Piranhas (baseball)
Encyclopedia
"Piranhas" was a nickname applied to a group of hitters for the Minnesota Twins
baseball
team. Specifically, the term applied to shortstop
Jason Bartlett, third baseman
Nick Punto
, outfielder
Jason Tyner
, and second baseman
Luis Castillo.
Midway through the 2006 season, the Twins opted for a lineup
that included Tyner batting eighth, Bartlett ninth, Castillo first, and Punto second. Manager Ron Gardenhire
said these players were like four leadoff hitter
s: all were fast and hit for average but not power. During the 2006 season, all four hit between .290 (Punto) and .312 (Tyner), but hit a combined six home runs.
The term "piranhas" was coined during the 2006 season by Chicago White Sox
manager Ozzie Guillén
. Said Guillen:
Despite the fact that the term came from a rival manager, it was quickly embraced by both the players and the fans, as well as media outlets such as ESPN
. After running a popular "Twins Territory" commercial in 2007 featuring Jason Bartlett and Nick Punto at the Mall of America
's Underwater World as "Piranhas" the Minnesota Twins organization marketed official T-Shirts, Hats, Signs, the team even had a "Little Piranha Night" in in which piranha finger puppets were given to fans attending the game that evening.
(shortstop) batting eighth, Carlos Gomez
(center field) batting ninth, Denard Span
(right field) batting first and Alexi Casilla
(second base) batting second, were another set of speedy hitters. Hitting for average and but not power, these players, like the original piranhas, orchestrated numerous one or two-run innings that led to eventual wins.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team. Specifically, the term applied to shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Jason Bartlett, third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Nick Punto
Nick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
, outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Jason Tyner
Jason Tyner
Jason Renyt Tyner is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Tyner stands at 6'1" tall and weighs 175 pounds...
, and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Luis Castillo.
Midway through the 2006 season, the Twins opted for a lineup
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
that included Tyner batting eighth, Bartlett ninth, Castillo first, and Punto second. Manager Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
said these players were like four leadoff hitter
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
s: all were fast and hit for average but not power. During the 2006 season, all four hit between .290 (Punto) and .312 (Tyner), but hit a combined six home runs.
The term "piranhas" was coined during the 2006 season by Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
. Said Guillen:
Despite the fact that the term came from a rival manager, it was quickly embraced by both the players and the fans, as well as media outlets such as ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. After running a popular "Twins Territory" commercial in 2007 featuring Jason Bartlett and Nick Punto at the Mall of America
Mall of America
The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...
's Underwater World as "Piranhas" the Minnesota Twins organization marketed official T-Shirts, Hats, Signs, the team even had a "Little Piranha Night" in in which piranha finger puppets were given to fans attending the game that evening.
2008 Season Piranhas
During the 2008 Minnesota Twins season, the team played similarly to the 2006 piranhas team. Nick PuntoNick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
(shortstop) batting eighth, Carlos Gomez
Carlos Gómez
Carlos Argelis Gómez Pena, nicknamed "Go-Go", is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.-Minor leagues:...
(center field) batting ninth, Denard Span
Denard Span
Keiunta Denard Span is an American Major League Baseball outfielder for the Minnesota Twins. He was selected by the Twins with the 20th overall pick in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft from Tampa Catholic High School...
(right field) batting first and Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla Lora is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Minnesota Twins.-Professional career:...
(second base) batting second, were another set of speedy hitters. Hitting for average and but not power, these players, like the original piranhas, orchestrated numerous one or two-run innings that led to eventual wins.