Phil Wilson

Sent: 5/12/11
Received: 1/24/12
Time: 257 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 CMC Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1988 CMC Portland Beavers, 1988 ProCards Portland Beavers.  All signed in black marker.

Notes:
As great as the Twins were in the late 1980s, they were not exactly bursting at the seams with major league quality talent in the minor league system.  Few names really stood out in their minor league baseball card team sets.  Phil Wilson did stand out... not because he was on the fast track to the big leagues (he never did make it), but because he had the name.  He was the brother of Mets star* Mookie Wilson.  [* "Star" not meaning "elite player" in this case, but rather meaning "average player with a big smile, popular because he played in New York and his name was Mookie."]

Phil Wilson did look like he had a chance to be a major league player for a couple of years.  In 1985 at Visalia, he hit .297 with 49 stolen bases.  More impressively, he posted a .389 on-base percentage.  He carried that performance to AA Orlando in 1986, hitting .293 and showing a tad more power.  There were signs, though, that the higher level was giving him more trouble.  His walk rate plummeted and, most important to his game, he stole 25 fewer bases than the year before while getting thrown out just as many times.  Promoted to AAA in 1987, he badly struggled to a .227/.317/.288 slash line.  His 35 steals proved he had big league wheels, but he just didn't have the bat and he ended up getting passed on the Twins depth chart by similar but younger players like Jarvis Brown and J.T. Bruett.  After a half-season in the Expos organization in 1989, Wilson's playing career was over.

Dwight Bernard

Sent: 9/19/11
Received: 10/8/11
Time: 19 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1983 Donruss, 1983 Topps, 1988 ProCards Kenosha Twins, 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1983 Donruss, 1983 Topps, 1988 ProCards Kenosha Twins, 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Orlando Twins.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Dwight Bernard pitched in parts of four major league seasons -- two each for the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.  His finest season and most extensive action came with the 1982 American League Champion Brewers.  He threw 79 innings over 47 games and even picked up six saves down the stretch while Rollie Fingers was injured.  Despite that fine year, he was released by the Brewers following the season and would not again appear in the big leagues.  He began his coaching career in 1986 and has been a minor league pitching coach ever since.  That includes ten years in the Twins organization.  He was the pitching coach for Kenosha from 1987-1988.  He moved up to Orlando in 1989.  And from 1990-1996 he was the Twins minor league pitching coordinator.  He has spent three of the last four seasons with the Tacoma Rainiers in the Seattle Mariners organization.

Shannon Raybon

Sent: 9/22/11
Received: 9/29/11
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1987 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1988 Best Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1987 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1988 Best Orlando Twins.  All signed on back of card in black ballpoint.

Notes:
Shannon Raybon spent six years as a trainer in the Twins organization.  Since I had a handful of his baseball cards from those minor league team sets, I thought it would be fun to add his signature to my collection.  Mr. Raybon graciously obliged and added a note informing me that he left baseball and the Twins in 1989 to become a firefighter in Orlando, which he is still doing today.  Unfortunately he only signed the backs of the cards, but I'm assuming he doesn't get many autograph requests and, in all fairness, I did not specifically ask him to sign the fronts.

Larry Blackwell

Sent: 6/11/11
Received: 6/27/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1988 Cal League Cards Visalia Oaks, 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1988 Cal League Cards Visalia Oaks, 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Orlando Twins.  All signed in black ballpoint.

Notes:
I have written many entries on this blog discussing amazing letters from former minor league players.  So many of these players take the time to answer questions and tell remarkable stories from their careers.  It's something I rarely see from the guys who made it to the majors.  Just a few days after an amazing interaction with Jason Klonoski, I received this reply from former Twins outfield prospect Larry Blackwell.

I'm finding it interesting that many players from the early to mid 1980s, especially guys from the 1983 Visalia team set that I have been working on, have terrific memories and wonderful things to say about the Twins organization.  By the late '80s and early '90s - when the big club had their greatest success - some of the minor league players have seen a different face.  While Mr. Klonoski admitted last week to questioning why the Twins would give up so quickly on someone with his successful track record, Mr. Blackwell flat out accuses them of mishandling his health and preventing him from being able to catch on with another club.

Blackwell was the Twins' fourth round pick in the 1985 draft.  While his hitting never did come around (he had a .245 career average in just over 2,000 minor league plate appearances), he could flat out fly.  After struggling mightily in his first AA stint at Orlando in 1987, he spent all of 1988 at high-A Visalia, and had his finest year.  He hit a career-best .268.  More impressively, he drew 71 walks - good for an outstanding .379 on-base percentage.  He also stole 33 bases.  His average regressed again at Orlando in 1989, but he maintained his fine walk rate to finish with a solid .366 OBP and stole 29 more bases in just 96 games.  That's the end of his career stat line, though.

I asked Mr. Blackwell about the abrupt end to his career and his responses were as candid as any I have received since starting this hobby.  He writes, "I was slated for the big leagues.  I had talked to Tom Kelly, and he had discussed putting me in center and moving Kirby (Puckett) to right.  Why?  I was faster than Kirby and could throw just as hard."

He adds, "It may have been possible for me to leave with the team out of spring training.  But fate would have it; I hurt my shoulder towards the end of camp."

He goes on to mention that only one of his six minor league seasons was injury free.  I assume that was his fine 1988 season, as that was the only one where he got into more than 100 games (118 to be exact).  I assume the possible call-up he speaks of would have been after that season, too.

It is at this point in his letter that Mr. Blackwell doesn't hold back.  "Writing this letter brings tears to my eyes.  Why?  When I was released by the Twins organization, they black balled me.  They put in my file that I was un-coachable... I was and am still well known by coaches and scouts from my area.  Once they read that about me, and told me what they had read, I could not believe it... I could not get a position on (another) team.  If I had known about defamation of character back then, I would have attempted to sue." 

He alleges that the training staff ignored and misdiagnosed injuries, and that they refused to give him an x-ray when he tore his rotator cuff.  Granted, this is only his side of the story, but it's a heartbreaking one.  It does have a happy ending, though.

Mr. Blackwell writes that after baseball he worked as a correctional officer before earning his college degree in criminal justice.  He then served as a supervisor in a youth prison before becoming a social worker.

He finishes the two-page letter by writing, "Thank you for sending this letter.  I will keep this letter as a testament to the good I did as a baseball player.  I love you and may God bless you.  Sincerely, Larry Blackwell."

Thank you, Larry.  Thank you for signing the cards despite the pain you still feel from the way you claim the Twins treated you.  Thank you for the insightful and candid letter.  I certainly wish you nothing but the best.

Mike Dotzler

Sent: 6/14/11
Received: 6/24/11
Time: 10 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1988 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Visalia Oaks
Item Received: 1988 Best Orlando Twins, 1989 ProCards Visalia Oaks.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The Twins were catcher Mike Dotzler's third organization.  After signing with the Texas Rangers in 1985, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates system in 1987.  He hit an impressive 11 home runs in 279 at bats during his one year in the Pirates organization and came over to the Twins the next year.  He served as a utility player for the Orlando Twins in 1988, adding first base, third base, and outfield to his repertoire.  He moved down to single A Visalia in 1989 and once again logged most of his time behind the plate.  He hit just .190, though, in his last year of pro ball.

Stan Holmes

Sent: 6/14/10
Received: 8/14/10
Time: 61 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks, 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins, 1988 CMC Edmonton Trappers
Item Received: 1983 Fritsch Visalia Oaks, 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins, 1988 CMC Edmonton Trappers.  All signed in thin blue Sharpie.

Notes:
It took a bit for a return from Mr. Holmes, but I am thrilled to add the signature of the biggest slugger on the 1983 Visalia Oaks to my team set.  No, not Kirby Puckett.  Stan Holmes hit .302 with 37 homers and 115 RBI, tallying a .983 OPS for the Oaks that season.  He followed that with a 25 homer season at AA Orlando in 1984, but started declining from there and was out of the Twins organization after 1986.  After struggling at the AAA level, he resurfaced with the Angels' AA Midland team in 1987 and hit .309 with 30 homers.  He was out of pro ball two years later.  All told, he slugged 143 home runs over nine minor league seasons, but never did get a chance to flex his muscle in the big leagues.

Wes Pierorazio

Sent: 6/29/10
Received: 7/19/10
Time: 20 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1987 ProCards Orlando Twins.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
My only return today is a nice one.  Former Twins pitching prospect Wes Pierorazio signed the 1986 Visalia minor league card that I sent, and added a 1987 Orlando card.  Very cool move.  Thanks, Wes!

Ben Bianchi

Sent: 6/10/10
Received: 6/17/10
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1989 Best Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Visalia Oaks, 1987 ProCards Portland Beavers, 1989 Best Orlando Twins.  All signed in thin black Sharpie.

Notes:
Bianchi's chance at the big leagues faded with arm problems that kept him out of the 1987 and 1988 seasons.  I knew nothing about him, but always liked him.  I thought he had one of the best mustaches on my old Twins minor league cards.  I'm a little curious as to what the significance of the little "L" marks is above each of these signatures.  Regardless, great return!

Park Pittman

Sent: 5/1/10
Received: 5/13/10
Time: 12 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1990 CMC Portland Beavers, 1990 Fleer Update
Item Received: 1989 Best Orlando Twins, 1990 CMC Portland Beavers, 1990 Fleer Update.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Former Twins prospect Park Pittman oddly received a Major League card in the 1990 Fleer Update set despite never appearing in the big leagues, which I always found a bit amusing.  Looking at these cards, it appears he signed the 1989 Orlando card in a dry black Sharpie before tracing over it with a blue one.  The other two, with the nice blue signature, look sharper.  Thanks, Park!

Dave Vetsch

Sent: 5/6/10
Received: 5/10/10
Time: 4 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1986 ProCards Orlando Twins, signed in black ballpoint.

Notes:
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, one of the most satisfying aspects of TTM collecting for me is successfully tracking down guys who never sniffed the big leagues.  While current addresses for most major leaguers are reasonably easy to find on the internet, the minor league guys require far more research.  Sometimes Google or a 411.com search can give good leads, but if a guy has a fairly common name, it can be near impossible to find the right person.  After exhausting all other options, sometimes your best chance is to make an educated guess and hope that if you send it to the wrong person, that person will at least send the card back with a note clarifying that you have the wrong address.

And sometimes you get lucky on your first try.  I'm going to assume (since it came back signed) that I guessed the correct Dave Vetsch.  He is a St. Cloud, Minnesota native who spent five seasons in the Twins minor league system in the '80s, never making it past AA.  But, as both a Minnesota native and a former Twins minor leaguer, he's an awesome addition to my collection.  Thanks, Dave!

Jeff Satzinger

Sent: 5/4/10
Received: 5/7/10
Time: 3 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1989 Best Orlando Twins
Item Received: 1989 Best Orlando Twins, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Suburban Minneapolis native Jeff Satzinger spent three years in the lower levels of the Twins minor league system in the late 1980s.  He is now most notable to me for being my fastest ever TTM return -- only three days!