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Tim Teufel
Nickname(s): Tuff
Born: 1958

2B 1983-93 Twins, Mets, Padres

Tim Teufel's Teammates

GamesAverageHRRBI
Career 2073..25486379
League CS 3.11100
World Series 3.44411

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Teufel spent two seasons as the Minnesota Twins' everyday second baseman. Considered deficient defensively, he led American League second basemen in assists in 1984 but established an AL record for fewest double plays by a second baseman in 150 or more games (81).

Teufel was traded to the New York Mets in January 1986 to be the righthanded-hitting platoon partner for Wally Backman. Though he hit only .247 in the Mets' 1986 World Championship season, Teufel lined 20 doubles in 279 at-bats. He became popular wiggling his butt at the plate, which Mets fans christened the "Teufel Shuffle." Teufel hit a career-high .308 in 1987 with 14 home runs, 29 doubles, and 55 walks in 299 at-bats.

Handed the everyday job in 1988, Teufel struggled and then went on the disabled list. He hit a career-low .238, though he did have 20 doubles for the fifth straight season. The highly touted Gregg Jefferies was given the second base job in 1989 and Teufel was reduced to a useful utility role. He was traded to the San Diego Padres in 1991 for Garry Templeton.

Always a good fastball hitter and effective against left-handed pitching, Teufel provided some pop for the Padres, posting a .435 slugging percentage in 1992 against lefties. However, he batted just .224 overall, a result of fading bat speed and age. Teufel never accumulated more than 341 at-bats in a season from 1986 until his major-league career ended at the conclusion of the 1993 campaign. (SH/GL)


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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
» September 16, 1983: Minnesota's Tim Teufel goes 5-for-5 with a triple and the first two home runs of his ML career in an 11–4 win over the Blue Jays.

» June 24, 1984: At the Dome, Tim Teufel's bloop single in the 9th inning with two on turns into an inside-the-park homer when it bounces over the head of Harold Baines to give the Twins a 3–2 win over the White Sox. Rich Dotson is the unlucky loser. The Twins Bush had an IPHR in yesterday's 4–3 win over Chicago.

» July 13, 1984: At Minnesota, Detroit tops the Twins, 5–3, when Lou Whitaker bloops an inside the park homer to win it. Detroit sends it to extra innings when RF Kirk Gibson throws out Tim Teufel at home with two out in the 9th. Willie Hernandez (5–0) is the winner.

» January 16, 1986: The Twins trade 2B Tim Teufel and minor leaguer Pat Crosby to the Mets for minor leaguers Billy Beane, Bill Latham, and Joe Klink. They also trade C Dave Engle to the Tigers for IF Chris Pittaro and minor leaguer Alex Sanchez.

» July 19, 1986: Mets players Ron Darling, Tim Teufel, Bob Ojeda, and Rick Aguilera are arrested following an early-morning fight with off-duty police officers working as security guards outside a Houston bar, but are all released in time for their Astros game that evening. On January 26th Darling and Teufel will be fined $200 while charges against Ojeda and Aguilera will be dropped.

» October 18, 1986: Boston wins Game One of the World Series 1–0 when Tim Teufel botches Rich Gedman's routine grounder in the 7th inning, allowing Jim Rice to score the game's only run. Bruce Hurst and Calvin Schiraldi combine on a 4-hitter for the Red Sox.

» October 3, 1990: At Pittsburgh, Frank Viola wins his 20th when the Mets beat the Pirates 6–3. In front of his hometown fans, New York's Chris Jelic homers, his first, last, and only hit in the majors. It comes off Doug Bair on his last at bat. Buc Jerry Reuss, in his only start this year, gives up one earned run, a home run to Tim Teufel in the 6th, but gets no decision in his last appearance in the majors. Reuss, with four appearances this year, joins the exclusive 4-decade club (1969-90) and also closes out his career with 220 wins, but never 20 in a season, a ML record. Milt Pappas also won 200 that way as did Frank Tanana this year. Tanana will end his career with 233 wins and no 20-win seasons.

» May 31, 1991: Mets trade IF Tim Teufel to the Padres for SS Garry Templeton.

» April 14, 1993: Padres 2B Tim Teufel strokes five hits in a losing cause as San Diego falls to the Pirates, 11-7.