Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Saturday, July 15, 2017

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1 Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Saturday, July 15, 2017 Astros hitters pick up where they lift off, dominating Twins. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 1 Day for Bartolo Colon's Twins debut uncertain Star Tribune (Neal) p. 2 Updates on Buxton, Vargas and Mauer after loss to Astros. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 3 Error proves costly as Jose Berrios, Twins fall 10-5 to Houston Astros. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 3 Twins Miguel Sano says he used his normal BP swing in Home Run Derby. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4 I m not going to give up, Twins Glen Perkins says as rehab process drags on. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6 Tom Powers: Bartolo Colon deal proves Twins are still hungry. Pioneer Press (Powers) p. 8 Buxton, Vargas day to day with injuries. MLB (Boutwell) p. 9 Dozier sets Twins record for leadoff homers. MLB (Boutwell) p. 9 Twins can't recover after Berrios falters early. MLB (McTaggart and Boutwell) p. 10 One Twins prospect lands on Keith Law s midseason top-50 list and it wasn t their No. 1 pick ESPN (Coller) p. 11 Astros hitters pick up where they lift off, dominating Twins La Velle E. Neal III Star Tribune July 14, 2017 HOUSTON The Twins sought revenge against the Astros on Friday for a three-game sweep in Target Field back in May, only to be reminded of why they sought revenge in the first place. They were pulverized, once again, by baseball's juggernaut as the Astros won 10-5 at Minute Maid Park. Houston knocked out starter Jose Berrios in the second inning, then continued the battery on reliever Phil Hughes as the Astros moved to 15-5 over their past 20 games. "I understand that they are in first place in their division and they are really hot right now," said Berrios (8-3), whose 1⅔-inning stint was his shortest outing of the season. "That doesn't mean you don't follow your game plan. I followed my game plan, but they were ahead in most of the counts, and that's how they were able to get to me early." Brian Dozier led off the game with his 21st career leadoff homer, setting a team record. Then the Astros took over. Berrios struck out Brian McCann to start the second, but the next eight Astros reached base. Actually, the inning could have been vastly different. With a man on and one out, Yuli Gurriel sent a grounder to shortstop Jorge Polanco that should have been converted into at least one out. Polanco tried to scoop up the ball with his glove and shovel it to Dozier at second, giving them a shot at a double play. Polanco botched the shovel, and both runners were safe. Berrios gave up three consecutive run-scoring hits, walked a batter, gave up a sacrifice fly and then an RBI single to Carlos Correa as Houston took a 5-1 lead. Berrios was replaced by Hughes, whose 0-2 changeup to McCann was hit for a three-run homer, making it 8-1. Polanco's error undoubtedly was costly, but Berrios has to wear some of this, too. He threw 29 pitches after the error and failed to control the damage. He fell behind on 11 of the 13 batters he faced, so he really wasn't in position to bail out his shortstop. "A lot of times you look for your pitchers to pick you up when you make a defensive mistake," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "That didn't happen." What should be more concerning to the Twins than the rout is that Berrios has a 7.11 ERA over his past four starts.

2 Houston led 10-1 after three innings but left the door cracked open. Dozier cleared the bases with a double in fourth to make it The Twins loaded the bases again in the fifth and sixth innings, but they could only muster one run out of that, on a sacrifice fly. While they walked nine times tied for the most in a nine-inning game this season they were 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position in a game in which they could have retaliated. The Twins publicly stated their desire to pay the Astros back for the three games played at Target Field in May, when they were outscored A tall task. Houston led the majors at the All-Star break with 527 runs scored and had three players George Springer, Jose Altuve and Correa among the top five in the AL in on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Houston has outscored the Twins this season and over nine meetings going back to last season. "They are a tough team to slow down," Molitor said before the game. "Looking at their numbers, you always get a 'who's hot,' page, and they are pretty much all on it. And their numbers looks more like American Legion than American League." Day for Bartolo Colon's Twins debut uncertain La Velle E. Neal III Star Tribune July 14, 2017 HOUSTON Twins manager Paul Molitor said he hopes to know where Bartolo Colon s next outing will take place in the next couple of days. The very veteran righthander gave up four runs over 3⅔ innings on Thursday for Class AAA Rochester in an outing that lacked sharpness. I hope to have that decision in the next 24 to 48 hours, Molitor said, so we don t have that decision looming into Sunday. Colon, making his first appearance since June 28 for Atlanta, faced the Lehigh Valley IronPigs as General Manager Thad Levine looked on from the stands. Molitor on Friday spoke with Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and Red Wings manager Mike Quade as they determined if they can start the four-time All-Star and 2005 Cy Young winner against the Yankees on Tuesday. While one batted ball was misplayed into a double, there were some hard-hit outs. And the club has to take that into consideration as it determines Colon s readiness. There was a little bit of rust, Molitor said of the reports he received. Command is fairly good, maybe not as good as it needs to be for him to be effective at his highest level. But he threw his changeup and breaking ball. The Twins signed Colon on July 7 after he was designated for assignment by the Braves. If the Twins decide to have him make another tuneup start, they will have an interesting decision to make for Tuesday s game against the Yankees. They could recall Felix Jorge from Class AA Chattanooga, but he lasted only 2⅔ innings on July 7 against the Orioles. Molitor mentioned righthander Dillon Gee, who was signed and called up on June 23 but never pitched. Gee is scheduled to start on Saturday for Rochester. Or, they could have something else up their sleeves. Mauer close to return First baseman Joe Mauer worked out Friday afternoon, then took batting practice with the team. He appeared to have no problems with his lower back, but Molitor had decided to wait until Sunday before activating Mauer from the 10-day disabled list. Then the game started. Byron Buxton left in the sixth because of a sore left groin. And Kennys Vargas left after the seventh with left foot contusion. Molitor now might place Vargas on the DL and activate Mauer for Saturday s game. We re going to wait to get some feedback on his condition and make a decision, Molitor said after the Twins lost to the Astros Vargas had X-rays taken after the game as a precaution but said he can play with the injury. He fouled a ball off the same foot a couple of weeks ago while at Class AAA Rochester and, out of nowhere, he began to have trouble running on Friday. 2

3 Buxton is listed as day-to-day. Zack Granite will likely fill in for him in center. Mauer hasn t played since July 5 because of lower back soreness, and Saturday is the first day he can be activated. Reports coming into town were that he had a good break in terms of returning to good health, Molitor said. So far, I have seen nothing that has dispelled that. Spending time at home Jason Castro, Tyler Duffey and Robbie Grossman all live within 10 minutes of Minute Maid Park. So they were able to spend the All-Star break at home and can drive in for the games. It s not too often so many players can spend a break at home, then play for the visiting team. Castro played six seasons with Houston before signing with the Twins before this past offseason. Grossman broke in with the Astros and played with them for parts of three seasons before being released following the 2015 season. He hooked on with Cleveland but received his release on May 16 of last season before joining the Twins. Updates on Buxton, Vargas and Mauer after loss to Astros La Velle E. Neal III Star Tribune July 14, 2017 Here are three thoughts from LEN3 following the Twins' 10-5 loss to Houston: BUXTON INJURY: Byron Buxton felt soreness in his left groin muscle as he scored from first on Brian Dozier's double in the fourth inning. He remained in the game, but pulled up awkwardly into second base in sixth after his double to left. He's considered day-to-day. Zack Granite fans will be excited that he could see some action with Buxton down, but take note. Buxton was 1-for-2 on Friday and is batting.476 over his last six games. And no one plays defense like him. His 17 defensive runs saved are the best of any center fielder in baseball. He's having some success with his new approach at the plate and the Twins want to see how he runs with it. VARGAS INJURY: "I can play with this," Kennys Vargas said of the left foot contusion that knocked him out of the game in the seventh inning. Vargas initially fouled a ball off the foot during spring training then again about two weeks ago while at Class AAA Rochester. The Twins had precautionary X-Rays taken after the game, which they expect to be negative. But they still might place him on the DL and activate Joe Mauer. ABOUT THE GAME: Fans on twitter wanted Jorge Polanco drawn and quartered after his error in the second inning helped fuel an eight-run bust by Houston. Polanco has committed six errors over his last 18 games, so that is concerning. But Jose Berrios could have made a pitch to get out of the inning. He threw first pitch strikes to just TWO of the 13 batters he faced...for as bad as the game started the Twins could have gotten back in this one. Brian Dozier hit bases-clearing triple in the fourth inning. The Twins loaded the bases again in the fifth, getting just a sacrifice fly. They loaded the bases AGAIN in the sixth, but failed to score. And the Twins entered Friday fifth in the league in batting average with the bases loaded. They could have made things interesting. They drew nine walks, for goodness sakes. Error proves costly as Jose Berrios, Twins fall 10-5 to Houston Astros Mike Berardino Pioneer Press July 14, 2017 HOUSTON As slow-footed Yuli Gurriel sent a textbook double-play grounder at Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco, it might have been tempting for Jose Berrios to start the satisfied walk back to the third-base dugout. Instead, that second-inning chance rolled up Polanco s glove and flipped harmlessly into the air. Eight runs later, Berrios was watching in disbelief from the dugout and the Twins were well on their way to a 10-5 loss to the Houston Astros. I think I went too fast, Polanco said. I think I could have waited a little bit more. It wasn t hit soft. Carlos Beltran, the Astros 40-year-old designated hitter, was running with the pitch on a full count, but Polanco still believed he had plenty of time to make the play. It happens quickly, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. Instead of concentrating on getting the right hop, you get in a little collision course with the baseball. He wasn t able to come up with it cleanly. 3

4 Losing to the Astros for the ninth time in their past 10 meetings, the Twins have now been outscored in that span and given up doubledigit runs in six of those games. The Twins lost their third straight overall and have dropped seven of their past nine road games after starting 23-9 away from home. Polanco s 10th error this season and fourth in his past 12 games came on Berrios 16th pitch of the second and 29th of the night. Thirty pitches later, Berrios (8-3) was still searching for the third out as Molitor mercifully removed him from the game. It s tough, Polanco said. We want to make every play to make the pitcher have a good inning, but errors happen and he couldn t get out of it. Five of the seven runs charged to Berrios were unearned, but he still wasn t able to stop the bleeding on a night when he threw first-pitch strikes to just three of 13 batters. Marwin Gonzalez, Alex Bregman and George Springer followed with run-scoring hits, and Carlos Correa, Berrios World Baseball Classic teammate, sent him packing with a sharp RBI single up the middle. It s part of the game, Berrios said through a translator. It happens. Just like I m human, they re human back there. It s also up to me because I could have made some adjustments after the error. They were ahead in most of the counts, and that s how they were able to get to me early. Berrios, working with seven days rest, said he threw his normal bullpen on Tuesday but struggled to stay in his mechanics. I was opening too early, he said. I talked to the pitching coach (Neil Allen), I talked to Ervin (Santana) about it. I tried to make an adjustment and just use more of my legs toward the end, but I couldn t make the adjustment soon enough. Brian McCann added a three-run homer off Twins reliever Phil Hughes, who also gave up a solo homer to Gonzalez in the third. Hughes has a career ERA through two outings here. Brian Dozier had given the Twins a quick 1-0 lead with his 21st career leadoff homer, passing Jacque Jones for the Twins all-time lead. Dozier added a bases-clearing double in the fourth, but Byron Buxton tweaked his left groin rounding second to score on the play and left the game after extending his hitting streak to six games in the sixth. Buxton is hitting.387 (12 for 31) in 10 games this month. Kennys Vargas was sent for X-rays on his bruised left foot, which caused him to be lifted in the seventh inning. With Joe Mauer eligible to come off the 10-day disabled list Saturday, Vargas could swap spots with him. Left fielder Zack Granite made his second straight start and notched his first career hit on a third-inning blooper over the head of second baseman Jose Altuve, who tossed his glove to the ground as Granite raced to second. The Twins tied a season high with nine walks but went 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Twins Miguel Sano says he used his normal BP swing in Home Run Derby Mike Berardino Pioneer Press July 14, 2017 HOUSTON After hitting 32 total homers in the Home Run Derby on Monday in Miami, Miguel Sano didn t feel as if he needed extra work to recalibrate his swing for game action. That s because, despite all those monster blasts on his way to a runner-up finish to New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge, Sano purposely kept his swing the same. I didn t change my swing in the Home Run Derby, the Twins slugger said Friday. I had the same swing. I tried to hit the ball like in (batting practice). I tried to hit a couple to right-center and stop pulling. I didn t change anything. Judge, who will face the Twins for the first time Monday at Target Field, was a different story, Sano said. I saw before the All-Star Game, when he took BP, he hit a lot of pop ups, Sano said, dipping his back shoulder to demonstrate. I didn t try to hit the ball real far. I tried to do a normal BP. Sano s longest homer was 491 feet, and his highest exit velocity was 113 mph. Judge s 47 homers across three rounds included a long of 513 4

5 feet and a top exit velocity of 119 mph. After participating in the 2014 derby at Target Field, Brian Dozier hit.174 with one homer and 11 strikeouts over his next 50 plate appearances the rest of the month. Sano entered the break batting.224 with 26 strikeouts and a.666 combined on-basel/slugging percentage over his past 72 plate appearances. That included three homers and just five walks. JOE MAUER S (ALMOST) BACK First baseman Joe Mauer appeared set to be activated off the 10-day disabled list for Saturday s game, the earliest he could return after suffering back spasms on the Fourth of July. I d be surprised if he s not ready, Twins manager Paul Molitor said before Mauer took his first round of batting practice since the setback. Mauer, who had avoided the DL since August 2014, underwent extensive stretching therapy during the all-star break and looked comfortable during an optional early workout at Minute Maid Park as well as BP. Like riding a bike for Joe, Molitor said. He had a good break in terms of returning to good health. So far, I ve seen nothing that s dispelled that. COLON PLAN Despite a shaky first outing for Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, 44-year-old right-hander Bartolo Colon remains under consideration to start July 18 for the Twins against the New York Yankees, one of his nine former organizations. Pretty much as expected, Molitor said. There was a little bit of rust. Command was fairly good. Maybe not as good as it needs to be for him to be effective to his highest level. Colon, who lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his first outing since June 28 with the Atlanta Braves, threw 76 pitches and worked in a few changeups and breaking balls. Pitching at the Philadelphia Phillies Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs affiliate, Colon gave up four earned runs on two walks and four hits, including a solo homer by shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford, hitting just.216. He wasn t supported by particularly good defense, from what I understand, Molitor said. It could have had a different outcome. The only error assessed to the Red Wings was on an errant pickoff throw by Colon in the fourth. He issued back-to-back walks to start that inning, including one to ex-twin Pedro Florimon, but rallied to strike out his final two batters. A decision on what comes next for Colon should be made by Sunday, Molitor said. CASTRO S HOMECOMING Twins catcher Jason Castro returned to Minute Maid Park for the first time since signing a three-year, $24.5 million contract this offseason. Even though he played in Houston from , Castro wasn t sure how to get to the visitors clubhouse. I had to get D.J. (Pirson), one of the (Astros) clubhouse guys, to point me in the right direction, Castro said. I figured my best shot was just to cut across the field to the other dugout. As for Tal s Hill, the controversial ballpark feature that included a flagpole that was in play in deep center field, Castro said he liked it when he was catching and disliked it when he was hitting. It just depended what half of the inning we were in, he said. It was a love-hate relationship for sure. According to Fangraphs.com, the Astros have received 2.5 Wins Above Replacement from their catchers this year: ex-yankee Brian McCann, Evan Gattis and ex-twin Juan Centeno. That trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants among big-league catching production. The Twins rank 15th at 1.0 catching fwar with that split evenly between Castro and utility catcher/emergency reliever Chris Gimenez. 5

6 I m not going to give up, Twins Glen Perkins says as rehab process drags on Mike Berardino Pioneer Press July 15, 2017 FORT MYERS, Fla. Rehabbing from major shoulder surgery can be a maddening, mind-numbing, lonely process. That s why Glen Perkins is so thankful he has Cibney Bello as a daily resource. On a peaceful, sunny Thursday morning at the Twins minor-league complex, the Twins erstwhile all-star closer started with long toss from up to 120 feet. Bello, who helps coach Gulf Coast League pitchers and assists in rehab programs for those coming off injuries, stood down the leftfield line on the receiving end of Perkins throws. As Perkins moved closer and the intensity increased, Bello s glove popped a bit louder with each successive throw. Along the dewy grass, Bello placed a sanitary sock containing a solitary baseball as a makeshift home plate. I play catch with him every day, Perkins says as he approaches the 13-month mark of his post-surgery process. He s a good, hard-working guy. He s helped me a lot in the last couple months here, mentally and physically. He s a good sounding board for me through all this frustration. Bello, also 34, was born in Venezuela and reached high-class A in the Seattle Mariners organization a decade ago. He finished out with three years knocking around independent ball before turning to coaching. He sees firsthand the dedication his most accomplished project shows day after day. He s working really hard, man, Bello says. He s putting in a lot of effort to try to get back and help the team in the big leagues. For me, with the attitude he has, working with him has been something really positive. There s only one problem with their partnership: More than 15 months since he last threw a pitch in the major leagues, Perkins still hasn t been cleared to begin a full-fledged rehab assignment. THE HELL WITH IT Their next stop is the mound, where Perkins grips a towel in his bare left hand, toes the pitching rubber and simulates his delivery at half speed. Instead of a baseball, it s the towel that whips through the thick morning air, never leaving Perkins grasp. Bello watches intently from a few steps away as a Twins trainer monitors the exchange. Sometimes Bello goes into a catcher s crouch to get a better look at Perkins balance point and the once-familiar way his right leg dangles just so before striding toward the plate. This is something new for him, Bello says. He never was hurt before. Don t forget it s been hard for him to find his timing. It s not just the layoff the former University of Minnesota star from Stillwater must overcome. It s all the barely detectable bad habits and subtle compensations that crept into his delivery while pitching through nagging back and neck pain over the second half of the 2015 season and through the spring of I got so far out of my mechanics that I had when I was healthy, Perkins says. You try to do this little thing or that little thing to feel better, and you get so far away from what you were that you don t even realize it. All of this happens, mind you, before Perkins even makes throws to a stand-in catcher. A day later, he will face hitters again in live batting practice for the first time since being shut down for a week in late June, when the pain in his upper arm returned and he received yet another cortisone shot, this time in his biceps. He made three one-inning appearances in extended spring training games, and the first time was highly encouraging. His fastball was back up 89 mph, a far cry from the mid-90s at which it once hummed, but still a notable step in the right direction. His signature slider was diving and darting again as inexperienced young hitters flailed and laughed and shook their heads in amazement. It s hard to get a read when you re throwing to 18-year-olds, but I could tell by the action on some of them, Perkins says. Even these guys, 6

7 they re professional baseball players. When you get them to swing and miss at a pitch by two feet, it can t be crappy. It s got to be a decent pitch. That was on a Tuesday. He faced hitters again that Friday, then again on the following Monday. Each time he asked his shoulder to respond, it was a little less willing. By the third outing, Perkins could feel the familiar grab, but the competitor within kicked in. I was frustrated, he says. I probably didn t benefit from throwing that game, but I just said the hell with it. I ve been rehabbing for a year, and my shoulder doesn t feel good, but I m out here on a mound and I m going to pitch. I got through it, and the next day it felt worse. That s when I said, We need to get this taken care of again. UNCERTAIN FUTURE Perkins can feel the baseball calendar slipping away from him. He is making $6.5 million this season with a team option for that same amount in 2018 that almost certainly will be bought out for $700,000. He admittedly isn t even sure if he wants to pitch beyond this season, which only adds to an urgency he must push away whenever it bubbles to the surface. (Rehabbing) isn t the kind of thing that deters me from playing; it s how my shoulder feels, he said. It s being away from my family. There are so many variables to me even playing next year. I m not going to give up, but I also know I have an option next year that, I mean, let s be realistic. He shrugs. If we could work something out, then I would think about it, Perkins says. But that s so far in the future. I still just want to pitch in a game. I mean, I do. I m aware that the further along this goes, the less likely that is. But as long as I have a chance, I m going to try. To this point, he has been able to pitch just two big-league innings over the past two seasons at a combined guarantee of $13.5 million (including the buyout). He appreciates that instead of being treated as a pariah by the new front-office combination of chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine, he feels as if he has their full support. More than anything, it s just how patient they ve been, Perkins says. Not to say the old guys weren t, but these guys have been really good with encouraging me and making sure things have gone the way I m comfortable with. I felt bad when I let (former GM Terry Ryan) down when I got hurt. I feel bad that I haven t come back yet. Another smile. Another shrug. None of this has been how I wanted it to go, but it is what it is, he says. I m getting paid a lot of money to sit down here and play catch for 20 minutes. I m stuck here with a crappy shoulder and getting paid to do this, which isn t what I had in mind all along. A GOOD DAY Those emotions are part of his daily conversations with Bello as well: The sense of responsibility and the slow grind that may or may not allow him to contribute to an unlikely Twins postseason push this season. That is going to be the most important thing that he needs to realize: try not to get frustrated, Bello says. When you have a surgery or you re coming back from an injury, there s going to be a lot of ups and downs. That s something he needs to learn how to deal with and try to find a way how to battle and work through it. Thursday s session was one of the good days. The ball is coming out of the hand really well, Bello says. We re seeing more velocity. So it looks like everything is starting to come together real well. Hopefully we ll be watching him pitch on TV later on. And if it doesn t happen, if retirement is all that waits at the end of this endless rehab schedule, would Perkins be at peace? 7

8 Yeah, he says. Heck, I ve done more work in the last 13 months trying to get back. I haven t shortcut anything or not done something that I was supposed to do or felt like I should do or anything. I knew going into it that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn t, and if it doesn t work, I m one of the ones it didn t work. Tom Powers: Bartolo Colon deal proves Twins are still hungry Tom Powers Pioneer Press July 14, 2017 There is something immensely likable about a major league pitcher who stands a chance of splitting his pants every time he bends over to pick up a baseball. No doubt the Twins equipment managers are stockpiling needles and thread in the event Bartolo Colon eventually makes an appearance at Target Field. Colon s Thursday night debut at Triple-A Rochester wasn t very good, and at 44 years old and the size of a small village, he needs to impress quickly. With luck, he ll get another chance or two. He is an inspiration to many of us older guys who get their daily steps in by trekking to and from the buffet line. The Twins have an interesting history of employing portly pitchers. I can recall chatting with pitching coach Rick Anderson in 2007 in Fort Myers when Ramon Ortiz, a skinny right-handed candidate for the rotation, hurriedly entered the clubhouse. Ortiz made beeline to the back room where the post-workout pasta and cold cuts were set out on a table. Seconds later there came the sound of thundering hooves. Fellow pitchers Sidney Ponson, Boof Bonser, Carlos Silva and Dennys Reyes 1,000 pounds of pitching goodness came barreling in. I m telling you, put an ordinary NFL running back behind those guys and he d gain 1,200 yards. After doing the required jumping jacks in the Florida sun, they were huuungry. Think about the Klumps approaching the all-you-can-eat buffet in the year 2000 movie The Nutty Professor and you ll know what I m talking about. I looked over at a bemused Anderson and noted that it was a good thing Ramon got to the grub before those guys. Tommy, Anderson said shaking his head, if Ortiz don t eat first, he don t eat! It was a few years later at the same venue when Ron Gardenhire and Anderson had a come-to-jesus meeting with reliever Jose Mijares. The youngster had talent but had come to camp so fat that he strained something every time he lumbered off the mound to cover first base. He had become one big pulled muscle and was ruining his chance for a pivotal role in the bullpen. So they read him the riot act. Told him to straighten up or he wasn t going to make the team. He had to take care of himself physically. From all accounts, Mijares was contrite and promised to change. He said he didn t want to let them down. The next day s camp workouts were scheduled for later than usual because the guys had just played a night game. Gardenhire and Anderson, however, got to the ballpark very early, as a manager and pitching coach sometimes will. The place nearly was deserted. Except there in the back room they spotted Mijares huddled over a big bowl of spaghetti. They immediately dispatched him to the minor league camp. I didn t actually see him carrying his gear over to the minor league camp, but I noticed his footprints in the parking lot. And the parking lot is made of concrete. My favorite portly Twins pitcher was Juan Berenguer. Juan set the Twins record for quickest time to work up a sweat. He once relieved on a hot day in Anaheim and retired his man on one pitch. Then he used three towels in the dugout. I m glad the Twins front office took a chance on Colon. With the trade deadline approaching, and with the Twins still breathing, people are clamoring for big trades that will help push the team in the playoffs. That type of short-term thinking, of course, is counterproductive. The new fellows in the front office are trying to build something sustainable here. We all know that the pitching staff is rocky. Minor league hurlers are being cycled in and out. Tom Kelly used to call that Community Auditions. Any trade would have to bring in a young pitcher with promise. Good luck finding one of those and not giving up a king s ransom. Better to keep giving these young guys a shot until Derek Falvey and Thad Levine figure out exactly what they have (and don t have). Not that they are discounting After all, The Big Sexy is trying to find his groove in Rochester. I sure hope he does. He could help the 8

9 organization in a lot of ways, including the sale of T-shirts. A lot of us who are in less than perfect shape will proudly line up to get our official Bartolo Colon XXXL apparel. Buxton, Vargas day to day with injuries Christian Boutwell MLB July 14, 2017 HOUSTON -- Center fielder Byron Buxton was removed from the sixth inning of the Twins' 10-5 loss on Friday with soreness in his left groin, and first baseman Kennys Vargas was subbed out with a contusion in his left foot in the seventh. Buxton is listed as day to day; X-rays taken of Vargas' foot were expected to return negative. After drawing a walk in the fourth, Buxton scored from first base on a double by second baseman Brian Dozier. Two innings later, Buxton smacked a double and eventually moved to third before the inning ended with Robbie Grossman flying out to right field. Including Friday, Buxton is 12-for-31 in July, with seven strikeouts and two RBIs. "I didn't realize, when he scored from first on Dozier's double, he had a slight groin strain," manager Paul Molitor said. "He wanted to stay in the game. But when I became aware of it after the double, we got him out of there just to make sure it didn't get any worse, because I know he wouldn't slow himself down." Vargas said he injured his foot during batting practice two weeks ago while with Triple-A Rochester; the lingering pain became more notable in the third inning while he was running from the dugout to first base. Vargas was recalled when first baseman Joe Mauer hit the 10-day disabled list on July 7. "When I was down in Rochester about two weeks ago, I fouled a ball during BP on my foot again," Vargas said. "It just got to the point today to where I couldn't bear the pain anymore." "For whatever reason tonight, it started getting progressively worse," Molitor said. Vargas isn't worried that the foot is broken and says he could play if needed. "I can play. I can play with pain," Vargas said. "[Molitor] asked me if it was bothering me, if it was hurt, and I told him, 'Yeah, it hurts.' So I didn't come out of the game because I wanted to. He pulled me out because he was concerned about the pain." With Mauer swinging a bat on Friday for the first time during his DL stint, Molitor said he had thoughts about giving him a few more days to continue swinging instead of returning on Saturday, the first day he is eligible to do so -- even though prior to Friday's game, the plan was for a Saturday return. Vargas' injury may change things yet again. "I've had thoughts about whether [Mauer] would play Saturday and Sunday, to be honest with you," Molitor said. "So I had some thoughts about holding off and giving him two days of swinging before he got into the game. But with Kennys' situation, that might change. We're going to wait until we get some feedback on his condition and make a decision on that." Dozier sets Twins record for leadoff homers Christian Boutwell MLB July 14, 2017 OUSTON -- Minnesota second baseman Brian Dozier needed only two pitches to set a franchise record. On the second pitch of Friday's series-opening 10-5 loss to Houston, Dozier clubbed his second leadoff home run this season off Astros starter Charlie Morton. The solo blast was his 21st career leadoff shot, surpassing Jacque Jones' 20 for the most in Twins history. "Obviously, it's pretty special for him to go in the Twins' record books like that," said manager Paul Molitor. Dozier's homer traveled an estimated 375 feet to Minute Maid Park's Crawford Boxes in left field, according to Statcast, and began a night when he supplied most of Minnesota's offense with two of its five total hits and four RBIs. The homer gave the Twins a brief lead before the Astros erupted for eight runs in the second inning. "It was a nice way to give us a start," Molitor said. "I think we held the lead for about 20 minutes." 9

10 Dozier's four RBIs tied his single-game career high. He's plated four runs in eight games, previously on Sept. 5, 2016, vs. the Royals. The Astros throttled Minnesota for 10 runs before the fourth inning, so if there was anything positive for the offense on Friday, it was Dozier and the lineup drawing nine walks, the most the Astros' pitching staff has allowed this season and tying the second-most free bases the Twins have taken in Meanwhile, with a double in the third inning, outfielder Zack Granite knocked his first Major League hit. He stretched a routine single into a double after his chip shot to center field -- which left his bat at a exit velocity at a sluggish 60.8 mph. "He's only got one hit, but it's good to see him taking some good at-bats," Molitor said. "It's good to see him fight that one off and get an average that wasn't zero. He's a little grinder. He brings a little fire to the game, and it's nice he's getting a little taste right now." Twins can't recover after Berrios falters early Brian McTaggart and Christian Boutwell MLB July 14, 2017 HOUSTON -- Every Astros starter had a hit, including three from Marwin Gonzalez and two apiece from Jose Altuve, Carlos Beltran and Josh Reddick, as Houston continued its assault on Twins pitching with a 10-5 win in the series opener on Friday night at Minute Maid Park. The Astros, who scored 40 runs in a three-game series at Minnesota at the end of May, sent 12 batters to the plate in the second inning and scored eight runs, capped by a three-run homer by Brian McCann. At 61-29, the Astros are 32 games over.500 for the first time since the final day of the 1999 season. "We're going to go out there and score runs," said Altuve, who went 2-for-4 with a walk. "You have a lot of guys that are playing really good on our team, so as a pitcher you have to stop us from getting on base and scoring runs, because that's what we've been doing all season long." Friday's second inning was the fourth time this season the Astros scored at least eight runs in a frame, and their second time against the Twins. It's the first time since 1984 the Astros have done that. "That inning just continued to go," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It's one of the things I love the most about our team -- we just keep coming at you. At-bat after at-bat continues to be good, and we can put some big innings on some really good pitchers. If we get an extra walk, an extra baserunner like today, we've been pretty good at capitalizing on some things." Astros starter Charlie Morton (7-3) struck out 10 batters and pitched around five walks and three hits in five innings, allowing four earned runs. Twins starter Jose Berrios (8-3) was tagged for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, but only two were earned thanks to a fielding error by shortstop Jorge Polanco in the second. "It just seemed from the get-go, for whatever reason, that [Berrios] looked uncomfortable," said Twins manager Paul Molitor of Berrios. "He just kind of looked like he was in a rush with his body, and his command was off on all his pitches. Just trying to find a way to get through that second somehow, and it never happened. They put up a big number." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Mac's attack: McCann capped the Astros' eight-run outburst in the second inning by walloping a three-run homer on an 0-2 pitch off reliever Phil Hughes, who had just entered the game, pushing Houston's lead to 8-1. The homer was McCann's 243rd in his career as a catcher, tying him with Javy Lopez for ninth-most among catchers in MLB history. Devo to the rescue: As the Astros watched a nine-run lead dwindle to five, the Twins rallied against Houston reliever Michael Feliz in the sixth and loaded the bases with two outs, putting the potential tying run on deck. That was enough of an alarm for Astros manager A.J. Hinch to summon All-Star reliever Chris Devenski from the 'pen, and Devenski got Robbie Grossman to fly out to right field to end the rally. That was the third inning in a row the Twins loaded the bases. "It was slowly starting to deteriorate, and they had a lot of baserunners," Hinch said. "It just wasn't worth not going to our [best] guys." QUOTABLE "I think both teams looked like they had four days off, to be honest. I don't think that was a very clean game. We got away with a lot, specifically the [nine] walks and a few misplays in the field. It wasn't a game that we're going to keep the video and continue to replay it. It was pretty ugly." Hinch 10

11 SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Alex Bregman's RBI double in the second inning gave the Astros a double in 47 consecutive games. DOZIER'S RECORD-SETTER On the second pitch of the game, Minnesota second baseman Brian Dozier clubbed his second leadoff home run of the season to Minute Maid's Crawford Boxes in left field. It was his 21st career leadoff shot, passing Jacque Jones to set a franchise record. WHAT'S NEXT Twins: All-Star Ervin Santana will face Houston for the second time season at 6:10 p.m. CT Saturday at Minute Maid Park. In a no-decision on May 29, the right-hander allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. Astros: Right-hander Joe Musgrove makes his second start since returning from Triple-A when the Astros face the Twins on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. Musgrove held the Braves to four runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings on Wednesday in Atlanta. One Twins prospect lands on Keith Law s midseason top-50 list and it wasn t their No. 1 pick Matthew Coller 1500 ESPN July 14, 2017 ESPN prospect analyst Keith Law recently released his list of the top-50 prospects in Major League Baseball. One of those prospects belongs to the Minnesota Twins, shortstop Nick Gordon. Notably left off the list: No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis. On Gordon, Law wrote: Gordon continues to hit and play solid defense at short, with a little more power already this year (six homers, after only five in his first three years in pro ball). He s a high-floor prospect whose exceptional feel for the game will help him exceed his tools. Law didn t leave all of this year s top selections off his top-50 though the highest ranked was Hunter Greene as the 21st best prospect. The fifth-overall pick Kyle Wright made the list at 35 and fourth-overall pick, Tampa Bay s Brendan McKay, was slotted by Law at 37th. New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario, who is hitting.327 in Triple-A Las Vegas, is the No. 1 prospect. Gordon, playing in Double-A, has an impressive.297 batting average this season with six home runs, six triples, an.820 OPS and nine stolen bases at age 21. The Twins top pick Lewis is off to a hot start, hitting.340 in his first 13 games with two home runs and six stolen bases. 11