1978 Minnesota Twins season

The 1978 Minnesota Twins season was the 18th season for the Minnesota Twins franchise in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, their 18th season at Metropolitan Stadium and the 78th overall in the American League. The Twins finished with 73 wins and 89 losses, 4th place in the American League West Division.

Offseason October 3, 1977: Jim Hughes was released by the Twins.Jim Hughes at Baseball Reference October 3, 1977: Steve Luebber was released by the Twins.Steve Luebber at Baseball Reference October 25, 1977: Bombo Rivera was purchased by the Twins from the Montreal Expos.Bombo Rivera at Baseball Reference December 6, 1977: Jesús Vega was drafted by the Twins from the Milwaukee Brewers in the minor league draft.Jesús Vega at Baseball Reference January 10, 1978: Jesse Orosco was drafted by the Twins in the 2nd round of the 1978 Major League Baseball draft.Jesse Orosco at Baseball Reference March 23, 1978: Don Carrithers was released by the Twins.Don Carrithers at Baseball Reference

Regular season On May 7, shortstop Roy Smalley Jr. set a Twins record by drawing five walks in a 15–9 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Smalley went 1 for 1 and scored three times.

Third baseman Mike Cubbage, on July 27, became the fifth Twin to hit for the cycle (following Rod Carew, 1970; César Tovar, 1972; Larry Hisle, 1976 and Lyman Bostock, 1976). Cubbage went double, homer, single, triple off Toronto Blue Jays' pitching. In subsequent years, five others will match the feat: Gary Ward, 1980; Kirby Puckett, 1986; Carlos Gómez, 2008; Jason Kubel, 2009; and Michael Cuddyer, 2009.

787,878 fans attended Twins games, the second lowest total in the American League. Only one Twins player made the All-Star Game: first baseman Rod Carew. In that game at San Diego Stadium, Carew—in his twelfth consecutive All-Star appearance—performed an All-Star first by hitting two triples in the game.

Carew won his seventh AL batting titleGreat Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 107, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, with a .333 average, leading the team in hits and runs scored. Shortstop Roy Smalley hit 19 HR and collected 77 RBI. Dan Ford hit 11 HR and collected 82 RBI.

Reliever Mike Marshall was signed in May and replaced Tom Johnson and Bill Campbell as manager Gene Mauch's all-purpose reliever. Marshall went on to rack up 10 relief wins along with 21 saves. Three starters had double digit wins: Dave Goltz (15–10), Roger Erickson (14–13), and Geoff Zahn (14-14).

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters Rod Carew Dan Ford Craig Kusick Willie Norwood Bob Randall Bombo Rivera Roy Smalley Larry Wolfe Butch Wynegar Geoff Zahn

Notable transactions May 15, 1978: Mike Marshall was signed as a free agent by the Twins.Mike Marshall at Baseball Reference June 6, 1978: 1978 Major League Baseball draft Lenny Faedo was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round (16th pick).Lenny Faedo at Baseball Reference Kent Hrbek was drafted by the Twins in the 17th round.Kent Hrbek at Baseball Reference

Roster 1978 Minnesota Twins Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Game log

Legend Twins win Twins loss PostponementBoldTwins team member

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 1 || April 5 || @ Mariners || 2–3 || Abbott (1–0) || Goltz (0–1) || Romo (1) || 45,235 || 0–1 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 2 || April 6 || @ Mariners || 5–4 || Erickson (1–0) || Pole (0–1) || T. Johnson (1) || 10,311 || 1–1 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 3 || April 7 || @ Mariners || 3–6 || Honeycutt (1–0) || Redfern (0–1) || Romo (2) || 11,530 || 1–2 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 4 || April 8 || @ Mariners || 8–2 || Thormodsgard (1–0) || Mitchell (0–1) || || 12,896 || 2–2 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 5 || April 9 || @ Mariners || 8–6 || Serum (1–0) || House (0–1) || || 11,803 || 3–2 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 6 || April 10 || @ Angels || 0–3 || Brett (1–0) || Goltz (0–2) || || 10,074 || 3–3 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 7 || April 11 || @ Angels || 8–1 || Erickson (2–0) || Aase (0–1) || || 12,217 || 4–3 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 8 || April 12 || @ Angels || 5–9 || Tanana (2–0) || Redfern (0–2) || LaRoche (2) || 12,295 || 4–4 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 9 || April 13 || @ Angels || 0–1 (11) || LaRoche (1–0) || T. Johnson (0–1) || || 11,702 || 4–5 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 10 || April 14 || Mariners || 14–5 || Zahn (1–0) || House (0–2) || || 17,425 || 5–5 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 11 || April 15 || Mariners || 6–5 (11) || T. Johnson (1–1) || Montague (0–1) || || 7,471 || 6–5 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 12 || April 16 || Mariners || 5–8 || Pole (1–2) || Erickson (2–1) || Rawley (1) || – || 6–6 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 13 || April 16 || Mariners || 2–7 || House (1–2) || D. Johnson (0–1) || || 14,021 || 6–7 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 14 || April 17 || Athletics || 2–7 || Broberg (2–0) || Thormodsgard (1–1) || || 2,054 || 6–8 || L3 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || April 18 || Athletics || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 11 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 15 || April 19 || Athletics || 5–6 (11) || Sosa (1–0) || T. Johnson (1–2) || || 1,935 || 6–9 || L4 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 16 || April 21 || Angels || 2–3 || Aase (1–1) || Goltz (0–3) || LaRoche (3) || 4,516 || 6–10 || L5 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 17 || April 22 || Angels || 3–5 || Tanana (4–0) || Erickson (2–2) || Hartzell (3) || 6,566 || 6–11 || L6 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || April 23 || Angels || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 22 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || April 24 || @ Athletics || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: April 25 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 18 || April 25 || @ Athletics || 3–5 || Sosa (2–0) || Thayer (0–1) || || – || 6–12 || L7 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 19 || April 25 || @ Athletics || 3–4 (14) || Coleman (1–0) || T. Johnson (1–3) || || 4,808 || 6–13 || L8 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 20 || April 26 || @ Athletics || 8–9 (12) || Coleman (2–0) || T. Johnson (1–4) || || 4,127 || 6–14 || L9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 21 || April 27 || @ Athletics || 6–1 || Serum (2–0) || Wirth (1–2) || || 4,645 || 7–14 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || April 28 || Yankees || 1–3 || Figueroa (3–1) || Thormodsgard (1–2) || || 11,674 || 7–15 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 23 || April 29 || Yankees || 3–1 || Zahn (2–0) || Tidrow (1–2) || || 10,543 || 8–15 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 24 || April 30 || Yankees || 2–3 || Gossage (1–3) || Scarce (0–1) || || 13,929 || 8–16 || L1

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 25 || May 3 || @ Red Sox || 9–11 || Burgmeier (1–0) || D. Johnson (0–2) || Stanley (2) || 16,403 || 8–17 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 26 || May 4 || @ Red Sox || 1–8 || Eckersley (1–1) || Thormodsgard (1–3) || || 15,784 || 8–18 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 27 || May 5 || @ Orioles || 1–2 || Flanagan (2–3) || Zahn (2–1) || || 3,897 || 8–19 || L4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 28 || May 6 || @ Orioles || 8–7 || Thayer (1–1) || Stanhouse (0–2) || T. Johnson (2) || 26,870 || 9–19 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 29 || May 7 || @ Orioles || 15–9 || Scarce (1–1) || Palmer (3–2) || || 8,923 || 10–19 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 8 || @ Yankees || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 30 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 30 || May 9 || @ Yankees || 1–3 || Hunter (2–3) || Thormodsgard (1–4) || Lyle (5) || 11,271 || 10–20 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 10 || @ White Sox || 2–7 || Wortham (1–1) || Erickson (2–3) || || 8,338 || 10–21 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 11 || @ White Sox || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 25 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 12 || Red Sox || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 24 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 13 || Red Sox || 2–4 || Torrez (5–1) || Zahn (2–2) || Burgmeier (2) || 7,914 || 10–22 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 33 || May 14 || Red Sox || 2–6 || Eckersley (3–1) || Thormodsgard (1–5) || Burgmeier (3) || 7,008 || 10–23 || L4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 34 || May 15 || Orioles || 9–6 (10) || Marshall (1–0) || Flinn (1–1) || || 3,847 || 11–23 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 35 || May 16 || Orioles || 8–1 || Goltz (1–3) || Palmer (3–4) || T. Johnson (3) || 4,893 || 12–23 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 36 || May 18 || @ Royals || 8–6 || Zahn (3–2) || Leonard (3–7) || Marshall (1) || 17,459 || 13–23 || W3 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 37 || May 19 || @ Royals || 5–3 || Erickson (3–3) || Pattin (1–1) || Marshall (2) || 31,574 || 14–23 || W4 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 38 || May 20 || @ Royals || 3–6 || Gale (4–0) || Thormodsgard (1–6) || Hrabosky (5) || 30,312 || 14–24 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 39 || May 21 || @ Royals || 3–2 || Serum (3–0) || Splittorff (4–4) || Marshall (3) || 29,079 || 15–24 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 40 || May 22 || Rangers || 2–0 || Zahn (4–2) || Matlack (4–5) || Marshall (4) || 6,108 || 16–24 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 41 || May 23 || Rangers || 5–2 || Erickson (4–3) || Umbarger (2–3) || || 6,791 || 17–24 || W3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 42 || May 24 || Rangers || 2–3 (11) || Lindblad (1–0) || Marshall (1–1) || Medich (1) || 7,598 || 17–25 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 43 || May 25 || Rangers || 1–7 || Jenkins (5–2) || Serum (3–1) || || 7,644 || 17–26 || L2 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 26 || Royals || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: August 16 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || May 27 || Royals || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 22 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 44 || May 28 || Royals || 7–8 (12) || Gura (3–1) || Marshall (1–2) || || 22,266 || 17–27 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 45 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 1–7 || D. Ellis (3–2) || Serum (3–2) || || – || 17–28 || L4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 46 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 7–2 || Erickson (5–3) || Umbarger (2–4) || Marshall (5) || 28,317 || 18–28 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 47 || May 30 || @ Rangers || 2–0 || Zahn (5–2) || Jenkins (5–3) || Marshall (6) || 12,718 || 19–28 || W2

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 48 || June 1 || @ Rangers || 7–10 || Comer (1–1) || Marshall (1–3) || || 16,084 || 19–29 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 49 || June 2 || @ Tigers || 4–2 || Erickson (6–3) || Billingham (4–3) || Marshall (7) || 21,127 || 20–29 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 50 || June 3 || @ Tigers || 9–2 || Goltz (2–3) || Sykes (3–3) || || 21,227 || 21–29 || W2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 51 || June 4 || @ Tigers || 4–6 || Morris (1–1) || Zahn (5–3) || || 36,575 || 21–30 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 52 || June 7 || White Sox || 3–8 || Kravec (4–4) || Erickson (6–4) || || 6,627 || 21–31 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 53 || June 8 || White Sox || 1–2 || Wood (6–5) || Goltz (2–4) || Willoughby (5) || 11,071 || 21–32 || L3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 54 || June 9 || @ Indians || 3–7 || Clyde (4–0) || Zahn (5–4) || Kern (4) || 8,390 || 21–33 || L4 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 55 || June 10 || @ Indians || 3–4 || Wise (4–9) || Marshall (1–4) || Kern (5) || 16,048 || 21–34 || L5 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 56 || June 11 || @ Indians || 1–2 (10) || Paxton (3–3) || Marshall (1–5) || || 25,547 || 21–35 || L6 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || June 12 || @ Blue Jays || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 13 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 57 || June 13 || @ Blue Jays || 2–0 || Goltz (3–4) || Moore (2–1) || Marshall (8) || – || 22–35 || W1 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 58 || June 13 || @ Blue Jays || 7–2 || Zahn (6–4) || Clancy (4–5) || || 14,489 || 23–35 || W2 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 59 || June 14 || Indians || 8–2 || Erickson (7–4) || Clyde (4–1) || || 6,612 || 24–35 || W3 |-bgcolor=#bbb | — || June 15 || Indians || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 3 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 60 || June 16 || Tigers || 5–2 || Jackson (1–0) || Rozema (2–3) || || 9,479 || 25–35 || W4 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 61 || June 17 || Tigers || 3–1 || Zahn (7–4) || Wilcox (3–5) || || 9,807 || 26–35 || W5 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 62 || June 18 || Tigers || 8–4 || Goltz (4–4) || Slaton (6–4) || Marshall (9) || 21,480 || 27–35 || W6 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 63 || June 20 || Angels || 5–10 || Tanana (11–3) || Erickson (7–5) || || 12,330 || 27–36 || L1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 64 || June 21 || Angels || 2–5 || Aase (4–3) || Zahn (7–5) || || 10,801 || 27–37 || L2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 65 || June 22 || Angels || 2–4 (12) || LaRoche (6–3) || Marshall (1–6) || || 7,488 || 27–38 || L3 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 66 || June 23 || @ White Sox || 2–1 || Goltz (5–4) || Kravec (6–5) || || 28,082 || 28–38 || W1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 67 || June 24 || @ White Sox || 4–7 || Wood (7–5) || Jackson (1–1) || LaGrow (8) || 27,433 || 28–39 || L1 |-bgcolor=#bfb