Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Monday, August 19, 2013

 In the clutch, Twins can’t find gear. StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 1  Twins ’ health remains issue. StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 2  Postgame: Deduno, RISP, minor details. StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 3  The drama is back in AL Central race for 4th. StarTribune.com (Reusse) pg. 4  Preview: Twins vs. N.Y. Mets (makeup game). StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 5  Deduno, who has lost his last two starts, on the mound for the Twins. StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 5  ’ Justin Morneau to Boston? Not likely, source says. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 6  White Sox 5, Twins 2: Samuel Deduno’s lost month continues. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 7  Lack of timely hitting continues to kill Minnesota Twins. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 7  Minnesota Twins Samuel Deduno having shoulder problems. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 9  Mets return to for makeup date vs. Twins. Twinsbaseball.com (Warnemuende) pg. 10  Ramirez starts in center to give Thomas a breather. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 11  Offense unable to pick up struggling Deduno. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 12  Twins go 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position, drop series finale. 1500ESPN.com (AP) pg. 13  These Twins position prospects could earn a September call-up. 1500ESPN.com (Wetmore) pg. 13  Twins have ‘one of those erratic days’ in Sunday’s loss. FSN (Ervin) pg. 15

In the clutch, Twins can’t find gear

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 8/19/13

Oh yeah, it’s mental at this point.

“Everyone knows it,” Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky said. “Everyone senses it. They press and try to do too much.”

It looks like the Twins are grinding sawdust out of their bat handles as they try, and fail, to drive in runs. It couldn’t have been more clear Sunday as the Twins fell to the White Sox 5-2 while going 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Chicago took three of four games in this series, and the Twins are 2-5 on their homestand with one game left to play.

For a change, there’s something holding the Twins back other than sputtering starting pitching.

They were 9-for-46 with RISP in the four-game series against the White Sox. They are .211 during their homestand, where they should feel more comfortable at the plate.

“It’s one of those things where you look at our lineup,” said second baseman Brian Dozier, who doubled and scored the Twins’ second and final run in the third inning. “We’ve got a great lineup and I feel like a lot of people are doing their jobs, but at the same time, you have to come up with those big hits. You can’t let someone come in here and outhit us. Even if you get down by a few runs early, I don’t think anyone should outhit us.”

If you add the four games in Chicago before this homestand — where the Twins were 3-for-37 with RISP — they are hitting .167 in those situations the past 11 games. In the Mike Redmond days, the Twins coined a phrase, “Smell those RBI,” when runners reached second and third. ~ 1 ~

No one should get close enough to this offense to get a whiff of it right now.

“The thing that we are reminding each other of is just to go up there, maintain your approach,” Brunansky said. “Try to remember what the guy is trying to do to you, the count, the situation, and go up there and put a good swing on the ball. Get a good at-bat and let the results take care of themselves.”

Fomer Twins manager Tom Kelly was once asked during the rough years how a team can improve hitting in run-scoring situations. Kelly looked the questioner right in the eye and said, “Get better players.”

In 2010, the Twins led with a .285 batting average in run-scoring situations. They talked about how seriously they take batting practice, when they invent scenarios on the field and try to move a runner over and drive him in. The Twins entered Sunday 27th in baseball at .234.

They clicked in the second inning Sunday when grounded out to second, enabling Trevor Plouffe to score from third. Josh Willingham drove in Dozier from second with a double in the third.

“We work on the skills every day,” said Dozier, who entered the game with a team-high .330 average with runners in scoring position. “Arcia came up in a situation, fought off a good breaking ball and got the job done. You’ve got to do more. A couple times we had first and second, nobody out. You have to bear down a little more and at least put the ball in play.”

While the Twins were leaving men on base, the White Sox got a big game from shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who was 3-for-4 with a and three RBI. Chicago lefty Hector Santiago threw 117 pitches over six innings but gave up only one earned run, thanks in part to the Twins’ inability to finish off rallies.

“Guys read about it and guys know about it,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of the current state of the offense. “They are all working at it. The only way you can get better at it is come up in game situations, and you can’t practice game situations during batting practice. We just have to find a way to put the ball in play a little better and find us some holes. Right now, we’re not finding any.”

Twins pitcher’ health remains issue

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 8/19/13

These are the dog days of the season, where pitchers sometimes hit a wall.

But two graduates of the Tommy John school of surgery in the rotation — righthanders and — are being watched for clues that it might be time to take them out of the rotation.

Gibson has thrown exactly 140 innings — 47⅓ with the Twins, 92⅔ at Class AAA Rochester — this season. Gibson, 2-3 with a 6.27 ERA, is expected to be eventually pulled from the rotation, but he continues to tell the coaching staff that he feels great during bullpen sessions. Still, pitching coach Rick Anderson, manager Ron Gardenhire and General Manager Terry Ryan are all watching closely. There have been indications that the Twins will eventually move Gibson out of the rotation and let him pitch occasionally out of the bullpen — which will be easier when rosters can expand in September. But they have kept their exact plans to themselves.

“You look for when his stuff starts to dip or he comes out and says he’s tired, “ Anderson said. “He hasn’t let on to any of that, but we’re watching where he’s at. We’ll keep an eye on him.”

Pelfrey has thrown 114 ⅔ innings while going 4-10, 5.26. He has a better chance of finishing the season in the rotation than Gibson, but Anderson doesn’t want to push it, either. Anderson and Pelfrey have decided to skip his between-starts bullpen session, opting for a session of long toss and other drills to maintain his mechanics.

Anderson felt Pelfrey looked stronger in his last outing, so they will try this approach.

“I said to him, ‘You have worked too hard for me to hurt you. If you feel you are tired and I feel you’re done, we’ll look at that,’ ” Anderson said. “I’m not going to do something stupid just because he has worked so hard to get to this point.”

Mientkiewicz battles

~ 2 ~

Class A Fort Myers manager Doug Mientkiewicz is expected to be disciplined by the Florida State League for his confrontation with Bradenton manager Frank Kremblas during a game on Saturday.

According to reports, the managers got into a scuffle after Miracle pitcher Jason Wheeler hit Dan Gamache with a pitch. The managers locked arms and rolled around on the ground as players joined in. Both managers were ejected.

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said the confrontation took place because of a misunderstanding and has been cleared up. The team already has spoken with Mientkiewicz about the situation.

“It has been discussed, “ Ryan said. “Doug was apologetic. The important thing after this episode is that the two managers got together and talked it out.

“Of course, both of them got ejected so they had plenty of time to talk.”

Fort Myers entered Sunday with the best overall record in the FSL, at 71-49. Mientkiewicz has seen several players promoted to Class AA New Britain this season, including top prospects Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario. He currently has outfielder Byron Buxton, considered by some as the best prospect in the game.

The club is pleased with Mientkiewicz, a former Twins first baseman, in his first season as manager.

“He’s very emotional, I can tell you that, “ Ryan said. “He’s very protective. His philosophy is to do things right, even at the expense of a player having to sit for a while. Players need to learn how to play the game, especially down at A-ball. Doug can teach.”

Postgame: Deduno, RISP, minor details

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 8/18/13

Here are three quick thoughts following the Twins' 5-2 loss to the White Sox

1. DEDUNO TIRED? Samuel Deduno was knocked out of the game after five innings Sunday after plunking three batters and struggling with his control. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is beginning to wonder if Deduno is getting tired. Deduno might be hitting a wall, but he shouldn't be tired. One person with the team pointed out that he had a late start to the regular season after missing several weeks because of a groin pull following the . He has thrown 99 innings with the Twins, 16.2 with Class AAA Rochester.

2. OFFENSIVE WOES: What can be added to the fact that the Twins are batting .167 with runners in scoring position over the past 11 games? That's just nasty. When stuff like this happens, it's more mental than mechanical.

3. MINOR DETAILS: Lefty Logan Darnell pitched eight shutout innings today for Rochester in a 1-0 victory over Louisville. Michael Tonkin got the save. I checked the boxscore to see if was off the DL, and he wasn't. So it looks as if he'll be activated tomorrow. Hicks was playing poorly before he injured his right heel and will have to turn it on if he wants a September callup. "It's all up to him,'' Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It is all on his shoulders. He's got to play and get hits and be ready, the bottom line. To call people up here, they have to get it done down there.'' One other thing I noticed from the Red Wings boxscore: The battery of Darnell and Eric Fryer threw out Bats outfielder Billy Hamilton, who has 71 stolen bases this season. One last note: Lefthander Pedro Hernandez, not B. J. Hermsen, will start for Class AA New Britain in their televised game on FSN. "Sano and Friends'' begins around 6:05 p.m.

~ 3 ~

The drama is back in AL Central race for 4th

Patrick Reusse / StarTribune.com – 8/18/13

The door to the Chicago White Sox TV booth was open 90 minutes before Sunday's game at Target Field. Ken Harrelson was in there with partner Tom Paciorek, so I walked in to tell the Hawk how enjoyable was the one-hour, MLB.TV documentary, "Hawk: The Colorful Life of Ken Harrelson.''

This wasn't blowing smoke. The documentary -- more interview than film of his career -- was a hoot. Find it, if you're fan of baseball, or characters, or both.

Later, Hawk and I happened to be waiting for an elevator in the lower corridor. I had been in the White Sox clubhouse, talking to Jake Petricka, the newly-arrived reliever from Faribault.

"The White Sox 2013 media guide isn't much good anymore, with all the changes your club has made,'' I said.

The Hawk shook his head and said: "This has been unbelievable. We were in first place halfway through September last year, and then gave it up. In this year, I never saw this happening. Our pitching has been good enough to be right near the top. But we haven't hit at all, and it got to the point, management felt like it had to start moving people.''

The White Sox have moved outfielder Alex Rios, outstanding starter Jake Peavy, and veteran relievers Jesse Crain and Matt Thornton. Only one player in these trades came to the big leagues: Avisail Garcia, an outfielder considered to have a big future.

The Sox received five other players now in the minor leagues and still don't know what they might get for Crain. He has yet to pitch for Tampa Bay because of a sore arm.

"We might not be done yet,'' Harrelson said. "We have a couple of other veterans that are out there, I'm sure.''

This is the last year on Paul Konerko's contract. Does some team want a righthanded bat for the final month and potential playoffs, as the Twins wanted one in Don Baylor in 1987?

Adam Dunn is also gift-wrapped and ready to move, but he's still due $15 million in 2014. The White Sox probably wouldn't get anything significant from a contender even if they were willing to eat a large hunk of that.

The Hawk remains undeterred

"We got those four lefthanders in the rotation ... a rotation with [John] Danks at 28, and four starters 25 or under,'' he said. "These kids are pretty good. I think we have a chance to bounce back next year.''

Harrelson is one of the few baseball men who was surprised by the descent of the White Sox in 2013, and certainly he's among the few to expect a major rebound in 2014.

That said, I'm beginning to think the better team won the last three games of this series at Target Field.

I'm convinced that the battle that grips the baseball world -- for fourth place in the American League Central -- might now be headed in the other direction as the Twins and the White Sox enter the crucial final six weeks of the schedule.

The Twins were 10-2 vs. the White Sox and 54-65 overall after stealing the opener of the Target Field series on Thursday night. The White Sox were 46-74 and ready to reach the dreaded 30 games under .500. The gap between fourth and fifth was 8 1/2 games ... almost a laugher in the Twins' favor.

And then the Mighty Whiteys won the last three, including 5-2 on Sunday, and now the margin is 5 1/2 games. Last place for a third straight year is back on the radar for these sad, pitching-poor, clutch-less Twins (2 for 18 with runners in scoring position on Sunday).

The Twins' starters are Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey, a sagging Sam Deduno, a so-far unimpressive Kyle Gibson and the soft-tossing Andrew Albers. The White Sox might take one of them for Danks, just to get out from under his contract. Beyond that, the Sox have one of the league's best in Chris Sale, and they wouldn't give up Hector Santiago, Jose Quintana or Andre Rienzo for any pitcher in the Twins' rotation.

You can also compare the lineups as presented on Sunday:

Chicago's in a landslide over Wilkin Ramirez (or ) in CF. ~ 4 ~

Chicago's Gordon Beckham over Brian Dozier at 2B.

Chicago's Alexei Ramirez easily over Pedro Florimon at SS.

Chicago's Dunn easily over at DH (note: Doumit was the catcher on Sunday).

Konerko and Justin Morneau in a dead heat at first base.

Chicago's Garcia and Oswaldo Arcia in a dead heat in RF.

Chicago's Jeff Keppinger and Trevor Plouffe at 3B ... next?

Chicago's Dayan Viciedo over Josh Willingham in LF.

And Joe Mauer in a landslide over Josh Phegley at C.

Look at it. The Twins might not have the juice to outlast the Whiteys, and that's frightening. Preview: Twins vs. N.Y. Mets (makeup game)

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 8/18/13

Makeup game at Target Field

Monday, 1:10 p.m. • No TV, 96.3-FM

RHP Kyle Gibson (2-3, 6.27) vs. RHP Dillon Gee (8-8, 3.79)

Twins update

This is a makeup game for the meeting on April 14 that was postponed because of rain and snow. … Despite it being a makeup game, the Twins are projecting a crowd of more than 30,000. … Joe Mauer has a six-game hitting streak, during which he’s batting .429.

Mets update

The Mets are on their way back from the West Coast, where they played the Padres in a weekend series. From here, the Mets head home to host the Braves. … Over his past three starts, Gee is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA. … Catcher John Buck is away on paternity leave, and the Mets have called up prospect Travis D’Arnaud to take his place.

Deduno, who has lost his last two starts, on the mound for the Twins

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 8/18/13

Somehow, this will be Samuel Deduno's first start against the White Sox this season. The last time he faced the Pale Hose, Deduno gave up four runs over four innings on Sept. 15 of last season. Deduno has lost his last two starts and has done that just twice this season. He has not lost three straight starts this season. In his last outing, he gave up four earned runs over six innings in a loss to Cleveland - but that was one of those games in which the Twins failed to get a single hit with runners in scoring After today, the Twins and White Sox will have three games left in their season series. The Twins lead 10-5 in the season series. On Monday, the Twins and Mets will make up a postponed game from April, then head on a six-game road trip to Detroit and Cleveland. Lefthander Andrew Albers, the victim of one bad inning on Saturday, is scheduled to start on Thursday in Detroit - opposite of Justin Verlander. Will post the lineups and any updates later.

Pedro Florimon, a switch hitter, is batting just .147 against lefthanders - with just 10 hits all season. Wilkin Ramirez gets the start in center today because Clete Thomas has played every inning since Aaron Hicks was demoted on Aug. 1. As for Hicks, he is close to coming off the disabled list at Rochester after recovering from a right heel bruise. Once he returns, he'll have about two weeks left in the regular season to prove he deserves a September callup. Rochester also has a good chance of reaching the International League postseasn, which would provide more games for Hicks to make a case for a callup. ``It's all on his shoulders,'' Gardenhire said. ``He has to get it back.'' ~ 5 ~

White Sox (48-74) 1. Alejandro De Aza, CF 2. Gordon Beckham, 2B 3. Alexei Ramirez, SS 4. Adam Dunn, DH 5. Paul Konerko, 1B 6. Avisail Garcia, RF 7. Jeff Keppinger, 3B 8. Dayan Viciedo, LF 9. Josh Phegley, C Pitching: Hector Santiago, LHP

Twins (54-67) 1. Brian Dozier, 2B 2. Joe Mauer, DH 3. Josh Willingham, LF 4. Justin Morneau, 1B 5. Ryan Doumit, C 6. Trevor Plouffe, 3B 7. Oswaldo Arcia, RF 8. Wilking Ramirez, CF 9. Pedro Florimon, SS Pitching: Samiel Deduno, RHP

Minnesota Twins’ Justin Morneau to Boston? Not likely, source says

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 8/18/13

With Boston first baseman Mike Napoli battling plantar fasciitis in his left foot, Twins star Justin Morneau might seem a logical fit as a potential replacement should the ailment linger.

Presented with that scenario, however, a major league team official close to the situation shot down the idea.

"Don't see it," the official wrote via text message.

The official did not expand on the statement.

The lack of a potential fit with Boston could be due to Morneau's play, the $3.29 million that remained on his expiring contract as of Sunday or better perceived options elsewhere.

Whatever the reason, the notion of Morneau landing with the American League East-leading Red Sox for the pennant drive appears unlikely at this point.

This is the case even though Morneau considers Fenway Park among his three favorite visiting ballparks in which to hit, a place where his combined on-base/slugging percentage is .993, third-best among all parks in which he has at least 15 plate appearances.

Morneau, who cleared waivers on Wednesday, can be dealt to any team before the end of the season, but the deadline for postseason eligibility is Aug. 31.

As for Napoli, Morneau can empathize with his fellow slugger's foot issue, having gone through a similar battle near the end of the 2011 season.

"Not fun," Morneau said. "It felt like someone was digging an ice pick in there every time you tried to take a step." ~ 6 ~

Morneau said he fouled a ball off the top of his right foot that August and taped it during the game "to try to keep the swelling out of there."

The improvised tape job caused the bottom of Morneau's foot to tighten up, he said, and it soon "turned into plantar fasciitis, (which) took months to go away."

Morneau played his last game that season on Aug. 28 after experiencing post-concussion symptoms following a diving play at first base. In a 12-month period, Morneau had surgeries to repair a pinched nerve in his neck, to stabilize his left wrist, to remove a cyst from his right knee and to remove bone spurs from his left foot, but the plantar fasciitis gradually disappeared by the start of spring training in 2012.

This is believed to be the first time Morneau has characterized that issue from late 2011 as plantar fasciitis, which affects the bottom of the foot and the Achilles tendon area. According to the Mayo Clinic website, about 90 percent of people suffering from plantar fasciitis recover with conservative treatments in a few months.

"It's something that's manageable,"Morneau said. "You can play with it, but some guys end up going and having it (surgically repaired) because it gets so tight."

White Sox 5, Twins 2: Samuel Deduno’s lost month continues

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 8/18/13

Samuel Deduno's August struggles continued with five shaky innings in Sunday's loss to the White Sox. The Twins' ace fell to 0-3 with a 5.96 earned-run average this month. Sunday, he hit three batters, was called for a balk and gave up five earned runs on eight hits. Chicago shortstop Alexei Ramirez went 3 for 3 with three runs batted in off Deduno, missing the cycle by a triple. At the plate, the Twins went 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position. Oswaldo Arcia's second-inning groundout scored one Minnesota run, Josh Willingham's third-inning double the other.

MEANING: After taking three out of four last weekend in Chicago, the Twins suffered the opposite fate at home against the last-place White Sox. The Twins still lead the season series 10-6.

ETC.: Twins rookie RHP Ryan Pressly tossed three scoreless innings of relief. Wilkin Ramirez, who missed 11-plus weeks because of post- concussion symptoms, was back in center field for the first time since his initial head injury May 25 at Detroit.

UP NEXT: vs. Mets, 1:10 p.m. Monday, no TV, KTWN-FM 96.3

Lack of timely hitting continues to kill Minnesota Twins

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 8/18/13

Two hours before Sunday's latest round of exasperation, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire pinpointed his team's most consistently inconsistent area.

"The biggest stat for us this year right now is runners in scoring position," Gardenhire said before a 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. "We've really missed a lot of opportunities."

Sixteen more missed chances came in Sunday's loss, which enabled the team with baseball's third-worst record to take three out of four at Target Field.

Just twice in 18 at-bats with runners in scoring position did the Twins manage a hit. Just one of those hits scored a run: Josh Willingham's third-inning double.

There also was a productive groundout to second by rookie Oswaldo Arcia, scoring the Twins' first run in the second inning, but they still managed to leave 12 runners on base.

Those failures were only exacerbated by the offense's first homerless game in 11 outings. ~ 7 ~

After going 6 for 39 (.154) with runners in scoring position in dropping the final three games of this series against Chicago, the Twins sagged to a .231 season batting average with RISP: 250 for 1,080.

That dropped them behind the lowly , on pace for 109 losses, for baseball's third-worst average in clutch spots.

The Twins entered Sunday tied for 27th with the , owners of the sport's second-worst record, with an RISP on-base percentage of just .313. Only Seattle and Houston were worse.

"The key to everything is hitting with runners in scoring position," Twins second baseman Brian Dozier said. "We've been struggling offensively with that. It's not a different mentality or anything. You just have to bear down a little more."

The majority of Sunday's failures came across the first six innings of futility against White Sox left-hander Hector Santiago. Even as his pitch count climbed to 117 on a warm afternoon, the Twins couldn't break through.

They left at least one runner on base in every inning but the second against Santiago.

Most egregious was a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fifth.

Trevor Plouffe fell behind 0-2 in the count and fouled out to first. Arcia also fell into a 0-2 hole before fouling out to third.

As the ball soared harmlessly just 90 feet away, Arcia briefly stared at his bat in disbelief. He then took his left hand and slapped the bat to the ground in retribution for its betrayal.

In hockey, the analogy would be "gripping the sticks too tightly" on the power play.

At this point, the Twins' dugout should practically be unnavigable for all the sawdust they are piling up around the bat rack.

"I don't know if it's trying too hard," Gardenhire said. "That probably comes into play. Guys read about it, guys know about it . They're all working at it. The unfortunate part is the only way you can get better at it is for it to come up in game situations. You can't practice game situations during batting practice."

It's not like the Twins aren't generating scoring chances.

Only the Boston Red Sox and had taken more RISP at-bats than the Twins heading into Sunday's play.

The difference is that while the Red Sox had produced 479 runs in those key moments, with the Tigers ranking second in the majors at 475 RISP runs, the Twins had scored just 348 times (22nd in the majors).

Their 287 with RISP were second-most in the majors.

"You always try to get runners on," Dozier said. "It's coming up with those (clutch) hits. That's the hardest part of the game. RBIs are very important and two-out hits. You work hard to get runners in scoring position with certain guys up. Myself included, we have to do a better job."

Minnesota's 29 sacrifice flies ranked 17th in the majors entering Sunday, and just four teams had produced fewer than their 19 RISP homers.

"The home runs have all been fine, but putting the ball in play in those RBI situations and getting some of those 'one here, one there' runs really goes a long way," Gardenhire said. "Those are the ones that can really finish off games or add on or get you back in a game. That's the stat we have to improve on."

~ 8 ~

Minnesota Twins pitcher Samuel Deduno having shoulder problems

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 8/18/13

After suffering his third straight loss Sunday, Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno had his throwing shoulder examined by a team doctor.

According to Deduno, the nagging pain behind his shoulder that he first noticed a few starts ago has moved to the front of the shoulder. A tiny patch used for electronic stimulation was attached to the front of Deduno's shoulder after the game, and the plan was for him to wear it for two hours in hopes of alleviating the problem.

"It's not sore, but I can't be aggressive with any of my pitches," Deduno told the Pioneer Press after a 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. "When I try to throw hard, I feel it. I changed the angle of my arm to try not to feel pain. I think that's the problem."

Typically, Deduno would throw his next bullpen session Tuesday, but he plans to give his shoulder an extra day of rest before trying to throw again Wednesday in Detroit.

"It started behind the shoulder a couple weeks ago, but I could handle that," Deduno said. "Now it's in the front. I felt it a few days ago. Today, I didn't feel good. In the bullpen and during the game, I didn't feel strong."

For two solid months, the 30-year-old Deduno was among the best pitchers in the game. Over an 11-start span from late May to July 27 at Seattle, he went 7-3 with a 2.66 .

The only starters ahead of him in that time frame -- Bartolo Colon (1.57), Felix Hernandez (2.18), Clayton Kershaw (2.25) and Adam Wainwright (2.53) -- all made this year's All-Star Game.

Over his past three starts, Deduno has gone 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA and 25 hits allowed in 16 2/3 innings. Sunday he also hit three batters, tying a career-high set on May 29 against Milwaukee.

"He says he feels fine," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's not tired. Just one of those erratic days for him."

According to Gardenhire, Deduno's wasn't spinning as crisply as it typically does.

"Normally, when he's throwing really good, his arm speed is good and (the curve) is snapping pretty good," Gardenhire said. "Today, you saw him hit three people and just lose control of the zone. Whether he's overthrowing or tired, I don't know. His stuff looks decent from the side."

Including 16 innings at Triple-A Rochester and the 13 innings he threw in the World Baseball Classic for the victorious , Deduno is at 128 2/3 combined innings this season. That's the most he's thrown since reaching 138 2/3 innings in 2009 as a minor leaguer.

His career high since turning pro in 2004 is the 146 1/3 innings he threw in 2006 at Class A Modesto.

Briefly

Left-hander Pedro Hernandez (forearm strain) was moved up from the Gulf Coast League and will start Monday for Double-A New Britain. Hernandez, who went 3-1 with a 5.54 earned-run average in nine outings (seven starts) with the Twins this year, posted a 2.57 ERA in two GCL outings. He struck out six and walked none in seven innings.

~ 9 ~

Mets return to Target Field for makeup date vs. Twins

Jeremy Warnemuende / Twinsbaseball.com – 8/18/13

Four months after the Mets opened a three-game set against the Twins with a pair of wins, the two teams will finish the series on Monday at Target Field.

After New York outscored Minnesota 20-7 in the first two contests, the April 14 finale was postponed because of snow and rescheduled for Monday's common off-day. Each team enters the day looking to break out of a losing streak: The Twins have dropped three straight and the Mets have lost their last two.

Minnesota skipper Rod Gardenhire will turn to rookie hurler Kyle Gibson, hoping the 25-year-old right-hander can notch a win for the first time since July 14.

Gibson has struggled all season, going 2-3 with a 6.27 ERA in nine starts. Gardenhire said Gibson has shown what makes him a highly touted pitcher, but he often gets too excited on the mound.

"He starts yanking the ball, overthrowing a little bit," Gardenhire said. "We've seen him with incredible stuff, but then he starts rushing, starts overthrowing and his stuff doesn't do anything."

Coming off Tommy John surgery, Gibson is approaching a likely shutdown, having pitched a combined 140 innings this season. The Twins haven't made an official announcement, but he's expected to be shut down after 150-160 innings.

Dillon Gee will take the mound for the Mets, making his first career start against the Twins. The 27-year-old right-hander was well on his way to his seventh win in his last nine decisions on Wednesday against the Dodgers, but he ended up taking a no-decision after allowing two earned runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings.

Since May 30, Gee owns a 2.45 ERA while failing to go less than six innings just once in that span, which covers 14 starts. His most recent win came on Aug. 8, when he went 7 2/3 innings against the Rockies, holding them to one run on eight hits.

"Dillon Gee is the prototypical pitcher," New York manager Terry Collins said after the win against Colorado. "There's days where maybe his 's real good or days maybe his 's real good or days maybe his curveball's real good, but he's got four quality Major League pitches. And when he's using all four, he's tough to hit, because he has the knack for being able to throw those pitches at any time."

Mets: Mejia placed on DL, season could be over On Sunday, The Mets placed starting pitcher Jenrry Mejia on the disabled list with a bone spur in his right elbow. He left Saturday's start in the fourth inning after feeling pain in the elbow.

The bone spurs had been a regular issue for Mejia this season, but the 23-year-old still managed to build a 2.30 ERA with 27 strikeouts and just four walks in five starts (27 1/3 innings). Mejia will see a doctor this week, and although the Mets won't be able to make a decision until then, he likely will undergo season-ending surgery.

"It doesn't look very good," Collins said.

Twins: Team spreads power throughout the lineup The Twins went without a home run in Sunday's loss to the White Sox, a rarity for the team that entered the day with a homer in 10 straight games and led the Majors with 29 dingers since July 27.

Led by Justin Morneau's 14 blasts, the Twins have seven players with at least 10 home runs, more than any Minnesota team since 2004, when nine players reached double-digits.

"We've got guys who can hit home runs," Gardenhire said. "If you look at our home-run list, I don't know even know how many guys we have with 10 home runs. We don't have a 40-home run guy at the moment, but we have some guys who can pop them. So it's just one of those streaks."

~ 10 ~

Worth noting • The Mets will complete an 11-game, four-city road trip on Monday after going 4-6 in the first 10 games.

• The Mets' Daniel Murphy has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games entering Monday.

• The Twins are 8-11 against the National League this season. The Mets have gone 9-4 against American League foes.

Ramirez starts in center to give Thomas a breather

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 8/18/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins gave Clete Thomas a break against the White Sox on Sunday, as he had started every game in center field since rookie Aaron Hicks was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 1. Thomas was held out of the starting lineup in favor of Wilkin Ramirez, who made his first start in center since May 25. Ramirez sustained a concussion in that game after running into left fielder Josh Willingham, and didn't make his return until being activated from the disabled list on Monday. With Hicks in the Minors and Ramirez on a rehab assignment, the Twins didn't have a backup for Thomas until Ramirez was reinstated. "Clete has played every inning and every out since Hicks left," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's done a really nice job for us. So I think he should get a little breather today. We need to see how Ramirez does out there. He needs some playing time out there." Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a double during the 5-2 loss. Twins spreading power throughout lineup

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins rank in the middle of the pack in home runs this season, but they have been on a tear with homers recently. The Twins lead the Majors with 29 homers dating back to July 27, with the Tigers ranking second with 28. They also homered in 10 straight games, which was their longest streak (which ended Sunday) since homering in 11 consecutive games from Aug. 7-18, 2007. Minnesota also has seven different hitters with at least 10 home runs, which is the most for the club since 2004, when nine different players hit at least 10. "We've got guys who can hit home runs," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "If you look at our home-run list, I don't know even know how many guys we have with 10 home runs. We don't have a 40-home run guy at the moment, but we have some guys who can pop them. So it's just one of those streaks." Gardenhire has been pleased by the homers, but he said he'd like to see an improvement with runners in scoring position. The Twins are hitting just .234 with runners in scoring position this year, which ranks as the fourth-worst mark in the Majors. "You want balance up and down the lineup," Gardenhire said. "The biggest stat for us this year is runners in scoring position. We've missed a lot of opportunities. So home runs are all good and fine, but we need to come through in RBI situations." Worth noting

• Twins general manager Terry Ryan refuted a report that right-hander Vance Worley will be shut down for the rest of the season with shoulder problems. Ryan said that Worley, who hasn't pitched since July 7, will throw a bullpen session on Aug. 20. • The Twins promoted right-hander Kohl Stewart, the No. 4 overall pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, from the Gulf Coast League to the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins. Stewart posted a 1.69 ERA with 16 strikeouts and three walks in 16 innings in the Gulf Coast League before the promotion. • The Twins named Class A Advanced Fort Myers first baseman D.J. Hicks the organization's Minor League Player of the Week after he hit .435 with two homers and eight RBIs in eight games. Hicks, 23, is hitting .308/.403/.471 in 28 games with the Miracle this year. • Twins fans can get a chance to watch top prospect Miguel Sano on Monday, as Fox Sports North will televise Double-A New Britain's game against the Trenton Thunder at 6 p.m. CT. Sano, 20, is ranked as baseball's No. 3 overall prospect, according to MLB.com.

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Offense unable to pick up struggling Deduno

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 8/18/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- When Samuel Deduno is on his game, his curveball is his go-to pitch to put away hitters.

But his breaking ball wasn't there again on Sunday against the White Sox, and it's left Twins manager Ron Gardenhire wondering if Deduno is starting to feel tired in these later stages of the season.

Deduno, however, denied that he's feeling worn down, but continued his recent struggles, and the Twins went 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position in a 5-2 loss at Target Field.

"You saw it today -- I don't know how many times he kind of spun it up there and it didn't finish and they whacked it pretty good," Gardenhire said. "It's getting to a certain point and just hanging there right now. And when his arm speed is good, it's snapping pretty good. He hit three people and was losing control of the zone. So whether he's overthrowing or tired, I don't know."

It was the third straight shaky start for Deduno, who had a 3.17 ERA through his first 13 starts this season. The right-hander gave up five runs on eight hits and three hit batsmen over five innings with three strikeouts. He has a 7.02 ERA over his last three starts to see his ERA for the season rise to 3.82.

Deduno was asked three different times after the game if he's starting to feel tired -- he's thrown 115 2/3 innings combined between Triple-A Rochester and the Twins this season after missing April because of a groin injury sustained in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic -- but the answer each time was no.

"I'm feeling fine, but I just didn't locate the fastball," Deduno said. "I left a lot of balls up in the zone. I wasn't aggressive with anything."

He was shaky from the start, plunking Gordon Beckham with a pitch with one out in the first before committing a balk to allow Beckham to reach second base. Alexei Ramirez then brought home Beckham with a single to center field.

Ramirez was at it again in the third after another hit batter by Deduno, as he doubled home Alejandra De Aza, who led off the inning with a hit by pitch. Ramirez later came around to score on a two-out double from Avisail Garcia.

Ramirez wasn't done yet, as he blasted a leadoff homer in the fifth inning for his fourth homer. Garcia doubled again with two outs and scored on a single to left from Jeff Keppinger, who was caught trying to advance to second on the throw home from Josh Willingham.

"He's shown a little bit of power," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said about Ramirez, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. "He's come up in some big situations. He's stayed in the middle of the field and started to pull the ball again. He just looks better at the plate."

It was enough offense for White Sox left-hander Hector Santiago, who was able to work out of several jams. He surrendered nine hits and walked two in six innings but gave up just two runs (one earned).

"I felt like I was having a root canal during most of it," Ventura joked about his starter, whose last outing came after a morning dental procedure. "That's just kind of the way he pitches. Over the course of the season he finds a way to get into a little bit of trouble and then get out of it.

The Twins got on the board in the second, when Trevor Plouffe doubled and reached third on a throwing error from left fielder Dayan Viciedo. Oswaldo Arcia then plated Plouffe with a groundout to second base.

Minnesota scored again in the third on an double by Willingham to bring home Brian Dozier, who led off the frame with a double. But Willingham ended the inning by getting thrown out at home by catcher Josh Phegley as he tried to advance on a wild pitch that reached the backstop from Santiago. It was a costly play for the Twins, as Plouffe walked on the pitch and the Twins would've had the bases loaded.

The Twins finally did load the bases with one out in the fifth, but had nothing to show for it. Plouffe popped out to first base before Arcia popped out to third to end the inning.

~ 12 ~

It's been a familiar theme for the Twins, who lost three straight to the last-place White Sox after taking the series opener on Thursday. Minnesota hit just .154 (6-for-39) with runners in scoring position in the three losses, and has lost five of seven at home.

"It's terrible to be honest with you," Dozier said. "We don't go out there to lose by any means. We're busting our tails working hard to be better every day. But as long as we keep trying to get better and learn from these three games, we'll see what lies ahead."

Twins go 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position, drop series finale

AP / 1500ESPN.com – 8/18/13

Alexei Ramirez homered and had three RBIs, Hector Santiago won for the first time since June 21 and the Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 on Sunday. Ramirez finished a triple shy of the cycle. He homered to lead off the fifth inning, giving Chicago a 4-2 lead and helping his team win its first road series in more than a month. Jeff Keppinger's single scored Avisail Garcia to make it 5-2 later in the fifth. Brian Dozier had two hits and an RBI for Minnesota, which went 2 for 18 with runners in scoring position and lost for the fifth time in six games. Santiago (4-7) wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, getting Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia on popups. The left-hander, who received only 11 runs of support in his previous eight starts, threw 117 pitches and held the Twins to one earned run over six innings. Addison Reed worked around a leadoff walk to Joe Mauer in the ninth to earn his 31st save in 36 chances. Joining teammates Justin Morneau and Wilkin Ramirez in wearing his socks high, Twins starter Samuel Deduno (7-7) didn't walk a batter for only the second time this season. But he hit three batters with pitches and balked once on his way to another rough outing. The right-hander from the Dominican Republic allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings and has lost his last three starts since winning three of his previous four. Chicago has struggled to score all season, but has come on of late. Ramirez has three home runs and 11 RBIs since moving into the No. 3 slot in the batting order eight games ago. As a team, the White Sox have scored 35 runs in their last seven games and are hitting .307 during that span. Santiago and the White Sox benefited from a little good fortune on Sunday, too. After Dozier and Mauer singled to start the Minnesota first, Josh Willingham hit a shot that landed in the second tier of the roof deck - just a few feet on the foul side of the pole in left field. Willingham eventually struck out. With the Twins down 3-2 in the third, Willingham tried to score on a wild pitch, but the ball ricocheted off the limestone wall behind home plate right back to catcher Josh Phegley, who flipped it to Santiago in time to tag out a sliding Willingham at the plate. These Twins position prospects could earn a September call-up

Derek Wetmore / 1500ESPN.com – 8/18/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- September is just around the corner, and for the Minnesota Twins that means it'll be time for roster expansion as the season enters its final full month.

Any player on the 40-man roster can be called up in that month, although there can be procedural, professional, or other reasons as to why a player may not be promoted despite being on the 40-man roster.

Taking all of this -- along with weighing conversations with various members of the Twins' brass -- here is a look at potential September call- ups for the local nine.

We'll start with a look at the positions players. We'll tackle pitcher probabilities Tuesday.

1B-OF Chris Colabello

~ 13 ~

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .355/.432/.651, 24 HR (AAA); .221/.302/.372, 4 HR (MLB) Analysis: Both general manager Terry Ryan and manager Ron Gardenhire said they were pleased with Colabello's development and disappointed to send him down when his second tour of duty with the club came to an end in the last week. If not for Chris Herrmann's ability to catch, Colabello might still be with the big-league club right now. In all likelihood, the Twins will get a second look at the 29-year-old as soon as Rochester's season comes to a close. The Red Wings season, however, might include a playoff berth. Colabello still leads the International League in home runs despite spending a decent chunk of time in Minnesota. Verdict: Pretty much guaranteed.

Utility Eduardo Escobar

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .316/.373/.474, 11 2B (AAA), .214/.268/.328, 3 HR (MLB) Analysis: Escobar started out red-hot for the Twins in April (.378/.395/.541), but hit just .149/.221/.245 in 39 games thereafter. That earned him a ticket to Rochester at the All-Star break, and that demotion seems to have kicked Escobar back into gear. He's been hitting well out of the leadoff spot for the Red Wings, and could even return before September considering the Twins currently only have Doug Bernier to back up between second, short, and third base. Either way, it seems very likely that Escobar will be back soon. Verdict: Extremely likely, if not before September.

OF Darin Mastroianni

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .244/.407/.293, 5 SB, 9/10 K/BB ratio (Rookie/A+/AAA), .222/.300/.222 in 9 AB (MLB) Analysis: Mastroianni's bat has been slow to return after nearly four full months off thanks to injury. That's likely a big reason why he was optioned to Rochester when he was activated from the disabled list rather than returning directly to Minnesota. Of course, the lack of minor league options for Clete Thomas and Wilkin Ramirez probably factored in, as well. Mastroianni still seems likely to be the club's preferred option as a backup centerfielder/fourth outfielder but he will also need to prove his 2012 performance wasn't an aberration. Verdict: Extremely likely, provided he's healthy.

1B-OF

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .234/.353/.369, 23/20 K/BB ratio (AAA), .223/.303/.372, 8 HR (MLB) Analysis: Parmelee was part of the mass exodus at the All-Star break, and was reportedly shocked by the news. That's sort of surprising, given that his production didn't measure up to what a big league team wants out of a corner guy. Granted, Parmelee had some very good hot streaks, but those weren't frequent enough to sustain a quality statistical line. After crushing International League pitching in 2012, Parmelee's bat has been muted this time around. If he's brought back, his stats suggest he might be jockeying with Colabello for late-game pinch-hitting opportunities. Verdict: Very likely, but playing time could be limited.

CF Aaron Hicks

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .202/.292/.233 (AAA), .192/.259/.338, 8 HR (MLB) Analysis: It's been a stunning turn of events for the uber-talented centerfielder. The Twins felt it necessary to bring Hicks along after a scorching spring and stuck by him despite an April in which Hicks hit 8-for-71 (.113/.229/.127). At times it looked like it was getting better -- including multiple highlight-reel catches and a few solid games -- but ultimately Hicks hit only .219/.270/.410 after June 1. That won't do for a guy who at times showed lapses in effort and focus in center. Ryan said the biggest reason he sent down Hicks was his on-base percentage, and Hicks hasn't shown much more of that down in Rochester in the interim (although to be fair, he's been hurt). He may just be sent home after Rochester's season ends, rather than being recalled to the Twins. Verdict: Remember Brian Dozier last year? When Rochester's season ended, he was not recalled to the Twins, even with expanded September rosters. Hicks could be a repeat of that. He'll have to earn a promotion, per multiple Twins sources.

3B Miguel Sano ~ 14 ~

Level: Double-A New Britain 40-man roster: No Stats: .289/.387/.620, 31 HR (A+/AA) Analysis: Sano has been an absolute monster, hitting 31 home runs in a pair of pitcher-heavy leagues to be the first Twins farmhand since Garrett Jones in 2004 to go deep 30-plus times. The Twins staff has nothing but good things to say about Sano, including that his disciplinary suspension was little more than a good kid who made a simple mistake. His defense is coming around, and he looks like he's got a chance to stake a claim to an job in 2014. But for now it looks like he'll have to settle for a possible Arizona Fall League invite if he's going to play baseball outside of Double-A New Britain this calendar year. Verdict: Per Terry Ryan, Sano's callup is unlikely barring injury to players in front of him on the organizational depth chart.

C Josmil Pinto

Level: Triple-A Rochester 40-man roster: Yes Stats: .305/.399/.467, 14 HR, 79/64 K/BB ratio (AA/AAA) Analysis: Pinto has rounded into a very good all-around offensive catcher, showing good extra-base pop, a discerning eye, and good contact skills. Still, Pinto is only about 50 plate appearances into his first stint at Triple-A, and the results haven't come with him in the move (.273/.283/.341). The Twins love him long-term as a hitter, and say he's coming around as a defensive catcher. But he's still raw enough that he probably won't see big league action until 2014. Verdict: Not very likely.

Longshots to make the expanded big league roster in September include 2B Eddie Rosario, RP Edgar Ibarra, OF Antoan Richardson, IF James Beresford, IF and IF Deibinson Romero. Of that list, only Santana is currently on the Twins' 40-man roster. Twins have ‘one of those erratic days’ in Sunday’s loss

Phil Ervin / FSN – 8/18/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- The record's been shattered into so many pieces, it's unclear who even appears on the cover.

The Twins' descent continues. Among manifold problems, an almost complete lack of production with runners in scoring position stands out as a central reason.

Even affable second baseman Brian Dozier is tired of talking about it.

"We've been asked that a lot," said Dozier, one of the few Minnesota players who hangs around the clubhouse long after games these days. "It's not a different mentality or anything. You just have to bear down a little more."

Manager Ron Gardenhire's frequently addressed it.

"I don't know if it's trying too hard," Gardenhire said. "I think that probably comes into play. Guys read about it. Guys know about it. They're all working at it. The unfortunate part is the only way you can get better at it is for it to come up in game situations. You can't practice game situations during batting practice."

They're numbers sitting in a vacuum, ready-made evidence for painful stretch after painful stretch. In their past 11 games, the Twins are 17- for-108 with runners in scoring position. In a 3-1 series loss to the Chicago White Sox that concluded Sunday afternoon with a 5-2 defeat, they went 9-for-46. They're batting .234 with a runner at second, third or both for the season, second-worst in the American League.

And they've had plenty of opportunities; the Twins' 1,062 at-bats with runners in scoring position ranks third in the AL only behind Boston and Detroit. They have 's No. 3 doubles hitters in Joe Mauer. They get on base.

But they stay on base.

"The day someone says hitting's easy, I want to know the secret," said Dozier, who went 2-for-5 and scored a run Sunday. "It's definitely not easier (with runners in scoring position), but at the same time, you've got to get those big hits.

~ 15 ~

"We've been struggling with that."

The most recent glaring example came in the bottom of the fifth inning Sunday, when Minnesota (54-68) loaded the bases with one out. Josh Willingham drew a walk, Justin Morneau singled on a line drive to center, and Ryan Doumit followed with a base hit to left.

With a chance to erase a three-run deficit, six- and seven-hole hitters Trevor Plouffe and Oswaldo Arcia both popped out in foul territory.

"There you have it," Gardenhire said. "We missed opportunities again."

A broken RISP, however, wasn't the only obstacle to Minnesota's chances to salvage a series split in front of 32,905.

Pitcher Samuel Deduno suffered the worst of three straight rough outings: five innings pitched (tied for a season low), three hit batters (tied for a season high), four doubles and five earned runs.

He hasn't pitched past the sixth since July 27, the last of six quality starts in a seven-game stretch. The breaking balls that fooled batters then have been spinning upward and offering a solid chance at contact.

Deduno (7-7, 3.82 ERA) sent mixed messages when discussing his recent downturn.

When asked if his arm was tiring, the 27-year-old right-hander responded, "a little." When asked if he still feels the same as he did in July, though, he said yes.

"I think Sammy was a little erratic today," Gardenhire said. "I don't know. If he says he feels fine, he's not tired. It's just one of those erratic days."

After permitting a 3-1 Twins series win in Chicago last weekend, the White Sox (49-74) closed out the return favor with a win from Hector Santiago. The third-year left-hander gave up nine hits and struck out just one but benefitted from Minnesota's continued lack of production with prime scoring opportunities.

All told, the Twins left 12 men on base.

They'll turn around and play a 1:10 p.m. makeup game Monday at Target Field against the New York Mets. Rookie right-hander Kyle Gibson is scheduled to face Dillon Gee in a tilt originally scheduled for April 14.

Minnesota has lost five of its last seven home games.

"It's terrible, to be honest with you," Dozier said in reference to that final factoid. "We don't go out there to lose, by any means."

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