Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Robinson in the Twins lineup, but it's not a favor to Cardinals fans. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 1

Pace-of-play improvement even more dramatic for speedy Twins. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 2

Postgame: Buxton's first steal attempt runs into a Molina. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3

Twins-St. Louis game recap. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3

St. Louis at Twins series preview. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3

Buxton buzz helps fuel Target Field ticket sales. Star Tribune (Gonzalez) p. 4

Souhan: Buxton makes the run from hype to hope. Star Tribune (Souhan) p. 4

Miguel Sano could be called up soon, Molitor says. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 6

Twins skidding their way back to Target Field. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 7

Twins set stage for Byron Buxton's Target Field debut. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 8

St. Louis Cardinals 3, Minnesota Twins 2 - same as night before. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 9

Twinsights: Miguel Sano surging, could reach majors fairly soon. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 10

Twinsights: Anthony Swarzak now pitching in South Korea. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 10

Postgame Twinsights: Twins need another bopper badly. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 1

Buxton set for home debut as Twins host Cards. MLB.com (Cobb) p. 12

Santana heading to Triple-A to prepare for return. MLB.com (Cobb) p. 12

Twins' efforts dampened in tight loss to Cards. MLB.com (Cobb & Langosch) p. 13

Twins unable to follow through on late threats. MLB.com (Cobb) p. 14

Reported timeline for Ervin Santana’s return to the Twins rotation. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 15

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Rainy day, no double play, Buxton caught stealing. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 15

Mackey’s Musings: On Byron Buxton’s speed and the Joe Mauer narrative. 1500espn.com (Mackey) p. 17

Mason: Don't judge Buxton by early results. Fox Sports North (Mason) p. 18

Minnesota Twins close to calling up prospect Miguel Sano? Fox Sports (Foltin) p. 19

Suspended Ervin Santana headed to Triple-A Rochester for rehab starts. Fox Sports (Foltin) p. 19

Cardinals hold off Twins, 3-2. Associated Press p. 20

Twins' June swoon continues with narrow afternoon loss. Fox Sports North (Mason) p. 21

Robinson in the Twins lineup, but it's not a favor to Cardinals fans Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS — Shane Robinson is in the Twins’ lineup today, so I accused manager Paul Molitor of being a sentimentalist at heart.

“I couldn’t resist,” he admitted.

But there’s a baseball reason for the move, too, he insisted. Cardinals starter Michael Wacha, who was selected 17 spots after Byron Buxton in the 2012 draft, is actually tougher on left-handed hitters than right, by a .245-to-.209 margin, and the slugging percentage is almost a 100-point difference.

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With such a reverse split, Molitor wanted to use a right-handed lineup, so Eddie Rosario sits in favor of Robinson, the local hero who received a long, warm ovation from Cardinals fans on Monday. Joe Mauer is the only lefthander in the Minnesota lineup.

None of the Twins have ever faced Wacha, who is having a spectacular season so far: 8-2, with a 2.45 ERA. “I don’t think you can get overly greedy against a guy like this,” Molitor said. “If you try to overswing, his command and velocity and movement and off-speed pitches can be a little too much to handle. You’ve got to stay short and try to use the whole field as best you can.”

Buxton will bat ninth again, with Kyle Gibson eighth. “I was comfortable enough with it to go ahead and do it again, with the same reasoning,” Molitor said. “The overriding factor of being a young kid, and having a chance to not worry about getting stuck out there on the bases, just proceeding to the top of the lineup, is the overweighing factor for me.”

This is the final game of a five-game trip, and the Twins are 1-3 so far. They come home after today’s 12:45 game to face these Cardinals again in Minneapolis for two games, with Buxton making his Target Field debut tomorrow night.

It’s rained much of the morning, but stopped long enough for the Twins to get a short workout in on the field. Intermittent showers are in the forecast, but it sounds like the Cardinals are confident the game will be played.

Pace-of-play improvement even more dramatic for speedy Twins Michael Rand | Star Tribune | June 16, 2015 Major League Baseball made subtle adjustments this past offseason in an attempt to improve pace of play, and as of the most recent collective data we’ve read about — through the first month of the MLB season for all 30 teams — the moves are working.

Whereas the average time of game in 2014 was a sloth-like 3 hours, 2 minutes, the pace through the first month of 2015, according to MLB, was a much breezier 2:54. While we’re not likely to return to the days of games lasting 2 1/2 hours as rule, eight minutes is a significant drop — and something that almost everyone would consider an improvement. Because we’re not losing 8 minutes of action. We’re losing 8 minutes of nothingness — time that batters used to readjust their gloves that can now be spent pondering life’s great mysteries.

What I found particularly interesting — after spending part of the afternoon on a self-taught class on rudimentary Excel spread sheet usage — is that as dramatic as the difference has been in MLB on average, the difference with the Twins is almost doubly impressive.

A decade ago, the Twins played at the fastest pace in MLB, with an average game time of 2:37. By 2013, however, that pace had swelled to 3 hours and 6 minutes per game for the Twins, a number they duplicated in 2014. That was four minutes slower than the major league average last season, perhaps one reason why those who watch the Twins a lot (myself included) became extra grumbly about pace of play.

This year? The Twins overall have their pace at 2 hours, 51 minutes — three minutes faster than the overall MLB average reported in the first month of the season. So while MLB as a whole has cut 8 minutes off the length of game from 2014 to this year, the Twins have cut a whopping 15 minutes off their game time, from 3:06 to 2:51.

But in the last 23 games, the difference is even more dramatic. In that time frame (not including Tuesday’s game), the Twins are playing games in just under 2 hours, 41 minutes — a full 25 minutes faster than last season. Only three of their last 23 games have lasted three hours or more. In 2014, 94 out of 162 Twins games lasted at least three hours.

The Twins’ average game time is back to the pace they were at 5 years ago, which is far more comfortable than where it was.

If you’re looking for an explanation as to why the Twins’ pace has quickened so much, well, in addition to the subtle changes by MLB I would say there are two main reasons.

First, the Twins are pitching better. They’re giving up about 0.6 fewer base runners per game this year than in 2014, and fewer base runners mean quicker games. (One odd note: The Twins are actually using more pitchers per game this season than last season — 4.17 per game this season vs. 4.03 a year ago).

Second, the Twins are walking a lot less than they did last year — 3.4 per game last season as opposed to 2.4 per game this year, which isn’t surprising because they’re seeing fewer pitches. Last year they had four of the AL’s top 30 batters in terms of pitches seen per plate appearance. This year, only Brian Dozier is even in the top 35. Fewer baserunners and fewer pitches mean faster games.

There are probably a number of factors that add 30 seconds here or there. The bottom line is this: If you’ve been at Target Field this season and seem to think games are moving along at a much speedy clip, you’re not crazy.

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Postgame: Buxton’s first steal attempt runs into a Molina Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS — Plane to catch, so here’s an abbreviated bit of leftovers from today’s 3-2 loss:

— It was a quiet third day in the major leagues for Byron Buxton, who makes his Target Field debut on Wednesday. The rookie center fielder went 1-for-3, grounding out and striking out against St. Louis starter Michael Wacha — who was drafted 17 spots after Buxton in the 2012 draft — before hitting a one-hopper in the eighth inning that pitcher Matt Belisle could only knock down, allowing Buxton to reach with a single. But two batters later, Buxton attempted his first steal in the major leagues, and discovered that there aren’t many catchers like Yadier Molina in the Southern League. Molina’s throw was perfect, and Buxton was easily thrown out. OK, the dirt was wet and Buxton maybe didn’t get a great jump, but the play was startlingly easy for Molina.

— Manager Paul Molitor admired the Cardinals’ situational hitting in this series. In the second inning, after Yadier Molina led off with a double, Jason Hayward grounded out to second, moving Molina up a base, and Randal Grichuk lifted a fly ball to left that was deep enough to score the catcher for St. Louis’ first run. “They’re pesky,” Molitor said of the Cardinals’ offense. “They’re good at taking advantage of run-scoring opportunities when they get them.”

Twins-St. Louis game recap Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 16, 2015 GAME RECAP IMPACT PLAYER Yadier Molina, C, St. Louis Doubled, scored a run, and snuffed Twins threat by throwing out Byron Buxton while trying to steal in the eighth. In the numbers 1.47 Michael Wacha’s ERA in three starts against AL teams this year .664 Joe Mauer’s OPS, lower than all eight starting Cardinals position players Tuesday 10 Extra-base hits by Eduardo Nunez, among his 19 total hits Up next The four-game series shifts north for the last two games, which is the Cardinals’ first visit to Target Field. St. Louis at Twins series preview Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 16, 2015 TWO-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD

Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

LHP Tommy Milone (2-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Martinez (7-2, 2.93)

Thursday, 12:10 p.m. • MLBN, 96.3-FM

RHP Mike Pelfrey (5-3, 3.18) vs. LHP Jaime Garcia (2-3, 2.06)

TWINS UPDATE

This is the start of an eight-game homestand, five of them against NL Central contenders. The Cubs visit Target Field this weekend. … The Twins are 20-12 at home but have lost five of their past six games at Target Field. … Entering Tuesday, they have scored 265 runs and given up 264. … The Twins have struck out the fewest opponents in the majors but have walked the fewest, too. At the plate, they rank ninth in striking out and 13th in drawing walks. … 2B Brian Dozier entered Tuesday eighth in the AL in home runs (13), first in extra-base hits (37) and second in runs scored (51). … 1B Joe Mauer’s next game will be his 1,362nd, passing Gary Gaetti for fifth place in franchise history.

CARDINALS UPDATE

It has been 15 years since the Cardinals visited Minneapolis, where they are 4-2 all-time in the regular season — and 0-4 in the postseason

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(1987 World Series). … They are 17-14 on the road but have lost three of their past five away from home. … Rookie LF Randal Grichuk has 28 hits, 16 for extra bases. … RF Jason Hayward bats .320 against lefthanded pitching, best on the Cardinals.

Buxton buzz helps fuel Target Field ticket sales Jason Gonzalez | Star Tribune | June 17, 2015 Byron Buxton will make his home debut Wednesday in front of what continues to inch toward one of Target Field’s biggest turnouts of the season. Twins officials are expecting anywhere from 31,000 to 35,000 in ticket sales for the highly touted prospect’s local introduction.

“There’s great excitement and great anticipation,” Twins president Dave St. Peter said. “This was always going to be a very big week attendance-wise. … Factors could push it beyond [35,000].”

Arguably, the biggest factor is Buxton. The former No. 2 overall draft pick finally will be on display for Twins fans after three years of hearing about what could be the organization’s next big star. It helps that fans already have caught a glimpse of the outfielder’s special talents since he was called up Sunday, joining the team in the middle of a five-game road trip.

He scored the game-winning run, showing off his speed by going from first to home on a hit in the gap, on Sunday. He recorded his first hit with a stand-up triple on Monday and legged out an infield single Tuesday.

Though Buxton will put an extra premium on Twins tickets this week, the incoming lineup of opponents had already accounted for the expected attendance spike. The St. Louis Cardinals are also making their Target Field debut and the fan-favorite Chicago Cubs are coming to town for a weekend series.

“There’s a lot of excitement surrounding his home debut,” said Kevin Smith, Twins senior director of corporate communications and broadcasting. “I think the Buxton factor adds another level of excitement about these series. … It’s an extra attraction for an already exciting series. There is a general curiosity from our fans of what he can do at the major league level.”

The curiosity also has helped ramp up ticket sales for third-party vendors.

“How the team has been playing has helped [sales]. They have a winning record for the first time in a long time,” said Andrew Baydala, executive director of business operations for Ticket King. “And [Buxton’s] call-up definitely helped because he’s had so much hype around him for years now. The Twins faithful are finally getting to see it.”

The Twins arguably haven’t had such a highly anticipated debut since Joe Mauer in 2004, Justin Morneau in 2003, or even as far back as Kirby Puckett in 1984. St. Peter expects this excitement to fuel sales around the stadium, especially if Buxton can prove himself quickly. Buxton apparel will arrive at Target Field early Wednesday.

“I think fans are much more familiar with Byron Buxton than Kirby Puckett when he made his debut in 1984 because there was not as much of a fan engagement in the minor league system back then. It’s not a fair comparison because of the nature of the world we live in today,” St. Peter said. “There’s going to be a great interest, and I think our fans want to get behind Byron Buxton and there will be ample product [with Buxton’s name on it] in our ballpark [Wednesday] night. I expect you’re going to see a number of his jerseys and T-shirts.

“Buxton will certainly have the spotlight, but he’s just one of the storylines that will be going on [this week].”

Souhan: Buxton makes the run from hype to hope Jim Souhan | Star Tribune | June 17, 2015 Usually, Byron Buxton goes from home to third so fast you wonder if he took a shortcut. But through three major league games, his primary accomplishment has been running so hard and fast that his teammates worried that he might hurt himself, or an innocent bystander.

Monday, Buxton’s first major league hit left his bat as if propelled by gunpowder, and he followed suit. He flew into his first turn, almost flattening Cardinals first baseman Mark Reynolds, who was standing where he’s out of the path of most humans.

Buxton accelerated so hard toward second that he twice almost tripped, or “got sniped,” in baseball slang.

As Buxton rounded second his arms began to flail for counterbalance and he coasted into third with a stand-up, almost-fell-down-twice, triple. On an innocent line drive to the gap, Buxton produced Minnesota’s fastest-running drama.

“I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen anybody run that fast,” Twins closer Glen Perkins said.

Buxton has been the consensus top prospect in baseball since 2012. He played in his first major league game Sunday, scoring the winning run

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easily from first on a double. He played his second major league game Monday, hitting that fast-forward triple. Today, he will make his Target Field debut.

Like those gyrations during his first hit, Buxton represents something perhaps never before seen in a Twins uniform: a superior athlete who chose to play baseball.

The Twins have won two World Series. They have produced Hall of Famers, built ballparks and played host to countless major events and milestones. They have never employed anyone quite like Buxton.

“He looks like a shooting guard in basketball, a running back in football, a 100-meter star,” outfielder Torii Hunter said. “That’s what you do when you see a great all-around athlete — imagine him in other sports. He’s a pure athlete.”

After missing most of the 2014 season because of injuries, Buxton at 21 is not yet a polished hitter, but he may be the fastest player ever to wear a Twins uniform. Twins manager Paul Molitor compared his speed to Bo Jackson, Ron LeFlore and Willie Wilson, who could turn routine groundballs into infield hits.

Speed alone doesn’t make a player great, otherwise the St. Louis Cardinals would have signed Usain Bolt. Buxton’s speed is the most prominent of his attributes, which include the prototypical five tools of a top prospect — throwing, running, fielding, hitting for average and hitting for power.

“I think the power might be the last thing you see,” Hunter said. “He doesn’t have his man muscles yet. He still has baby muscles. Maybe by the time he turns 27 he’ll be hitting 20-something home runs, to go with all of the other things he can do.

“He has talent. He listens. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do in this game.”

If Buxton becomes the player he projected to be, he could be the next big thing in several categories and legacies.

Of all of the Twins’ great players, Buxton has a chance to be the purest of the five-tool stars. Tony Oliva possessed all five tools but had his speed robbed by bad knees. Rod Carew lacked power, Harmon Killebrew, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau lacked speed.

Kirby Puckett arrived as a skinny leadoff hitter who frequently bunted, then morphed into a squat line-drive producing powerhouse. Hunter possessed all five tools — throwing, running, fielding, hitting for average and hitting for power — without matching Buxton’s speed or offensive upside.

This is a franchise known for round bellies and sharp instincts, a franchise that won a World Series by deking Lonnie Smith and yanking Ron Gant off first base. Buxton may not need guile.

“I haven’t seen another one like him,” said his agent, Al Goetz, a former player and scout. “There are guys close to some of his tools, but when you consider his skills, and then consider that he will be adding power as he matures, you’re talking about someone who is un ique.

“He’s going to keep getting bigger and stronger,” Keith Lockhart, who played for the Braves and is now a Cubs scout, told me. “I know I haven’t been scouting that long but he’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen.”

Baseball once produced waves of five-tool center fielders. Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Duke Snider all played the same position in the same city at the same time. Buxton’s arrival gives him a chance to join Mike Trout and Andrew McCutcheon as young, five-tool center fielders.

“McCutchen, Trout, people like that come to mind,” Molitor said. “I don’t like labeling guys with potential too quick, but, yes, he has all of those skills. Part of his learning process will be figuring out how to use all of those skills up here.”

Buxton also represents the passing of the Twins’ Gold Gloves in center field. Puckett mentored Hunter, who now mentors Buxton, who as a fielder should outdo his predecessors in range if not savvy.

“I listen to everything he says,” Buxton said of Hunter. “He helped me a lot this spring, and I’m sure he’s going to help me a lot up here.”

Buxton may need the advice. After dominating Class A in 2013, he missed most of 2014 because of injuries. He was playing well but not hitting spectacularly at Class AA Chattanooga when an injury to Aaron Hicks left the Twins with few other palatable options to play center field in the majors.

Buxton’s speed, arm, defensive range and bat speed are ready for the big leagues. His approach against good big-league pitching might be a work in progress.

“I hope Twins fans are patient with him, understanding that for all of his attributes, he’ll have to learn how to hit in the majors,” Goetz said. “There’s no question he’ll be coachable, and that he’ll adapt. But you never know what the timing will be.”

In his first few days in the big leagues, Buxton was the same quiet, polite kid who impressed people throughout the Twins’ organization. He calls his elders “Sir,” arrives early, stays late, and was the first Twin to take the field before the first pitch Monday.

It can be overwhelming when a lifelong dream arrives in the form of a surprise. Buxton, on the road with Chattanooga, had to get dress clothes

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appropriate for big-league travel from Twins traveling secretary Mike Herman, and Twins’ director of baseball communications and player relations Dustin Morse helped him pick his number, 25.

Buxton kept telling Morse he didn’t care what number was on the jersey, as long as he got to wear one.

“The first day, everything felt rushed,” he said. “I don’t think I took the time to slow everything down before I started playing. Yesterday, I was able to do that before the game.

“It’s almost too much at first. You try to soak in as much as you can and just go out there and relax, but it’s pretty tough to do.”

In three games, he has scored the winning run from first, standing up, on a double. He has tripled. He has singled. And he has been thrown out stealing after getting a bad jump in the top of the eighth Tuesday.

The triple marked the moment when Buxton’s potential coalesced.

“His hands were so quick on that pitch, and he hit that ball so hard with such a short swing,” Perkins said. “Then the way he ran. … I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that.”

Buxton said he didn’t realize he almost ran into Reynolds until he watched film. He felt his limbs flailing as he rounded second.

“I almost got sniped — twice!” he said. “That was maximum effort.”

Someone asked Molitor about Buxton’s speed from home to third, and Molitor noted that it might be fun to measure Buxton “from home to home.” He was smiling, but not joking.

Today, Buxton will play center field in his new home, and the question is whether he is ready for the big leagues.

If he’s as good as the Twins think, he’ll eventually reverse that question.

Miguel Sano could be called up soon, Molitor says Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 17, 2015 ST. LOUIS – Now that Byron Buxton is in the major leagues, the question is inevitable: When will Miguel Sano join him?

The Twins are discussing the notion, manager Paul Molitor said Tuesday. An abrupt call-up like Buxton’s? “Sure, it’s possible,” the manager said.

“It’s a realistic thing to ask about when you have people who can come up and help you,” Molitor said. “Every day that goes by, he’s closer to getting here. That’s kind of a general answer, but whether it’s in a couple weeks or September, we’ve been looking for him to get consistency.”

Sano was batting only .163 on May 6, but he has batted .320 with seven home runs and 31 strikeouts in 33 games since, despite a couple of minor injuries. He’s at .257 for the season, with 12 home runs now.

General Manager Terry Ryan reportedly was impressed with Sano’s progress during a visit to Class AA Chattanooga in May, opening the possibility of an earlier-than-expected promotion like Buxton received.

“We talk to the people down there about his at-bats, what he’s doing well and what he’s not doing so well, what will get exposed up here and what won’t,” Molitor said. “It’s nice to see that he’s trending into playing better.”

The question about Sano, as always, is where would he play? With Trevor Plouffe ensconced at third base, the 22-year-old Dominican would need to move, perhaps permanently.

“We’ve talked about that some,” Molitor said, particularly about the outfield. After missing all of 2014 following elbow surgery, the Twins wanted Sano to get comfortable at third base again, but “as he plays better, maybe we can look at those options. I haven’t been a part of those conversations over the past few days.”

Still, Molitor said of the 6-4, 260-pound slugger, “he moves better than people think he does, once he gets going. It’s a big body to get moving, we all know that. … I think he’s athletic enough to where [the outfield] wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.”

Then again, Kennys Vargas is 3-for-19 (.158) with nine strikeouts and no extra-base hits since returning from Rochester on June 8. If Molitor wants more production from the designated hitter role, Sano could be a solution, even if only a temporary one.

Santana set for start

Ervin Santana was scheduled to leave Florida and head to Rochester, N.Y., on Tuesday, in preparation for his first start with Class AAA Rochester on Saturday. He’ll make three starts before his 80-game suspension expires, and he rejoins the team on July 4.

And how he does in those minor league starts probably doesn’t matter much, Molitor said.

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“I would think that if his starts go well in terms of health, and not so much results,” Molitor said, “when it’s time for him to come here and pitch, that’s what’s going to happen.”

The Twins will monitor the veteran pitcher, but almost certainly will move one of the current five starters out of the rotation to make room.

“We’re going to have decisions to make about how that’s going to play out,” the manager said.

A shot at their dreams

The Twins will hold their annual open tryout on Sunday at Siebert Field on the University of Minnesota campus. Registration begins at 8:30 for eligible players — high school graduates, college juniors or seniors, or free agents who are at least 21. All players will participate in drills and skills tests, with the best invited for an afternoon scrimmage. Righthander Mark Hamburger, who signed out of the tryout in 2007, reached the major leagues with Texas in 2011 and is currently at Rochester.

Twins skidding their way back to Target Field Phil Miller | Star Tribune | June 17, 2015 ST. LOUIS – They haven’t played well at home lately, and this road trip was no better. On Tuesday, Kyle Gibson tried a combination of the two, packing Busch Stadium with nearly seven dozen friends and relatives from his college days at Missouri, but the results were no better: The Twins’ second consecutive 3-2 loss to the Cardinals.

Is there somewhere else to play?

Minnesota, eager to get away from Target Field last week after a 1-5 homestand, returned to the Twin Cities on Tuesday night after a 1-4 road trip, a little deflating considering all the anticipation that the sudden addition of Byron Buxton added to the trip. The rookie collected his second hit in Busch Stadium on Tuesday, but the Cardinals waited out two rain delays to collect their mini-sweep of the two-game series.

“We had two games here when we’re in it the whole way against the best team in MLB,” Gibson said after allowing three runs in six innings but collecting his second straight loss. “Anytime you go 1-4, it’s disappointing, but we’re being competitive despite not playing our best baseball. At some point, the hard line drives aren’t going to be right at people, the hard ground balls are going to go through and before you know it, we’re going to rattle off five or six in a row.”

Maybe so, but the schedule, and the Twins’ recent troubles, suggest it won’t be easy. The truth is, the biggest change in the Twins’ fortunes may have less to do with the personnel on the roster or the venue of the games than the quality of the opposition. The Twins are eight games into a stretch of 13 consecutive against opponents with winning records, and they are 1-7 so far.

“Texas is obviously playing good baseball, and St. Louis has been pretty good the entire year,” shrugged Brian Dozier, whose first-inning run — his league-leading 52nd on the year — staked Gibson to a lead he couldn’t hold. “We had a bad road trip, but it’s not like we’re getting down. We’re still in a good spot.”

Actually, that spot could be third place in the AL Central before long, for the first time in three and a half weeks. Only Detroit’s loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday kept the Twins in second place.

Gibson, who picked up the cost of tickets for his parents, grandparents, in-laws and roughly “75-80” Missourians all together, bounced back from a pair of subpar starts to limit the Cardinals to six hits over six innings, but he was annoyed after the game about one pitch in particular: a third-inning sinker to Mark Reynolds that was supposed to be way inside, but ended up merely “hittably” inside.

“A righty up, two outs, a spot where I can get out of it, and unfortunately I made a bad decision on a pitch. I left it where he can get ahold of it,” Gibson said of the pitch, which Reynolds lined to left to score Kolten Wong and Mark Carpenter, and doom Gibson to his fifth loss of the season. “I’ve been doing that too much lately.”

Still, “it was fun to get back close to home. A lot of my wife’s relatives have probably never seen me pitch,” he said. “Close to Mizzou, to be back in front of friendly faces, was a lot of fun.”

That was about it for fun for the Twins, though. They were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and 11-for-39 on the trip, the last one coming with Eduardo Nunez on second base, Eddie Rosario on first, and Eduardo Escobar flying out to end the game.

“I’m going to tell you, there’s not one guy in here that’s not seeing the ball really well. We’ve hit a lot of balls hard,” Dozier said. “We’ve got to do a better job manufacturing runs.”

Well, maybe Wednesday, when Buxton makes his Target Field debut. Only problem: These Cardinals, now 43-21, will be there, too.

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Twins set stage for Byron Buxton’s Target Field debut Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS -- Byron Buxton Day II is set for Wednesday night at Target Field.

That's when the most anticipated Twins prospect since Joe Mauer more than a decade ago will play his first home game.

"We all knew that when this day came there was going to be a lot of excitement and hoopla surrounding whatever he does and every action that he takes," Twins manager Paul Molitor said Tuesday. "I think the people that know him respect a lot his grounded-ness and his ability to deal with what he needs to away from playing. He's very focused when he plays."

With the Twins expecting attendance between 33,000 and 35,000 and an overflow media contingent rivaling the home opener, Buxton's focus could be challenged.

The 21-year-old phenom will meet the media in the news conference room typically set aside for major announcements. Merchandise bearing his No. 25 will be on sale in gift shops throughout the stadium.

Felton and Carrie Buxton, the young standout's parents, will make the trip in from Baxley, Ga., to see him play in the majors for the first time. His fiancee, Lindsey Tillery, and their 18-month-old son Brix will be in the stands for the homestand, as well.

"I hope he takes it all in at least and enjoys that," Molitor said. "People are going to be excited to see him, but I have a lot of confidence that he's going to go out there and just be himself when he plays the game."

Asked which of his vaunted five tools he enjoys the most, Buxton smiled.

"Definitely my speed," he said before making his big-league debut Sunday in Arlington, Texas. "I like running the bases. I like taking away base hits from other guys and helping out our pitcher."

Who could argue with that after watching Buxton race around the bases for a stand-up triple Monday night at Busch Stadium? According to MLB Network, Buxton covered the 270-foot distance in 10.7 seconds, even after almost colliding with first baseman Mark Reynolds and tripping as he rounded second.

Deion Sanders and Billy Hamilton were credited with completing triples in 10.5 seconds, but Sanders hit from the left side and Hamilton is a switch hitter. Plus, both speedsters slid into third.

"That's probably where you'll see the speed the most, on a home-to-third play or a home-to-home," Molitor said. "It's where you get a chance to see the stride really open up and get long."

Asked to name the fastest home-to-first threats from the right side in his experience, Molitor cited Bo Jackson, Ron LeFlore and switch-hitter Willie Wilson. All were able to cover the first 90 feet out of the box in under 4.0 seconds from the right side.

In today's game, Hamilton of the Reds has made it to first in 3.3 seconds on a drag bunt, but that was from the left side.

Buxton's fastest recorded times are 6.29 seconds in the 60-yard dash, 3.9 seconds to first base on a swing and 3.7 seconds on a bunt.

Among right-handed hitters, only Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels can consistently match that sort of speed. According to Angels bench coach Dino Ebel, Trout regularly makes it to first in 3.55 to 3.7 seconds on a bunt attempt and 3.9 to 4.0 seconds on a swing.

Just another reminder of the old adage that "speed comes to the ballpark every day."

"It really does," Molitor said. "Every time (Buxton) puts the ball in play, something good can happen. We saw (Danny) Santana last year have an incredible average on balls in play. Buxton can be a higher-end guy in terms of that category, just because of the pressure he can put on defenses."

As a base-stealer, Buxton went 20 for 22 at Double-A Chattanooga. On his first attempted stolen base in the majors, he was thrown out Tuesday by St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina. He broke for second on 3-1 and 3-2 counts Sunday at Texas, but Molitor "didn't think his footwork was great."

That should improve as Buxton continues to work with Molitor and first-base coach Butch Davis, who handles the Twins' outfield and base-running instruction.

"He's still young," Molitor said. "Constant work in progress. We spent time in the minor leagues on both the mental and physical side of stealing bases, how to understand the risk/reward things. I think mechanically he's gotten better. I think he's a lot more confident at first base. He's eliminated any fear that he's had about running."

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St. Louis Cardinals 3, Minnesota Twins 2 – same as night before Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 17, 2015 ST. LOUIS -- Barely halfway through June, the Twins must want this godforsaken month to end as soon as possible.

Tuesday's disappointment came in the form of a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at soggy Busch Stadium.

In an afternoon game marred by two rain delays totaling 92 minutes, the Twins fell by an identical score to the one from the night before.

"A couple of fairly well-played games here," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "St. Louis, we know, has a knack for finding a way to win those kinds of games."

The Cardinals, improving baseball's best record to 43-21, showed repeatedly how fundamentally sound they are in all facets. The Twins, falling to 4-11 for the month, had too many small breakdowns, mostly at the plate, and that added up to more frustration when facing the sport's best.

Against teams with losing records entering Tuesday, the Twins were a sterling 22-11. That computes to a winning percentage of .667.

Against winning teams, however, they have struggled to a 12-19 mark (.387). That includes a combined 5-13 mark against their two main division rivals, the Kansas City Royals (3-6) and Detroit Tigers (2-7).

The Twins also dropped a three-game series over the weekend on the road against the surging Texas Rangers at the start of this 1-4 road trip.

"It's more winning and losing for me, not so much who we're playing against," Molitor said. "If you look around, there's a lot of parity. There are not a lot of teams that are tearing it up other than (the Cardinals)."

Tuesday marked the 10th time in 15 June games the Twins had been held to two runs or fewer.

"We're being competitive still and not playing our best baseball," Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson said. "At some point the hard line drives aren't going to be right at people, the hard ground balls are going to go through and before you know it we're going to rattle off five or six in a row."

Trevor Plouffe put the Twins on top with a two-out single off Cardinals starter Michael Wacha (9-2) in the first. That scored Brian Dozier, who singled and stole second.

Gibson (4-5) worked the first six innings and turned in his first quality start since May 24 at Chicago, but he wasn't able to make two key pitches when he needed them.

Yadier Molina opened the second with a double, moved up on a groundout and scored just ahead of Shane Robinson's throw on Randal Grichuk's sacrifice fly to left. Gibson got ahead of Grichuk with two quick strikes and was determined to keep the ball out of the air, but Grichuk delivered the required situational play.

Mark Reynolds added a two-run single with two outs in the third to make it 3-1. Jhonny Peralta moved up both runners just before Reynolds' hit with a productive groundout to first.

"They do execute," Molitor said. "They're pesky that way. They take advantage of run-scoring opportunities when they get them. We've had a couple of those where as of late we haven't been able to move guys up."

Gibson's two-out single in the fifth ended a run of 12 straight Twins set down by Wacha, who was pulled after 86 pitches when the second rain delay hit in the seventh. Kurt Suzuki greeted reliever Seth Maness with a run-scoring double to pull the Twins within one.

It was Suzuki's first extra-base hit since May 26, ending a drought of 54 at-bats.

A wild pitch moved Suzuki to third with one out, but pinch-hitters Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas failed to get the ball out of the infield.

Rookie Byron Buxton started the eighth with an infield single, his second hit in 10 big-league at-bats. Trying to move into scoring position, he was caught trying to steal second by perennial Gold Glove catcher Molina.

Torii Hunter singled to center on the next pitch, which likely would have tied the score had Buxton gotten a better jump.

Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal (arm tightness) was unavailable again, but left-hander Kevin Siegrist was able to record the save for a second straight day. Eduardo Nunez doubled off the base of the wall with one out in the ninth, but the Twins could not advance him.

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Twinsights: Miguel Sano surging, could reach majors fairly soon Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS –Now that Byron Buxton has reached the majors, could Miguel Sano soon join him in making the jump from Double-A Chattanooga?

“Sure, it’s possible,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said Tuesday. “Every day that goes by he’s closer to getting here, whether it’s in a couple weeks or September.”

Sano, who turned 22 last month, missed five of eight games around the start of the month with a jammed right index finger, courtesy of a sinker from Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Damien Magnifico. However, since returning to the lineup on June 6, Sano had hit in eight of his past 10 games with four extra-base hits.

Hitting .163 on May 6, Sano had since hit .320 in 122 at-bats over his past 33 games, entering Tuesday’s play. In that span, the power-hitting third baseman had seven home runs, 26 runs batted in, 17 walks and 31 strikeouts.

“We’ve been looking for him to get consistency,” Molitor said. “We talk to the people down there about his at-bats, what he’s doing well, what’s he’s not doing so well and what will get exposed up here and what won’t. It’s nice to see that he’s trending into playing better. Everything from defensively to his at-bats are things that we’re monitoring pretty closely.”

While Sano’s 13 errors at third base rank third in the Twins’ system, trailing only the 14 made by Jorge Polanco and Niko Goodrum, he might have the ability try another position. The Twins also have been left to revolve at-bats through their designated hitter spot with the sophomore struggles of Kennys Vargas.

At 6-foot-4 and 260-plus pounds, could Sano move out to left field the way a young (and much thinner) Miguel Cabrera did a dozen years ago for the World Series champion Florida Marlins?

“He moves better than people think he does once he gets going,” Molitor said of Sano. “It’s a big body to get moving. We all know that. I think he’s athletic enough to where that wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.”

Molitor said he has been part of no recent conversations regarding a position change for Sano.

“As he plays better, we can look at those options,” Molitor said. “It’s kind of a revolving scenario here.”

Twinsights: Anthony Swarzak not pitching in South Korea Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS –Before bouncing to other organizations over the winter, Anthony Swarzak and Deibinson Romero spent 21 combined seasons in the Twins organization.

Now both find themselves in South Korea playing for the first-place Doosan Bears.

Romero, a third baseman, was sold to Doosan off the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A Indianapolis club last month.

Swarzak, a durable right-hander who opened the year in the Cleveland Indians bullpen, was recently sold to Doosan after being outright to Triple-A Columbus.

Judging from the team-produced YouTube video, the Swarzak acquisition was a pretty big deal for the Bears.

“I played with Romero. I played with him in Minnesot,” Swarzak says near the start of the video. “I’m excited to see him. He was good. He was a big prospect for us.”

Actually, Romero peaked at No. 13 on the Twins Top 30 prospect list for Baseball America — in 2007. He fell back to No. 21 the following year and never made another Top 30.

Oh, well, what’s a little white lie when you’re trying to butter up your new employer?

Swarzak, who had a 3.38 ERA with the Indians, had a chance to pitch in Japan over the winter. However, with a wife and young daughter, he opted to give the majors one more try.

The Twins’ second-round pick out of a South Florida high school in 2004, Swarzak posted a 4.21 ERA over the past four seasons with the Twins. He averaged 95 innings per year, primarily in a long-relief role.

Including his debut season in 2009, Swarzak made 32 career starts for the Twins.

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Postgame Twinsights: Twins need another bopper badly Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS — One of the reasons the Twins could wind up promoting Miguel Sano sooner than expected is the trouble they’re having in the middle of the order.

In particular, the No. 5 spot in the batting order has been a black hole far too often this season.

They started reserve Eduardo Nunez at shortstop in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and batted him fifth for the sixth time this season.

That’s the same number of starts in the 5-hole as the Twins have given Torii Hunter and Eduardo Escobar. Rookie Eddie Rosario has hit there five times.

Batting fifth for the Twins most often this season have been Kennys Vargas and Kurt Suzuki, who have hit there 18 times apiece.

Nunez responded with a one-out double in the ninth, but the Twins couldn’t advance him from there.m

Suzuki, slugging .167 since May 26, finally delivered his first extra-base hit after a drought of 54 at-bats. But the Twins were unable to bring him home as well after that seventh-inning RBI.

Vargas, who tapped to second in a pinch-hit appearance Tuesday, last homered in the majors on May 6.

Suzuki hasn’t homered since April 18.

No wonder Twins’ No. 5 hitters entered the day ranked in the majors’ bottom six in isolated power (25th), slugging (26th), combined on-base/slugging (28th), weighted runs created (29th), home runs (tied for last) and hard-contact rate (30th).

And no wonder Molitor is growing more intrigued by the day when it comes to the idea of calling up Sano from Double-A Chattanooga.

–Welcome to the big leagues, Byron Buxton.

Off to a 2-for-10 start with three strikeouts, baseball’s best prospect just experienced his first two-game losing streak in the majors.

“Not that Byron Buxton isn’t a game-changing player, because he is, but he’s just one player,” said Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson, who took Tuesday’s loss despite just his second quality start in the past month. “He’s played really well and it’s been awesome to see him up here, that’s for sure. Anytime you’re going to have some of the best players in the organization play on the big club, it helps the big club.

“We’re definitely excited for how he’s going to help the team because he’s going to and he is. You can see. His speed changes the game. He plays a really good center field — so does (Aaron) Hicks. He’s going to be a fun player to watch, that’s for sure.”

–The Twins took 13 at-bats with runners on base in Tuesday’s loss and produced just two hits and one walk.

One of the most painful failures was Brian Dozier’s pop to short after Byron Buxton’s leadoff single in the eighth. That came off veteran right-hander Matt Belisle.

“I got a decent pitch to hit,” Dozier said. ” He throws probably 60-70 percent cutters. He threw me a backup cutter inside. Kind of jammed me off a little bit.”

In Monday’s loss by an identical 3-2 score, the Twins went 1 for 9 with a walk and Dozier’s sacrifice fly with runners on base.

That’s a .136 average (3 for 22) with runners on base in the two games at Busch Stadium.

Dozier’s sac fly was the only productive out the Twins made in the two-game set. The Cardinals made five, including four on Tuesday.

It was that gap in situational effectiveness that really stood out.

“We’ve had a lot of opportunities,” Dozier said, “whether it’s runners at third with less than two outs, leadoff doubles, and we’re just not getting guys in. We’ve got to do a better job manufacturing runs. If we do that, string a few (wins) together, we’re right back where we need to be.”

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Buxton set for home debut as Twins host Cards David Cobb | MLB.com | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS -- Baseball's top prospect, Byron Buxton, will make his home debut when the Cardinals and Twins move 560 miles north to Minnesota's Target Field after playing in St. Louis on Monday and Tuesday. The Cardinals won both games in St. Louis and are going for their sixth consecutive victory.

The 21-year-old center fielder scored the game-winning run in his first Major League game in Texas on Sunday and ripped a triple for his first hit on Monday.

"We all knew that when this day came there was going to be a lot of excitement and hoopla, if you will, surrounding whatever he does and every action that he takes," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "I hope he takes it all in and enjoys that. People are going to be excited to see him, but I have a lot of confidence that he's going to go out there and just be himself when he plays the game."

Minnesota left-hander Tommy Milone will try and build off the seven solid innings he threw in his last outing as he faces Carlos Martinez, who has picked up wins in his last three starts.

Things to know about this game

• Keep an eye on the closers. Twins closer Glen Perkins led the Majors with 22 saves entering play on Tuesday. His 22 straight successful save opportunities are tied for the fourth-longest save streak in club history. Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal did not pitch Monday or Tuesday because of tightness in his arm.

• The Cardinals have won five straight Interleague games, but the Twins are 20-12 at home.

• Martinez has never faced the Twins. Milone has faced the Cardinals only once, earning a win against them in 2013 while pitching for Oakland.

Santana heading to Triple-A to prepare for return David Cobb | MLB.com | June 16, 2015 ST. LOUIS -- When Ervin Santana is done serving an 80-game suspension in early July, expect to see him join the Twins' rotation immediately. That was the message manager Paul Molitor reiterated on Tuesday regarding Santana, who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug before the season.

A July 4 game at Kansas City would be the Twins' 81st game of the season, and if Santana's health permits it, the Twins would like to plug him in on July 5 for the third game in the four-game series.

Santana was on his way Tuesday to Triple-A Rochester, where he'll begin pitching in games to prepare for his return.

"I would think that if his starts go well in terms of health, not so much in terms of results -- obviously you look at them somewhat -- when it's time for him to come here and pitch, that's probably what's going to happen," Molitor said.

What that means for the rest of the rotation is yet to be determined, Molitor added.

"We're going to have decisions to make as far as how that's going to play out with the people that we have," he said.

Worth noting

Byron Buxton could be joined by another one of his teammates from Double-A Chattanooga before too long. The organization's No. 2 prospect, Miguel Sano, is batting .257 with 12 home runs this season, and Molitor said they are monitoring him closely.

"Every day that goes by, he's closer to getting here," Molitor said. "That's kind of a general answer, but whether it's in a couple weeks or be it September, we've been looking for him to get consistency."

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Twins' efforts dampened in tight loss to Cards David Cobb and Jennifer Langosch | MLB.com | June 16, 2015

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals wrapped up a wet homestand and extended their winning streak to five with a 3-2 win over the Twins in a game twice interrupted with rain delays on Tuesday. Each of the Cardinals' last three games featured at least one rain delay. In between, there was also a postponement on Sunday.

Despite ominous skies, Tuesday's matinee started on time and saw the Twins jump out to a quick lead with Trevor Plouffe's RBI double off Michael Wacha. Rain halted play for 45 minutes in the bottom half of the frame, and the Twins never gained offensive traction again against the Cardinals' righty.

Wacha sailed until the next rain storm arrived with him on the mound and one out in the seventh. He wouldn't return after that 47-minute delay but still earned his ninth win, a total reached by only two other National League pitchers this year.

"I felt good about it," Wacha said afterward. "I kept the ball down most of the time. First inning, I gave up a couple hits there, leaving the ball up in the zone. Other than that, I felt good about myself making pitches whenever I needed them."

The Cardinals supported Wacha with three runs off Twins starter Kyle Gibson. Yadier Molina doubled and scored on two productive outs in the second. Mark Reynolds' two-run single gave the Cardinals a lead an inning later. Gibson (4-5) allowed six hits and struck out four over six innings.

"Gibson pitched well," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "[He] probably made a little bit of a mistake to Reynolds there. Wacha was tough, and we had to fight the delays and all that stuff, but at the end of the day we had some chances there to find a way to get even or go ahead, and we couldn't do it."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Cleaning up: After homering in his previous two games, Reynolds delivered a tie-breaking, two-run single in the third. It was just the fifth hit Reynolds has tallied in 26 chances with a runner in scoring position and two outs this season. The Cardinals are now 16-1 in games where Reynolds, now the team's cleanup hitter, drives in at least one.

"I was trying to barrel something and was fortunate to find a hole," Reynolds said. "I think he was trying to sink it in there, and I think he left it middle-in instead of getting it under my hands. I found a hole out there."

Wacha weathers the storm: Twins second baseman Brian Dozier led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on Plouffe's double to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead before rain delayed the game in the bottom of the first. Wacha returned from the delay to retire 11 straight Twins hitters.

Wacha, who routinely has starts delayed or interrupted by rain, managed the latest storm without issue. He set down 15 of the first 16 batters on just 54 pitches after the first-inning delay. Wacha would have kept pitching, too, if not for another delay in the seventh. Seth Maness took over when play resumed and allowed an inherited runner to score.

"We started off with the rain like that, we sat him down for a little while, and it's always tough to see what it's going to look like when he comes back out, but he's had quite a few of these starts," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Wacha. "He just comes out and makes pitches. I thought his fastball got better as the game went, which made his changeup even better. And just another quality start for us."

Not on Yadi's watch: Baseball's top prospect, Byron Buxton -- who logged his first Major League hit Monday with a triple -- led off the eighth inning with a single off reliever Matt Belisle and represented the tying run. Trying to collect his first career stolen base, Buxton took off for second to move into scoring position with one out, but he was cut down on a perfect throw from Molina to second baseman Kolten Wong. The out came just before Torii Hunter recorded a two-out single.

Stranded: Kurt Suzuki notched his first double since May 26, driving in Eduardo Nunez to pull the Twins within 3-2 just three pitches after play resumed from a second rain delay in the seventh. Suzuki advanced to third on a wild pitch from Maness, but pinch-hitters Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas left Suzuki stranded at third.

The Twins missed another chance in the ninth, when Nunez hit a one-out double to the wall off Kevin Siegrist, but Suzuki and Eduardo Escobar flied out around a walk to end their final threat.

"St. Louis, we know, has a knack for finding a way to win those kind of games, and they've done it two days in a row against us," Molitor said. "It's a tough loss, because we had our chances there."

QUOTABLE "We have guys out there that can do it and step up. That's kind of what our season has been defined as right now, so it's not surprising. He's a great pitcher. Every guy out there has the ability to get three outs in an inning." -- Trevor Rosenthal, on watching Siegrist collect his second

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straight save in his absence

WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Byron Buxton will make his Target Field debut when the Twins return home to face the Cardinals at 7:10 p.m. CT on Wednesday in the first of eight straight home games. Tommy Milone gets the start for Minnesota and will try to lower his 7.71 home ERA.

Cardinals: Carlos Martinez will take the mound as the Cardinals open a two-game series in Minnesota on Wednesday. The club is 10-2 in Martinez's starts this season. The game opens a three-city, eight-game road trip for St. Louis, which is 17-14 away from home.

Twins unable to follow through on late threats David Cobb | MLB.com | June 16, 2015

ST. LOUIS -- With one out and the Twins needing a run to tie the game in the eighth inning, a wet stage was set for Byron Buxton to steal his first Major League base on Tuesday against the Cardinals. It's a feat that will have to wait until Minnesota returns to Target Field for an eight-game homestand that begins Wednesday.

St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina threw Buxton out with relative ease, breaking up one of Minnesota's several late-game scoring opportunities and helping the Cardinals hang on for their second 3-2 win at Busch Stadium in as many days and handing the Twins their seventh loss in eight games. The club is seeking its first win against St. Louis since 2009.

"It's a tough loss, because we had our chances there," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

The game's two 40-plus-minute rain delays affected the Twins in opposite ways, the first playing to the advantage of Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha, who gave up a first-inning run but retired 11 hitters in a row after a 45-minute delay.

Minnesota's long-dormant bats, however, came alive for a moment in the seventh, when Kurt Suzuki doubled for the first time since May 26 on the third pitch he saw after a 47-minute rain delay to score Eduardo Nunez and make it 3-2.

Suzuki advanced to third on a one-out wild pitch, but pinch-hitter Eddie Rosario's popup to third and Kennys Vargas' groundout to second left Suzuki stranded.

Buxton reached on an infield single that Cardinals reliever Matt Belisle deflected with a behind-the-back swipe to lead off the eighth, and he took off on the first pitch to Torii Hunter but was tagged out as he dove headfirst into second. Hunter then proceeded to stroke a two-out single before Joe Mauer flied out to end the inning.

Molitor declined to say if he felt Buxton got a good jump on the pitch.

"We're trying to find a way to get him into scoring position there," Molitor said. "Their guy was very quick to home, and we were trying to figure out a way to get him into scoring position, and it didn't work out."

The ninth brought an additional dosage of frustration. Nunez narrowly missed a game-tying homer when he stroked a one-out double to the wall in left. But just like in the seventh, the Twins stranded a man in scoring position with less than two outs.

The Twins are winners in just four of their last 15 games.

"We had a bad road trip, but at the same time, it's not like we're getting too down," said second baseman Brian Dozier, who singled and scored in the first inning. "We've put ourselves in a really good spot, to where when you go through slumps like this it doesn't affect us as much as it has been.

"We do need to turn things around and get back on the winning ways."

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Reported timeline for Ervin Santana’s return to the Twins rotation Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | June 16, 2015

Suspending starter Ervin Santana will join the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, according to reports, as he nears a return from his 80-game drug suspension.

Saturday, June 20: First start for Triple-A Rochester

He'll reportedly stick to 6 innings or 90 pitches.

Thursday, June 25: Second start for Triple-A Rochester

He'll reportedly be allowed to stretch it to 100 pitches

Tuesday, June 30: Final start for the Red Wings.

He'll reportedly be allowed to throw roughly 100 pitches again in what's expected to be his final tune-up start before rejoining the Twins' rotation.

His return: As the calendar is set right now, Santana is scheduled to make his Twins debut July 5 in Kansas City.

As important as Torii Hunter's acquisition has been so far for the Twins, Santana was the biggest free agent to join the fold this winter. He still has 3 ½ years left on a contract that was scheduled to pay him $55 million, before he gave some of that back for getting caught with Stanozolol in his system.

He's been a durable workhorse in his career, capable of striking batters out, and provided he's in his regular form, figures to be a boost to the Twins' starting staff.

Here's the column I wrote on Santana's addition this winter, and while I'd say most of it holds true, the steroid suspension was a sizeable lurking variable that I didn't see coming. Neither did the Twins. But here they are, and here is Santana, set to begin his path back to the Major Leagues, and ostensibly nearing the point where he can start to make amends by providing a mid-season boost.

Should the Twins qualify for the postseason this year, Santana will be ineligible to pitch for them.

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Rainy day, no double play, Buxton caught stealing Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | June 16, 2015

The Twins and Cardinals endured two rain delays and Minnesota left the potential tying run on second base in the 9th inning. They lost, 3-2, and have now dropped nine of their past 11 games.

This column presents 5 thoughts from Tuesday's game.

--

1. Tuesday's game featured a pair of rain delays. The second may have played a role in the outcome.

It chased both starting pitchers from the game. Neither manager was willing to let his starter continue to pitch after a second delay of about 45 minutes. Michael Wacha and Kyle Gibson sat through the first delay and stayed in the game, but neither threw a pitch after delay No. 2 came around in the 7th inning.

From there it was up to the bullpens. With the Cardinals staked to a 3-1 lead, their bullpen held serve and St. Louis swept the home half of the home-and-home four-game series.

Wacha left with a runner on base and the next batter, Kurt Suzuki drove home Eduardo Nunez from second base to cut the Cardinals' lead in half. But that's as close as Minnesota would get Tuesday.

--

2. Joe Mauer failed to turn a double play in the bottom of the third inning and it might've cost the Twins a run.

With one out and runners on first and second base, Jhonny Peralta grounded a ball toward Mauer at first base. Peralta is not a fast runner, and so Mauer could've looked to field the ball and throw to second base for a force out on Matt Carpenter before getting the return throw to first base in an attempt to get the second out on Peralta. Instead, Mauer gathered the ground ball and touched first base. That gave St. Louis runner

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on second and third base with two outs.

The next batter, Mark Reynolds, singled to left-center field and both runners scored. It's dangerous to say without doubt that the following events would have occurred the exact same way had Mauer played it differently, but if he had turned two and Reynolds still singled to the outfield it would have meant only one run scored for the Cardinals.

Mauer also went 0-for-4 and is hitting .253/.318/.346, which is well below average for a first baseman.

--

3. With Cardinals stud closer Trevor Rosenthal unavailable for a second day in a row due to arm tightness, Kevin Siegrist once again stepped up for the Red Birds.

After saving Monday's game for John Lackey, Siegrist was back out there Tuesday in a tight situation. He gave up a one-out double to Eduardo Nunez and then got Kurt Suzuki to fly out for the second out of the inning.

Eddie Rosario took a close pitch for ball four to put the potential go-ahead run on first base. But then pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar (batting eighth) popped out to end the game.

--

4. Byron Buxton attempted his first stolen base and was thrown out by a wide margin by catcher Yadier Molina.

Molina is considered one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, and he showed one of the reasons why Tuesday. Buxton, who possesses top-of-the-charts speed, was not even close to being safe at second base on his attempted steal.

Part of that could be reliever Matt Belisle being quick to the plate. Part of it could be Buxton getting a bad jump. Or it could be nothing more than a welcome-to-the-Show moment for the rookie trying to run against Molina. It's difficult to discern that stuff from a TV broadcast.

Buxton had reached on an infield single. He went 1-for-3 with a strikeout.

In time, I'd imagine Buxton will show himself to be one of the most adept base stealers in the Majors.

--

5. Buxton was batting ninth, one spot behind the pitcher's spot in the Twins' batting order. That's the second consecutive day Paul Molitor went with that lineup strategy.

I wrote about that decision Monday.

The quick assessment is that it probably doesn't make a big difference in terms of runs scored (or wins and losses) over the course of a season. I have no problem with a manager trying to improve at the margin - even if the advantage of the tactic is extremely minimal.

Molitor's explanation to reporters had to do with Buxton's speed, and not wanting to take away his threat on the bases if he gets on base, simply because of the fact that there's a likely out batting behind him (the pitcher). And that logic makes some sense. If Buxton reaches with two outs and the pitcher was hitting behind him (and Molitor wasn't willing to pinch-hit for any number of reasons), Buxton would essentially have to steal three bases to come around to score.

If you want to read more on the (very slim) tactical advantage of batting the pitcher 8th, here's a good read from Fox Sports.

But I'd be willing to bet that the Twins are also trying to protect Buxton, or hedge against his great expectations. By batting him 9th, we could surmise that they're implicitly saying that they don't expect him to reach base that often, even if the given line is that he's the 'pre-leadoff' hitter to get on base in front of Brian Dozier. The Orioles did this when they called up Manny Machado in 2012 and that philosophy has stuck with me, even though I don't know if it's been proven to be effective.

Anyway, my biggest lineup takeaway is that we can sometimes tend to harp on this stuff and scrutinize it way more than it's worth. That's part of the fun.

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Mackey’s Musings: On Byron Buxton’s speed and the Joe Mauer narrative Phil Mackey | 1500espn.com | June 16, 2015

Before I tell you what Tom Kelly told me about Byron Buxton a couple years ago, let me first tell you what it's like talking about baseball with Tom Kelly.

TK has a high bar when it comes to being impressed on a baseball diamond. He isn't quick to praise players. In fact, TK will often find little pet peeves with players who are otherwise known as really, really good. He also sees fatal flaws in young players before the masses do.

Knowing all of this about TK, it's even more impressive to think back a couple years ago when he told me Byron Buxton was the fastest player he's ever seen in his life. Faster than Willie Wilson, Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman, Devon White and anyone else you can think of from the 70's on. That's pretty high praise.

And it seems accurate now that we've seen Buxton against major leaguers over the past few days - turning a line drive to the left-centerfield gap into a stand-up triple, and going from first to home in 9 seconds.

I mean, if Buxton is reaching third base like that on balls to left field, what happens when he runs one into the right-center gap? He'll be three cups of Gatorade deep in the dugout by the time the ball is thrown back to the infielders.

The thing about Buxton is he doesn't have to be a great hitter yet. He doesn't need to have a full understanding of major league pitchers, nor does he need to have elite plate discipline. He just needs to put the ball in play enough to use his speed. If he can just hit enough to stay in the lineup, his outfield defense and baserunning should carry him in this rookie season. The Twins seem to have a Joe Mauer narrative.

After an 0-for-4 performance on Tuesday in St. Louis, Joe Mauer's batting average dipped to a career low point, post-April (.253), not counting the bilateral leg weakness season.

The Twins don't seem publicly concerned, because so far Mauer has made up for atrocious overall numbers with a .417 batting average (and 35 RBIs) with runners in scoring position.

"He drives in runs," manager Paul Molitor told the Star Tribune last week. "I've trusted him in an important spot in the lineup. Runs in today's game are tough to come by, [and] I think his production has been more than good enough for the role we've asked him to serve."

Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky has echoed similar sentiments in his weekly appearances on our 9-1 radio show on 1500 ESPN, basically saying that the Twins are asking Mauer to be a run producer, and he is, in fact, producing runs in the form of RBIs.

Here's the problem: That .417 batting average with runners in scoring position is completely unsustainable, and it's literally the only trend Mauer can hang his hat on right now. Every other major category is well below his career norm and/or trending downward.

For the people who are still trumpeting Mauer's RBIs as a sustainable commodity, let me ask you this: If you had to put money on one thing, and only one thing, what would you bet on?

1.) Mauer really is dialed in this season, but it's only showing up with runners in scoring position

Or:

2.) The multiple statistical categories in which Mauer is well below his career norms, dating back to the beginning of last year, are more indicative of where he is as a hitter, and his RISP production is a small sample-size fluke.

Not to mention, just use the eye test and watch Mauer hit. How many feeble swings has he taken over the past six weeks? How many times has he made an outfielder go back on a ball?

Here's more: Since the beginning of last year, a span of nearly 800 plate appearances now, this is where Mauer ranks among MLB first basemen (with at least 700 plate appearances):

- 19th of 21 in WAR - Last in SLG - Last in home runs - 10th of 21 in OBP - 11th of 21 in AVG - 18th of 21 in RBIs - 20th of 21 in Isolated Power

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Mauer is also walking less than he ever has in his career, hitting for less power than at any point (aside from 2011), and he is swinging at more pitches outside the strike zone (according to Fangraphs) than ever before.

Is he hiding an injury? Did the 2013 concussion have lasting effects? Did 10 years of catching and age just catch up to him quick?

With the Twins playing the St. Louis Cardinals this week, it's a reminder of how great the Cardinals' blueprint is - and how the Twins have been trying to play catch-up as a mid-market team.

Most notably, the Cardinals seem to get a ton of value in the middle and late rounds of the June draft - rounds that are mostly used as organizational filler, with very few impact players emerging.

The Cardinals actually have five key contributors on their current roster who were drafted in the 10th round or later: Matt Carpenter was a (13th round pick in 2009), the currently-injured Matt Adams (23rd round in 2009), lights-out closer Trevor Rosenthal ( 21st round in 2009), set-up man Kevin Siegrist (41st round) and reliever Seth Maness (11th round).

The Twins have certainly refilled their farm system in recent years, so they don't deserve criticism on that front, but just for fun I went back and searched for impact players drafted in the 10th round or later since 1995. These are the only names I could find: JC Romero, Jason Kubel, Nick Blackburn, Matt Tolbert (very borderline), Alex Burnett (very, very borderline), Danny Valenciaand Michael Tonkin.

Of course, maybe the Cardinals are so good at drafting and developing because they're also very good at hacking into other teams' information databases. One of my favorite childhood wrestlers, Dusty Rhodes, passed away last week at the age of 69.

To be honest, my first memory of The American Dream was of him rocking polka dots at WrestleMania VI. I was too young to remember his NWA days. But Dusty was a legend, and he cut some of the best promos in the history of the business.

Mason: Don't judge Buxton by early results Tyler Mason | Fox Sports North | June 16, 2015 Before I get too far, I admit that I'm partially to blame for perpetuating the Byron Buxton hype.

When it was announced Saturday that Buxton – the Minnesota Twins' top prospect -- would be called up for Sunday's game in Texas, fans went crazy on social media. I joined in on the fun on Twitter by reviving something I started two years ago: #BuxtonFacts.

The hashtag, which was eventually trending in the Twin Cities, is a play on the Chuck Norris jokes from years ago in which Buxton is made to appear mythical or superhuman. A sampling of some #BuxtonFacts that spread across Twitter: "Buxton once got pulled over for speeding while he was out for his nightly run," "Buxton hit a line drive up the middle. The ball struck him in the leg as he slid into 2nd base," and "Byron Buxton can hit lead-off grand slams."

After years of hearing about Buxton, the former No. 2 overall pick, everyone had seemingly built up this notion that he will be the Twins' savior. Fans have clamored for him to be called up in recent years as the big-league team has struggled. That finally came to fruition Sunday when Buxton made his debut. After going 0-for-4, though, the #BuxtonFacts tweets slowed down. He then went hitless in his first two at-bats Monday in St. Louis before showing off his impressive speed by gliding around the bases a stand-up triple for his first career big-league hit.

So through two games, Buxton has just one hit but has impacted the game with this speed twice (he was the eventual winning run in Sunday's game by scoring from first base on a double). Yet whatever Buxton does early in his time in the majors, it's important not to read too much into it -- good or bad.

It would be completely understandable if Buxton does struggle at the plate at times. Let's remember that he skipped an entire minor-league level and played just 60 total games at Double-A during his career. He missed most of last season due to injuries, too, although those seem to be behind him at this point.

Many top prospects have an adjustment period early on, even those who, like Buxton, are expected to eventually do great things. Washington's Bryce Harper, who was one of the most highly anticipated prospects in a long time, hit just .227 in his first 18 career games back in 2012 before he figured things out at the plate. The Angels' Mike Trout, who has become arguably the best all-around player in baseball in just a few short years, also had his early struggles. Though he was an All-Star and the Rookie of the Year in 2012, he batted a mere .220 in 40 games in 2011 after his call-up. If Buxton needs time to adapt, he won't be the first prospect to do so.

On the flip side, if Buxton goes on a tear in the coming weeks or months, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll continue that throughout his career. Take note of the cases of Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas, both of whom debuted last season with surprising success before the league adjusted to them during their sophomore campaigns. Both players (though not in the same realm as Buxton) eventually earned

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demotions back to the minors, a reminder of the second wave of adjustments that some hitters struggle to overcome.

When likening Buxton to a current major leaguer, the player many have compared him to is Trout. Part of the comparison stems from the fact that both Trout and Buxton made stops in Cedar Rapids during their minor-league careers, and those in and near the Kernels organization drew similarities between the two five-tool outfielders.

The first time I ever watched Buxton play happened to be in Cedar Rapids back in 2013. I made the drive down there for just one game with the intent of doing a story on the talented outfielder. I couldn't have picked a better game to go to. Not only did Buxton make a highlight-reel catch in left-center field early in the game, but he also easily notched a triple on a ball hit to right-center field that never even touched the warning track. That's when I realized just how fast this kid is. He has God-given speed that most of us could only dream about.

Buxton can do plenty else well besides running, of course. He plays above-average defense (thanks in part to that speed), can hit for average (.296 career minor-league hitter), and does have some power in his bat (27 home runs in 263 games in the minors). Not since a kid namedJoe Mauer debuted in 2014 have Twins fans been this eager for a prospect to come up. Now, of course, Minnesotans will be clamoring for Buxton's former teammate, third-base prospect Miguel Sano, to follow Buxton to the majors. Sano was not quite as finished of a product as Buxton, especially defensively, though there's a chance he'll also be wearing a Twins uniform at some point this season.

The success or failure of Byron Buxton can't be measured in just a few games, or even in four months of a season. Though the 21-year-old from rural Georgia has the attributes to be a transformative, franchise-changing talent, he's still just a kid.

For now, though, let's sit back and enjoy as Buxton gets his feet wet in the major leagues. He's already provided some entertainment in just two games and is sure to do more of the same as he gets more comfortable at this level.

Oh, and if you don't have plans for this weekend, might I suggest buying a ticket to a Twins game this weekend? The Cubs are in town, and their top prospect -- Kris Bryant -- is pretty good, too. If you go, you'll thank me later.

Minnesota Twins close to calling up prospect Miguel Sano? Lindsey Foltin | Fox Sports | June 16, 2015

Last week the Twins promoted their top prospect, Byron Buxton. Could Minnesota's No. 2 prospect be joining him shortly?

"Sure, it's possible," Twins manager Paul Molitor told the Pioneer Press Tuesday. "Every day that goes by he's closer to getting here, whether it's in a couple weeks or September."

Sano, 22, is hitting .257 with a .358 on-base percentage, 12 homers and 38 RBI at Double-A Chattanooga. He missed five games earlier this month with a finger injury, but has hit safely in eight of his past 10 games with four extra-base hits since his return on June 6.

"We've been looking for him to get consistency," Molitor said via Pioneer Press. "We talk to the people down there about his at-bats, what he's doing well, what's he's not doing so well and what will get exposed up here and what won't.

"It's nice to see that he's trending into playing better. Everything from defensively to his at-bats are things that we're monitoring pretty closely."

There's been speculation that the Twins might opt to switch the 6-foot-4, 260-plus pound third baseman to outfield. However, Molitor didn't divulge any plans for a position change for Sano.

"He moves better than people think he does once he gets going," Molitor said. "It's a big body to get moving; we all know that. I think he's athletic enough to where that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility."

Suspended Ervin Santana headed to Triple-A Rochester for rehab starts Lindsey Foltin | Fox Sports | June 16, 2015

Ervin Santana could be activated as early as Friday for minor-league games in preparation for his return to the majors.

The Twins right-hander, who was suspended 80 games for a positive drug test, is expected to join Triple-A Rochester for a handful of rehab starts before re-joining the big league club, according to the Star Tribune.

Santana will start his first game for the Red Wings on Saturday, Twins pitching coach Neil Allen reporters on Monday.

"There have been no setbacks in his preparation," Allen said via the Star Tribune. "Every report we've gotten says he's pitching well, looks really

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sharp. We've got it all mapped out now, so he'll be ready to go when he gets here."

According to the Star, Santana is expected to make three starts for the Red Wings, including June 25 at Pawtucket and June 30 in Rochester. He will stay with the Red Wings until his suspension is lifted July 4, while the Twins are in Kansas City, and make his 2015 debut against the Royals on July 5.

Cardinals hold off Twins, 3-2 Associated Press | June 16, 2015

ST. LOUIS -- Before the first pitch, manager Mike Matheny noted there are distractions every day for the St. Louis Cardinals. This, he maintained, was just another one.

A federal investigation into possible computer hacking by the team becoming news failed to slow down the team with the major leagues' best record.

The Cardinals extended their winning streak to five by beating the Minnesota Twins 3-2 behind Michael Wacha's pitching and Mark Reynolds' two-run single.

"We're cooperating and I think they understand it really has nothing to do with us inside the clubhouse right now," Matheny said. "Our job is to stay focused on what we can do each day, and let that process take care of itself."

Before the game, Matheny said he was in the weight room when he first learned of the investigation into whether the Cardinals had hacked Houston's computer database. The Cardinals then completed a soggy homestand in which three games were delayed and another against Kansas City was postponed until July 23.

St. Louis is 43-22 overall and 26-7 at home, both tops in the majors, and matched a franchise best by reaching 43 wins in 64 games.

Minnesota has lost seven of eight and was 1-4 on a trip that featured the debut of Byron Buxton, the second overall pick in 2012.

"He is just one player and he's played really well and it's been awesome to see him up here, that's for sure," Twins starter Kyle Gibson said. "We're definitely excited for how he's going to help the team, and he's going to."

Wacha (9-2) halted warmups before the first pitch was delayed 45 minutes and didn't return after a 47-minute rain delay with one out in the seventh and the Cardinals leading 3-1. He allowed two runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Wacha endured six weather delays totaling more than six hours last season, so the rain Tuesday was nothing new.

"You just kind of have a sense of what to expect," Wacha said. "I just stayed mentally ready as well as physically. You know, it's not the first time I went through it."

Kevin Siegrist stood in for Trevor Rosenthal, who is sidelined by a knot in his biceps, and pitched the ninth for his third save in four chances.

Matheny thought Rosenthal looked better but needed another day, and didn't think the injury would require a stint on the 15-day disabled list.

Yadier Molina doubled for his fourth hit in two games and scored on Randal Grichuk's sacrifice fly in the second, and Reynolds' single gave St. Louis a 3-1 lead in the third.

Trevor Plouffe had an RBI double in the first and Kurt Suzuki doubled in a run in the seventh after Seth Maness relieved. Gibson (4-5) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.

Buxton was easily thrown out stealing by Yadier Molina after reaching on an infield hit leading off the eighth. Matheny said reliever Matt Belisle made it difficult for the rookie to get a good jump.

"The guy was really quick to home," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It didn't work out."

The teams play at Minnesota on Wednesday and Thursday.

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Twins' June swoon continues with narrow afternoon loss Tyler Mason | Fox Sports North | June 16, 2015

The Minnesota Twins didn't want to turn the page on the calendar when May was over. Who could blame them? They went 20-7 in May as they surged to first place in the American League Central.

June has not been nearly as kind to Minnesota -- not by a long shot. Tuesday's game in St. Louis marked the halfway point of the month, and the Twins' 3-2 loss to the Cardinals dropped Minnesota's record in June to 4-11. It's a far fall from the end of May, when the Twins were 11 games over .500.

It was the second day in a row Minnesota lost by that 3-2 final score, and the Twins' seventh loss in the last eight games. Just like they did Monday, the Twins had chances to potentially tie the game or take the lead at Busch Stadium. Those clutch hits with runners in scoring position that Minnesota seemed to come up with so often in May continue to elude the Twins in June.

"There have been a couple fairly well-played games here," said Twins manager Paul Molitor. "St. Louis, we know, has a knack for finding a way to win those kind of games, and they've done that two days against us. It's a tough loss, because we had our chances there. We couldn't get the big hit when we needed it."

Tuesday's two-run output was the 10th time already in June that the Twins have managed two runs or fewer in 15 games. Minnesota scored only two or fewer runs just six times in all of May (27 games). During this current skid, the Twins -- who spent 10 days in late May and early June in first place in the division -- have now slipped into a tie for second with the Detroit Tigers and could be in third place by the end of Tuesday night after the Tigers face Cincinnati.

As Minnesota's starting pitching has continued to be steady, the offense has failed to back it up. Right-hander Kyle Gibson allowed three runs in six innings before the second rain delay of the game forced him to end his day early. Gibson was spotted one run in the first inning but the Twins didn't score again with him on the mound. A lone run in the seventh was the only other time Minnesota scored.

One day earlier, Trevor May went just five innings and allowed three runs, but the Twins' bullpen held St. Louis in check. Minnesota's offense couldn't break through the two-run barrier in Monday's loss, either.

It's worth noting, of course, that the Twins have faced some impressive competition during their current rut. The Cardinals own the best record. Before that, the Twins faced a Rangers team that has come on strong as of late after a slow start to 2015. And the Kansas City Royals, who have the American League's best record, swept Minnesota in a three-game series at Target Field before the Twins headed to Texas.

Things don't get much easier for Minnesota. These same Cardinals now head north to join the Twins for two more games at Target Field. After that, it's the Chicago Cubs -- another team with a winning record -- coming to town for a weekend series.

"If you look around, there's a lot of parity, so there's winning records and losing records but there's not a lot of teams that are tearing it up other than the team that we're playing currently," Molitor said. "It's more winning and losing for me, not so much who we're playing against."