Is Michael Cuddyer a Twins Legend in The Making?

Does the name Brent Gates ring a bell in any Minnesota Twins fans heads? Probably not, because Gates has a lifetime batting average of .264, and only had 616 Major League hits in his career; but what is unique is that Gates is the last Minnesota Twin player to wear number five (1999) besides Michael Cuddyer.

In the last decade the Twins have sent Cristian Guzman(2001), Eric Milton(2001), Joe Mays(2001), Eddie Guardado(2002,2003), A.J Pierzynski(2002), Joe Nathan(2004,2005,2008,2009), Johan Santana(2005,2006,2007), Torii Hunter(2002,2007), Joe Mauer(2006,2008,2009,2010), Francisco Liriano(2006), Justin Morneau(2007,2008,2009,2010). Yet this year we wont see Mauer catching, or Morneau playing 1st instead we will have to wait and see what position Cuddyer will play in this years MLB All Star game, because Cuddyer can play any position. When asked what position he will play in the All Star game, this is what he had to say "Who knows?" Cuddyer said. "I don't know ... I'm going to take all my gloves just in case." Since June 1st, Cuddyer has lead the Twins from the basement in Major League to the guest room in the AL central, and now are trying to steal the master room from the Tigers and Indians.

I grew up idolizing Hunter roam center field, and wishing I could somehow smash home runs like Morneau, or hoping to become a five-tool player like Mauer, but in the past decade in which the Twins have won six Division titles, I have begun to call Cuddyer my favorite Minnesota Twin, because he plays the game the right way, and not to mention Cuddyer is the only Twins player to taste all that champagne over the past decade.

Michael Cuddyer was drafted in the first round(9Th overall) in the 1997 amateur draft, and made his Major League debut on September 23, 2001. Over the past few years I have noticed a thing or two about Cuddyer, for one he just plain and simple wants to play; it does not matter if he is playing right field or first base, he probably would strap on the gear and catch if asked to. Another thing I noticed is that Cuddyer is a true team player, what I mean by a true team player is that he helps out the rookies when asked, and is always leading the team by example. If there is one player in the Major Leagues you hope your kid models his baseball game by, you better hope its Cuddyer, because he does not play for the money but instead plays for the love of the game. I even wore number five in high school in honor of Cuddyer.

With free agency looming at the end of this year for Cuddyer, some fans have already began to ask "is Cuddyer going to come back next year?" It is hard to imagine Cuddyer playing for another team, because he is the face of the franchise right now, yes I know we have Mauer, and Morneau but both of them have played more games in the minors the past few seasons then they have in the Majors. Cuddyer stats will probably never get him into Cooperstown, but it is starting to look like Gates will be the last Twins player to ever wear number five besides Cuddyer. What I am trying to hint at is with Bert Blyleven having his number retired this summer by the Twins, and with some more room up there for other number to be retired, Cuddyer could be on his way to having his number hang next to the likes of Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Kent hrbek, Rod Carew, and Tony Oliva.

I bet some people are scratching there heads thinking "Cuddyer a

Twins legend?" It does not matter if his number resides on the Budweiser's roof top wall, because Cuddyer name is already written down in the history books of the Twins. For one, Cuddyer has been a main stay in the Twins organization, and Two, he has helped the team compete on and off the field even during bad season(2005,2007, and the resurgence this year), and not to mention Cuddyer is a very hard working man in the Minnesota community. I have watched Cuddyer make foolish errors in the field, but I also have watched him smash long home runs; I have also seen Cuddyer with his back up against the wall in right field throw a 300 plus feet bullet to home plate to nail the runner at the dish.

If your not to busy on Tuesday night you should sit down, and flip your TV to the MLB All Star game, and witness a true baseball player in action in Cuddyer. With so many players caught up in million dollar contracts, and getting caught up in legal actions, it is a nice to know that there is at least one player in the Major Leagues who plays the game the right way.