Chuck Knoblauch
The 1991 American League Rookie of the Year, Chuck Knoblauch helped spark the Minnesota Twins to their World Series championship that season. The square-jawed second baseman scored 100 runs six times, earned four All-Star nods, and won a Gold Glove. He was dealt to the Yankees after the 1997 campaign, and played in the World Series in each of his four seasons in the Bronx, winning three more rings.
Played For
Minnesota Twins (1991-1997)
New York Yankees (1998-2001)
Kansas City Royals (2002)
All-Time Rankings
Chuck Knoblauch ranks #37 among the Top 50 all-time at 2B. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1996
For the third straight year, Knoblauch raised his average, to a highwater mark of .341 - foutth in the AL. He produced 35 doubles, 14 triples, 13 homers, and 72 RBI. He also swiped 45 bases and scored 140 runs.
The Mental (Knob) Block
In 1998, Chuck Knoblauch suddenly developed a mental block about making the short toss from second to first base. Though he committed just two more errors that season (13), than he had in 1997, he was shaky in the field. The following season, he made 26 errors, 4 of them throwing errors, as he sent first baseman Tino Martinez running all over the place to retrieve his errant tosses. In 2000, he continued to spiral, as he made 15 errors in just 82 games, most of them throwing miscues. Yankee manager Joe Torre had lost confidence in his second baseman. The following spring, Torre worked out Knoblauch in the outfield, handing the second base job to Alfonos Soriano. Knoblauch never played second base for the Yankees again. When the Royals signed him as a free agent after the 2001 season, it was as a left fielder/DH. He retired in 2003, in part because he was no longer an effective offensive player, especially since he couldn't play the middle infield.
Where He Played
Knoblauch was a shortstop in the minors before his conversion to second base.
Born
Edward Charles Knoblauch was born on July 7, 1968, in Houston, TX.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: 2B
Primary Team: MIN
College: Texas A&M
Major League Debut
April 9, 1991 ... After hitting .373 in spring training, Knoblauch supplanted Nelson Liriano at second base.
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1991
Jeff Bagwell
Bernie Williams
Ivan Rodriguez
Eric Karros
Jim Thome
Kenny Lofton
Royce Clayton
Rod Beck
Darryl Kile
Related Players
Second baseman Steve Sax also experienced throwing problems.
Post-Season Appearances
1991 American League Championship Series
1991 World Series
1998 American League Championship Series
1998 World Series
1998 American League Divisional Series
1999 World Series
1999 American League Divisional Series
1999 American League Championship Series
2000 American League Divisional Series
2000 American League Championship Series
2000 World Series
2001 American League Divisional Series
2001 American League Championship Series
2001 World Series
Post-Season Notes
Knoblauch reached base eight times in the first three games of the 1991 AL Championship Series.
Awards and Honors
1991 AL Rookie of the Year
1997 AL Gold Glove
Notes
In his rookie season, Knoblauch went nearly five weeks where he struck out just thee times.
Hitting Streaks
20 games (1991)
Transactions
June 2, 1986: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 18th round of the 1986 amateur draft, but did not sign.
June 5, 1989: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (25th pick) of the 1989 amateur draft.
February 6, 1998: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Yankees for Brian Buchanan, Cristian Guzman, Eric Milton, Danny Mota, and cash.
November 5, 2001: Granted Free Agency.
December 18, 2001: Signed as a Free Agent with the Kansas City Royals.
All-Star Selections
1992 AL
1994 AL
1996 AL
1997 AL
Replaced
Nelson Liriano was not happy about losing his job to rookie Chuck Knoblauch in spring training in 1991. he felt they didn't give him a fair chance. "They had their minds made up," Liriano griped, after the team released him prior to heading north to start the regular season.
Replaced By
The Yankees grew tired of Knoblauch's defensive woes, and by 2001, they had replaced him with Alfonso Soriano.
Best Strength as a Player
Putting the ball in play.
Largest Weakness as a Player
The toss to first.
Learn More about Chuck Knoblauch
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