My twin is a twin

[EdsHalo]

After Rowleyball's great thread, taking himself as a player from draft day to becoming a G.M., I'm sure that will be done to death but I wanted to do something similar.

So, I created Eric Horton (not my real name but anyway), a good contact-hitting 2B, a better than average fielder and good speed (though rated lower as a base-stealer). He's a guy that will draw walks and get the base hit but has fair to average at best power. He just finished his second year at college (my alma mater, Cal State Fullerton) and on the advice of coach, family and scouts, he entered the draft.

On draft day he was listed as the 5th or 6th best 2b so I was surprised when he went in the middle of thefirst round to Minnesota. "They called my name and I was off talking to an OF from UCLA, this was an unexpected but very gratifying surprise."

Another surprise was getting a bypass straight to AA and the New Britain Rock Cats. In 87 games, Horton went 85 for 332, a .256 avg. with 8 HR and 22 RBI and 16 SB. On July 6th, he was called up to the AAA Edmonton Trappers. In 73 games there, he batted .258 with 5 HR and 28 RBI and even more SB with 19 out of 24. Things were looking bright and the League's top 100 prospects had Horton at #83. Minnesota went 99-63 and won the division but lost to Boston (yes, Boston who won the WS in 7 over Atlanta).

Despite not getting a September call-up, Horton was optimistic, "This was a great season, as far as I'm concerned," Horton said. "The Twins were pleased and already brought me up to AAA so I have to just keep working hard and hopefully the next step will come." Unfortunately, Horton is stuck behind a young and talented Luis Rivas not to mention Denny Hocking. When will the call-up happen?



P.S. More details in the next post. I don't know if this will diminish anyone's view or entertainment in this but I'm using STB2k3 as I don't have OOTP5 ... unfortunately, I don't think I can, at the end of the player's career, get him into the coaching/G.M. business except by creating a new Coach/Scout and giving him Horton's name. So, the story might just end at retirement unless someone knows how to change that in STB2k3/OOTP4. Thanks.

[EdsHalo]

Next ... spring training 2005 (drafted in 2004). Horton starts the season in AAA and his stock appears to have dropped slightly after the 2005 draft. He's down to #96 in the top 100 prospects.

5/27 ... started pretty well but the first injury occurs as Horton went over the wall in 1B foul territory chasing a pop-up. He was out for about a week resting a tender shoulder.

Horton spent the entire season in AAA Edmonton, batting .257 with 11 HR, 62 RBI and 100 runs scored. Minnesota won the division again going 93-69 but they lost again in the first round to Boston. Horton thought he might have a chance in 2006 as the Twins let Luis Rivas go as a free agent but they committed to Denny Hocking as a starter and signed free agent Tomas Perez as a backup. Horton is stuck in Edmonton.

[EdsHalo]

2006 again starting in AAA but ...
4/12 ... Perez injured and Horton gets a call-up
4/18 ... Hocking is injured and here comes the playing time.
4/19 ... First hit (off Toronto's Mark Hendrickson)
4/23 ... First RBI (off Bedard from Baltimore)
5/2 ... First run (and a game-winner at that vs. Seattle)
5/12 ... is back from injury, and Horton's back to Edmonton

While he had some minor injuries in the summer (shoulder, knee, elbow), more callups came in August and September as well as being added to the postseason roster. Minnesota made it to the World Series that year. Horton made no appearances in the Division series but played in two games in the LCS going 0-1 with a walk.

In the world series, Horton started one game and went 1-1 but got an early hook. As a pinch-hitter, he was 2-2 and a hit in Game 6 was an rbi-single in the top of the 11th, the potential GW RBI but Atlanta scored 2 in the bottom of the 11th to win the series. It was a disappointing end for Minnesota but Horton was glad to get the experience.

"The locker room was dead quiet except for Gardenhire encouraging the guys, talking about what a great season and looking forward to next year," Horton said. "But when I got back to the hotel room, the team result was disappointing but I was also very happy to have been a part of it, to be included with the team and contribute with the chances I got."

"I'm hopeful to add to that next season."

2006 major league stats:
season: 14 for 78, .179, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 4 SB
playoffs: 3 for 4, 1 RBI, .750

[EdsHalo]

2007 offseason ... now 77th in top 100 prospects

Minnesota signed 2B Rob Mackowiak in the offseason for 4 years, so now what's to come?

Horton started the season in Edmonton and the injuries started in May. Injured bicep tendon sidelined for 4 weeks and out for a week in June with a sore back after a hard slide upended him while trying to turn the double play. Still, come Aug. 31, he was promoted and put on the post-season roster. In 11 games he went 7 for 14 including a 2-3 outing against Mike Sirotka and the White Sox and 3-4 against Sterling Hitchcock and the Yanks. Minnesota went 91-71 and would face New York in the first round.

Horton started game 1 of the division series and the Twins slaughtered the Yankees 21-2. Horton was 3-4, 2 runs including a 3-run homerun (first ever HR) to make the score 16-1. Game 2: 3-4, RBI but the Twins lost 11-6. Horton was 0-3 in game 3 and the Yankees won 2-1. Game 4 saw Horton benched and the Yankees closed out the series with a 9-4 win. Bad end for the Twins but Horton went 6 for 11 in 3 games including 1 HR and 4 RBI and a .545 avg.

So, will that propel him to more playing time in 2008?

[EdsHalo]

2008 and Minnesota is perhaps deepest at 2B. At age 24, Horton had a good spring but the scouting report changes from blue-chipper to an average, inconsistent player who will get some base hits now and then, and still quick on the paths and a good fielder.

Hocking starts the season demoted and Horton makes the team! He'll platoon with Mackowiak and bat 8th vs. LHP. Mackowiak is batting as the DH vs lefties so he's expected to play all the games in interleague play.

Mid-April, though, the platoon appears to be over and Horton's playing time is reduced. He's only started 4 games through June 1 even though he's batting .308. "I had 3 hits in the first game of the season so I was excited and hopeful to keep up, but soon enough Gardenhire changed his mind and I was sitting."

"I love this team so I respect his decision. I'm just hopeful things will change."

Unfortunately, they didn't. After opening day, he only started 7 more games that season (but getting into 36 total, including a couple as a defensive replacement in RF of all places). Minnesota made the playoffs again, going 89-73 and taking the wild card spot but were beaten once again by the Red Sox, this time in 3 straight. Horton was 0-2 in two of the games and batted .286 (14 for 49) for the season.

[EdsHalo]

2009 and age 25. Horton is still 2nd on the depth chart to Mackowiak with no platoon set up.

4/3 ... 1st start/game, 3-5, 2 RBI and first reg. season HR
4/8 ... 2nd start, 3-4 RBI
4/10 ... 3rd start, 0-4 ... only 4 more starts from now until trade deadline (3 in Aug. and I believe 2 in Sept.)

Minnesota went 91-71 to win the division but were beaten in 5 games by the Blue Jays. Horton made an appearance in game 3 for a walk and that was it.

At age 25, Horton was starting to get restless. "I'm really looking to work hard in the offseason and spring to change my future. Even if I'm not a full-time starter, I really want to contribute and hopefully be a part of a championship here." Unfortunately, the scouting report has degraded the fielding skills and emphasized the lack of consistency. What happens next?

[EdsHalo]

2010 and perhaps the platoon is back on. Horton has been penciled in as the starting 2b vs LHP and batting lead-off! The Twins color commentator interviewed him during batting practice and Horton was amped.

"I'm so happy to be starting a new season and better than that, starting opening day and batting lead-off," Horton said. "Growing up and in college, I've always preferred to bat first, to get out there with energy and get the team started."

Horton got it started well, in fact, with 2 hits. He played in 80 games, with 60 starts and even had an 8-game hitting streak. In September, the Twins gave him a contract extension for just over $2 million divided over 3 years.

G AB H 2b 3b HR RBI R K BB SB CS AVG OBP SLG
80 255 66 3 2 2 18 37 38 26 13 6 .259 .333 .310

To date, the most successful year for the second baseman ... but not as much for Minnesota as they went 81-81 and missed the playoffs by one game.

"I know some improvements are going to be made here, if you listen to the front office," Horton said. "With the contract extension, I know I'll be here. I just hope the playing time will keep coming and we can get back to the playoffs."

[EdsHalo]

2011 ... Minnesota tries to get better and picks up a better DH by acquiring Josh Phelps. Mackowiak is now the everyday starter at 2B and Horton, 27, is back to warming the Minnesota bench,

And still, Minnesota got worse with a 76-86 record and again missed the playoffs. Horton got into 45 games including 25 starts. At 20 for 103, his average dipped to .194 with an 0-for-20 stint in all of June and July. Some injury problems hit the Twins in May and Horton got into 16 games but only batted .208 (11-53) with 5 RBI. Will more improvements be made and playing time vanish further?

[EdsHalo]

2012, age 28 ... very familiar with the bench, and that didn't look to change.

Minnesota went 80-82 and missed the playoffs again. Horton's playing time was cut in half, playing 24 games with 11 starts. Even though he was consistent all year and batted. 422 (19 for 45), there was only faint hope that a change for the better was ahead in 2013, his contract year.

[EdsHalo]

2013 ... Minnesota signs 2B Bobby Hill as a free agent and Horton still sits. In late September, despite only playing in 30 games (8 starts), Minnesota signs him to a 3-year extension ... but no raise.

Minnesota was back to the playoffs, winning the division thanks to their 94-68. Horton batted. 297 for the year in just 30 games in 37 at-bats. The Twins won the division series vs. Seattle but Horton made no appearances. In the ALCS against the Yankees, he played three games going 0-1 with a walk. The Twins, unfortunately, were swept in the series.

Horton was quoted after the season, "I'm going to be 30 in a couple months, it doesn't look like things are going to change personally," he said. "All I can hope for is for Minnesota to keep getting better on the way to a championship, to be a part of winner and be a leader in the clubhouse. We're not there yet, but I'll give 100 percent to do what I can."

[EdsHalo]

2014 ... and a grueling, intensive workout regimen in the offseason for the 30-year-old Horton.

Unfortunately, in his first injury since a light strain in 2007, Horton pulled his ACL in late May and was out of the game for 7 weeks, making only one appearance in June and July combined. Things looked better in August as he got into 15 games (14 starts), but going 11-50 in the month (.220) lowering his average for the year.

He played 31 games (20 starts) in the season, batting .273 with 1 HR and 8 RBI. Minnesota's record took a dip and the Twins won 16 fewer games this season (78-84) and missed the playoffs. More rumblings were heard than before of changes to be made in search of another playoff berth next year. Would Horton have a job?

[EdsHalo]

2015 (age 31) ... Minnesota has 2 good 36-37 yr. old second basemen and a talented 3b/2b prospect ahead of Horton ... it is looking bleak for a return to the playing time of 3-4 years ago.

6/27 ... Bobby Hill traded, less competition but ...
7/24 ... Horton demoted to AAA Edmonton
7/26 ... back to Minnesota
7/27 ... back to Edmonton
7/30 ... prospect and 2 older guys are all traded away, but Minnesota trades for a talented, slugging 2B from Houston, Ronald Smith, who was ironically drafted a round below Horton in 2004.

While Horton has warmed benches, Smith has hit 286 HR, gathered 1370 hits and been a 4-time all-star. Smith and another prospect are now playing in Minnesota ... and Horton is back to Edmonton.

Minnesota still misses the playoffs though with the same record as last year (78-84). Horton got no September call-up but early in the season got into 9 games (2 starts) and went 4 for 13 (.308). In Edmonton, he batted. 321 with 8 HR and 32 RBI ... and it looks even more bleak for his future.

[EdsHalo]

2016 ... Minnesota, still with Smith, goes out and adds Rafael Furcal to the lineup, cementing Horton, 32, back into Edmonton to start the season.

4/20/2016 ... Released. He was 23 for 71 (.324) in 18 games for the Trappers, but Minnesota had their minds made up. Bags were packed and Horton headed back to his home in California.

"With all the trades made and free agents, I had to expect that some changes would be made," Horton said. "I had hoped that I would be traded where I could contribute, but apparently there were no takers."

"I'll keep working hard in hopes that someone will be interested either during the season or afterwards."

In January, just days after his 33rd birthday, it was apparent that that there would be very little interest from teams come Spring Training. While working out, he continued to have problems with his back, having worn out the cartilege by his left shoulder blade. Workouts were put on hold and the February plane ticket to Florida was cancelled.

1/25/2017 ... Retirement at the age of 33.
Career stats:
G.......GS.....AB.....H.....2b..3b..HR..RBI..R.... ..K......BB..SB...CS.. AVG....OBP... SLG
348...164...736...193..14...2....6...58...118..121 ..83...30..12.. .262.. .347.. .311

Disappointing career but still interesting project (to me anyway, perhaps not to anyone else). As I said in the first post, since it's STB2k3, I don't know that there's a way to get him into the Coach/Scout part of the game except for creating someone new and giving the new guy the same name. If someone knows of another way, I may try that. Otherwise, I'm thinking of starting something different, actually managing the team and playing out all the games ... I usually just get impatient and start simming until drafts or free agency, I'll try to be patient this time.

Hope there was some enjoyment in reading this ... I look forward to reading other people's accounts as we are all trying to live up to Rowleyball's great story. Nice job Matt!

[SanDiegoPadres19]

This is great. I might just do this myself.