Tim Laudner

Timothy Jon Laudner (born June 7, 1958 in Mason City, Iowa) is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.

Playing career

After playing baseball for Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park, MN, Laudner was drafted in 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds in the 33rd round, but did not sign. After four years at the University of Missouri, Laudner was drafted by the Twins in the 3rd round of the 1979 draft. Assigned directly to the AA Orlando Twins, Laudner would hold his own in his first season in the Twins' organization, hitting .241 in 45 games. The following year, he would split his time between Orlando and Single-A Visalia and despite a .227 batting average he would hit 12 home runs for the season. Back at Orlando in 1981, he would put up a monster season, hitting 40 home runs while hitting .284 and earning an August call-up with Twins where he would hit 2 more home runs in 14 games. Despite spending 20 games in 1982 at AAA Toledo, Laudner would be called up to the Twins for good.^[1]

However, Laudner was never able to reproduce his 1981 seasons in the majors. Although continuing to hit for power, clubbing double digit home runs four times over his eight full seasons despite averaging only 255 at bats,^[2] Laudner's inability to hit for average (career average of only .225) kept him from taking over as the full-time catcher. Consequently he would share catching duties with a revolving list of part-time batterymates and potential replacements including: Butch Wynegar, Sal Butera, Ray Smith, Dave Engle, Jeff Reed, Mark Salas, Tom Nieto, Brian Harper, Dwight Lowery, Lenny Webster, Greg Olson, and Orlando Mercado.

Despite his faults, Laudner would be a driving force behind the Twins' 1987 World Series, hitting a home run in the team's Game 2 victory. In 1988, Laudner would have a career year in almost all statistical categories including games played and at bats. He would also be named to the American League All-Star team in 1988, his only appearance. In 1989, Laudner would return to form and would finish his last season in the majors as a backup to Brian Harper, filling a utility role and getting at bats at first base, catcher and DH. After failing to make the team in 1990, Laudner would be assigned to the AAA Portland Beavers, but after 9 games in which he would go hitless over 29 at bats, he would decide to hang up his spikes.

Retirement

Following his playing career, Laudner worked as a project manager for Kleve Heating and Air Conditiong in Eden Prairie, MN and as a division manager at Plymouth Plumbing and Heating in Plymouth, MN. He was also an on-air baseball analyst for Twins' games on Fox Sports Net.^[3]

Laudner is currently the co-owner, co-director, and coach of the "Big League Baseball Camp" in Minnesota.^[4] He also works as an analyst at Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Wisconsin including working an occasional Twins game.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube