Al Was Worth Plenty For The Twins In 1965, Part 1

Al Worthington arrived in the bigs in 1953, only to find himself on the New York Giants. The Giants had some pitcher named Marv Grissom. I touched on how good Grissom was here and here.

Worthington graduated from the University of Alabama, having played both baseball and football. Football was quit on by Al in his second year. But baseball was the pitcher's true calling.

And the big leagues would call not long after his time in Albama. Baseball was just in Worthington's blood. His two older brothers played in the minors leagues before him. Al's time in the minor leagues was not that long.

So Nashville, who were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, signed him. This was in 1951. Al's first season in the Southern League ("AA" level) went no-so-good. While his earned run average was 4.57, Worthington allowed more than eight runs per nine innings in twenty-three outing. But the next season was better. His record went from 7-10 to 13-13. In  41 games (30 starts) his ERA was 3.54. One thing to note: The Nashville Volunteers were now affiliated with the New York Giants, meaning Al Worthington could someday pitch with Willie Mays behind him!

All this led to an advancement in 1953. To "AAA" ball. Pitching for the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association. And Al was not there very long. It seemed like the young pitcher was too good for the "AAA" level. Worthington's ERA was with a 2.90 ERA , and his win-loss record was  9-5 come July. That's when the Giants came calling!

New York had an impressive pitching staff that year. But the rookie didn't look out of place. Al Worthington's win-loss record was only 4-8, but look at that earned run average, 3.44. However, I'm sure any thoughts about being a closer never crossed his mind. The Giants had someone named Hoyt Wilhelm there. And Marv Grissom would have had something to say, as well.

A little bit of minor league experience was needed for the new pitcher. Al Worthington impressed back with Minneapolis in 1954. He won eleven games and was called up for ten appearances with the parent club. New York really didn't need him that year. They swept Cleveland in the World Series.

How about 1955? With Minneapolis, Al won nineteen games, really showing his potential. So the next year, and through 1959, Worthington pitched in one league, that being the National. Still being used as a starter, Al was only 7-14 in 1956, but improved to nearly .500 (8-11) the next. He only started a dozen games, but ended up making fifty-five appearances. The Giants, meanwhile, were about to leave New York behind, as their new home for 1958 was San Francisco.

Al must have liked the move. Pretty much it was the same situation for him as it had been the previous season: Only a spot starter, but plenty of bullpen action! The result was a career-high eleven wins. Al started twelve games. He totaled 54 appearances. Worthington also ended up with six saves, indicative of a possible future job as a closer. 

But that season just made 1959 all the more disappointing for Al. Despite making 42 appearances (Just three starts), his win total fell to just two and Worthington saved only three games. Just prior to the next season, he was dealt to Boston for Jim Marshall. Al was with the Red Sox for just ten games, and his earned run average was 7.71. It was not long into the season that it was back to the minors for Worthington. Amazingly enough, he was back on the Minneapolis Millers. The Millers were now the top minor league team of the Boston Red Sox (They'd switched affiliations after the Giants moved to San Francisco). It seemed as if Al Worthington was ready to come back to the bigs. His numbers for the Millers were amazing. In 37 appearances, 11 of which were starts, Worthington won 11 and posted an ERA of just 2.04. Alas, there was no return to Boston.

Come late August, he switched Sox. Worthington pitched well for Chicago (Who had purchased his contract). Although only able to make four appearances with the White Sox, Al finished three of them. He'd found his calling, but was actually forced to spend the next two seasons in the minor leagues.

He'd made the mistake of leaving the Chicago White Sox in September, because he did not like what he was seeing on the big-league team (Worthington felt that there was some underhanded tactics being used by the Pale Hose). Off the field, Al was looking beyond his playing days. Come the Autumn of 1960, he actually went back to school. Worthington enrolled at Howard College.

As if to punish Worthington, Chicago made sure Al was not a part of their future plans. Sure, he was still with the White Sox organization, but not where he'd wanna be. Worthington pitched well the next two seasons (1960, 1961), but the big league club showed little interest in him.

With Chicago's top minor league team in 1960, San Diego (Pacific Coast League), Al Worthington was 9-10, but his earned run average was good. Among those "only" nine wins was a no-hitter (And that was part of three straight shutouts for Al). That ERA was even better the next season. A change of scenery to help. Although Indianapolis was actually down a level from the Pacific Coast League, Al Worthington pitched well in the American Association. Sure, "AA" level might be seen as further down the rung, but there was no way Worthington's 15-4 record wasn't gonna get some notice. . The expansion New York Mets were believed to be the team most interested. They needed pitching after going 40-120 in 1962.

But it ended up that the Cincinnati Reds got Al Worthington. The Reds had a bright future ahead of them, as they had some rookie in 1963 named Pete Rose. Worthington helped 'em. Although only 4-4 with an earned run average of 2.99. The Reds already had a closer, Bill Henry. Henry had saved eleven games in 1962, but had a high ERA. It was the same story in 1963, as Henry saved fourteen games but had a high earned run average. This led Cincinnati to use Al Worthington in the closer role more often than under different circumstances. While Bill Henry saved fourteen games, Worthington had ten of his own.

Al could have conceivably have remained with Cincinnati the rest of his career. However, Bill Henry got his act together in 1964. For the year, Henry had an earned run average of an incredible 0.87. Meanwhile, Al Worthington struggled. In his first six appearances that season, Al had a win, but an ERA over ten. So, it was back to the minor leagues for Worthington.

But it was a familiar place for the reliever. Al was back in San Diego. Same league, same level, same team as in 1961. Obviously, they were no longer part of the Chicago White Sox infrastructure. In only ten games there, Al proved he didn't belong at the "AAA" level. Although just two of his appearances with the Padres were starts, Worthington went 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA.

You'd think that Cincinnati would call Worthington back up. It was a strange year for them. And Philadelphia. And St. Louis. The Phillies seemed to be running away with the pennant late in the season, but on came the Reds and Cardinals. Even the San Francisco Giants were still in the hunt well into September.

But long before all that, Cincinnati acquired veteran pitcher Ryne Duren. Duren, a flame thrower who once was the New York Yankees closer in 1958 and '59, came to the Reds in May. Though he'd battled the bottle through out his career, Duren pitched well for Cincinnati. Although 0-2 in 1964, Ryne finished the year with a 2.89 earned run average.

Suddenly, there was no need for our boy. Cincinnati had Bill Henry, Ryne Duren. Their other relievers Included Sam Ellis, who won ten games with a low ERA, and Billy McCool (6-5, 2.42 earned run average). Plus, they had a stellar starting rotation of Joey Jay, Jim Maloney, Jim O'Toole and Bob Purkey. All had pitched on the Cincinnati team that won the pennant three years earlier. The Reds ultimately finished 1964 just a game back of the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 92 contests.

But Al Worthington wasn't around for that. In fact, he was no longer in the National League by season's end. Instead, he was with the Minnesota Twins of the American League. Don't feel too bad for him. The Twins won 79 games, and seemed poised to be better than that in the coming years. Their pitching staff included Jim Kaat, Camilio Pascual and Mudcat Grant.

And, now would be a good time to tell you that Minny's closer that year was a recent acquisition. Al Worthington must have loved the Twin Cities. All he did was win five games, save fourteen others, and post an earned run average of 1.37. All this in only 41 games. Let me tell you this, the Twins believed in him as the closer over an impressive crop of relievers: Gerry Arrigo, Jim Perry (Gaylord's older brother), Johnny Klippstein and Bill Pleis!

So come 1965, Minnesota put all that great pitching and hitting to good use. Hitters like Tony Oliva, Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Don Mincher, Jimmie Hall and AL MVP Zoilo Versalles.

Okay, all that was great, but the team's starting rotation seemed to not quite deliver. Camilio Pascual won just nine games. Jimmy Perry won only a dozen. Jim Kaat won 18, and Mudcat Grant topped 'em all with 21.

But the reason the starters had low win totals (Despite the teams' 102 victories in 1965) was the bullpen was trusted with the duty when the going got tough. And they sure came through. Al Worthington won ten games, Johhny Klippstein nine. Bill Pleis and Dick Stigman won four games each, Jerry Fosnow won three.

The Twins' spot starters were also pretty good. Jim Merritt won four games and Dave Boswell won six. Both pitchers had earned run averages below 3.50, so at the very least, they were keeping the team in the game when they started. 

But Al Worthington found a way to stick out on this Minnesota Twins. Maybe it was because of all the years he'd pitch in the minor leagues in Minneapolis. He made the most appearances of any Minny reliever (62). Klippstein appeared in 56. Worthington also finished 38 of his appearances. No other relief pitcher on the Twins finished more than 24 games.

Now, the bad part of Al's ten wins is he also lost seven games. Johhny Klippstein had a better winning percentage (.750) as he lost just three games. But Worthington and Klippy were the two big guns of the Twins' bullpen in 1965.

Worthington tossed 80 1/3 innings for Minnesota in '65, and Klippstein had 76 1/3. The rest of the bullpen, aside from Dick Stigman (70 IP) did not register anywhere near as many innings as the two big aces. But, and it's very impressive, no exclusive reliever on the Twins that season had a losing record.

Greatest Relief Seasons of All-Time Stat Set 1

Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bernhard	1899	21	9	0.429	132.1	6	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Walsh	1904	18	10	0.556	110.2	6	3
Griffith	1905	25	17	0.680	101.2	9	6
Ferguson	1906	22	19	0.864	52.1	2	0
Keefe	1907	19	14	0.737	57.2	3	5
Chappelle	1908	13	6	0.462	70.1	2	4
Leever	1909	19	12	0.632	70.0	8	1
Dygert	1909	32	13	0.406	137.1	9	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Phillipe	1910	31	19	0.613	121.2	14	2
Benz	1911	12	4	0.333	55.2	3	2
Baskette	1912	29	18	0.621	116.0	8	4
Crandall	1913	35	27	0.771	97.2	4	4
Wolfgang	1914	24	12	0.500	119.1	9	5
Bressler	1914	29	15	0.517	147.2	10	4
Conzelman	1914	33	16	0.485	101.0	5	6
Mays	1915	38	27	0.711	131.2	6	5
Hughes	1916	40	19	0.475	161.0	16	3
Danforth	1917	50	26	0.520	173.0	11	6
Bender	1917	20	9	0.450	113.0	8	2
Coumbe	1917	34	15	0.441	134.1	8	6
Dubuc	1919	36	22	0.611	132.0	6	4
Luque	1919	30	9	0.300	106.0	10	3
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
S. Smith	1920	33	16	0.485	136.1	11	9
Morton	1921	30	15	0.500	107.2	8	3
Baumgartner	1925	37	9	0.243	113.1	6	3
Marberry	1926	64	47	0.734	138.0	12	7
Clark	1927	27	19	0.704	73.2	7	2
Haid	1928	27	14	0.519	47.0	2	2
Rommel	1929	32	15	0.469	113.2	12	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Lindsey	1931	35	19	0.543	74.2	6	4
Quinn	1932	39	29	0.744	64.1	5	4
Russell	1933	50	31	0.620	124.0	12	6
Malone	1936	35	25	0.714	134.2	12	4
Brown	1938	51	32	0.627	132.2	15	9
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Beggs	1940	37	27	0.730	76.2	12	3
Murphy	1941	35	31	0.886	77.1	8	3
Adams	1943	70	52	0.743	140.1	11	7
Heving	1944	63	38	0.603	119.2	8	3
Maltzberger	1944	46	41	0.891	91.1	10	5
Berry	1944	53	47	0.887	111.1	10	8
Karl	1945	67	41	0.612	180.2	8	8
Christopher	1947	44	38	0.864	80.2	10	7
Wilks	1948	57	27	0.474	130.2	6	6
Page	1949	60	48	0.800	135.1	13	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Konstanty	1950	74	62	0.838	152.0	16	7
Aloma	1951	25	11	0.440	69.1	6	0
Wilhelm	1952	71	32	0.451	159.1	15	3
Paige	1952	46	35	0.761	138.0	12	10
Kinder	1953	69	52	0.754	107.0	10	6
Mossi	1954	40	18	0.450	93.0	6	1
Sain	1954	45	39	0.867	77.0	6	6
Grissom	1954	56	36	0.643	122.1	10	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Narleski	1955	60	36	0.600	111.2	9	1
Craig	1955	24	4	0.167	90.2	5	3
Freeman	1956	64	47	0.734	108.2	14	5
Farrell	1957	52	32	0.615	83.1	10	2
Zuverink	1957	56	37	0.661	112.2	10	6
Hyde	1958	53	44	0.830	103.0	10	3
Duren	1959	41	29	0.707	76.2	3	6
Staley	1959	67	37	0.552	116.1	8	5
Face	1959	57	47	0.825	93.1	18	1
Henry	1959	65	36	0.554	134.1	9	8
Sherry	1959	23	10	0.435	94.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Brosnan	1960	57	27	0.474	99.0	7	2
McDaniel	1960	63	47	0.746	104.1	12	4
Arroyo	1961	65	54	0.831	119.0	15	5
Fox	1961	39	25	0.641	57.1	5	2
Radatz	1963	66	58	0.879	131.1	15	6
Perranoski	1963	69	47	0.681	129.0	16	3
Baldschum	1963	65	44	0.677	112.0	11	7
Lee	1964	64	39	0.609	137.0	6	5
Ellis	1964	52	32	0.615	122.1	10	3
Schultz	1964	30	22	0.733	49.1	1	3
D. Hall	1964	45	28	0.622	87.2	9	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Miller	1965	67	55	0.821	112.1	14	7
Worthington	1965	65	38	0.585	80.1	10	7
Regan	1966	65	48	0.738	116.2	14	1
Drabowsky	1967	43	26	0.605	95.1	7	5
Abernathy	1967	70	61	0.871	106.1	6	3
Wyatt	1967	60	43	0.717	93.1	10	7
Wood	1968	88	46	0.523	159.0	13	12
Segui	1968	52	24	0.462	83.0	6	5
V. Romo	1968	41	30	0.732	84.1	5	3
Tatum	1969	45	33	0.733	86.1	7	2
Watt	1969	56	41	0.732	71.0	5	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Williams	1970	68	36	0.529	113.1	10	1
McMahon	1970	61	44	0.721	94.1	9	5
Grant	1970	80	54	0.675	135.1	8	3
Richert	1970	50	25	0.500	54.2	7	2
Sanders	1971	83	77	0.928	136.1	7	12
Carroll	1971	61	40	0.656	93.2	10	4
Giusti	1972	54	44	0.815	74.2	7	4
Knowles	1972	54	29	0.537	65.2	5	1
Brewer	1972	51	41	0.804	78.1	8	7
Hiller	1973	65	60	0.923	125.1	10	5
Jackson	1973	43	33	0.767	80.1	8	0
Borbon	1973	80	36	0.450	121.0	11	4
Beene	1973	19	11	0.579	91.0	6	0
Marshall	1974	106	83	0.783	208.1	15	12
Gossage	1975	62	49	0.790	141.2	9	8
Hrabosky	1975	65	41	0.631	97.1	13	3
McEnaney	1975	70	38	0.543	91.0	5	3
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eastwick	1976	71	59	0.831	107.2	11	5
Johnson	1977	71	54	0.761	146.2	16	7
Lyle	1977	72	60	0.833	137.0	13	5
Sutter	1977	62	48	0.774	107.1	7	3
Blair	1978	70	56	0.800	100.1	7	6
Stanley	1978	52	35	0.673	141.2	15	2
Lolich	1978	20	7	0.350	34.2	2	1
Tekulve	1979	94	67	0.713	134.1	10	8
Lopez	1979	61	49	0.803	127.0	10	5
R. Davis	1979	44	21	0.477	85.1	14	2
E. Romo	1979	84	25	0.298	129.1	10	5
Monge	1979	76	53	0.697	131.0	12	10
Sosa	1979	62	41	0.661	96.2	8	7
Palmer	1979	36	13	0.361	122.2	10	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McGraw	1980	57	48	0.842	92.1	5	4
Garvin	1980	61	24	0.393	82.2	4	7
Fingers	1981	47	41	0.872	78.0	6	3
Caudill	1982	70	64	0.914	95.2	12	9
Reardon	1982	75	53	0.707	109.0	7	4
Bedrosian	1982	64	30	0.469	137.2	8	6
L. Smith	1983	66	56	0.848	103.1	4	10
Stewart	1983	54	25	0.463	135.0	10	4
Quisenberry	1983	69	62	0.899	139.0	5	3
Orosco	1983	62	42	0.677	110.0	13	7
Hernandez	1984	80	68	0.850	140.1	9	3
Lamp	1985	53	11	0.208	105.2	11	0
D. Smith	1985	64	46	0.719	79.1	9	5
Lahti	1985	52	31	0.596	68.1	5	2
Moore	1985	65	57	0.877	103.0	8	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eichhorn	1986	69	38	0.551	157.0	14	6
Righetti	1986	74	68	0.919	106.2	8	8
Todd Worrell	1986	74	60	0.811	103.2	9	10
Henke	1987	72	62	0.861	94.0	0	6
Burke	1987	55	30	0.545	91.0	7	0
Daley	1987	53	29	0.547	61.0	9	5
Henneman	1988	65	51	0.785	91.1	9	6
Parrett	1988	61	34	0.557	91.2	12	4
Pena	1988	60	31	0.517	94.1	6	7
Lancaster	1989	42	15	0.357	72.2	4	2
Russell	1989	71	66	0.930	72.2	6	4
McDowell	1989	69	56	0.812	92.0	4	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eckersley	1990	63	61	0.968	73.1	4	2
Thigpen	1990	77	73	0.948	88.2	4	6
Nelson	1990	51	17	0.333	74.2	3	3
Dibble	1990	68	29	0.426	98.0	8	3
Henry	1991	32	25	0.781	36.0	2	1
Aguilera	1991	63	60	0.952	69.0	4	5
Ward	1992	79	35	0.443	101.1	7	4
Rojas	1992	68	26	0.382	100.2	7	1
Olin	1992	72	62	0.861	88.1	8	5
D. Jones	1992	80	70	0.875	111.2	11	8
Wetteland	1993	70	58	0.829	85.1	9	3
Harvey	1993	59	54	0.915	69.0	1	5
Beck	1993	76	71	0.934	79.1	3	1
Martinez	1993	65	20	0.308	107.0	10	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Myers	1997	61	57	0.934	59.2	2	3
Hoffman	1998	66	61	0.924	73.0	4	2
Urbina	1998	64	59	0.922	69.1	6	3
Williamson	1999	62	40	0.645	93.1	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Rhodes	2001	71	16	0.225	68.0	8	0
Smoltz	2003	62	55	0.887	64.1	0	2
Tim Worrell	2003	76	64	0.842	78.1	4	4
Cormier	2003	65	21	0.323	84.2	8	0
Lidge	2004	80	44	0.550	94.2	6	5
Timlin	2005	81	27	0.333	80.1	7	3
Nathan	2006	64	61	0.953	68.1	7	0
Ryan	2006	65	57	0.877	72.1	2	2
Putz	2007	68	65	0.956	71.2	6	1
Rivera	2008	64	60	0.938	70.2	6	5
Jenks	2008	57	52	0.912	61.2	3	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bell	2010	67	57	0.851	70.0	6	1
Soriano	2010	64	56	0.875	62.1	3	2
Aceves	2011	55	15	0.273	114.0	10	2
Axford	2011	74	63	0.851	73.2	2	2
Downs	2011	60	10	0.167	53.2	6	3
Cook	2012	71	23	0.324	73.1	6	2
Chapman	2012	68	52	0.765	71.2	5	5
Johnson	2012	71	63	0.887	68.2	2	1
Smyly	2013	63	9	0.143	76.0	6	0
Davis	2014	70	11	0.157	72.0	9	2
Clippard	2014	75	6	0.080	70.1	7	4
Rondon	2015	72	47	0.653	70.0	6	4
O'Day	2015	68	19	0.279	65.1	6	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Britton	2016	69	63	0.913	67.0	2	1
Osuna	2016	72	61	0.847	74.0	4	3
Brach	2016	71	16	0.225	79.0	10	4
Miller	2016	70	23	0.329	74.1	10	1
Robertson	2017	61	34	0.557	68.1	9	2
Jansen	2017	65	57	0.877	68.1	5	0
Albers	2017	63	23	0.365	61.0	7	2
Kimbrel	2017	51	67	0.761	69.0	5	0
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morrow	2018	35	30	0.857	30.2	0	0
Trivino	2018	69	10	0.145	74.0	8	3
Treinen	2018	68	58	0.853	51.0	9	2
Jeffress	2018	73	24	0.329	76.2	8	1
Yarbrough	2018	38	3	0.079	147.1	16	6
Hader	2018	55	14	0.255	81.1	6	1
Strop	2018	60	20	0.333	59.2	6	1
Workman	2019	73	30	0.411	71.2	10	1
Robles	2019	71	51	0.718	72.2	5	1
Walden	2019	70	8	0.114	78.0	9	2
W.Smith	2019	63	52	0.825	65.1	6	0
Oberg	2019	49	18	0.367	56.0	6	1
Littell	2019	29	7	0.241	37.0	6	0
Whitlock	2021	46	11	0.239	73.1	8	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L

Notes

Hughes and Sherry Smith appeared as a starter thirteen times.

Baumgartner and Bernhard appeared as a starter twelve times.

Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.

Craig and Coumbe appeared as a starter ten times.

Danforth, Malone, Stewart, Sherry, Luque and Conzelman appeared as a starter nine times.

Phillipe and Walsh appeared as a starter eight times.

Morton and Griffith appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige, Mays, Chappelle, Rommell and Yarbrough appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.

Leever, Aceves and Beene appeared as a starter four times.

Russell, Stanley, Adams, Keefe, Bedrosian and Grissom appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan, Lindsey, Karl, Wilks, Martinez, Clark and Lolich appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw, Aloma, Robles, Ferguson, Vincente Romo, and Trivino appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.

References

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.


Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Nowlin, Bill. “Al Worthington.” Society for American Baseball Research, SABR, 23 Sept. 2021, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Al-Worthington/. 07 July, 2022.

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