'I loved to compete': Justin Morneau headed for Twins Hall of Fame "High school coaches are here, and the guy who owned the batting cage I used to go to, let me hit for free," Morneau said, adding the Twins told him his guest list was the longest they'd ever had. Sep. 25Justin Morneau came to Minnesota as a teenager 14 or 15 for a hockey tournament. All So, I hope it doesnt sound like Im just copying what he said two weeks ago. The only exceptions were 2014,. Justin Morneau inducted into Twins Hall of Fame - MLB.com Use another "I wasn't good enough to make the section team, let alone the provincial team or the national team," Morneau said. Now, the 40-year-old works Twins broadcasts for Bally Sports North and has also contributed as an analyst on Sportsnet -- a challenge he enjoys even if its completely different than the one he navigated as a player with the Twins, Rockies, Pirates and White Sox. Two guys from B.C., who both dreamt of playing in the NHL, permanently enshrined by their organizations on the same day. The Canadian was a homegrown talent who was originally selected in the third round of the 1999 MLB Draft before he debuted with the big league club in 2003. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Justin Morneau - Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Justin Morneau ready for Twins Hall of Fame induction 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. Vlad Jr. is 2 for 5 against Pineda with a home run, as well as a walk. He ranks third in hits (1,603), fourth in home runs (247) and seventh in RBIs (985) with a lifetime .281 batting average and .348 on-base percentage. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. When I learned of fellow inductees, John Olerud, Duane Ward and Jacques Doucet, I was at a loss for words. MINNEAPOLISLarry Walker helped inspire an entire generation of baseball players from Canada, so it seems fitting that on the same day his number was retired by the Colorado Rockies one of the guys who grew up idolizing him was having a ceremony of his own. His rankings on the #MNTwins all-time list: 1,278 games (9th)1,318 hits (8th) 221 home runs (3rd) 860 RBI (6th)289 doubles (6th) pic.twitter.com/JUjfZ6yH3B. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media I figured about half the people would say yes and show up. Morneaus career will forever be intertwined with Walkers even though the two never played on the same big-league team. 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. "I think this is the ultimate honor for a player," Morneau said. Premier Baseball League and the Canadian Junior National Team before being selected by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 1999 MLB draft. September 24, 2021 - 10:04 PM. Justin Morneau came to Minnesota as a teenager 14 or 15 for a hockey tournament. 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. Hes earned it the hard way, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Twenty-five years later, Morneau is about to enter the franchise's Hall of Fame after a 14-year big-league career that included 11 seasons with the Twins. Justin Morneau ready for Twins Hall of Fame induction You can go years without seeing each other, but its like we saw each other yesterday. He asked for permission to use it and Walker happily obliged. I think we all have so much respect for each other. Rookie Trevor Larnach has picked Morneau's brain about how to succeed in the majors. Justin Morneau, who won American League MVP with the team in 2006, will be inducted at a ceremony before Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He joins Kent Hrbek as the only first basemen to earn the honor, as voted on by 71 members of local and national media, club officials, fans and previously elected members. Joe Nathan joined the two in the booth Friday. The Twins were really, really good for a long time, and he was a big, big part of it.". Justin Ernest George Morneau (born May 15, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball first baseman. Your existing password has not been changed. Each year in Minneapolis, he spearheads a winter coat drive for the Salvation Army. Justin Morneau played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including 11 with the Twins from 2003-13. I took some batting practice in the Metrodome. To see your localized preferences, please enable geolocation services in your browser settings. "The Minnesota Twins are thrilled with the election of Justin Morneau to the Twins Hall of Fame," said Twins president Dave St. Peter in a statement. The 40-year-olds name can be found near the top of almost every major stat involving Canadians. This, for me, is a great thing in my career and in my life, Pineda said. Justin Morneau elected to Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame 33 was deemed off-limits. He has also helped organize fundraisers for juvenile arthritis to raise awareness about a disease his niece, Maddie, is fighting. 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. We invite you to a special breakfast celebrating the induction of Ron Gardenhire, Dan Gladden, and Csar Tovar into the Twins Hall of Fame. 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. 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 . Morneau might still long for his playing days, the adrenaline and camaraderie that came with it. You welcomed me as one of your own and I will be forever grateful. The Twins Hall of Fame, which honors players, managers, coaches and off-field personnel who have contributed to the organizations growth and success since Major League Baseball came to Minnesota in 1961, was created as part of the clubs 40th Season Celebration in 2000. The Twins elected Morneau to the Hall of Fame in January 2020 but postponed his May induction that year because of COVID-19. Morneau will officially be inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in an on-field ceremony prior to the Twins' home game against the White Sox on May 23. Were such a close group, and we can go years without seeing each other but its like we saw each other yesterday. Hennepin County Youth Baseball/Softball Grant. It's almost surreal.". Longtime Twins managers Tom Kelly and Ron Gardenhire were instrumental in turning Morneau from the raw catching prospect Minnesota drafted into the defensively sound first baseman who won two Silver Sluggers and a batting title. Born in New Westminster, B.C., in 1981, Justin Morneau honed his skills with the North Delta Blue Jays of the B.C. You can change your selections at any time. "I was just thankful that I got drafted by the Minnesota Twins and that I was able to grow up in this organization, because I spent some time in other organizations, and I always say that I'm thankful that I was a Minnesota Twin," Morneau said. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. In the hours leading up to Morneaus speech at Target Field, he just hoped it would go as well as Walkers did last month in Cooperstown. 2 sport, and all my friends who played lacrosse made fun of me for playing baseball. For that, the former junior national team member had a long list of names to go through. Justin Morneau discussed his career with the Minnesota Twins He was elected to the hall in January 2020, but his planned induction was delayed by COVID-19. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. The team has a day of events planned to celebrate the four-time All-Star, starting with a sold-out breakfast featuring a Q&A and autographed items. Fittingly, just as the ceremony was about to wrap up, Walker appeared on the video board with a message referencing the bat he gave Morneau. And hes looking forward to sharing it all with friends, former teammates and mentors from throughout his life and playing career. As for Morneau himself, he didn't have too far to go to join all those former teammates. Full speech: Justin Morneau inducted into Twins Hall of Fame Justin Morneau Joins Twins Hall of Fame - Twins - Twins Daily Odds & lines subject to change. Twins Hall of Fame Breakfast presented by Coordinated Business Systems is happening on Saturday, August 20! The man who ran the local batting cage and let Morneau hit for free so he could get enough reps. September 21, 2021 / 12:30 PM The former Twins closer said he likes Justins style in the press box. rights reserved. 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. 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. The Twins drafted Morneau in 1999. But here he is, at age 40, about to experience just that. He did a good job. / CBS Minnesota. The breakfast will include a program honoring Csar Tovar, Ron Gardenhire, and Dan Gladden. He finished his Twins career hitting .278 (1,318-for-4,749) with 289 doubles, 16 triples, 221 home runs, 860 RBI, 669 runs scored and 501 walks in 1,278 games. Now a Twins' Hall of Famer, Justin Morneau has grown content in his 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. Could he have made a career out of that? He was the guy who pretty much kept his mouth shut and just let his bat do the talking, Nathan said. Justin Morneau - Wikipedia "When we land here at the airport, I come here and it feels like home," he added. Hockey is the No. One of the more pointed tributes came when Morneau shouted out Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins for paving the way for all Canadians. ** 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. 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. To be honest, I never thought he would be the guy filling in up here. Back then, the Canadian's dream was to play in the NHL. Former Twins Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan among those on Hall of Fame ballot 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. Little did he know that just seven or so years later, he'd be on the field in a Twins uniform. On August 31, 2013, Morneau was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he helped lead the club to its first postseason appearance since 1992. You never dream for a moment like this, Morneau told the assembled media. The Twins will induct the former first baseman Saturday before their game against Toronto at Target Field. "To come through and be drafted by this organization -- I remember the day I came and hit was about a week after the Draft, and Corey Koskie kind of took me under his wing. At least, in spirit. 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.. I dont know how he held it together, but he was really good, Morneau said of Walkers speech. Don't miss out - sign up for our newsletters! While one of those players, Joe Mauer, got his due when his number was retired last summer, it will be Justin Morneau 's time to celebrate when he is inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame on May . COVID-19 postponed just about everything last year, including former Minnesota Twins' first baseman Justin Morneaus Twins Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. He is the host representative of an ice fishing tournament for United Heroes League on Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. Tickets for all four Twins-Blue Jays games September 23-26 are available and can be purchased at twinsbaseball.com**, by using the MLB Ballpark app, by calling 612-33-TWINS or 800-33-TWINS, or in-person at the Target Field Ticket Office. Former Toronto Blue Jays first baseman John Olerud and 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins headline the four-man class that will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame . And then you get to cap it all off in the end with something like this? Throughout his career, Morneau also consistently answered the call for the Canadian national team. He was a four-time MLB All-Star with the Twins and we cannot forget his MVP year in 2006, his first year wearing #33. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The Twins inducted a little-known maple syrup farmer into their team Hall of Fame on Saturday night. There were mixed reviews of him from the start, in my opinion, but I think many people are now quite fond of his analysis. Justin Morneau To Enter Twins Hall Of Fame Saturday Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. He was an American League MVP (2006), a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2006 and 2008) and a four-time All-Star (2007-10). Bremer said Morneau brings that insider look to broadcasts, translating his deep knowledge of the game to viewers and sharing with them parts they wouldn't otherwise see. 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. \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"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.\n\n\"This is a franchise with a long, proud history and great players. In fact, the Twins success drafting and developing players allowed them to surround Morneau with plenty of other all-stars, overcome their small-market status and contend year-in and year-out. One (1) autograph per inductee per attendee. But in some ways, he does still show up on the field. 2000-2020 Rogers Media. Autograph restrictions subject to change. Justin Morneau Twins Hall of Fame - MLB.com His name was added to Baseball Canadas Wall of Excellence in 2010. As part of his efforts for that cause, he hosted an annual casino night that raised over a $1 million for the arthritis foundation and helped send kids to Camp Cambria, a camp for kids with arthritis. Former Minnesota Twins star Justin Morneau will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame Saturday ahead of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Well give you the latest news when it becomes available, or feel free to add some more selections to your 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. Morneau on Saturday will be inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame David Berding / USA TODAY Sports. Justin Morneau remembered the first time he came to Minnesota at about 15 years old for a hockey tournament at the University of Minnesota. But Morneau is looking forward to celebrating everyone who helped him to this point, especially the ones most fans don't know. 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. He let his bat do the talking, former Twin Joe Nathan said. By He loved both hockey and baseball, but he even skipped a year of baseball when he was 8 years old. Justin Morneau discussed his career with the Minnesota Twins Sideline To Stage 87 subscribers Subscribe Like Share 21 views 6 months ago Justin Morneau spoke about being inductees into. But he attended a Twins game regardless, taking it all in from left field in the Metrodome. Hopefully well laugh and well cry and well do a little bit of everything. The left-handed hitting Canuck began his minor league career as a catcher but was converted into a first baseman in 2000 in Rookie ball. 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. But mostly he appreciates the caliber of players he shared the field with, including Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, Johan Santana and Joe Nathan. "Camaraderie with teammates, leaving Spring Training with a goal of winning the World Series, all that stuff, it's hard to replicate," Morneau said. That's something that I never really thought would come along, and it did.". "You never dreamed for a moment like this," Morneau said Friday. You just dream for one day in the big leagues and to cap it all off in the end with something like this, its something surreal., This is a franchise with a long, proud history of some great players, he continued. 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. Morneau still makes his home in the Twin Cities and remains a visible figure in the organization as a special assistant to baseball operations and a color analyst for the club's television broadcasts on FOX Sports North, a role in which he should take a more prominent position this season. Confirming what we already knew, that he made a lot Canadians proud, himself included. Its a special group., Wayne Gretzky, right, chats with Justin Morneau ahead of a game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Minnesota Twins in 2012. Saturday, Morneau will be joined alongside his former teammates and loved ones to be the 34th player inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame. An overwhelming win from Royce Lewis takes us to the Twins 3rd prospect. "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.". And he proved plenty good enough at that throughout a 14-year Major League career that he earned the honor of becoming the 34th member of the Twins Hall of Fame, as announced by the club on Friday. "They just want to see you succeed. Full speech: Justin Morneau inducted into Twins Hall of Fame 5,632 views Sep 25, 2021 99 Dislike Share Save Bally Sports North 19.4K subscribers The 34th member of the Twins Hall of. Morneaus childhood field was named after Walker. Justin Morneau: one of the best to ever wear the Minnesota Twins uniform. FACING VLADDY. "The Minnesota Twins are thrilled with the election of Justin Morneau . 2): Off the rails, On the Relationship of Pitch Tempo and Defense. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. In all, Morneau played in parts of 14 big league seasons and he ranks in the top five among Canadian major leaguers in many all-time offensive statistical categories, including third in RBIs (985), third in hits (1,603), doubles (349) and total bases (2,739) and fourth in home runs (247). 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 use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. " Every year, it seemed like, for a long run of time, six divisions and championships in nine years. Morneau is the 34th player to enter the Twins Hall of Fame. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox. I am looking forward to being in St. Marys this summer to celebrate with my fellow inductees in person. I sent him a congratulations and he sent one back. His Hall of Fame plaque will be unveiled at 4:15 p.m. Before the game, a ceremony emceed by Dick Bremer and attended by several other Twins Hall of Famers will take place. Morneau joked that the Twins gave him a hard time for inviting more guests than anyone ever had before. Manager Rocco Baldelli said rookie starter Joe Ryan has left the team to fly back to California to deal with a family-related matter. I faced the Vladdy Daddy and the Vladdy Junior. (Darren Calabrese/CP). {* backButton *} Megan Ryan is a Minnesota Twins beat reporter. And fast-forward another 25 years, he'd be joining the team's Hall of Fame. Twins announce 2022 Hall of Fame inductees - Audacy Nathan got his moment of Twins HOF glory back in 2019. Dont get me wrong, I loved them anyway. "I figured about half the people would say yes and show up. ","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", "To the fans: You supported me and you embraced me. 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. 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Tomorrow, hes crying for sure, 100 percent, Nathan said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Twins' Justin Morneau Day gives a Canadian baseball - The Star Nathan is part of that electric crew that Minnesota fans loved, you know the one that never really made it past the first round of playoffs. The tight bonds between that group -- the shared experiences that keep them all coming back, year after year, for each of these ceremonies -- are one of the most important hallmarks of this franchise and what Morneau hoped to highlight most as he teared up while going down a lengthy list of thanks for everyone from Tom Kelly to the late Wayne "Big Fella" Hattaway to the clubhouse personnel to Corey Koskie.