Gary Gaetti was the 1980 Midwest League
home run champ and became the 47th major leaguer to
homer in his first big league at-bat, September 20,
1981. In 1982 he replaced former co-Rookie of the Year
John Castino at third for the Twins.
Gary was an excellent defensive player and won four
Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence from 1986
through 1989. He was a power-hitting third baseman
and had his best offensive season in 1986 when he
batted .287 with 34 home runs and 108 RBI’s.
An outstanding defensive player with multiple league
leaderships in putouts, assists, his strong offense
continued in 1987 with 31 home runs and 109 RBI’s.
In the 1987 LCS he became the first player ever to
hit two home runs in his first two at-bats of postseason
play and became a key player in winning the World
Series for Minnesota in’87 against the Detroit
Tigers. He was the LCS MVP, won his second straight
Gold Glove, went to the All-Star game and set a Twins
third base record with a .973 fielding average.
In 1988, he became a born-again Christian, completely
changing his image, which up until that time was the
image of a hard-drinking baseball player interested
primarily in the game, his mullet hair, booze and
cheap women.
He went on to make All-Star appearances in 1988 and
1989. He gained notoriety in the '89 All-Star Game
when he displayed a religious slogan written on his
batting gloves to the TV cameras during the pre-game
introductions. Against the Red Sox on July 17, 1990,
he became part of a major-league record when he started
three triple plays at Fenway Park. His batting average
slipped to .229 in 1990 and Gary Gaetti signed with
the Angels, replacing Jack Howell at third.
His production dropped significantly with the Angels.
He hit just 12 homers in 1992, nowhere near the production
California had expected. Never a selective hitter,
he drew just 21 walks. Even worse, his .926 fielding
percentage that year was the lowest of his career,
and by the end of the season he had been shifted to
first base. The Angels released him in June 1993.
He then signed with the Royals, who had lost their
projected regular third baseman, Keith Miller, to
injury, and had been playing struggling rookie Phil
Hiatt at third. Handed the third base job, Gary Gaetti
turned his career around. In 1995, at the age of 36,
he put together one of his best seasons, hitting .261
with 35 home runs and 96 RBI’s, setting a career
high in home runs and missing the Royals team record
for most home runs in a season by one.
Following the 1995 season, Gary signed as a free
agent with the Cardinals, where he enjoyed two more
productive seasons before being released again in
August 1998 after the Cardinals' acquisition of Fernando
Tatis. Gary then signed with the Cubs, where he enjoyed
a good two months during the Cubs' pennant drive,
hitting .320 with 8 home runs and 27 RBI’s.
He helped the Cubs win the National League wild card.
Gary Gaetti, now pushing 40, began showing signs
of age. Hindered by a bum knee, he wrapped up his
career with two seasons for the Cubs and a brief cup
of coffee with Boston, valued as much for his veteran
leadership as for his bat. He only played in five
games in April 2000 at the age of 41.
Gary Gaetti became the interim hitting coach for
the Houston Astros on July 14, 2004 when the Astros
dismissed manager Jimy Williams, hitting coach Harry
Spilman, and pitching coach Burt Hooton. Gary was
previously the hitting coach for the AAA level New
Orleans Zephyrs.
Gary’s great performance with the Twins makes
him a fan favorite and his long career makes him a
Minnesota Twin “wish list” for Hall of
Fame status.
