?
Top 10 in Cy Young voting, All Star, 135 ERA+, WHIP<1.2 then gets injured and follows up with only 24.2 IP with and an 8+ ERA
Francisco Liriano.
Who was the first baseman slugger we got from Tampa bay in like 2018?
Boof Bonser.
Started great ended bad would be Chuck Knoblauch.
John Castino somehow won ROY in ’79, had a better sophomore season and was bad for four more years before exiting baseball.
Ramon Ortiz…. didn’t get start 6 n 0 for us one year
Knoblauch is the answer
Josh Willingham, 2012 & 2013 were huge years for him, but he was cooked in 2014.
Started great ended bad has to be Kirby Puckett right??????
Francisco liriano
Ron Davis
My thoughts are winning Rookie of the Year are a curse in Minnesota. Marty Cordova still “dates” ladies who are his age when he was a rookie. He lived close to me (and tanned) to me in Vegas
Knoblach had some scandals when he moved to NY. Anyone remember