The Year of 34

September 25th, 2006

In today’s Star Tribune, Patrick Reusse explains how Kirby Puckett’s legacy of hard work has propelled the Minnesota Twins this season:

There has been an insistence for two decades with the Twins that the game would be played by running hard to first base, and by concentrating as much on fielding as hitting, and by being an asset rather than a problem in the clubhouse.

When Matt Lawton wasn’t always running hard to first, he was gone. When Todd Walker figured fielding was secondary at second base, he was gone. When Chuck Knoblauch stopped being a teammate, he was gone.

These incidents were isolated, because Tom Kelly and now Gardenhire were able to say:

Run to first. Kirby Puckett, a Hall of Famer, did so on every ground ball.

Catch the ball, make the right throw. Kirby Puckett tried to do that on every play.

Be a teammate. Kirby Puckett was the all-timer.

The message was simple: If it was good enough for Kirby Puckett, it’s good enough for you.