The 1976 Minnesota Twins finished 85-77, third in the AL West. Only 715,394 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League. It was the third year in a row that the Twins attracted the fewest number of fans in the American League.
| 1976 Minnesota Twins | ||
|---|---|---|
| 85-77, third in the AL Western Division | ||
| File:Twins 6171.gif | ||
| Division | Western Division | |
| Ballpark | Metropolitan Stadium | |
| City | Bloomington, Minnesota | |
| Owners | Calvin Griffith | |
| Managers | Gene Mauch | |
| Television | WTCN-TV | |
| Radio | 830 WCCO AM | |
| ||
Two Twins made the All-Star Game, second baseman Rod Carew and catcher Butch Wynegar.
Offense
For the first time in four years, Rod Carew did not win the AL batting title, finishing third with a .331 average. Rod Carew had 200 hits and 90 RBI. Larry Hisle hit 14 HR and 96 RBI. Dan Ford added 20 HR and 86 RBI.
| Statistic | Player | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| HR | Dan Ford | 20 |
| RBI | Larry Hisle | 90 |
| BA | Rod Carew | .331 |
| Runs | Rod Carew | 97 |
Pitching
Reliever Bill Campbell led the Twins pitchers with 17 wins, all in relief. He also had 20 saves. Reliever Tom Burgmeier added 8 relief wins and a save. The Twins needed the relief help because the starting pitching was terrible, with only Dave Goltz (14-14) managing double digit wins.
| Statistic | Player | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| ERA | Bill Campbell | 3.01 |
| Wins | Bill Campbell | 17 |
| Saves | Bill Campbell | 20 |
| Strikeouts | Dave Goltz | 133 |
Defense
Regular Season
American League West final standings
| American League West | |||||
| Rank | Club | Wins | Losses | Win % | GB |
| 1st | Kansas City Royals | 90 | 72 | .556 | -- |
| 2nd | Oakland Athletics | 87 | 74 | .540 | 2.5 |
| 3rd | Minnesota Twins | 85 | 77 | .525 | 5.0 |
| 4th | Texas Rangers | 76 | 86 | .469 | 14.0 |
| 4th | California Angels | 76 | 86 | .469 | 14.0 |
| 6th | Chicago White Sox | 64 | 97 | .398 | 25.5 |
Notable transactions
Starter Bert Blyleven was traded to the Texas Rangers for several players including Bill Singer and Roy Smalley.