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STARTING LINEUP VIEWING KIT
Thank You
Dear Friend,
On behalf of all of us affiliated with the Diamond Awards, we are grateful for
our friends, partners, and sponsors who care so much about the health of the
countless lives of individuals who are affected by neurological diseases.
Most of us have been affected by someone University of Minnesota and the research
who suffers from one of these horrible they are conducting on a daily basis to come
diseases. up with a cure for these debilitating diseases.
Our stories with neurological diseases are We are very fortunate to have world
very personal. For me, Deb, it starts with renowned doctors and researchers working
the diagnosis of my father-in-law, Bob everyday on finding the keys to the
Allison. Bob was diagnosed with ataxia treatment and cure for these neurological
in 1989 and with his wife Betty founded diseases. Join us in continuing the fight
the Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center at against these diseases by funding the
the University of Minnesota. Bob left us in research that is so desperately needed.
1995, from the complications of ataxia but,
BE WELL and STAY SAFE!
he lives on with us now as we talk about
treatments and cures not just hope.
For me, Jennifer, my story centers on my
father who died from the complications of
Parkinson’s disease in 2003. When he began
showing signs of Parkinson’s disease he
was in his 60s. I feel truly blessed to be a
part of this cause and cannot say enough Debra Allison Jennifer Crowder
great things about the Medical Staff at the 2021 Event Co-Chair 2021 Event Co-Chair
Tips for a SAFE! Event
PRE-GAME PREP
Gather your Grounds Crew and
get your space Home Field ready:
Equipment Check: Batting helmets and catcher’s
1 masks keep players safe. Follow their lead and
encourage masks for any indoor gathering. Whenever
possible, gather outdoors or in well-ventilated areas.
2
Batting Clean Up: Clean well before attendees arrive
and have a dedicated restroom. Utilize paper towels
instead of a cloth towel in shared restrooms.
3
Concession Stand-ins: Consider catering that is
single serve prepared food and avoid buffet style food DOG
HOT
service.
4 Find Your Sweet Spot: Maintain 6ft distance by
properly spacing tables, chairs, food areas, etc.
5 Members Only: Limit attendance to include only
immediate family per MDH recent guidelines.
6
The Injured List: Ask that all attendees come in
good health and do not attend if they are showing
symptoms or have had exposure to COVID-19.
Review the playbook MDH recommendations for safe events:
www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/safeevents.pdf
VIEWING Tips
Wednesday, December 9
Tune in to FOX Sports North at 7:00pm on December 9th to watch the
2020 Minnesota Twins Diamond Awards and visit bid612.com to bid on the
auction and donate to further the innovative research and patient care for
brain, nerve, and muscle disorders at the University of Minnesota.
Watch LIVE
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News Talk 830 WCCO Radio
History
drugs designed to prevent damage to the
Who was Bob Allison?
nervous system caused by multiple sclerosis.
Baseball star Bob Allison played 17 seasons
Ataxia: Dr. Harry Orr with the University
with the Washington Senators and the
of Minnesota is making strides towards a
Minnesota Twins. He slugged 256 home
gene therapy that could become the first-
runs, made three All-Star appearances, and
ever ataxia treatment.
was recently voted the greatest left fielder
in the first 40 years of the Twins. He retired Parkinson’s: U of MN researchers have
from baseball at the end of the 1970 season. developed innovative improvements to
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) implants for
Thirteen years later, Allison began noticing
patients with Parkinson’s disease.
problems with his coordination. Family
and friends started to notice the stagger ALS: Using new voice database technology,
in his walk. Allison was suffering from a the University of Minnesota offers “voice
progressive sporadic ataxia known as banking” as a way for patients with ALS to
Olivo-Ponto cerebellar atrophy (OPCA). preserve their voices electronically. Patients
are able to communicate using their natural
Allison continued to battle this rare
voice through an iPad or speech generating
degenerative neurological disease for
device after symptoms of ALS make
years, eventually losing his ability to walk,
speaking difficult.
talk, write, and feed himself. He died of
complications from ataxia in April of 1995
at the age of 60.
ATAXI
Researcher Progress Aa nd
Muscular Dystrophy: UMN researchers NEURO
LOGIC
have engineered antibodies to target AL
blood vessels in the muscles of mice with DISEA
SES
Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, decreasing
2020
damage and improving muscle function. STATI
STICS
Multiple Sclerosis: University of
150,00 Numbe
Minnesota researchers (Patterson Group) 0 curren r of America
are currently working on a new class of some f tly suffering ns
orm of fr
ataxia om
50% Percen
heredit t of Ataxias a
ary re
$8 Raised
Million Allison by BAARC (B
Center Ataxia Resea ob
) rch
PROGRAM
Lineup
Wednesday, December 9 at 7pm Central Time
DIAMOND AWARDS PROGRAM
with Hosts Marney Gellner and Dick Bremer
Awards Overview Baseball Writers’ Association of America
La Velle E. Neal, III, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Awards Presentation
Kirby Puckett Alumni Community Service Award: LaTroy Hawkins
Terry Ryan Play Ball! Minnesota Award: Charles “Corky” Reynolds
Dick Siebert Award – Upper Midwest Player of the Year: Brad Hand
Joseph W. Haynes Award – Twins Pitcher of the Year: Kenta Maeda
Bill Boni Award – Twins Most Outstanding Rookie: Randy Dobnak
Charles O. Johnson Award – Most Improved Twin: Matt Wisler
Mike Augustin Media Good Guy Award: Taylor Rogers
Special Guest Rocco Baldelli Minnesota Twins Manager
Tribute to Sid Hartman
Awards Presentation
Carl R. Pohlad Award for Outstanding Community Service and
Jim Kaat Award – Twins Defensive Player of the Year: Byron Buxton
Calvin R. Griffith Award – Most Valuable Twin and
Bob Allison Award – Twins Leadership: Nelson Cruz
Mission Moment Kasner Family
Special Guest Derek Falvey
President of Baseball Operations for the Twins
Bomba Juice Mocktail
ORDER YOUR
BOMBA JUICE
MOCKTAIL Recipe
KIT FROM 1.5 oz Lemonade
RED COW/RED 1.5 oz Club Soda
RABBIT 1 oz Strawberry
Pureé
Lime wedge
garnish
Best paired
with Gray Duck
vodka or the
spirit of your
choice
AWARD WINNERS
Kirby Puckett
Terry Ryan Play Ball! Minnesota Award
Alumni Community Service Award
LaTroy Hawkins Charles “Corky” Reynolds
By Minnesota Twins For more than 20 years, Charles Reynolds has
been the official scorer and public address announcer
Former Twins pitcher LaTroy Hawkins is a 21-year
for the Crookston High School baseball team.
major league veteran, who pitched nine seasons with
Reynolds, who has also played the role of coach
the Twins. LaTroy has been an outspoken advocate
and umpire, was instrumental in starting the
for racial and social injustice, helping lead the
Crookston Baseball Association and currently serves
conversation about systemic racism in professional
as secretary.
sports and in America. He is an active member of
the Still Got Game Foundation, a nonprofit where
former professional athletes and like-minded
charitable individuals exchange ideas, provide
resources, volunteer, and develop and promote
programming that supports social change.
LaTroy and his wife, Anita, are supporters of the
Dallas-based nonprofit Women Called Moses, which
provides support to battered women and their
children and are longtime supporters of the Jackie
Robinson Foundation and St. Jude Research Hospital.
As a player, Hawkins won the Sherry Robertson
Award as Minor League Player of the Year in 1993
and 1994, and the Charles O. Johnson Award for
Most Improved Twin in 2002.
AWARD WINNERS
Dick Siebert Award – Joseph W. Haynes Award –
Upper Midwest Player of the Year Twins Pitcher of the Year
Brad Hand Kenta Maeda
By La Velle E. Neal, III, Minneapolis Star Tribune By Phil Miller, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Brad Hand is currently a free agent, but that’s Kenta Maeda hit his one and only major-league
not expected to last long. A three-time All-Star, home run in his very first MLB game. So he knows
Hand is considered one of the best closers in the how to make a strong first impression.
game, and his services will be coveted by a number Still, how could the Twins expect Maeda to adapt
of winning teams. so quickly to his new home in Minnesota, he turned
Hand led the majors with 16 saves while posting in one of the greatest pitching seasons since Johan
a 2.05 ERA. In addition, his ERA and 7.25 strikeout Santana was here? Who would have foreseen the
to walk ratio were the best of his career. He’s just Japanese righthander becoming a unanimous winner
30 years old, and should be an impact reliever for of the Joseph W. Haynes Award as Twins Pitcher of
a few more years. the Year, and drawing Cy Young votes as best in the
But this year, he’s the winner of the Dick Siebert American League?
Upper Midwest Player of the Year Award. Born in The season began with Maeda retiring 12 of the
Minneapolis and a product of Chaska High, Hand first 14 hitters he faced. His second start lasted six
becomes the second reliever in as many years to innings and included only one hit, an infield grounder.
win the award, following Crosby’s Nick Anderson. And in mid-August, Maeda didn’t allow the Brewers a
Well then, you are wondering, why is Hand a hit in the first eight innings, and at one point struck
free agent if he is so good? The lefthander was out a Twins-record eight consecutive hitters.
a victim of the 2020 season and the pandemic “He just doesn’t miss. It’s been pretty incredible,”
that shortened the schedule to 60 games. If has admired Twins reliever Tyler Duffey. “He throws
forced teams across the league to make sacrifices, five or six pitches, and everything is just darting
and Hand has his $10 million option declined by left and right.”
the Cleveland Indians. It was a move that raised Maeda made 11 regular-season starts—eight
eyebrows across the league because $10 million is of them defined as “quality starts,” the highest
a reasonable sum for a top closer. But Cleveland is percentage since Santana’s first Cy Young season
one of many teams looking to keep payroll in check. —and one more in the postseason, and not once did
Since then, Hand has been linked to the Dodgers, he allow more baserunners than innings pitched. His
Blue Jays, Mets, Phillies and other teams. He won’t WHIP (walks/hits per inning) of 0.750 not only led
have to worry about having a job next season. the majors, it marked the lowest figure in franchise
Hand doesn’t throw hard. In fact, his average history. His 2.70 ERA was the second-lowest by a
fastballs was 91.4 miles per hour last season. That Twins starter in the past 32 seasons, bettered only
doesn’t fit well with the number of high velocity by, yes, Johan Santana; his 10.80 strikeouts per nine
arms across the league. But what helps hand excel innings broke Santana’s franchise record.
is an unhittable slider that he threw 51.5 percent of Basically, the only thing Maeda didn’t accomplish in
the time last season. He was drafted by the Marlins his first season in Minnesota was hitting another home
and broke into the league in 2011 with the Marlins run—but only because he never got to bat, right?
as a starter. But starting didn’t go well for him, and “I always tried to hit home runs” with the Dodgers,
he was waived by Miami after the 2015 season. The Maeda said. “Maybe someday I’ll get lucky again.”
Padres claimed him off waivers, converted him to a
reliever and the results were immediate. Hand has
not had an ERA above 3.05 since then. He made his
first All-Star team in 2017, two years after being let
go the Marlins.
Now Cleveland has let Hand go. But, this time,
there should be a sizeable market for his services.
AWARD WINNERS
Bill Boni Award – Charles O. Johnson Award –
Twins Most Outstanding Rookie Most Improved Twin
Randy Dobnak Matt Wisler
By Do-Hyoung Park, MLB.com By Dave Campbell, Associated Press
“If I have any advice, it’s to eat and play video The Twins made big splashes last winter by signing
games, and you’ll lose weight.” Josh Donaldson and trading for Kenta Maeda. They
Such were the wise words of Randy Dobnak when the bargain shopped for Tyler Clippard, Rich Hill, Homer
25-year-old arrived at Target Field in July in noticeably Bailey and Alex Avila to help shore up the roster. Still,
slimmer form, though he didn’t even realize that until could they have found a better payoff than the waiver
local media started buzzing about how he’d lost 15-20 claim they made on Matt Wisler?
pounds during the sport’s hiatus due to COVID-19. He The addition of the right-handed journeyman
recommends eating lots of zucchini squash, if that helps. reliever with a career 5.20 ERA on Oct. 29, 2019, didn’t
How is it that a professional athlete doesn’t notice make much of a ripple, but the now-28-year-old Wisler
such a change in his body? Well, it’s for the same wound up making a significant impact on a Twins
reason that he didn’t have any idea why his sinker bullpen that played a vital role in the team’s second
suddenly started moving more or why, yes, he used to straight American League Central division title.
drive Uber, in case you somehow haven’t heard by now. Armed with a late-moving slider that team
Randy Dobnak is an everyman, like us, and that evaluators saw strong potential to develop into a
won’t change about him. That’s part of the appeal dangerous pitch, Wisler slid right into a mid-inning role
when he dons the uniform every five games to start for and thrived from start to finish. He allowed only three
the Twins, bridging the gap between Uber drivers and runs all season in 25 1/3 innings, with 35 strikeouts
everywhere and the star athletes at the peak of the and only 15 hits allowed. He started four games as an
national pastime. opener in a three-week stretch from mid-August to
He’s that everyman in every way except in his ability early September, totaling 10 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings
to throw a baseball really, really well, which makes him with only two hits surrendered in those appearances.
the recipient of the 2020 Bill Boni Award for Twins Most Wisler had never posted a full-season ERA under
Outstanding Rookie. 4.28 in his first five major league seasons with
You’ve undoubtedly heard most of the made-for- Atlanta, Cincinnati, San Diego and Seattle, but his
film story by now: He went undrafted out of Division 1.07 ERA and .165 batting average against with the
II Alderson-Broaddus University, briefly played in an Twins turned his career onto a different track.
independent league nobody’s ever heard of, was scouted There were mechanical improvements that
by the Twins via YouTube and made a meteoric rise pitching coach Wes Johnson and other specialists
from High-A all the way to an MLB playoff start in a year. in the organization helped Wisler make.
But his story no longer needs to speak for him, “The one thing why I think my slider is so effective,
because his pitching does that plenty well enough. talking to catchers, it doesn’t move the same,” Wisler
When Jake Odorizzi, Rich Hill, Homer Bailey and said. “One pitch it will go straight down and the other
Michael Pineda were all unavailable in the starting one goes more side to side. I have a lot of different
rotation and José Berríos took some time to find his movements on my pitch. I don’t do anything different
best stuff, Dobnak stepped in alongside Kenta Maeda that I can feel.”
as one of the sport’s best starting pitchers for much of For the pitcher himself, the sudden mid-career
the season, sitting among the league leaders in ERA success had just as much to do with joining a
and wins with a 5-1 record and 1.78 ERA on Aug. 22. healthy, winning environment.
A late-season slump brought Dobnak’s ERA up “This is the first time I’ve really been on a World
to 4.05, but that understates the importance of his Series-contending team,” Wisler said near the end of
stability for most of the season while the Twins’ pitching the regular season. “Instead of pitching to statistics
staff healed up. Without him, the injury-depleted Twins on a bad team, all you’re trying to do is go out there
would have had a much tougher road to a second and win the game. It frees you up a little bit, instead
straight AL Central titl—and it’s likely that he’s earned of worrying about your numbers and giving up runs.
his place in more championship pushes to come. You’re just trying to make sure you win that game.”AWARD WINNERS
Carl R. Pohlad Award for Outstanding
Mike Augustin Media Good Guy Award Community Service and Jim Kaat Award –
Twins Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Rogers Byron Buxton
By Dan Hayes, The Athletic By Betsy Helfand, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Typically, the relationship between a team’s closer Whether robbing home runs, charging in to make
and the media isn’t always the easiest to navigate. diving catches or throwing out runners who were trying
When you think about it, most of the interactions to take an extra base, Byron Buxton provided plenty of
between the two parties normally occur after the web gems for the Twins’ highlight reel in 2020.
pitcher has blown a save. The dynamic center fielder, who was a Gold Glove
Those exchanges can get often get a little dicey Award finalist, consistently wowed his teammates,
and rarely are fun for either side. coaches and fans with his defense, and so when it
But that wasn’t all Taylor Rogers had to endure came to voting on a Defensive Player of the Year,
during the 2020 season. there was no doubt who it would be. Buxton took
As the team’s Major League Baseball Players home the award unanimously, earning the honor
Association representative, Rogers was much for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
busier than normal. Not only was he the liaison for Buxton, who finished the year with a perfect
his teammates as everyone tried to navigate the fielding percentage, was tied for third in the majors
challenges associated with the coronavirus, from with 11 defensive runs saved per FanGraphs, helping
the initial shut down through the endless wait and transform the Twins’ defensive outlook each time he
contentious negotiations, Rogers was tasked with stepped foot on the field. Buxton used his speed and
keeping the media updated, too. his athleticism to make difficult plays look routine,
And none of that includes the trials Rogers and and he completed many plays others simply would
his teammates faced when they finally stepped on be nowhere near.
the field. His play in the outfield has left his teammates in
Try playing baseball without fan support to provide awe—and appreciative. Starting pitcher Kenta Maeda
you any energy. Tack on all of the health and safety said Buxton “can contribute 10 times more than what
protocols that were put in place to conduct the season. other guys can,” in the field and fellow outfielder Max
And subtract doing something as simple as leaving Kepler went even further in his praise.
your hotel room to find a sandwich or spending time “His defense is like no other,” Kepler said. “I think
talking to your teammates in the clubhouse. it’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
There were enough tests to drive anyone mad. In addition to providing Gold Glove-caliber defense,
If that weren’t enough, Rogers had to deal with Buxton finished his year at the plate slashing
individual performance struggles. .254/.267/.577 with 13 home runs in 39 games played.
He had his share of rough days and bad breaks. Buxton’s 1.2 fWAR was third on the team behind just
Rogers’ internal numbers would suggest he pitched designated hitter Nelson Cruz and Maeda.
just as well as in 2019, when he was considered one Buxton was also the winner of the Carl R. Pohlad
of the team’s breakout performers. Yet his ERA and Award for Outstanding Community Service, taking
blown save opportunities didn’t match up. home the honor for his work with his wife Lindsey
It was a trying year through and through. supporting military members and their families.
Despite his struggles, Rogers made it all easy for Last year, he began the Buxton’s Battalion
everyone with a recorder by incorporating his typical program, where he hosted families of service
blend of patience and dry humor. members at Target Field on Tuesdays, giving out
Whether it was detailing his color-coordinated tickets to games and inviting them to watch batting
closet in March, thoroughly discussing the possibilities practice and partake in meet and greets.
of a season resumed in June or dissecting a series He has also donated money to the Minnesota
of rough outings during the summer, Rogers left no Military Family Foundation, helped create
doubt as to who deserved to win the Twins’ Mike opportunities for members of the Minnesota National
Augustin Media Good Guy Award. Guard to play catch at Target Field and distributed
baseball gloves to members of the Twins RBI program.AWARD WINNERS
Calvin R. Griffith Award - Most
Valuable Twin and Bob Allison Award -
Twins Leadership Baseball Writers’ Association
of America
Nelson Cruz
By Pat Borzi, MinnPost.com
Three things epitomize Nelson Cruz’s brief yet Thank you to our partners with our local chapter
meaningful tenure with the Twins. Clutch hitting. of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America,
Leadership. And community service, whether here who put in the extra time of nominating, voting,
or in his native Dominican Republic. and awarding many of our Diamond Awards. Tonight
The first two traits enabled Cruz to repeat his we want to thank them for all the time and effort
2019 Diamond Awards double, winning this year’s they have put in to make these awards happen year
Most Valuable Twin and Bob Allison Leadership after year.
Awards for the second time in his two seasons in
Minnesota. Cruz is the fifth player and first full- Thank you, BBWAA!
time DH to win the Allison multiple times since
its inception in 2005, joining three-time winners
Michael Cuddyer (2009-11) and Justin Morneau
(2008, ’12-13) and two-time recipients Mike Redmond
(2005, ‘07) and Brian Dozier (2016-17).
In this pandemic-shortened season, the 40-year-
old Cruz topped the Twins with 16 homers and a
.992 OPS in 53 games. His 33 RBI trailed only Eddie
Rosario’s 42 for the club lead, and he batted .303
with an American League-best five intentional walks.
He finished among the top five in the AL in homers,
slugging (.595) and on-base percentages (.397) and
seventh in batting.
Cruz started off hot, crushing three homers with
10 RBI in the season-opening three-game series in
Chicago. On Sept. 8 he became the first 40-year-old
in major league history to homer in both ends of a
doubleheader twice in a season.
Leadership? So much of what Cruz does happens
behind the scenes. The most public example
manifested late in the regular season, when Cruz
began draping a bathrobe over the shoulders of Twins
home-run hitters in the dugout. Josh Donaldson
bought blue personalized robes for his teammates to
use in quarantine, and Cruz cleverly repurposed his.
In the postseason, Cruz drove in both Twins runs in
the Wild Card Series loss to Houston.
Cruz’s two Diamond Awards pair nicely with
two more recent honors: The Marvin Miller Man of
the Year Award from MLB for leadership, and the
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award from
ESPN for his charity work through his Boomstick23
Foundation.Sponsors
HALL OF FAME
WORLD SERIES
MVP MEDIA PARTNER
GRAND SLAM
VIEWING EXPERIENCECOMMITTEE Roster 2021
Robert (Mark) Allison Dick Bremer
Event Founder BAARC Member
Dustin Morse
BAARC Chair Emeritus Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
Bob Allison Family (Fox Sports North)
ALLSOUND Investments Michelle Nash
Louise Coauette
Eric Pogulis Family
Debra Allison Stand Up 2 Ataxia
IWG plc (Regus)
2021 Event Co-Chair
John Hanson
Bob Allison Family La Velle E. Neal III
WCCO 830 Radio
Mary Kay Cosmetics Baseball Writers’
(Entercom)
Association of America
Jennifer Crowder
Tom Hauser Star Tribune
2021 Event Co-Chair
KSTP-TV (ABC)
BAARC Member Dave St. Peter
Former BAARC Member
GR Promotions President, Minnesota Twins
Brian Kraft
KT Anderson UMN STAFF
BAARC Chairman
Cargill
Schulze Family Foundation Laura Berg
Ryan Anderson Program Specialist
Chuck Lynch
BAARC Member
BAARC Member Sarah Gleason
Fortune Financial
Former Diamond Awards Assoc. Development Officer,
Patty Beadle Event Chair Neurosciences
BAARC Member
Jolae Maly Amanda Pieper
John Bonnes Hamilton Beach Assoc. Development Officer,
TwinsDaily Community Partnerships
Josh Ortiz
KFAN
Minnesota Twins Kristen Rasmussen
Patrick Borzi Director of Development,
Baseball Writers’ Neurosciences
Association of America
MinnPost
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