Via the Minnesota Twins
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Twins today announced plans to honor former pitcher Johan Santana with an induction into the Twins Hall of Fame. Santana will become the 31stmember of the Twins Hall of Fame and will be inducted during a special on-field pre-game ceremony Saturday, August 4 when the Twins host the Kansas City Royals at Target Field.
The first 10,000 fans on Saturday, August 4 will receive a Johan Santana Hall of Fame bobblehead courtesy of Delta Air Lines, and the first 5,000 fans on Friday, August 3 will receive a Johan Santana Twins Hall of Fame pin.
Thursday, August 2:
5:00 p.m. – As a part of Hall of Fame Weekend, Santana will be holding his All-Star Bowling Classic at Bowlero in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The Johan Santana & Friends All-Star Bowling Classic will benefit the Johan Santana Foundation and the Twins Community Fund.
Friday, August 3:
3:20 p.m. – Santana media availability in the Sid Hartman Press Conference Room
6:00 p.m. – Santana photo opportunity with fans in the Puckett Atrium in the Delta Sky 360° Club
Saturday, August 4: Johan Santana Induction
9:00 a.m. – Hall of Fame Breakfast:
The Twins will host the Hall of Fame Breakfast at Target Field, celebrating the induction of Johan Santana. The program will include a Q & A session, and autographs with the 2018 Twins Hall of Fame inductee. Scheduled to attend are other members of the Twins Hall of Fame class, Michael Cuddyer, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Greg Gagne, John Gordon, Kent Hrbek, Torii Hunter, Jim Kaat, Tom Kelly, Tony Oliva, Jim Perry, Brad Radke, Eddie Guardado and Jim Rantz. Select members of the Twins Hall of Fame will be present for autographs. Cost is $100 to attend and tickets are available at www.twinsbaseball.com/breakfast.
4:15 p.m. – A ceremonial unveiling of the Santana plaque on Target Plaza
4:30 p.m. – Photo opportunity with Carlos Silva, Juan Rincon, Cristian Guzman, J.C. Romero, and Luis Rivas with fans next to the Great Clips Great Seats (inside of gate 34)
6:00 p.m. – The special pregame ceremony emceed by Dick Bremer begins. The ceremony will feature:
• A video featuring photos and interviews with current and former Twins
• Twins Hall of Famers Torii Hunter and Eddie Guardado welcoming Santana to the Hall of Fame
• Twins Hall of Fame Chairman Rod Carew presenting the Twins Hall of Fame jacket to Santana
• An unveiling of Santana’s Twins Hall of Fame print on the field
• Santana throwing a ceremonial first pitch to his son Johan Santana Jr.
Play Ball!
Among the current members of the Twins Hall of Fame scheduled to attend the ceremony honoring Santana are Michael Cuddyer, Bert Blyleven, Rod Carew, Greg Gagne, John Gordon, Kent Hrbek, Torii Hunter, Jim Kaat, Tom Kelly, Tony Oliva, Jim Perry, Brad Radke, Eddie Guardado and Jim Rantz.
Johan Santana played 12 seasons in the major leagues, including eight with the Twins from 2000-07. He finished his Twins career going 93-44 with six complete games and four shutouts while posting a 3.22 ERA (1308.2 IP, 468 ER), 364 walks and 1,381 strikeouts. The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner (2004 & 2006) had five straight seasons with at least 12 wins from 2003 to 2008 including a career-best 20 wins in 2004 and an AL-leading 19 wins in 2006. On August 19, 2007, Santana set a Twins record with 17 strikeouts in 8.0 innings against the Rangers, a record still active today. A native of Tovar, Venezuela, Santana was selected by the Twins in the 1999 Rule 5 Draft and ranks fourth in Twins history in strikeouts (1,381), fourth in ERA (3.22), seventh in wins (93) and innings pitched (1,308.2), and ninth in starts (175). The 38-year-old was named to three AL All-Star teams with the Twins and won the AL Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2007.
The Twins Hall of Fame, which honors players, managers, coaches and off-field personnel who have contributed to the organization’s growth and success since Minnesota broke into the major leagues in 1961, was created as part of the club’s 40th Season Celebration in 2000. The inaugural class of Twins Hall of Famers—Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett and Calvin Griffith— inducted on August 12, 2000. Other inductees include: pitcher Jim Kaat (2001), broadcaster Herb Carneal (2001), pitcher Bert Blyleven (2002), manager Tom Kelly (2002), long-time public address announcer Bob Casey (2003), outfielder Bob Allison (2003), catcher Earl Battey (2004), pitcher Frank Viola (2005), owner Carl Pohlad (2005), shortstop Zoilo Versalles (2006), third baseman Gary Gaetti (2007), farm director Jim Rantz (2007), pitcher Rick Aguilera (2008), pitcher Brad Radke (2009), farm and scouting director George Brophy (2009), shortstop Greg Gagne (2010), pitcher Jim Perry (2011), pitcher Camilo Pascual (2012), pitcher Eddie Guardado (2013) and director of media relations Tom Mee (2013), second baseman Chuck Knoblauch was elected in 2014 but not inducted, outfielder Torii Hunter (2016) and radio broadcaster John Gordon (2016), outfielder Michael Cuddyer (2017) and general manager Andy MacPhail (2017), and pitcher Johan Santana (2018).
The Twins Hall of Fame membership is permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame Gallery on the Target Field Suite Level as well as on Target Plaza and in the Minor League Clubhouse at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in Ft. Myers, FL.
Single-game tickets to the Twins Hall of Fame induction games and all Twins home games are on sale now and are available via twinsbaseball.com, by calling (612) 33-TWINS, (800) 33-TWINS or in-person at the Target Field Box Office.