Minnesota Twins: 8 Greatest Finesse Pitchers in Franchise History

In football, sometimes we completely overlook special teams. Miscues on special teams is what has the New York Giants in the Super Bowl and not the San Fransisco 49ers.

In baseball, the old adage is that chicks dig the long ball. We idolize the sluggers who can hit the ball 500 feet. We also idolize the man with a golden glove who catches everything thrown his way. We may even idolize the pitcher who can blow that speedball by you and make you look like a fool (Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days).

We often forget about the finesse pitchers though.

Not everyone at the major league level can throw 96 MPH consistently, so that's where the finesse pitchers come in.

Sure the Minnesota Twins have never had a Greg Maddux toeing the rubber, but they've had some good ones.

Maybe they just weren't idolized enough?  

Brad Radke

Mr. Radke wasn’t flashy.

He made only one All-Star Game, and that was in 1998, but he was always reliable for the Twins.

Here's a very interesting stat on the man from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

He is 18th all time in strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Carl Pavano

Uncle Carl hasn't been a Twin for too long, but it’s long enough to know that he doesn't really throw anything by anybody.

He’s on the list with his efforts trying to keep this thing the Twins call a starting rotation going.

Carl threw a shut-out to prevent the Twins from losing 100 games in 2011 too.

Scott Baker

Dang those injuries! Injuries really affected the Twins as a whole last year, and it really affected Scott Baker.

If Baker wouldn't have been injured, he had a very good chance to be an All-Star.

Baker has the whole repertoire of fastball, changeup, curveball and slider.

Kevin Tapani

I really wish Tapani would have been a Hall of Fame pitcher.

It seems like I have hundreds of baseball cards with his likeness on it. He was a major part of the 1991 World Series; I guess I’ll take that in exchange for all of his cards.

Tapani was a part of the Frank Viola trade—a man we may see later on.

Frank Viola

There was sweet music in the Dome when Franky V pitched, especially when he threw that circle change of his. That pitch got Viola many, many accolades:

1987 World Series MVP, 1988 Cy Young Award and three All-Star Game appearances (1988, 1990 and 1991).

Jim Kaat

I try to be broad-minded about Bert Blyleven’s color commentary, I really do, but one thing I find really annoying after a couple innings is Bert’s love for Jim Kaat.

Not that he loves him, no judgment here, just the way he keeps saying “kitty, kitty, kitty” kind of irks me.

I’m pretty sure Gold Gloves don’t have a lot to do with finesse pitching, but if they do, Jim Kaat may be the best.

He won 16 straight Gold Gloves between 1962-1977.

Camilo Pascual

Ted Williams was a very good hitter.

He said this about Camilo Pascaul’s curve that it was the "most feared curveball in the American League for 18 years".

Pascual played in the league from 1954-1971 and made seven All-Star Games.

All of his All-Star appearances came as a member of the Senators/Twins organization.

Bert Blyleven

He’s finally in the Hall of Fame, and he deserves to be.

He got his No. 28 retired by the Twins which may or not may be deserved. That doesn't matter. What does matter is that deadly curveball. Deadly.

There’s so much I could say about Bert. If I could, I’d circle you.