1978 Topps Baseball #162 - Paul Thormodsgard

• Paul Thormodsgard was signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 1971. Paul progressed through the Reds' system and was highly regarded, but injuries derailed his advancement out of the minors.
• Paul was released by the Reds after the 1974 season. He had an elbow operation and also had a bad back. Thormodsgard credited a chiropractor with saving his career.
• Thormodsgard was signed by the Minnesota Twins after the 1975 season. Paul pitched in class A Reno in 1976 and then made the Twins roster in 1977. Thormodsgard went 11-15 and had a 4.62 ERA in 37 starts for the Twins in 1977.
• Paul started the 1978 season with the Twins but he had a tough time. After winning his first start, Paul went 1-6 with a 5.05 ERA in 12 starts in 1978. In early June Thormodsgard was sent to AAA Toledo. He went 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in 5 games with the Mud Hens.
• Toledo manager Carl Ermer was optimistic about the Mud Hens' chances in 1979 due in part to the presence of Thormodsgard in the starting rotation. Paul spent most of the 1979 season in Toledo and went 7-13 with a 2.94 ERA in 28 starts. Thormodsgard was called up to the Twins in September and pitched in one game (he allowed one run in one inning pitched. That was the last major league action Paul had.
• After the 1979 season Paul was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Pete Mackanin (this newspaper article says he was traded for minor leaguer Dan Graham -- perhaps Mackanin was substituted later). Thormodsgard spent the 1980 season in AA Oklahoma City. Paul had a 5-5 record with a 2.95 ERA in 35 games (8 starts). He retired after the 1980 season.
• 1978 Stats: 
• Minnesota Twins: 1-6, 5.05 ERA in 12 starts
• Toledo Mud Hens (AAA): 4-0, 2.00 ERA in 5 games (4 starts)
• 1978 Highlights:
• April 8: Pitched a complete game and earned his only victory of the year as the Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 8-2.
• May 24 - Pitched nine innings and allowed two runs in a 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers.
• Aug 30 - Had a complete game victory that reduced the Mud Hens' magic number for clinching an International League playoff spot to 3. The Mud Hens beat the Tidewater Tides 2-1.