RIP Don Mincher

 A former Minnesota Twin by the name of Don Mincher passed away today.  He was before my time, but I know his name from old stories and old highlight reels (especially of the 1965 World Series, a season & series in which he played a key role).

Mincher never accumulated more than 500 at-bats in a single season, but he was a solid platoon player, backup, and fill-in.  For his career (six years of which were spent here in Minny), Mincher hit .249, smacked 200 home runs on the dot, and had a pretty decent .798 OPS.  For a guy who hit the ball with authority, he almost had as many career walks as strikeouts, so he must have had a pretty good eye at the plate to boot.

Though Mincher may always be remembered as “Killebrew’s backup”, at least he is remembered fondly here in Minnesota.