Post by The Vermont Bombers on Dec 14, 2016 22:21:44 GMT -5
TWINS REBUILD BEGINS, HALLER SHIPPED TO BEANTOWN
Two-Time All Star Now a Red Sox
Two-Time All Star Now a Red Sox
Bloomington, Minnesota
July 31st, 1973
David Kronell
In a move that shocked many in the Twin Cities, the Twins traded two-time All-Star Tom Haller and cash to the Boston Red Sox for 24 year old Center Fielder Steve Brye and Triple A Starting Pitcher Dave Pagan. While most expected the Twins to begin an earnest rebuild during the upcoming off season, nobody expected to see them make such a move while the team leads the race for the American League Wild Card. In fact the 51-51 Red Sox are tied for fourth in the Wild Card race. Adding a two-time All-Star, veteran power hitting Catcher could be a key piece of the puzzle for them to pull away and possibly pass the Twins. There's no way to know that now. Only time will tell.
When I spoke to him about the trade after news of it broke, GM Adam Costa referred to the conversation with Haller as; "One of the hardest conversations I've ever had as a General Manager".
I could hear the emotion in his voice as he described the conversation with the Catcher that he saw come up in 1962 and have an immediate impact on the team. In his rookie year, 1962, Haller hit .269 in 491 at bats with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. While Haller also struck out 139 times as a rookie, that never concerned his team mates as they saw a developing eye for the strike zone. Once his career is over, Haller is likely to draw over 1,000 walks and have struck out over 1,000 times. He's currently at 898 walks and has already surpassed 1,000 strikeouts with 1,068 in 5,630 career at bats. At the age of 36, it's fair to postulate that he doesn't have much more than another two or three years left to his career.
It's well known in Minnesota that GM Costa gets to know his players at least to some degree. Costa and Haller are known to be good friends who regularly spend time together away from the team. The two are often seen chatting next to the batting cage as Haller takes BP or in the dugout before and after games. It's long been rumored that GM Costa plans on hiring Haller into the organization as its primary Catching instructor once he retires.
Haller is also one of the most popular players in team history and beloved in the clubhouse. He's one of the team's three clubhouse leaders, along with fellow veterans Harmon "Killer" Killebrew and Milt "Gimpy" Pappas. The three men were considered the "Triumvirate" of the Minnesota clubhouse. They handled all of the player business that was important enough to be addressed, but not important enough to bring to Manager Frank Quilici. I can tell you from personal experience that no one in the Minnesota clubhouse wanted to get on his bad side, be that person a player, clubhouse personnel or reporter. I can personally attest to having seen him silence a teammate with nothing more than a look when that teammate refused to talk to a female reporter from another publication. Suffice it to say, she got her interview and that player was on the next bus back to Tacoma.
More often than not, Haller was known for being gruff but friendly with the press. He was happy to give interviews, but you always knew when he was finished talking. He was never rude or condescending. He was friendly but businesslike. You didn't see the real Tom Haller until he was out of the ballpark. Out of the park, whether with his team or the public in general, he was always affable, if not a little mischievous. You had to be careful around him because he was always fond of innocuous pranks, especially to the rookies and younger players. I'd retell a few of them, but it's better to hear them from his actual friends and teammates. While I can tell a story, mine lack the panache that a friends retelling has.
Many Minnesota fans and everyone in the clubhouse expect him to be inducted into the Minnesota team Hall of Fame, if not the league Hall of Fame. At 298 Home Runs with a career Batting Average of .263 Haller is a long shot for Cooperstown. That said, from 1964 to 1970, Haller was one of the most dangerous and productive power hitting Catchers in the league. Haller lead the league in Slugging in 1969 with a Slugging Percentage of .552 and has been in the top 10 in slugging five times. He was also first in On Base Percentage in 1964 with an OBP of .392. Haller is known for being a good game caller and a solid controller of the running game.
He was a key part of the 1969 World Championship season. During the regular season Haller hit .289 with 32 Home Runs, 115 RBI, 20 Doubles and an OPS of .946. His statistics placed him in the top five in On Base Percentage (5th), Slugging (1st), OPS (2nd), Home Runs (3rd) and RBI (4th). Over the course of 52 post season at bats, Haller hit .327 with 2 Home Runs, 10 RBI, 5 Doubles and an OPS of .973. While Haller's position on the team will likely be taken by Don Guile, a man who is on his second tour with the Twins, it is safe to say one thing.
No one will ever replace Tom Haller.
Thank you, Tom and good luck.
July 31st, 1973
David Kronell
In a move that shocked many in the Twin Cities, the Twins traded two-time All-Star Tom Haller and cash to the Boston Red Sox for 24 year old Center Fielder Steve Brye and Triple A Starting Pitcher Dave Pagan. While most expected the Twins to begin an earnest rebuild during the upcoming off season, nobody expected to see them make such a move while the team leads the race for the American League Wild Card. In fact the 51-51 Red Sox are tied for fourth in the Wild Card race. Adding a two-time All-Star, veteran power hitting Catcher could be a key piece of the puzzle for them to pull away and possibly pass the Twins. There's no way to know that now. Only time will tell.
When I spoke to him about the trade after news of it broke, GM Adam Costa referred to the conversation with Haller as; "One of the hardest conversations I've ever had as a General Manager".
I could hear the emotion in his voice as he described the conversation with the Catcher that he saw come up in 1962 and have an immediate impact on the team. In his rookie year, 1962, Haller hit .269 in 491 at bats with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. While Haller also struck out 139 times as a rookie, that never concerned his team mates as they saw a developing eye for the strike zone. Once his career is over, Haller is likely to draw over 1,000 walks and have struck out over 1,000 times. He's currently at 898 walks and has already surpassed 1,000 strikeouts with 1,068 in 5,630 career at bats. At the age of 36, it's fair to postulate that he doesn't have much more than another two or three years left to his career.
It's well known in Minnesota that GM Costa gets to know his players at least to some degree. Costa and Haller are known to be good friends who regularly spend time together away from the team. The two are often seen chatting next to the batting cage as Haller takes BP or in the dugout before and after games. It's long been rumored that GM Costa plans on hiring Haller into the organization as its primary Catching instructor once he retires.
Haller is also one of the most popular players in team history and beloved in the clubhouse. He's one of the team's three clubhouse leaders, along with fellow veterans Harmon "Killer" Killebrew and Milt "Gimpy" Pappas. The three men were considered the "Triumvirate" of the Minnesota clubhouse. They handled all of the player business that was important enough to be addressed, but not important enough to bring to Manager Frank Quilici. I can tell you from personal experience that no one in the Minnesota clubhouse wanted to get on his bad side, be that person a player, clubhouse personnel or reporter. I can personally attest to having seen him silence a teammate with nothing more than a look when that teammate refused to talk to a female reporter from another publication. Suffice it to say, she got her interview and that player was on the next bus back to Tacoma.
More often than not, Haller was known for being gruff but friendly with the press. He was happy to give interviews, but you always knew when he was finished talking. He was never rude or condescending. He was friendly but businesslike. You didn't see the real Tom Haller until he was out of the ballpark. Out of the park, whether with his team or the public in general, he was always affable, if not a little mischievous. You had to be careful around him because he was always fond of innocuous pranks, especially to the rookies and younger players. I'd retell a few of them, but it's better to hear them from his actual friends and teammates. While I can tell a story, mine lack the panache that a friends retelling has.
Many Minnesota fans and everyone in the clubhouse expect him to be inducted into the Minnesota team Hall of Fame, if not the league Hall of Fame. At 298 Home Runs with a career Batting Average of .263 Haller is a long shot for Cooperstown. That said, from 1964 to 1970, Haller was one of the most dangerous and productive power hitting Catchers in the league. Haller lead the league in Slugging in 1969 with a Slugging Percentage of .552 and has been in the top 10 in slugging five times. He was also first in On Base Percentage in 1964 with an OBP of .392. Haller is known for being a good game caller and a solid controller of the running game.
He was a key part of the 1969 World Championship season. During the regular season Haller hit .289 with 32 Home Runs, 115 RBI, 20 Doubles and an OPS of .946. His statistics placed him in the top five in On Base Percentage (5th), Slugging (1st), OPS (2nd), Home Runs (3rd) and RBI (4th). Over the course of 52 post season at bats, Haller hit .327 with 2 Home Runs, 10 RBI, 5 Doubles and an OPS of .973. While Haller's position on the team will likely be taken by Don Guile, a man who is on his second tour with the Twins, it is safe to say one thing.
No one will ever replace Tom Haller.
Thank you, Tom and good luck.
