". * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN The Minnesota Twins today announced details for this weekends four-game home series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field, which includes Fan Appreciation Weekend presented by Caribou Coffee on September 23 and 24, Kids Appreciation Day presented by Target on September 26 and the long-awaited Justin Morneau Twins Hall of Fame induction on September 25 in a game presented by Sheboygan Sausage Company. Little did he know that just seven or so years later, he'd be on the field in a Twins uniform. I guess a lot more people are more bored than that. Lots of numbers retired up on the wall, lots of National Baseball Hall of Famers,\" Morneau said. He was a teenager growing up in Canada. In addition to earning the 2006 AL MVP Award for which he edged out Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, Morneau owns the third-most home runs in club history (221) and ranks ninth in games played for the Twins (1,278). Following that season, Morneau signed with the Colorado Rockies and proceeded to bat .319 and win the National League batting title to become just the second Canadian (along with Walker) to accomplish that feat. After being drafted as a catcher in the third round of the 1999 MLB Draft, Morneau converted to first base and anchored the position for 11 seasons in Minnesota, appearing in the second-most games there in club history behind only Kent Hrbek.\n\nAs is always the case for these Hall of Fame inductions, Morneau and the Twins put out a call, far and wide, for those of personal and professional significance to Morneau throughout his baseball journey, from high school coaches to the man who owned the batting cage where Morneau used to take swings, letting the future slugger hit for free. He was elected to the hall in January 2020, but his planned induction was delayed by COVID-19. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "I mean, you think of the teams we put on the field," Morneau said. Five division championships, an American League Most Valuable Player Award, four consecutive All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger Awards and a Home Run Derby title later as part of a 14-year playing career spanning four teams, Morneau's personal accolades and contributions to one of the most successful eras of Twins baseball were cemented on Saturday with his induction to the club's Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony before the Twins' matchup against the Blue Jays, the team Morneau supported as a child. The Twins were really, really good for a long time, and he was a big, big part of it.". Morneau, who was inducted officially into the Twins' Hall of Fame in September, was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2006, a four-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger. A four-time all-star in Minnesota, Morneau won the 2006 MVP and helped the Twins reach the playoffs five times during his tenure. But Morneau is looking forward to celebrating everyone who helped him to this point, especially the ones most fans don't know. Justin Morneau - Twins Hall of Famer Justin Morneau played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Twins from 2003-13. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Republication or distribution of this content is Even in retirement, Morneau seems to be following in his footsteps. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. You start to learn about all of the great players and the World Series, he said. His mother, who had only been in town once in the last year and a half, will also be on hand. ** First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, September 23; 7:10 p.m. on Friday, September 24; 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, September 25 and 1:10 p.m. on Sunday, September 26. First 10,000 fans will get a Justin Morneau bobblehead. I faced the Vladdy Daddy and the Vladdy Junior. Don't miss out - sign up for our newsletters! Guerrero retired after the 2011 season and has since been inducted into the Hall of Fame and Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays star, debuted in 2019 and is an American League Most Valuable Player candidate. This is, for me, wow. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Things we lost in the pandemic (Pt. The New Westminster, B.C., native has also been very active in charitable endeavors. At least it was until Morneau arrived a decade later. Teams around the division get their first glimpse of a roadmap to 2023 success. Walker might have helped with inspiration, but hes not the reason Morneau turned into such a success. Justin Morneau played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Twins from 2003-13. And hes looking forward to sharing it all with friends, former teammates and mentors from throughout his life and playing career. Justin Morneau: one of the best to ever wear the Minnesota Twins uniform. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. The playing career would obviously have been sweeter with a championship, but to be fair, Morneau was part of the last Twins team to win a playoff game -- all the way back in 2004 -- and he noted that he just felt lucky to play alongside a Cy Young Award winner, Silver Slugger Award winners, Gold Glovers and All-Stars as he carved out his own piece of club history and represented an area that he still calls home. Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer said Morneau will forever embody that era. "Not good enough," Morneau said. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He figured no more than half would choose to show up. Justin Morneau is honored for all that he has done on and off the field for the Minnesota Twins as he is inducted into the Twins' Hall of Fame in front of the franchise's legends More From This Game Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau Hall of Fame Induction milestone First published on September 21, 2021 / 12:30 PM. Morneaus childhood field was named after Walker. In 2008, he also became the first and still only Canadian to win the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game. 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Twins Hall of Fame Breakfast presented by Coordinated Business Systems is happening on Saturday, August 20! He loved both hockey and baseball, but he even skipped a year of baseball when he was 8 years old. pic.twitter.com/RV8u9LBMWI, Congratulations to the 34th member of the Twins Hall of Fame Justin Morneau! The familiar faces from Twins history that arrived en masse to officially usher in Morneau as the 34th member of the club's Hall of Fame were, of course, led by longtime skipper Ron Gardenhire and a who's who of that late Metrodome era of Minnesota baseball, including Johan Santana, Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter and Nick Punto, all of whom Morneau thanked by name. I think we all have so much respect for each other. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox. On that day, I couldn't imagine a day like this, to be inducted among the greatest players in franchise history.". Morneau would spend the next decade with the Twins and evolve into one of the American Leagues most feared sluggers. Gambling problem? He also spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox. After suiting up for the Junior National Team in 1999, he competed for the senior squad at the IBAF Baseball World Cup in 2001, at an Olympic Qualifier in 2003 and in all four World Baseball Classics. Five years after Morneau retired and eight . "But once that's gone, I think what I'm left with is relationships and those guys. Morneau now 40 and living on a farm in Medina with wife Krista, their five children and various animals played with the Twins from 2003-13. He suited up for part of one more season with the Rockies before playing his final big league campaign with the Chicago White Sox in 2016. He's the 34th member, and will have an . On that day, Justin Morneau will be inducted as the 34th member of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony.It was just a matter of time, really, as Morneau had an impressive career . I am looking forward to being in St. Marys this summer to celebrate with my fellow inductees in person. Morneau on Saturday will be inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame David Berding / USA TODAY Sports. Baldelli said its possible Kepler might not start on Saturday, either, as the Twins give him time to recuperate. I've tried to find new challenges, tried to find new things. Neither can the Twins. Hope to see you at the game! Please contact us. The Twins elected Morneau to the Hall of Fame in January 2020 but postponed his May induction that year because of COVID-19. Of course he did. Morneau will be enjoying the company of his family (five kids,) friends, coaches and mentors Saturday, along with all of Twins territory. "You always make me feel happy to be a Minnesota Twin." She joined the paper in December 2018 after spending nearly three years in Las Vegas covering sports for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. But its hard to say that theres anything at this point that ever would compare to the privilege of wearing a major-league baseball uniform every night.. Your existing password has not been changed. To order Monday Morning Minnesota: Further Spring Jokes Edition, Twins open Spring Training by splitting a pair of, well, split-squad games. Amazing. He has also helped organize fundraisers for juvenile arthritis to raise awareness about a disease his niece, Maddie, is fighting. Now forever part of Canadian baseball history. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. He went on to become the 2006 American League MVP, a two-time silver slugger winner, the 2014 National League batting champion and winner of the 2008 home run derby, something no Canada had ever done before, and no one has since. And if he somehow ended up in his secondary sport of baseball, playing for his favored Toronto Blue Jays was the goal. Justins ceremony will be right before the 6:10 p.m. first pitch. Great hitter, power hitter," Sano said, recalling how he watched Morneau win the 2008 Home Run Derby. Sorry we could not verify that email address. Sixteen members of the Twins Hall of Fame, along with dozens of Morneaus former teammates and coaches, are scheduled to be in attendance to celebrate the 2006 American League Most Valuable Player. We use cookies to improve your experience. There are a few memories that stood out for Justin Morneau during the portions of two seasons he played for the . The New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada native was drafted by the Twins in the third round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft and ranks second on the Twins all-time list in games played at first base (1,124), third in home runs, sixth in RBI, and eighth in hits and walks. MINNEAPOLIS -- The first time Justin Morneau ever visited Minneapolis, he was a 14- or 15-year-old kid about to play in a hockey tournament. Heres the list: Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, Kirby Puckett, Calvin Griffith, Herb Carneal, Jim Kaat, Bert Blyleven, Tom Kelly, Bob Allison, Bob Casey, Earl Battey, Frank Viola, Carl Pohlad, Zoilo Versalles, Gary Gaetti, Jim Rantz, Rick Aguilera, Brad Radke, George Brophy, Greg Gagne, Jim Perry, Camilo Pascual, Eddie Guardado, Tom Mee, John Gordon, Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer, Andy MacPhail, Johan Santana, Jerry Bell, Joe Nathan and now Justin Morneau. Nathan got his moment of Twins HOF glory back in 2019. Now Morneau has cemented his legacy with the Twins, alongside the likes of Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebrew. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. "You never dreamed for a moment like this," Morneau said Friday. As is always the case for these Hall of Fame inductions, Morneau and the Twins put out a call, far and wide, for those of personal and professional significance to Morneau throughout his baseball journey, from high school coaches to the man who owned the batting cage where Morneau used to take swings, letting the future slugger hit for free. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. On the crying or not crying poll, I say he will cry. I really didnt know a whole lot about it, but I got down (to spring training in Fort Myers) and start to learn the history. Twins Hall of Fame Breakfast presented by Coordinated Business Systems is happening on Saturday, August 20! Hes excited for his five kids, especially the younger ones who dont remember his playing days, to have a chance to see him on the field again. But here he is, at age 40, about to experience just that. For that, the former junior national team member had a long list of names to go through. The three will officially be inaugurated during separate on-field pregame ceremonies at Target field on Aug. 20 and 21, when the Twins play the Texas Rangers. So, which Vlad is harder to face? The breakfast will include a program honoring Csar Tovar, Ron Gardenhire, and Dan Gladden. Nov. 22Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan, members of the Twins Hall of Fame, are among the group of players who will be considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time this winter. In recent years, Morneau has served as a part-time analyst on Twins broadcasts for Fox Sports North and as an analyst on the Sportsnet Central panel for the networks World Series coverage. A four-time all-star in Minnesota,. "[He's] a link to what was one of the best periods of baseball Twins fans have ever had," Bremer said. And then when they see you make it, even if they never make it to the Major Leagues, they take pride in it, too. And then you get to cap it all off in the end with something like this? For his efforts, Morneau was named the Twins team MVP twice (2006, 2008). In hindsight, it sure is a good thing that he didn't pick hockey. He played parts of 11 seasons with the. "I wasn't good enough to make the section team, let alone the provincial team or the national team," Morneau said. When submitting content, please abide by our . The sluggers both grew up in British Columbia: Walker in Maple Ridge, Morneau in nearby New Westminster. "To be in a Hall of Fame that includes Rod Carew and Bert Blyleven, Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett -- if you go down the list of the greatest Twins in history, to be amongst them is a very special, humbling honor.". Morneau was my second-favorite Twin all time. Bremer and Morneau now share a booth, as Morneau has taken on being a part-time analyst for Twins broadcasts in recent years. September 24, 2021 - 10:04 PM. His impact on the Twins organization and Twins Territory in general is significant.". In an essay for TSN prior to Walker's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Morneau relayed the story of coming up through the minors and one day getting to his locker to find a present from . And, of course, a special place in the ceremony was reserved for Joe Mauer, the other half of the "M&M Boys," who introduced Morneau to begin the hour-long ceremony, which featured a video of Morneau's Twins highlights, a message from the Canadian ambassador to the United States and even a recorded video from fellow Canadian and Hall of Famer Larry Walker. And when he recently asked his father, the elder Morneau replied that he always thought Justin would end up becoming a hockey player. He remains with the Twins as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations, a position he has held since January 2018. Forgot your Morneau wouldn't play for Pittsburgh again instead, he'd win a batting title in Colorado, taking over Hall of Famer and SpongeBob enthusiast Larry Walker as the resident owner of #33.. A pure hitter in every form, just like Walker was across 17 seasons for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals. Confirming what we already knew, that he made a lot Canadians proud, himself included. M&M boys, Morneau and Mandelaro, to be inducted into Red Wings Hall of Fame. He could never have imagined then that he would one day play for the Twins, much less that he would one day be inducted into the teams hall of fame. more of the story, Buxton homers, Ober turns in strong outing as Twins beat Toronto 3-1, Reusse: Blue Jays Berrios might still be the Twins pitcher of the year, Toronto's Jose Berrios faces former Twins teammates at Target Field, As Thielbar grows older, Twins lefthander gets better, Reusse: Following Plouffe's journey into sports podcasting, Kirilloff 'close' to resuming normal baseball schedule after wrist surgery, Something new for Gray and Twins: pitcher calling his pitches, Souhan: Gardenhire, Watkins families felt wrath of Hurricane Ian. 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 Fort Myers, Fla. A full listing of Twins Hall of Fame inductees follows: Name, Pos./Role (Year Inducted) Name, Pos./Role (Year Inducted), Harmon Killebrew, first baseman (2000) Jim Rantz, pitcher & front office (2007), Tony Oliva, outfielder (2000) Rick Aguilera, right-handed pitcher (2008), Rod Carew, second baseman (2000) Brad Radke, right-handed pitcher (2009), Kent Hrbek, first baseman (2000) George Brophy, front office (2009), Kirby Puckett, outfielder (2000) Greg Gagne, shortstop (2010), Calvin Griffith, president & principal owner (2000) Jim Perry, right-handed pitcher (2011), Herb Carneal, radio broadcaster (2001) Camilo Pascual, right-handed pitcher (2012), Jim Kaat, left-handed pitcher (2001) Eddie Guardado, left-handed pitcher (2013), Bert Blyleven, right-handed pitcher (2002) Tom Mee, media relations (2013), Tom Kelly, manager (2002) John Gordon, radio broadcaster (2016), Bob Allison, outfielder (2003) Torii Hunter, outfielder (2016), Bob Casey, public address announcer (2003) Andy MacPhail, general manager (2017), Earl Battey, catcher (2004) Michael Cuddyer, outfielder (2017), Carl R. Pohlad, owner (2005) Johan Santana, left-handed pitcher (2018), Frank Viola, left-handed pitcher (2005) Joe Nathan, right-handed pitcher (2019), Zoilo Versalles, shortstop (2006) Jerry Bell, team president (2019), Gary Gaetti, third baseman (2007) Justin Morneau, first baseman (2021*), *Morneau was elected in 2020; however, his induction was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. We invite you to a special breakfast celebrating the induction of Ron Gardenhire, Dan Gladden, and Csar Tovar into the Twins Hall of Fame. On August 31, 2013, Morneau was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he helped lead the club to its first postseason appearance since 1992.