Numerous Twins failed to play up to their ability during Minnesota’s 25-25 start in 1967, but few struggled as much as Jim Kaat, the dependable lefthander who had led the American League with 304.2 innings pitched and 25 wins in ‘66.
When Twins owner Calvin Griffith fired skipper Sam Mele on June 8, 1967, Kaat was 1-7 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 starts and a relief appearance. Opposing hitters were batting .332 and slugging .512 against him.
Kaat’s control had been problematic all spring. He had claimed his only win of the season in Detroit in mid-April. That victory was the 99th of his career, and nine starts later he had still failed to claim No. 100.
Things weren’t going all that well for the Twins, either. They and staff ace Dean Chance were trounced, 11-2, by the World Series champion Baltimore Orioles in Cal Ermer’s managerial debut, dropping the club a game under .500. Kaat drew the assignment for Ermer’s second game in charge, and would face a potent Orioles lineup anchored by Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell and Frank Robinson.
Kaat went the distance and allowed just six hits in an 8-1 victory. Despite his control troubles, he didn’t walk anyone in claiming his 100th career win. After working his first complete game of 1967, Kaat told The Sporting News’ Max Nichols: “So many times I needed a big pitch and didn’t come up with it.”
Suddenly Kaat began producing the big pitch consistently. He was instrumental in Minnesota’s surge into the thick of the wild, four-team pennant race during the second half. Beginning with his win over the Orioles, through the end of the 1967 season, Kaat was one of the league’s best pitchers, working an astounding 200 innings, going 15-6 and posting a 2.11 ERA. Hitters batted just .232 and slugged .320 against him.
In his final 26 starts, beginning with his 100th career victory, Kaat allowed two or fewer earned runs in 21 of them. In his next outing on June 14, he went the distance and blanked Detroit on five hits, 7-0. With the pennant on the line, the southpaw started eight September contests and didn’t take a loss. Arguably the most impressive performance was his 10-inning shutout with 12 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City A’s on September 18.
Without Kaat, it's hard to fathom the Twins staying in the AL race into the final minutes of the 1967 season.
I will post about the 1967 Twins and the wild AL pennant race all summer long, using material from my upcoming book, which I’ve tentatively titled The Glory Years of the Minnesota Twins: Rock ‘n’ Roll, War and Peace, the Civil Rights Movement and Baseball in the 1960s. I also post on my author page on Facebook.
When Twins owner Calvin Griffith fired skipper Sam Mele on June 8, 1967, Kaat was 1-7 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 starts and a relief appearance. Opposing hitters were batting .332 and slugging .512 against him.
Kaat’s control had been problematic all spring. He had claimed his only win of the season in Detroit in mid-April. That victory was the 99th of his career, and nine starts later he had still failed to claim No. 100.
Things weren’t going all that well for the Twins, either. They and staff ace Dean Chance were trounced, 11-2, by the World Series champion Baltimore Orioles in Cal Ermer’s managerial debut, dropping the club a game under .500. Kaat drew the assignment for Ermer’s second game in charge, and would face a potent Orioles lineup anchored by Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell and Frank Robinson.
Kaat went the distance and allowed just six hits in an 8-1 victory. Despite his control troubles, he didn’t walk anyone in claiming his 100th career win. After working his first complete game of 1967, Kaat told The Sporting News’ Max Nichols: “So many times I needed a big pitch and didn’t come up with it.”
Suddenly Kaat began producing the big pitch consistently. He was instrumental in Minnesota’s surge into the thick of the wild, four-team pennant race during the second half. Beginning with his win over the Orioles, through the end of the 1967 season, Kaat was one of the league’s best pitchers, working an astounding 200 innings, going 15-6 and posting a 2.11 ERA. Hitters batted just .232 and slugged .320 against him.
In his final 26 starts, beginning with his 100th career victory, Kaat allowed two or fewer earned runs in 21 of them. In his next outing on June 14, he went the distance and blanked Detroit on five hits, 7-0. With the pennant on the line, the southpaw started eight September contests and didn’t take a loss. Arguably the most impressive performance was his 10-inning shutout with 12 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City A’s on September 18.
Without Kaat, it's hard to fathom the Twins staying in the AL race into the final minutes of the 1967 season.
I will post about the 1967 Twins and the wild AL pennant race all summer long, using material from my upcoming book, which I’ve tentatively titled The Glory Years of the Minnesota Twins: Rock ‘n’ Roll, War and Peace, the Civil Rights Movement and Baseball in the 1960s. I also post on my author page on Facebook.