I've always referred to Brunansky as "Comrade Nubowsky" ever since a Bill James article about him, and the fact that names were hard to hear over the echoing Metrodome sound system.

Tom Brunansky hit a home run in the first major league game I saw in person.

I was hoping I'd somehow missed that Tom Brunansky had been showing up at spring training for the last 20 years trying to win a roster spot.

he entered his decline phase about 16 games into his MLB career

The players I have seen hit three home runs in a game (in person): Tom Brunansky, Todd Helton, Jim Thome.

Never got back to where he was at age 21. But he had a good career - played good defense, would take a walk, could hit for power.

I think of him first as a Twin, but I will always remember his sliding catch for the Red Sox in the RF corner near the Pesky pole to clinch the division in 1990, where he disappeared from Sean McDonough's view, causing McDonough to delay his call: "Long fly ball into the corner and... BRUNANSKY!!! Did... HE....... MADE the sliding catch in the corner!!! And the Red Sox are champions of the American League East in 1990!!!!!"

Of course, that was back when division titles meant something, something we have been robbed of in favor of the hideous format that is in effect now.

I was sitting in the center field bleachers for Brunansky's catch. I had a better angle than McDonough, but I was still 300 feet away, and after he slid he got up and ran back to get his hat. Since we did not know he had the ball, the move induced some panic.