Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

 Twins go from Diamond to dust in loss to Yankees. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 1  Who would replace Willingham if he goes on DL? StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 2  Reusse: Once-dominant Burton setting up Twins to fail. StarTribune.com (Reusse) pg. 3  Pelfrey does what he needs in Cedar Rapids rehab start. StarTribune.com (Sinker) pg. 4  Willingham scheduled for MRI. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 5  : A better prospect than Mauer, Trout…Pujols? StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 6  Twinsights after 10-4 loss to the . PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 6  Twins get heavy dose of AL East competition. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 8  Feeling ill, sits for first time in 20 games. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 8  set to sign prospect Lewin Diaz. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 9  Minnesota Twins’ Josh Willingham a late scratch from lineup! PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 10  Minnesota Twins’ Mike Pelfrey makes rehab start. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 10  Minnesota Twins won’t be sad to see Yankees’ go. PioneerPress.com (Smith) pg. 10  Yankees 10, Twins 4: Errant opens door for New York. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 11  Errant pickoff throw sparks late- meltdown. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 12  TwinsFest to be at for first time in 2014. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger and Erickson) pg. 13  Two strong of late, Deduno takes on Hughes. MLB.com (Vitale) pg. 15  Mauer closing in on sixth All-Star appearance. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 16  Burton’s rough stretch continues as game unravels. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 17  Déjà Vu?: Byron Buxton stirs echoes of in Cedar Rapids. BaseballAmerica.com (Cooper) pg. 18  Josh Willingham will undergo MRI on knee after being scratched from lineup. 1500ESPN.com (Zulgad and Warne) pg. 22  Notebook: Twins expected to be active in international free agency. 1500ESPN.com (Warne) pg. 23  Twins get no relief from Jared Burton as Yankees rally for victory. 1500ESPN.com (AP) pg. 24  TwinsFest 2014 moves to Target Field from Jan. 24-26. FSN (Staff) pg. 25  Twins Scott Diamond scales mental hurdle versus Yankees. FSN (Mason) pg. 25  looks to extend perfect home record. FSN (AP) pg. 26

Twins go from Diamond to dust in loss to Yankees

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 7/2/13

The Yankees used Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning on Monday to protect their 10-4 lead. Maybe they were just trying to cheer up the gloomy Twins fans who remained.

Rivera, greeted with enthusiastic cheers when he made a surprise appearance, didn’t get a save for his inning of work. But Twins starter Scott Diamond deserved one: If he was pitching for his job, he probably saved it with his best outing in a month.

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But Diamond’s strong 6 ⅔ were overshadowed by another poor outing by Jared Burton, the worst night of the season for the Twins and the prospect of losing Josh Willingham to a knee injury. Amid all that to worry about, losing yet another game to the Yankees barely seemed newsworthy.

“Tough night,” manager said. “We got to the right guys at the end.”

Usually the Twins bullpen is trustworthy. This time, it surrendered seven runs over the final two innings, removing any chance for the game’s all-time save leader to notch No. 635.

Burton was the biggest culprit, handed a 4-3 lead in the eighth after broke a tie score with a home to the right-field stands. The Twins setup man gave up a leadoff to Robinson Cano, who already had homered twice — “the one guy we talked about not beating us,” Gardenhire grumbled — and the problems got worse from there. bunted his way on, as Burton threw the ball past , and the tying run scored when Burton threw a pickoff attempt into right field. Zoilo Almonte singled Suzuki home moments later, and Burton’s fifth blown save of the year had turned the game around.

Brian Duensing relieved and gave up four runs of his own — seven total runs allowed by the bullpen, a season-high number.

That’s quite a reversal of most of Diamond’s recent starts. Lately, it’s been the starter who surrenders the runs. But Diamond reached the seventh inning for the first time since June 2, and if not for Cano, he would have posted one of his best starts of the year.

Yep, if not for the 435-foot blast to straightaway center in the first inning, or the two-run cannon shot into the left-field seats in the third. When Diamond made a mistake, it was a big one.

“I knew what I needed to do, and that was to work down in the zone. I was just trying to keep it simple,” Diamond said after striking up five and walking only one. “It seems like the past couple of outings, everything has really been speeding up. I’ve been overthinking and questioning. Today, it was just about staying calm and working one at a time.”

Not bad timing, considering Mike Pelfrey was reclaiming his own rotation spot at the same time Monday, pitching six strong innings in a rehab start for Cedar Rapids. The Twins will have a surplus of starters when Pelfrey is reactivated on Saturday, and Diamond might have been at risk.

Now? P.J. Walters, who has had three subpar starts in a row, faces this same lineup on Wednesday, and Gardenhire, pitching coach Rick Anderson and GM Terry Ryan will need to shed a starter by the weekend.

While Diamond was keeping the Yankees, most of them, at bay, was reaching a plateau that no Yankees had reached before. The 41-year-old lefthander struck in the second inning, then whiffed Justin Morneau in the fifth, giving him 1,958 while playing for New York. That’s one more than Hall of Famer Whitey Ford racked up in his 16-year career.

Who would replace Willingham if he goes on DL?

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 7/2/13

A couple of notes from yet another Twins loss to the Yankees:

Josh Willingham has been playing with a sore knee for a month now, and he obviously thought he could keep playing while he heals. So he tried to sound optimistic after the game Monday, but you could tell he knows that the decision may have as much to do with the Twins' shortage as his knee's condition. In other words, if he needs a few days to let it heal, the Twins just don't have them.

So who would the Twins call up? The only outfielder at Rochester who's on the 40-man roster is , who is on a rehab assignment. Hicks is .190 (4-for-21) for the Red Wings, who were rained out on Monday, but bringing him back would allow the Twins to give Clete Thomas an occasional day off. Manager Ron Gardenhire and general manager Terry Ryan have been adamant that they want Hicks to produce at the plate before they bring him back, but this may disrupt that plan.

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Chris Herrmann is another possibility; he was an outfielder before the Twins converted him to , and he can even play center. Herrmann would also give the Twins three again, which may not be a bad idea considering that has been limited by a hamstring injury.

It's also possible, of course, that Willingham's knee will feel better Tuesday and an MRI will show no damage. Maybe a cortisone shot will help again and the outfielder can convince Ron Gardenhire that he'll be good enough to play in a day or two.

But that wasn't the vibe in the clubhouse after tonight's game.

-- If you're coming to Tuesday's game and appreciate Mariano Rivera's contribution to the game, show up a little early. The Twins will hold a special ceremony at 6:50 to honor the game's all-time saves leader. And speaking of coming to the game, not as many did tonight as I would have expected. Attendance was only 29,619; only six home games (of 28 played) in May or June attracted a smaller crowd. Several messages on mentioned the Twins' flexible pricing as one culprit -- Yankee games are the most expensive of the season, and Twins fans don't like paying the premium prices.

-- The Twins' three-run first inning might have been even bigger, but for perhaps the worst call I've seen in a game this year. With nobody out, Justin Morneau tapped a ball to third, and David Adams double-clutched before he threw. Morneau clearly beat the throw -- replays showed the ball still five feet away when his foot touched the bag, and it was obvious to the naked eye, too -- but umpire Corey Blaser called him out. Not saying it would have changed the outcome of a 10-4 loss, but the Twins might have knocked Andy Pettitte out of the game early, considering he threw 41 pitches in the first inning.

Reusse: Once-dominant Burton setting up Twins to fail

Patrick Reusse / StarTribune.com – 7/2/13

The Twins signed Jared Burton as a minor league free agent on Nov. 11, 2011. They did so knowing that he was on the rebound from right shoulder surgery and he would have to be protected to a degree in his workload.

This was one of the few things that worked well for the 2012 Twins, as Burton worked 62 innings in 64 games, registered a 2.18 ERA and held opponents to a .186 batting average.

The Twins were impressed enough to sign Burton to a two-year contract. He turned 32 in early June, and at that point it seemed to be a very wise decision by Terry Ryan’s front office.

Burton had made 27 appearances in 2013, holding a lead 13 times, saving two games and losing two leads. He had a 2.03 ERA and opponents were batting .204.

A month later, the Twins are in position to contemplate if it is time to start protecting themselves from Burton.

He blew another game Monday night, entering with the Twins holding a 4-3 lead over the Yankees in the eighth, and leaving with one out, rookie Zoilo Almonte at third, and the Twins trailing 5-4.

Manager Ron Gardenhire came to get Burton to the accompaniment of boos and shouts from the second deck with the message, “Way to go, Gardy.”

The folks following this team — and Monday’s paltry crowd of 29,619 indicated that number is in serious decline — have grown increasingly unhappy with Gardenhire’s loyalty to Burton as his eighth-inning man.

After Monday night, the dreadful résumé for Burton since June 6 is as follows:

He has been in 10 games, lost three, pitched nine innings, allowed 17 hits and nine runs, for an ERA of 9.00 and a batting average of .386 for opponents.

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On Sunday, Burton entered with a 7-7 tie and gave up a to Kansas City’s David Lough.

On Monday, Burton entered with that 4-3 lead and gave up a booming double to Robinson Cano. From there, Burton failed to retire Ichiro Suzuki on a , threw away a pickoff attempt, gave up an RBI to Almonte and mercifully departed.

OK, it wasn’t that merciful, since Gardenhire then gave an increasingly ornery crowd a look at , his other option as a setup man. Duensing and the Twins turned the ninth into an outrage against baseball, as the Yankees scored four runs for a 10-4 victory.

The Yankees came to town with , , and all absent from the lineup. The only remaining star, Cano, two home runs to produce New York’s first three runs, and the Twins bullpen produced the rest.

By the end, there were only stragglers in Target Field, dealing with the reality that even when the Yankees are the Faux Yankees, they still figure to make the Twins look foolish on a ballfield.

Postgame, Gardenhire went with tradition and said, “We got to the right guys at the end,” while also knowing this was not an opinion shared by a majority of his team’s followers.

Not many feel Burton is the right guy at the moment, but then Option B, Duensing, or Option C, Josh Roenicke, didn’t look like the right guy in that pathetic ninth.

“Burton gave up that hit to Cano, and then he threw the ball around a couple of times,” Gardenhire said. “He just got flabbergasted out there, if that’s the word.”

Actually, Burton got flustered, and the customers got flabbergasted, as he threw away Suzuki’s bunt, and then threw a pickoff throw past first base.

Gardenhire was asked what he sees different with Burton, from his terrific Twins introduction in 2012, and then the first two months of this season.

“He’s not able to finish off a hitter — we saw that with Cano tonight,” the manager said. “The isn’t in the , and it’s not a pitch they are chasing.”

When he was good, Burton was throwing a or two to get ahead, then throwing the changeup out of a perfect motion, sending it toward knee level andhaving it dive under some silly looking hacks.

“He looks different, kind of on the side of the ball,” Gardenhire said. “We’re trying to figure what’s wrong … We desperately need him.”

Pelfrey does what he needs in Cedar Rapids rehab start

Howard / StarTribune.com – 7/2/13

Getting batters out in the doesn't translate into doing the same in the majors, but Mike Pelfrey did what he needed to on Monday night in Cedar Rapids. He threw 70 pitches. He gave up two hits (a home run and a ). He said he was pain-free, recovered from the back spasms that put him on the disabled list and ready to pitch for the Twins this weekend against Toronto.

Jim Ecker of the Cedar Rapids-based website Metro Sports Report talked to Pelfrey after the start: "It felt good," Pelfrey told him. "The first time seeing hitters in 10 or 12 days, it was a little different, a little weird at first ... At the end of the day, I walked off feeling good."

The Kernels won 6-3 for their 11th straight victory. Mason Melotakis, who had been scheduled to start, pitched the final three innings to get the save. Melotakis was a Twins second-round draft choice in 2012 and has a 3.67 ERA in 73 2/3 innings for Cedar Rapids.

Ecker described what happens when a major league pitcher comes down to the low minors for a visit: "Before the game, Melotakis and several other Cedar Rapids pitchers watched Pelfrey warm up in the bullpen to see if they could learn a thing or two. 'Just see how he carries

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himself,' Melotakis explained. 'Kind of how he warms up, what his routine is. We're wanting to get (to the major leagues). I just wanted to see what he does, how he prepares himself for a start.' "

Pelfrey also talked to S.D. Buhr about his time with the Twins, and acknowledged that he may have rushed his return from last year's Tommy John surgery: " Obviously, I’ve come back and I came back really quick. I struggled the early part of the year. I can’t tell the future or anything like that. I don’t know if I would have come back in June and had the same kind of setbacks, you know?"

He also told Buhr: "If I would have known, if I could go back now and say April and May would have been like that, I probably would have waited, but I can’t change that. Who’s to say I wouldn’t have had those same things in June? But I feel good, which I think is the most important thing. I feel like I’m getting better."

Willingham scheduled for MRI

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 7/2/13

It has been two weeks since Ron Gardenhire kept Josh Willingham out of the lineup for two games, saying the outfielder’s left knee had been bothering him. Since then, Willingham has had a cortisone shot, tried a couple of more days off, limited himself to duty, and mostly tried to play through the pain.

Monday, he couldn’t do that anymore, either. The Twins slugger, scheduled to bat cleanup as the designated hitter, was pulled from the lineup only minutes before the game when the pain returned while he warmed up. He will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging exam Tuesday morning, in hopes of finding answers to a problem that has plagued him for nearly a month, and after the 10-4 loss to the Yankees, Gardenhire implied that Willingham was headed for the disabled list.

“It hasn’t got any better, might have even got a touch worse, I don’t know,” said Willingham, who reaggravated the injury chasing a fly ball Friday. “I thought [a cortisone shot] helped there for a while, but then I tweaked it again, and it hasn’t gotten better.”

With Wilkin Ramirez, Darin Mastroianni and Aaron Hicks on the DL and Ryan Doumit limited to catching because of leg problems of his own, the Twins have no extra on the roster. “We need another player now. We can’t continue to play like that with two guys on the bench,” Gardenhire said. “That one kind of came out of nowhere. I thought [Willingham] was doing pretty good.”

So did Willingham. He had hoped sitting out Sunday, except for a pinch-hitting appearance, would allow the pain to subside.

“Today I didn’t run during batting practice, and I thought I felt OK,” Wilingham said. “I went to run before the game, and it wasn’t happening.”

He wasn’t the only cornerstone out of the lineup. Joe Mauer came in “under the weather,” Gardenhire said. Mauer did pinch hit in the eighth inning, striking out to stay hitless this homestand.

Pelfrey strong in rehab

Mike Pelfrey made the Twins’ decision an easy one, demonstrating that his sore back is fine again. He pitched six innings for Class A Cedar Rapids, giving up two runs and two hits and throwing 51 strikes among his 70 pitches.

Pelfrey, who hasn’t won a major league game since May 5, will return to the Twins rotation Saturday at Toronto, Gardenhire said.

“I felt good. The first time seeing hitters in 10-12 days, it can be a little different, a little weird at first. It definitely was a little weird,” said Pelfrey, who struck out six and didn’t walk a Peoria batter. “The second time through the lineup, I started throwing and sliders.”

Pelfrey was scheduled to go five innings but requested a sixth. “I walked off feeling good,” he said.

TwinsFest to Target Field

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TwinsFest will be held in late January as usual, the team announced, but “this will not be the TwinsFest that fans are used to,” team President Dave St. Peter said.

That’s because, with the relatively roomy Metrodome scheduled to be demolished, the Twins have decided to move the three-day event — Jan. 24-26, 2014 — to Target Field. Where all the autograph booths and photo galleries will take place has yet to be determined, St. Peter said, but “there will certainly be fewer vendors, just because of our space.”

Capacity also will be smaller, though St. Peter said the Twins haven’t worked out how many people can be accommodated. That will depend on whether they can tent off some concourse space and heat it; even tents on the field is a possibility.

It’s possible the event will move back to the Vikings stadium once it’s built.

Byron Buxton: A better prospect than Mauer, Trout…Pujols?

La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com – 7/1/13

After a slow start at Class A Fort Myers, Byron Buxton is 5-for-8 over his last two games. He went 3-for-3 on Sunday with three runs scored. He's batting .333 through five games with the Miracle.

He's expected to continue to surge, if you believe everything that's being written about this kid from Georgia. See for yourself on Sunday when he plays for the U.S team at the All-Star Futures Game. The hype is growing and growing.

Miguel Sano was considered the Twins' top prospect a few months ago. And now he's considered one of the top ten in all of baseball. But Buxton made mincemeat out of the Midwest League while at Class A Cedar Rapids, batting .341 in 68 games with 15 double, 10 triples, 8 home runs, 55 RBI and 32 stolen bases.

Now many who follow the minors have Buxton as the top prospect in all of baseball.

Sano is still in the top ten, a terrific power hitting prospect. Buxton and Sano might be in the top five. 's Jim Callis suggested earlier this year that Buxton and Sano might be like having Mike Trout and in the same organization.

Think about that.

I just read this story about Buxton at Baseball America. My jaw dropped as the accolades continue to flow for a guy who hasn't reached Class AA yet. The comparison chart at the bottom of the story is very interesting. Take a look.

I was talking with colleague Jim Souhan at Target Field yesterday. We both wondered if Buxton can get off to a fast start at Class AA New Britain next season and earn a second-half promotion to the majors. I wondered if, by September of next season, we could see a Twins lineup that starts: 1. Buxton, 2. Aaron Hicks. 3. Joe Mauer. 4. Sano. A lot of things have to break the right way for that to happen.

But it might not be out of the question. Twinsights after 10-4 loss to the New York Yankees

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

A few Twinsights after another tough defeat: –Most teams resist “personal catchers” these days, but Monday night provided another reminder of the strong dynamic between Scott Diamond and Ryan Doumit. Oh, they had a couple of six-run clunkers against Boston and Baltimore back in the middle of May, but even with those Diamond is now 5-3 with a 4.21 ERA in nine starts with Doumit behind the plate. In his other six starts, including one with in Washington, Diamond is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA.

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“I’ve got to give credit to Doumit,” Diamond said after his longest start (6 2/3 innings) in nearly two months. “He called a great game back there and really kept my head in it.” Of the six times Diamond has now lasted six or more innings this season, five of them have come with Doumit catching. Diamond has given up nine of his 12 homers in those starts, and his /walk ratio narrows for some reason with Doumit catching. But his hit rate drops from 14.6/9IP when throwing to others to 9.5/9IP with Doumit. This time on the third time through the Yankee lineup, Diamond gave up just one walk (to Travis Hafner) and got six groundballs, a flyball and a strikeout (one of his five on the night, tying a season high). What was the difference? “Just stayed aggressive,” Diamond said. “Mixed it up — first pitch, pitched a little backwards — but for most part we kept attacking. Working down in the zone really paid off.” Diamond’s obsessive game-planning always seems to work better with Doumit back there, for whatever reason. With his rotation spot seemingly on the line, Diamond came up big. What was his biggest adjustment? “Mentally, that was the biggest thing,” he said. “Just try to calm everything and realize what I’m trying to do out there. Really trying to work down in the zone. Got a lot more groundballs just being more confident with it. Threw a lot of offspeed when I was behind in thecount and just had confidence with a lot of stuff. It’s definitely something I’ve got to build off.” Look for more Diamond-Doumit collaboration in the season’s second half. –Doesn’t sound good for Josh Willingham, about to undergo his second MRI since May on his troublesome left knee. “About three minutes before the game started, he came up and said he could hit but that was really about it,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He could run but he couldn’t stop. His leg was killing him.” Regardless of the MRI result, Gardenhire sounded ready for reinforcements. Aaron Hicks’ weeklong rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester could be over despite a 4-for-21 showing. “I know we need another player right now,” Gardenhire said. “We can’t continue to play like that with two guys on the bench. We’re going to try to make a decision her and see what happens. We’re pretty thin right now, and that one came out of nowhere. I thought he was doing pretty good.” Willingham was fine, all things considered, until he tried to run down ’s foul pop on Friday against Kansas City. If the Twins put their starting on the disabled list now, he might be able to return for the first game after the all-star break (July 19 vs. Cleveland). In fact, judging from Gardenhire’s postgame tone and Willingham’s frustration when I talked to him on Sunday, I’d say that’s just about the best-case scenario. –And what of Jared Burton, saddled with an 11.00 ERA over his past 10 outings? Gardenhire made the point that since Burton is no longer throwing his split-change for strikes, as he was earlier this season, hitters are taking that pitch and forcing him to relay on his sinker and for big outs. Deeper counts, fewer options, poor location — there’s your recipe for a tailspin. Keep in mind, Burton warmed up Saturday but didn’t get in, so he’s basically worked four of the past five games. That’s also another reason he had to get in Monday even though Casey Fien only needed two pitches to get one out in the seventh. All of this may have led to some experimentation on Burton’s part, Gardenhire suggested. “His (arm) angle is definitely a little bit different right now,” the manager said. “Whether he’s dropping on the side, trying to make the ball move more, I’m not sure.” Burton uncharacteristically left the clubhouse without speaking to reporters, so we can’t pass along his thoughts here.

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Minnesota Twins get heavy dose of AL East competition

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/1/13

Over the final two weeks leading up to the all-star break, the Twins will see nothing but East teams.

"It's probably the best division in baseball," Twins pitcher Kevin Correia said. "Every team is competitive in that division."

Until the lost Sunday, all five AL East teams had been .500 or better. The Twins will see the New York Yankees seven times, starting Monday, with trips to Toronto (three games) and Tampa Bay (four) mixed in.

"I'm sure going up against those teams, we're going to be the underdog against every team," Correia said. "That's a role we're used to, and we're going to go in there and play hard and try to win . To finish on a positive note going into the all-star break always makes it more enjoyable."

More importantly, how the Twins fare over the next two weeks could have a large say in whether they are buyers or sellers at the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31.

They entered Monday's play fourth in the AL Central, six games under .500. However, they were just six games out of first place.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan said again over the weekend that "one decent week" could help Minnesota claw back into contention. Putting that sort of run together against AL East foes, however, won't be easy.

The Twins went a combined 6-7 against Baltimore and Boston this year, completing both season series by the middle of May. They have yet to play the other teams in the AL East.

Feeling ill, Joe Mauer sits for first time in 20 games

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

Twins catcher Joe Mauer was not in Monday's starting lineup against the New York Yankees after starting 19 straight games, including 13 behind the plate.

"I'm all right, just a little beat up, a little under the weather," Mauer said. "I don't know if it's allergies or what that's going around this clubhouse, but I seemed to find my way into it, too."

Mauer is among four or five Twins feeling ill, manager Ron Gardenhire said. The franchise catcher, hitless in his past 16 at-bats, looked "a little draggy" on Sunday, Gardenhire said.

"Just didn't look like he had that same whip with his bat," Gardenhire said. "Hit the ball hard a couple times, but I just thought he looked a little (weakened). I saw him on deck taking swings and going, 'Phew!' You see a guy, you can tell when they've really got that zip."

When Gardenhire saw Mauer in the training room early Monday afternoon, he asked how he was feeling. When Mauer admitted to being "under the weather," the decision was quickly made.

"I said, 'You're sitting with me,' and he went, 'OK,' " Gardenhire said. "He'll never admit it. Says he felt great. But he didn't fight me too awful much on this one."

Mauer, coughing his way through interviews at his locker, admitted it was "probably a good day just to give me a breather."

Asked if there were any dings he was monitoring, Mauer brushed aside such concerns. ~ 8 ~

"I'm fine," he said. "I told Gardy I'd be ready to go. Being a catcher, you get beat up and things like that."

Ryan Doumit, back from a right ankle injury suffered June 23 at Cleveland, got the start at catcher with Mauer available off the bench.

The Twins are six games into a string of 19 straight heading into the all-star break, where Mauer is the leading vote-getter and expected to start at catcher for the American League on July 16 at the New York Mets' Citi Field.

That would be his sixth all-star selection. Voting will be announced Sunday.

"I hate doing it at home. I've always said that," Gardenhire said of sitting Mauer. "But he's not going to four more at home here."

Mauer had played all but four of the Twins' first 78 games, with a full day off in just three of those. He sat out the first game of a at Washington on June 9 but played in the nightcap.

Mauer also sat out an afternoon game in Atlanta on May 22. A stiff back kept him out of the lineup for a May 17 home game against Boston, and he was given a rest on May 1 at Detroit shortly after going through a 0-for-21 .

The Twins had lost the three previous games Mauer was not in the starting lineup by a combined score of 18-5.

His average had sagged to .320, still good for sixth in the league.

Minnesota Twins set to sign outfield prospect Lewin Diaz

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

Dominican outfielder Lewin Diaz is expected to head the list of Twins signings on Tuesday when baseball's international signing period opens at 8 a.m.

Diaz, 16, could receive a bonus of between $1 million and $1.5 million, according to a source familiar with the negotiation. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Diaz's stature and his power-hitting potential from the left side should make his deal one of the five or six richest in this year's class, the source said.

The Twins, who have the fourth-largest bonus pool ($3.9 million) for international talent, hope to sign between five and 10 players at the outset of a period that runs into next June.

Another key target for them is Dutch third baseman Ruar Verkerk, according to multiple international scouting sources. A 6-3, 172-pounder with a smooth left-handed stroke, Verkerk could rate as much as $500,000 on the open market.

Verkerk, who played for the 18-and-Under Dutch National Team at the World Cup in South Korea, plays in a wood-bat league against older competition. He attended 's European Academy in Italy last summer.

Multiple clubs still are pursuing Verkerk, who could take beyond Tuesday to sign. A former shortstop with a strong arm, he projects to stay at a corner spot or could possibly bounce to a corner outfield spot down the line.

Diaz, meanwhile, throws well enough to stay in right field but his running is considered below average. The Twins view him in the mold of Chris Parmelee in terms of skill set but believe Diaz has more athletic ability.

As for Dominican right-hander Mayky Perez, the Twins remain among at least a half-dozen teams pursuing the 6-5 prospect with the low-90s fastball. They are less confident about their ability to sign him than some of the other top targets on their list.

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Clubs are now permitted to trade part of their international bonus pool in exchange for players. The Twins reportedly have been approached about such an arrangement, but general manager Terry Ryan said Monday he expects the organization to spend its entire allotment.

Minnesota Twins’ Josh Willingham a late scratch from lineup

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

A day after admitting frustration with the slow pace of his recovery, Twins slugger Josh Willingham was scratched from Monday's lineup just before the game after experiencing "increased discomfort" in his ailing left knee.

The veteran left fielder will undergo his second MRI exam since May on Tuesday, the Twins announced.

Willingham, 34, originally was due to hit cleanup against the New York Yankees after sitting out both weekend games against the . Willingham delivered a pinch-hit, ground-rule double in the seventh inning Sunday, but he was immediately replaced by a pinch runner.

That was his first extra-base hit since June 12, four days before Willingham received a cortisone shot in his knee that was supposed to ease the inflammation. He still leads the Twins with 10 home runs but the last one came on June 2, a drought of 73 at-bats.

"I thought I got over it once I got that cortisone shot, and it came back," Willingham told the Pioneer Press on Sunday. "I felt decent. It was fine, and then I sort of tweaked it again."

As of Sunday morning, a stint on the 15-day disabled list had not been discussed, Willingham said. He said he would consider such a move if his knee worsened.

Minnesota Twins’ Mike Pelfrey makes rehab start

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/1/13

Mike Pelfrey's first minor league outing in six years went fine.

The Twins right-hander, on the disabled list following a bout of back spasms, pitched six innings for Class A Cedar Rapids on Monday night. Pelfrey allowed two hits -- a solo homer to Peoria's Jacob Wilson and a triple -- but walked none and struck out six.

Pelfrey, who also hit a batter, reported after his rehab start that he felt fine.

He remains on track to return to the Twins' rotation on Saturday at Toronto.

Minnesota Twins won’t be sad to see Yankees’ Mariano Rivera go

Alex M. Smith / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

Twins won't be sad to say farewell to Yankees' Rivera

Mariano Rivera is in town for the final time in his 19-year career, and crowds at Target Field will be eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary Yankees closer this week.

But forgive Twins fans if they don't make this stop of his farewell tour a warm one.

~ 10 ~

He is, after all, the man responsible for more October heartbreak in this state than all of the area's high school Homecoming dances combined. A key cog in all four of New York's playoff series wins against Minnesota (2003, 2004, 2009, and 2010), Rivera has allowed zero earned runs in 12 appearances when facing the Twins in the postseason.

"I'm not going to miss watching him carve us up," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "It just seems like he did it to us more than most. Because I think he did."

Now 43 years old, "Mo" is a living legend. His 634 career saves are the most in the history of the game, and he has been instrumental in dismantling opposing lineups when it matters most. The Yankees have won seven American League pennants and five world championships since Rivera was called up in 1995.

"I like watching him pitch, whether it's against us or anyone else," said Twins reliever , who was in seventh grade when Rivera made his debut. "He's always been fun to watch. Hopefully, he's not pitching too much (against Minnesota), but I'd like to see him out there."

This week's Yankees-Twins series runs until Thursday. Rivera pitched a shutout ninth inning Monday night as New York defeated Minnesota 10-4, but Tuesday will be his big day at Target Field. The video board in left-center field will show highlights during a pregame ceremony as the Twins present the pitcher with a gift and a donation to the Mariano Rivera Foundation.

Other franchises are giving similar treatment as Rivera moves from city to city for the last time. Baseball fans will cast final glances upon No. 42's trademarks: his intense focus, his unnerving calm and his impossible-to-hit cut fastball.

"He's a professional in every sense of the word," Yankees reliever Preston Claiborne said. "Everything that he does, I would like to emulate. Anybody would be foolish not to go about business the way he does."

Rivera's work ethic never comes into question, and for good reason. In May 2012, the pitcher tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee. Many wondered if Rivera -- then 42 years old -- was done with baseball.

He wanted one more shot at a championship, though, and has been back to all-star form in 2013 with 26 saves in 27 chances. Rivera's presence has been big this season for the Yankees (42-39), who have soldiered on without help from several injured stars. When New York has a lead going into the ninth inning, the result is not usually in question.

"We've had that luxury for a long time here," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was behind the plate to catch Rivera's first career save in 1996. "What he's been able to accomplish in his career has made managers very comfortable."

For 19 seasons, that comfort has meant nothing but bad news for the Twins.

Yankees 10, Twins 4: Errant pickoff opens door for New York

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/1/13

RECAP: Jared Burton's errant pickoff throw allowed Robinson Cano to score the tying run and opened the door for a three-run Yankee eighth. Cano had led off with a double and moved to third on Ichiro Suzuki's bunt single.

Zoilo Almonte put the Yankees ahead with a ground ball through a drawn-in infield. Chris Parmelee had put the Twins in front 4-3 with a leadoff homer in the sixth off Andy Pettitte, the first homer Pettitte has allowed to a left-handed batter this year.

Scott Diamond gave up two homers to Cano but still pitched into the seventh for the first time since May 7 at Boston.

MEANING: The Twins lost for the seventh time in their past 10 games. This was their first of seven meetings with the Yankees over the next two weeks.

~ 11 ~

ETC.: Pettitte's fifth-inning strikeout of Justin Morneau moved him past Whitey Ford atop the franchise career list with 1,958. Pettitte entered 10-0 with a 2.53 ERA in his past 12 starts against the Twins, dating to May 2011.

UP NEXT: vs. Yankees, 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, FSN, KTWN-FM 96.3

Errant pickoff throw sparks late-inning meltdown

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 7/2/13

Suddenly, the reeling Twins have 99 problems.

And Yankees star Robinson Cano is clearly among the more immediate concerns.

So is setup man Jared Burton (1-6), as shown by his contribution to a late-inning meltdown that resulted in Monday's 10-4 loss to the visitors from New York.

And don't forget Josh Willingham, who could be headed to the disabled list after his troublesome left knee caused him to be scratched from the lineup minutes before this one began.

"His leg was killing him," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Next came Cano's bat.

Featured client of Jay-Z's Roc Nation sports initiative, Cano bashed a pair of home runs in his first two cracks at Twins starter Scott Diamond to wipe out an early 3-1 deficit.

"The one guy we talked about not letting beat us," Gardenhire said. "He didn't personally beat us, but he got a lot of hits."

Cano, who reached base four times before a Yankee-fied crowd of 29,619 at Target Field, doubled to start a three-run rally in the eighth inning off Burton.

The Twins' top option to get the ball to closer Glen Perkins jumped ahead of Cano with two quick strikes but couldn't put him away. The ran full, and Cano pounced.

Cano moved up on a bunt single by pinch hitter Ichiro Suzuki, who then drew three pickoff throws from Burton before the reliever threw a second pitch to Travis Hafner. The third pickoff throw ended up down the right-field line, enabling Cano to trot home with the tying run and sending Suzuki racing around to third.

"Basically threw on his own two times in a row and launched it," Gardenhire said. "Just didn't field a bunt, so he just kind of got flabbergasted out there. I guess that's the word."

According to STATS, Inc., Suzuki has been picked off nine times since coming to the major leagues in 2001. Burton clearly was determined to get that number into double figures, but only the first pickoff throw was authorized by Twins bench coach Terry Steinbach.

"Trying to be really quick, he threw the ball away," Gardenhire said. "The game was really sped up on him. That's what happens when you get out there and you're trying to figure out what's going on."

One out later, rookie Zoilo Almonte bounced the go-ahead single through a drawn-in infield. That chased Burton, who exited to boos after seeing his earned-run average over his past 10 outings soar to 11.00.

~ 12 ~

In his past nine innings, Burton has allowed 17 hits, six walks and two home runs, including a fall-behind shot by Kansas City's David Lough in Sunday's 9-8 loss.

It was the Royals who began Burton's downturn with a four-run shellacking at Kansas City on June 6. That time it was Lorenzo Cain who homered off Burton.

Two days later,

Burton tweaked his right groin/hip in an appearance at Washington, and it was five days before he got back on the mound. Since then, he is 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in eight outings covering 7 1/3 innings (13 hits). Health is not an issue for Burton, Gardenhire insisted.

"His velocity is good," the manager said. "He's healthy. Right now, it's just not working out for him."

Burton, typically willing to discuss even his roughest outings, left without speaking to reporters, another indication of his growing frustration.

"We're just trying to figure it out ourselves," Gardenhire said. "We're trying to figure out what's happening here because the guy's got great stuff."

Right-hander Casey Fien threw just two pitches to get the last out of the seventh in relief of Diamond, but modern bullpen usage dictates the setup man pitch the eighth with a one-run lead.

Burton, who pieced together three straight scoreless outings before these last two hiccups, failed to come through. Still, there appears to be no thought of removing him from the setup role.

"He's had a couple of scuffles here," Gardenhire said. "We desperately need him. He's been very good for us, and we desperately need him to get going again. That's a big part of our bullpen."

Maybe there aren't 99 problems in Twins Territory, but like Burton's ERA, the number sure seems to be climbing fast.

TwinsFest to be at Target Field for first time in 2014

Rhett Bollinger and Kelly Erickson / Twinsbaseball.com – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins announced Monday that they will host their annual TwinsFest at Target Field for the first time in 2014. The three-day event, which allows fans to meet, get autographs and take pictures with current and former Twins players, will run Jan. 24-26 and will have new features special to Target Field. Ticket prices and additional details will be announced at a later date. "We're excited to bring TwinsFest home to Target Field," Twins president Dave St. Peter said in a news release. "Hosting this at our ballpark gives us a chance to reinvent this great event, providing creative new experiences for our fans in a smaller, more intimate setting. And perhaps most importantly, the event again promises to raise significant proceeds for the Twins Community Fund and its many worthwhile programs." TwinsFest, which was launched in 1989, has become an annual extravaganza for Minnesota fans. The Metrodome served as the event's home while the Mall of America and the National Sports Center have also previously hosted the event. 'A little beat up,' Mauer out of lineup against Yankees

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins catcher Joe Mauer was held out of the lineup on Monday against the Yankees with Ryan Doumit making the start behind the plate instead. Mauer said he's not injured but is simply dealing with some soreness and is one of several Twins players battling a minor illness.

~ 13 ~

"I'm all right," Mauer said. "I'm just a little beat up and under the weather. I came in ready to go, but today was just a good day to take a breather here. I don't know if it's allergies or what going around the clubhouse but it's found its way to me, too." Mauer went 0-for-15 over the weekend against the Royals and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire could tell that it was time to give Mauer a break. Mauer leads the Twins with 74 games played, including 50 starts behind the plate. "He's fine to play, but I told him we'll just chill out here," Gardenhire said. "I thought he looked pretty draggy yesterday and we're going through a big stretch here. And if you're going to do it, do it against a guy like [Andy] Pettitte." The Twins also don't have a day off until the All-Star break, which is another reason why Mauer started the game on the bench. Doumit, who is dealing with a sprained right ankle, also isn't ready to start in the outfield so he had to start at catcher while Josh Willingham is also being relegated to designated-hitter duty because of a sore left knee. "We're in a big stretch here so this is the right thing to do," Gardenhire said. "I hate doing it at home, I've always said that, but he wasn't going to catch four in a row here at home. And Doumit can't play the outfield and Willingham can't go in the outfield so there you have it." Rehabbing Pelfrey gearing for Saturday return to Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- Right-hander Mike Pelfrey made a rehab start with Class A Cedar Rapids on Monday night, and if all continues to go well he's on track to make his return with the Twins on Saturday against the Blue Jays. Pelfrey, on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 19 with a strained back, took the mound for the Kernels against Peoria. He gave up two runs on just two hits over six innings with six strikeouts and no walks. He also threw 70 pitches and reported no health issues after his outing. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said before the game that if everything goes to plan, Pelfrey's next start will be with the Twins. "He's fine with his back," Gardenhire said. "Saturday is when he'll be here. He's eligible to come off on the Fourth but that's [Kyle] Gibson's start, so I don't think we're going to do that, and Friday is [Kevin] Correia's start, so we're not going to do that one. So Saturday." Willingham scratched, set for an MRI on knee

MINNEAPOLIS -- Josh Willingham was a late scratch from the lineup against the Yankees on Monday with increased discomfort in his left knee. Willingham, who was slated to start at designated hitter, has been dealing with a sore left knee throughout the season and had a cortisone shot in his knee on June 15. He's scheduled to have an MRI exam on Tuesday morning. "I tweaked again [on Friday] and it hasn't gotten better since," Willingham said. "I didn't run Saturday or Sunday, I only ran at like 30 percent on Sunday going into second base, and so before the game I went to go run and it just really bothered me." Willingham was replaced at DH by , who was originally penciled in to start at third base. Jamey Carroll started at third in Plouffe's place and batted eighth. Willingham was originally supposed to bat third in the lineup so everyone behind him in the order moved up except shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who remained the club's ninth hitter. Twins honor fallen Arizona firefighters

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins honored the 19 firefighters who died near Prescott, Ariz., with a moment of silence at Target Field before their game against the Yankees on Monday. Commissioner Bud Selig asked all seven home clubs on Monday to hold a moment of silence in memory of the 19 men, 18 of whom were members of the Prescott (Ariz.) Granite Mountain Hotshots. The tragedy occurred on Sunday near the town of Yarnell, which is 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. The fire, which was believed to have been started by a lightning strike, had consumed more than 8,300 acres and has destroyed about 200 homes, according to reports. It's also being reported as the worst loss of life for firefighters since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when 343 died at the World Trade Center in New York.

~ 14 ~

Two pitchers strong of late, Deduno takes on Hughes

Josh Vitale / MLB.com – 7/2/13

Ron Gardenhire wasn't placing too much stock in the Yankees' recent skid. Even though New York had lost five straight and six of its past seven entering Monday's game, the Twins' manager maintained that "they are the Yankees."

They showed it on Monday. After allowing three runs in the first inning and falling behind by a run in the sixth inning, the Yankees stormed back to score seven runs in the final two innings to defeat Minnesota, 10-4.

"They've got some guys that have been around the league a bit from other ballclubs that they've kind of put together. They've been battling pretty good," Gardenhire said. "They're always tough. They know how to play. They come and they prepare very well so we have to play really good."

The Twins will hope to get that good performance their manager is looking for on Tuesday with Samuel Deduno on the mound. The young right-hander has pitched well of late, allowing two earned runs or less in five of his past six starts.

Gardenhire credits Deduno's recent success to his ability to limit walks. After handing out 10 free passes in his first four starts this season, Deduno has walked just four batters over his past three.

"I think commanding his fastball better," Gardenhire said. "We all know he can throw the , and that's what he'd always go to when he'd get behind because he couldn't always get his fastball."

The Yankees will counter with , who is coming off one of his best starts of the season. The right-hander threw eight innings of two-run ball against the Rangers on Thursday, taking a tough-luck loss as the Yankees' failed to scratch across any runs in support.

There has been speculation that Hughes could lose his spot in the rotation with Ivan Nova pitching well and Michael Pineda working his way through a rehab assignment, but manager Joe Girardi said on Monday that he hope Hughes "gets on a roll here." He has been inconsistent this season -- he's allowed four or more runs in six of his 15 starts this season -- but his ability to shut down a dangerous Texas offense dispelled some concerns.

Hughes is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in four career starts against the Twins.

"Every time I take the ball, I just clear my head and go out there and do the best job I possibly can," Hughes said on Thursday. "I really don't let talk and things like that creep into my head, so I guess it takes some experience and going through it to handle that stuff better. It's really not an issue."

Yankees: Cano scorching on road trip • Robinson Cano has been a nightmare to opposing pitchers on the Yankees' current road trip. The second baseman is 10-for-17 at the plate through four games of the team's seven-game trip, with three home runs and five RBIs.

The surge ends the slugger's recent cold streak at the plate. Cano had been batting just .229 in the 12 games entering the Yankees' series against the Orioles over the weekend.

"You know that eventually he's going to get hot again, that's the bottom line," Girardi said. "He swung the bat very well in Baltimore."

Twins: continues for Mauer • Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been battling mild soreness and flu-like symptoms over the past few days, and it's shown at the plate. The .320 hitter was in the midst of an 0-for-15 stretch over his past four games, and Gardenhire gave him a day off on Monday.

Mauer extended his hitless streak in the eighth inning, pinch-hitting for third baseman Jamie Carroll and striking out swinging with a runner on second base and one out in a two-run game.

~ 15 ~

"I'm all right," Mauer said. "I'm just a little beat up and under the weather. I came in ready to go, but today was just a good day to take a breather here. I don't know if it's allergies or what going around the clubhouse but it's found its way to me, too."

Mauer closing in on sixth All-Star appearance

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins catcher Joe Mauer is inching closer to another All-Star Game appearance, as he remains the top vote-getter among American League catchers in the final All-Star Game ballot update released Monday. Mauer, aiming for a sixth career All-Star appearance, leads Orioles backstop by more than 1 million votes, as Mauer has tallied 3,869,330 votes to Wieters' 2,677,959. Mauer, 30, is hitting .320 with eight homers, 24 doubles and 26 RBIs in 74 games. He also leads Major League catchers with a .404 on-base percentage and 49 runs scored. Mauer was an All-Star last year for the fifth time in his career and was the Twins' lone representative in the Midsummer Classic. He was voted in as a starter from 2008-10 and was the leading vote-getter in the Majors in '10. "It's a tremendous honor," Mauer said. "As long as they keep having me, I'd love to come back. It's a great event and hopefully I'll be able to do it again." If elected, the 2009 American League MVP would join Ivan Rodriguez (12 times) and Hall of Famer (seven) as the only AL catchers to earn four fan-elected starts. In addition, he would become one of three players in Twins history to accomplish the feat, joining Hall of Famers (nine times) and (six). Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or via a mobile device -- using the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot until Thursday, July 4, at 10:59 p.m. CT. Fans may submit 25 online ballots during the voting period but can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, fans must be logged into an MLB.com account when submitting any online ballot. To obtain an MLB.com account, visit www.mlb.com and register in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account. Fans can also once again participate in the Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league whom they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2013 Home Run Derby -- part of All-Star Workout Day -- will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 7 p.m. CT on Monday, July 15. Though originally scheduled for July 7, the 2013 rosters will now be unveiled Saturday, July 6, at 5:30 p.m. CT on the 2013 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Taco Bell. The show will be televised nationally on FOX. From Saturday, July 6 to Thursday, July 11, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2013 All-Star Game Final Vote Sponsored by freecreditscore.com for the final player for each League's All-Star roster. And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the official voting for the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2013 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the official vote determining the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy. The 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field on Tuesday, July 16. Come to MLB.com for extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities. The 84th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by , in Canada by Rogers and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM also will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com. Other Twins on the ballot are Justin Morneau, designated hitter Ryan Doumit, second baseman Jamey Carroll, shortstop Pedro Florimon, third baseman Trevor Plouffe and outfielders Josh Willingham, Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmelee. Second baseman Brian Dozier is not on the ballot, but he can be voted in as a write-in candidate.

~ 16 ~

Burton’s rough stretch continues as game unravels

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 7/2/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- Jared Burton was just about automatic as a setup reliever for the Twins in 2012.

The right-hander posted a 2.18 ERA in 62 innings and was rewarded after the season with a two-year contract with an option to remain the club's top setup man moving forward.

But after a strong start to the year, Burton has struggled in recent weeks, and it continued on Monday night against the Yankees. Burton couldn't hold a one-run lead in the eighth inning and fellow reliever Brian Duensing also struggled in the ninth to hand the Twins a 10-4 loss to the Yankees at Target Field.

With three runs allowed in the eighth, Burton has an 11.00 ERA over his last 10 outings dating back to June 6. But Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he's sticking with Burton given his track record.

"We got it to the right guys at the end but Burton just had a rough time," Gardenhire said. "He's had a couple scuffles here and we definitely need him. He's been very good for us and we desperately need him to get going again here. He's a big part of our bullpen as one of the last two guys."

Burton came in with the Twins clinging to a 4-3 lead with Robinson Cano set to lead off the inning after he had already homered twice earlier in the game. Cano came through again with a double to right, which led to the decision to bring in pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki to drop down a .

Burton couldn't handle the bunt down the third-base line and his throw brought Justin Morneau off the bag at first base. Burton then tried to pick off Ichiro at first base but the throw went past Morneau to score Cano and allowed Ichiro to reach third. Burton was able to retire Travis Hafner for the first out but then gave up the go-ahead RBI single to Zoilo Almonte with the infield playing in.

"He gives up the hit to Cano and after that he just couldn't get it done," Gardenhire said. "He threw over to first base basically two times on his own and launched it and didn't field the bunt. So I guess he got flabbergasted is the word. And it went from there."

Duensing replaced Burton and allowed Almonte to score on an RBI groundout from Chris Stewart. All three runs were charged to Burton, who has a 4.39 ERA on the year. Duensing remained in the game and allowed the Yankees to score four more in the ninth inning to put the game out of reach.

It spoiled a strong start from Scott Diamond, who snapped a streak of four straight shaky outings, as he turned in his first quality start since June 2. The left-hander gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings while tying a season high with five strikeouts.

"I'm happy with the improvement personally, but we lost," Diamond said. "It just kind of unraveled a little bit. So I'm happy, but in the long run it doesn't really matter."

He quickly fell behind, giving up a solo shot to Cano in the first inning, but the Twins scored three times in the bottom of the first against veteran lefty Andy Pettitte.

Ryan Doumit brought home two runs with a double to center to give the Twins the lead after Clete Thomas walked and Brian Dozier doubled. After a blown call at first base with Morneau beating out a throw from third baseman David Adams but being ruled out, Doumit eventually scored on an from Pettitte, who couldn't handle a comebacker from Oswaldo Arcia.

The Yankees tied it up in the third on a two-run blast from Cano to left field. It marked the third multihomer game of the year for Cano and came after reached on an error from third baseman Jamey Carroll.

"He's aggressive," Diamond said. "In that first at-bat I was just trying to keep the ball down and I threw it right in his wheelhouse. The second time he was just real aggressive and it was not a good pitch by me. So he's a tough out and really spoiled it for us tonight."

~ 17 ~

The Twins took the lead in the sixth on a solo shot from Chris Parmelee that chased Pettitte from the game after five-plus innings. It was the eighth homer of the year for Parmelee, who had last homered on June 22.

"Obviously disappointed with the way I threw, the results on my end, but a great game for the team," said Pettitte, who was knocked out after Parmelee's homer but overtook Hall of Famer Whitey Ford to become the Yankees' all-time strikeout leader. "We needed a win. The guys swung the bats well, the bullpen was awesome. Other than the starter that was out there, it was a big time positive tonight."

Minnesota's offense was held quiet over the last three innings and never had a chance in the ninth against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera after Duensing gave up four runs in the top of the inning.

"Duensing couldn't get it done," Gardenhire said. "They just kept rolling them through with the bases loaded. It was an ugly end to a good game up to that point."

Déjà Vu?: Byron Buxton stirs echoes of Mike Trout in Cedar Rapids

J.J. Cooper / Baseball America – 6/30/13

CEDAR RAPIDS, —When the idea first popped into a scout’s head, it seemed preposterous.

Just two years after he dominated the Midwest League for Cedar Rapids, Mike Trout produced one of the best rookie seasons in baseball history. So how is it possible that there’s a guy in the same league–in the same city–who is … (looks around to see if anyone is within earshot) . . . better?

It seems crazy to compare anyone to a player who just produced one of the greatest age 20 seasons ever. But scouts who have seen Cedar Rapids center fielder Byron Buxton this spring are no longer wondering whether he’s the best prospect in baseball. They are wondering how the Twins farmhand–the Kernels switched affiliations from the Angels to the Twins this season–compares to the best prospects they’ve ever seen.

“I am positive he’s the best prospect I’ve seen in (more than a decade) of full-time scouting,” a pro scout for a club said. “It’s not even close. Tools, athleticism, feel and vision. Time will tell what kind of major league player he becomes, but the sky is the limit.”

Another scout, referencing the 2-to-8 scouting scale, said (somewhat) jokingly two days into five days of watching Buxton: “What don’t I throw an 8 on?”

A third pro scout has seen Midwest League stars come and go for more than a decade. In his eyes, Buxton’s hitting approach is better than Trout’s was when he was in the league. He hedges a bit, saying that he doesn’t know if Buxton will develop as Trout has, but says strictly based on MWL performance, Buxton has been better.

“Joe Mauer, Prince Fielder, , that’s the grouping I have him in as far as pure hitting approach,” said the scout, who saw all three of those future big league stars come through the MWL.

Amazing At-Bats The amazing thing about Buxton’s season isn’t that he’s good. As the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft out of a Georgia high school, everyone knew he was really good. When scouts have seen Buxton this year, what surprised them was his aptitude and his hitting approach. Even if you expected to see a player who can run and hit for power, how does a 19-year-old just a year out of high school learn how to grind out at-bats like he’s ?

“I was expecting to see a raw tools guy who flashes brilliance. That’s what a normal 19-year-old from a small town does in the Midwest League. That’s not him,” an NL scout said.

The speed wasn’t surprising.

Oh, it’s special. The way Buxton glides from first to third with massive, fluid strides, he seems to eat up 90 feet in just a few steps. And scouts love that they get 4.0-4.1-second times consistently when he’s running from home to first, without ever seeing him jog one out. But before Buxton arrived in Cedar Rapids, everyone knew he could run.

~ 18 ~

The arm wasn’t surprising.

It’s the same arm that struck out 18 batters in the deciding game of the Georgia 2-A state championship series last year, as Buxton fired 92- 93 mph .

The power wasn’t surprising.

Buxton has a whippy bat thanks to his excellent bat speed. He’s skinny with plenty of muscle definition, but not a whole lot of bulk. The biceps aren’t that big. His chest isn’t the chest of a power hitter. He’s a teenager who looks like a teenager. But because of his bat speed he can drive the ball to all fields, and when he really connects, the ball carries. He has present power, and scouts expect he’ll have significantly more as he fills out and matures.

The defense wasn’t even surprising, though it has been better than expected.

Buxton’s speed allows him to cover plenty of ground, and he pairs it with good jumps, good technique and excellent routes to makes the gaps just a rumor for opposing hitters. Scouts saw it in high school, but to see him make Gold Glove-caliber plays in pro ball is that much more impressive.

But the hitting. Who could have imagined this?

Buxton is just a year removed from playing 2-A high school baseball in Georgia, where he saw few 90 mph fastballs and even fewer quality breaking balls. Twins scouting director Deron Johnson saw Buxton six times last spring and said he never saw him face a pitcher with professional potential. And when he first arrived in pro ball, it showed.

Buxton went 1-for-27 to start his pro career in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League last year. Two weeks into his pro career, he was hitting .037 with no extra-base hits. He looked like a kid from south Georgia over his head in his first taste of pro competition.

But what Buxton has shown already is that he is a fast learner. After going hitless in seven of his first eight games, Buxton had at least one hit in 18 of his final 21 in the GCL and jumped to Rookie-level Elizabethton, where he helped lead the E-Twins to an Appalachian League title. And between summers, Buxton showed that he had caught up to and passed his contemporaries.

“You saw the stuff. In instructs, you saw he had great aptitude. He really took off. This year in , he was absolutely ready. He’s been doing this since more than just April,” Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff said.

This year, Buxton’s longest hitless streak is two games, and he quickly proved he was ahead of the pitchers in the Midwest League. At the time of his promotion to the high Class A Florida State League, he ranked in the top five in the MWL in batting, on-base percentage and and virtually every other offensive category. The only significant categories where he didn’t rank in the top five were home runs and doubles.

“He’s not afraid of hitting with two strikes,” Cedar Rapids hitting coach said.

Buxton’s approach and hitting ability make him standout from the other prospects who combine power and speed. Those players are always intriguing. But the players who combine power, speed and hitting ability at a young age? Well, that’s a much smaller and more elite group.

Twice Lucky

If Trout was a once a generation talent, how is it possible that Cedar Rapids ended up just three years later with another center fielder who belongs in the same discussion?

It’s an easy joke to make to ask if the people of Cedar Rapids have been living right. A lot of solid big leaguers have come through Iowa’s second-largest city, but diehard fans have to recall ’ 15 home runs and 53 steals in 1982 to remember the last player before Trout who dazzled them with similar speed and power. Getting a talent like Trout or Davis once a decade or so seems reasonable. Twice in four seasons? Preposterous.

But Cedar Rapids definitely is living right when it comes to its baseball team. The Kernels have a booster club that sponsors picnics and other activities for the players and supplies gift cards so the players can eat properly on the road. ~ 19 ~

Cedar Rapids isn’t the only team that provides host families its players, but how many cities have waiting lists for host families? And how many send people to spring training to talk to the players personally, to make sure they match the right player with the right family? Allergic to cats? Well, these families won’t work for you. Latin American? The Kernels will try to match you up with a family that speaks Spanish.

It matters to the players, more than you may expect. Yes, some of the Kernels will grow up to be big league stars, but when they are Cedar Rapids, they are 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kids often in their first full year of life on the road. So a little stability, an opportunity to have a place to stay rent free and a little taste of home life is a godsend.

Twins middle infielder played in Cedar Rapids in 2005 as an Angels farmhand before he was traded to the Twins. In 2008, the Twins told Casilla he was headed to Cedar Rapids for a rehab assignment with the . They gave him the name of the hotel where he’d stay, but Casilla told the team he didn’t need a hotel. If he was headed back to Cedar Rapids, he’d stay with the family that took him in back in 2005. He has since come back to Cedar Rapids on an off day to catch a Kernels game and spend some time with his host family–a quick 275-mile jaunt down the road.

A Second Chance Being blessed with Buxton just a few years after Trout has helped the Kernels in other ways as well. When Trout left town, the Kernels’ front office realized it may have missed an opportunity. The mantra in the minors is that you don’t market the players, you market the team, the experience and the promotions. IN part that’s because most minor league players are not well known, and also because the minor league team can’t control how long the player will be around.

But after Trout was promoted out of Cedar Rapids, Kernels general manager Doug Nelson (who was then the assistant GM) kept hearing from fans disappointed that they hadn’t come out to see Trout play before he left town.

“When Trout was here, normally we promote the team and we do not single out individual players,” Nelson said. “We realized we missed out on an opportunity to promote him in the community.”

So when Buxton arrived, and quickly showed that he was worthy of a trip to the park, the club started promoting him and his teammates in local radio spots.

“We heard a lot of fans say, ‘Boy, I wish I saw Mike Trout,’ ” Nelson said. ”We told fans, don’t make the same mistake you made with Trout. Come out and see them before they’re promoted.”

Even with two more rainouts than last year, attendance was up about 5 percent over 2012, thanks in part to the Buxton effect.

The Kernels also ordered a batch of 48 Kernels t-shirts with Buxton’s name and No. 7 on the back, marketing an active player for the first time in recent memory. The first shipment sold out in a week, and the second shipment of 72 shirts didn’t last much longer. Between online orders and sales at the park, the Kernels had to order more every couple of weeks.

“We thought we’d see what happened, but it’s such an overwhelming response,” Nelson said.

Who Would You Take? Beyond comparing Trout and Buxton, scouts in the Midwest League had the opportunity this season to revisit the top of the 2012 draft and ask the question: Knowing what we know now, would you rather have Buxton, or the Astros’ draft haul of No. 1 pick , as well as supplemental first-rounder Lance McCullers Jr. and second-rounder Rio Ruiz?

The Astros decided in 2012 to spread their draft budget over multiple players. So they signed Correa to a below-slot deal, then used the savings to sign McCullers and Ruiz to above-slot contracts. All three are now at Quad Cities. Correa is already considered one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. McCullers has showcased his excellent arm in the Midwest League, and Ruiz has shown flashes of his excellent potential at the plate.

Still, a survey of scouts who have seen all four indicates that one Buxton is better than the trio of Correa, Ruiz and McCullers, as a majority would take him over the Astros’ trio.

“Come on. It’s not even close,” an NL scouts said. “As I look at it, even if you had the plan to try to get three impact guys instead of one, the minute you walk into Buxton’s game, you have to scrap that plan and say, ‘We’re going with this guy.’ “

That opinion is not universal, however. ~ 20 ~

“Awesome as Buxton has been, I think you have to take the Astros’ trio,” an AL scouting executive said. “Especially because you might be getting another stud premium position player in Correa, who is still a little bit younger than Buxton. If this deal was on the table, I honestly don’t know who would say no first. Any way you slice it, the fact that we’re talking about trading three guys, one of whom went 1-1 last year, for a 19-year old in low-A ball is pretty insane.”

Like A Pro

It’s a kids run the bases/autograph day at Cedar Rapids’ park. When the game is over, kids file down to the field to experience what infield dirt feels like under their sneakers. Just beyond the base scampering in shallow right field, the line begins.

Want an autograph of potential future big leaguers like Adam Brett Walker, or ? You can walk right up, get an autograph and have a conversation. No waiting.

Want an autograph of Buxton? Join a hundred or more fans in line. You could get the autograph of each and every other Kernels player in less time than it will take to get Buxton’s signature. The fans don’t care, though; they want to meet and greet the future star.

Buxton signs t-shirts. He signs scraps of paper and Kernels programs. Two tween girls walk up and remove their right tennis shoes, then hand them to Buxton to sign while they hop on one foot. After he signs, they thank him and then slide the shoes back on, walking away with extra pep in their steps. He also signs pristine that are quickly placed in protective acrylic cases, likely to appear on eBay in either the near or distant future.

It’s not the most enjoyable part of the pro baseball player’s life. But Buxton engages the fans, gives them a smile, makes a little small talk. The rest of his team, with nothing left to do, heads to the clubhouse while Buxton still has dozens of fans still in line. He keeps on signing. Finally the Kernels make an announcement that the field needs to be cleared so the grounds crew can do its work. Buxton is finally free to head in. He smiles as he signs his last item. He may be a 19-year-old, but he shows he understands what it is to be a player.

Moving Fast The Twins had high hopes for Buxton’s first year, but they didn’t think he’d be this advanced. Minnesota is an organization that would generally rather hold a prospect at a level a little longer than necessary than push him too fast. When Aaron Hicks was in the minors, Minnesota kept him in Class A for more than 300 games before he was deemed ready to move up to Double-A.

Buxton has already scrapped any similar plans for the Twins. In a half-season at Cedar Rapids, he more than proved he was ready to go to high Class A. With the way he’s progressing, life in the minors will move quicker for him than the average prospect.

“We’ve run guys through there all year. for baserunning. All of the scouts that go through. went through there,” Radcliff said. “All of them come out of there raving about not his bat speed, or his speed or his arm, but how great a kid he is. He listens, learns, processes and applies it two minutes later.

“It’s the ability to process things, the aptitude. It goes from showing him how to do something to taking it to the game the next day. It was the same with Joe (Mauer). You told him something once, and it was in there the next day. With minor league players, it’s all about repetition. That’s how they learn. But you don’t need much repetition with guys like this.”

At this point it’s reasonable to expect Buxton to open the 2014 season in Double-A. From there, a good performance could mean a late- season callup or an 2015 arrival in Minnesota.

“As we sit here today, no reason to think a fast track isn’t possible,” Radcliff said. “He’s surpassed all the expectations we had. He’s passed with flying colors so far.”

How Does Buxton Compare?

Here’s a look at the top position prospects to come through the Midwest League since 2000.

Year Player Team Age AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO BA OBP SLG

2000 Albert Pujols Peoria 20 395 62 128 32 6 17 84 2 38 37 .324 .389 .565

~ 21 ~

2002 Joe Mauer Quad Cities 19 411 58 124 23 1 4 62 0 61 42 .302 .393 .392

2003 Prince Fielder Beloit 19 502 81 157 22 2 27 112 2 71 80 .313 .409 .526

2006 South Bend 18 438 71 115 28 1 12 66 15 52 96 .263 .343 .413

2006 Dayton 19 444 69 129 42 5 16 81 19 44 106 .291 .355 .516

2010 Mike Trout Cedar Rapids 18 312 76 113 19 7 6 39 45 46 52 .362 .454 .526

2011 Oscar Taveras Quad Cities 19 308 52 119 27 5 8 62 1 32 52 .386 .444 .584

2013 Byron Buxton Cedar Rapids 19 270 68 92 15 10 8 55 32 44 56 .341 .431 .559

Josh Willingham will undergo MRI on knee after being scratched from lineup

Judd Zulgad and Brandon Warne / 1500ESPN.com – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins' concern about Josh Willingham's lingering left knee injury became greater on Monday night and it appears the left fielder could be headed to the disabled list. Willingham had been scheduled to bat fourth and serve as the designated hitter against the New York Yankees, but it was announced as the game got underway that he had been taken out of the lineup. In the second inning, the team announced that Willingham had experienced increased discomfort in the knee during warmups and would undergo an MRI on Tuesday morning. "About three minutes before the game started he came up and said, he can hit but that's about it," manager Ron Gardenhire said after the Twins' 10-4 loss. "He can run but he can't stop. His leg was killing him. ... We'll figure it out. I know we need another player right now. "We can't continue to play like that with two guys on the bench. We're going to try to make a decision here and see what happens. We're pretty thin right now and that one kind of came out of nowhere. I thought he was doing pretty good." Said Willingham: "I've been dealing with it for a while and it just wasn't good." Asked if it would make sense for him to go on the disabled list, Willingham said: "Maybe. We're not sure yet. We'll just have to address that." If Willingham is placed on the DL, the Twins options could include recalling center fielder Aaron Hicks or Chris Herrmann from Triple-A Rochester. Hicks has been on a rehab assignment. Herrmann was with the Twins earlier this season and can catch or play the outfield. Willingham did not start on Sunday against Kansas City after aggravating the injury on Friday night. He got into Sunday's game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and belted a ground-rule double to left field off . That hit drove in the tying run and Willingham said he ran at 30 percent on the play. He was taken out for pinch runner Brian Dozier. Willingham has been bothered by knee woes since making an awkward slide when he recorded his only of the season on April 27 against Texas. Willingham had a cortisone shot during the last homestand, but it's unclear what, if any effect it had. The knee issues have clearly affected Willingham at the plate. Since first hurting the knee, Willingham has hit only .214/.342/.353, dropping his season OPS from .940 to .754. Also missing from the Twins lineup on Monday was catcher Joe Mauer, who arrived at Target Field feeling under the weather. Mauer went 0- for-15 in the Twins' four-game series against Kansas City over the weekend.

~ 22 ~

Notebook: Twins expected to be active in international free agency

Brandon Warne / 1500ESPN.com – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- The international free agency period opens Tuesday morning, and it's fair to say the Minnesota Twins will be active. That was the general sentiment expressed Monday by general manager Terry Ryan, whose club has a pool of $3.9 million -- fourth-largest in baseball -- at its disposal to use on players born outside of the United States (and its territories), Canada and . That amount was dictated by the signing of the latest collective bargaining agreement after the 2011 season, with 2013-14 being the first period in which the pool money allotted is based on inverted team records. In essence, the worst team is permitted to spend $5 million and the best only $1.8 million. The money also can be traded, though Ryan downplayed that notion, and pointed to the pool money needing to last a full year. In other words, it's not bad to have some money to fall back on. Mike Radcliff, the Twins' vice president of player personnel, told 1500 ESPN that he expects the Twins to sign eight to 10 players, with most, if not all of them being of Dominican, Venezuelan, or Italian descent. Of the prospects listed in Baseball America's top-30 players available, the strongest indication is the Twins will pursue outfielder/first baseman Lewin Diaz of the Dominican Republic. Diaz won't turn 17 until mid-September, but he's already listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. Mauer held out Joe Mauer was out of the lineup Monday night for the first time since June 9 at Washington, as manager Ron Gardenhire said his catcher was among a handful of Twins who showed up at the ballpark not feeling well. Mauer has played in 74 of the club's 78 games entering Monday. That figure placed Mauer fifth among all catchers in games played, and he has the most plate appearances by a catcher by a margin of nearly 30 over San Francisco's . Mauer went 0-for-15 in the Twins' weekend series against the Royals, and in the process ended an eight-game hitting streak. Pelfrey update Mike Pelfrey's rehab start with Class A Cedar Rapids was a good one, as he was the winning pitcher in a 6-3 victory over the . Pelfrey went six innings -- throwing 70 pitches -- with six strikeouts, no walks, and two earned runs allowed. He has been on the disabled list because of a back strain. Pelfrey came out of the start feeling well, and looks to be on track to start July 6 at Toronto. Hot and not Here's a look at the Twins who were hot and cold during the month of June. Who's Hot: 2B Brian Dozier - .257/.389/.514 (.392 wOBA) in 91 PA OF Oswaldo Arcia - .328/.394/.500 (.390 wOBA) in 71 PA 3B Trevor Plouffe - .321/.351/.528 (.376 wOBA) in 57 PA C Joe Mauer - .297/.393/.455 (.371 wOBA) in 117 PA RPs Glen Perkins/Caleb Thielbar/Casey Fien - 1 ER combined in 30.2 IP (0.29 ERA) SP Samuel Deduno - 3-1, 2.60 ERA (31 IP) Who's Not: SS Pedro Florimon - .173/.220/.240 (.200 wOBA) in 83 PA IF Jamey Carroll - .167/.250/.194 (.211 wOBA) in 41 PA IF Eduardo Escobar - .205/.279/.333 (.273 wOBA) in 44 PA RP Jared Burton - 7.45 ERA, 5.6 BB/9 (9.2 IP)

~ 23 ~

SP P.J. Walters - 0-4, 6.85 ERA, 4.8 K/9, 5.2 BB/9 (22.1 IP) RP Ryan Pressly - 5.91 ERA (10.2 IP) Etc. * The Twins announced Monday that Target Field will host TwinsFest 2014, which will run from Jan. 24-26. According to the club's Twitter account, TwinsFest will feature some all new fan experiences as it transitions from the Metrodome. Though no final decision has been made, the time of year in conjunction with the limited space at Target Field likely means there will be some constraints on how many tickets will be made available. * Possibly worth monitoring: Jared Burton's velocity on his fastball is down 1.3 mph from last year (92.9 --> 91.6). Burton gave up three runs and three hits in one-third of an inning on Monday. * With Monday's loss, Gardenhire's career record against the Yankees fell to 21-56 (.272) in regular-season games and 23-68 (.253) overall. Twins get no relief from Jared Burton as Yankees rally for victory

AP / 1500ESPN.com – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- Andy Pettitte has seen Robinson Cano's sweet left-handed swing for so long that he can almost tell when a hot streak is coming. The way Cano was launching balls all over Target Field on Monday night, Pettitte thinks another tear is right around the corner, and not a moment too soon for the struggling New York Yankees offense. Cano homered twice and Pettitte broke Whitey Ford's club record for career strikeouts to help New York end a five-game skid with a 10-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. "It's impressive," Pettitte said, marveling at Cano's 435-foot solo shot in the first inning and an opposite-field homer in the third. "Hopefully he can keep it going. But what a talent he is. It's fun to watch him hit." Zoilo Almonte had three hits and two RBIs as the slumbering Yankees offense woke up with seven runs in the last two innings to reach double digits for the first time since May 10. Struggling reliever Jared Burton (1-6) gave up three runs and three hits while getting only one out for the Twins, who coughed up another eighth-inning lead. Ryan Doumit had two hits and two RBIs. Cano also had a double, a walk and three RBIs for the Yankees, who totaled 13 runs during their losing streak. "We're not that team anymore that we used to have the guys that we could say, 'This guy might hit two home runs in the next inning,'" Cano said. "So we've just got to take advantage when we get men on base." Pettitte gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. Joba Chamberlain (1-0) pitched an inning of scoreless relief for the win. Scott Diamond gave up two earned runs and seven hits with five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings for the Twins, who took a 4-3 lead into the eighth thanks to a solo homer by Chris Parmelee in the sixth. Cano, however, had more in store for Minnesota. "Tough out," Diamond said. "He kind of spoiled it for us tonight." Burton, an effective setup man since joining the Twins last season, was shaky again. He gave up a double to Cano to start the eighth, then couldn't get speedy Ichiro Suzuki on a bunt single. Burton tried to pick off Suzuki at first base, but his throw sailed past Justin Morneau and allowed Cano to score and tie the game. Almonte followed with his go-ahead single past a drawn-in infield, and New York cruised from there. The Yankees haven't looked much like the Yankees of late, running out relatively no-name lineups filled with youngsters and journeymen while their stars mend on the disabled list. They had lost 13 of their previous 18 to fall into fourth place in the AL East, and Pettitte looked nothing like the consistent lefty he has been for most of 18 seasons in the early going Monday night. He needed 41 pitches to get through the first inning. He gave up a two-run single to Doumit and allowed another run to score when he slipped to the ground while trying to field a comebacker from Oswaldo Arcia. Pettitte threw the ball over first baseman 's head, enabling Doumit to score from second base for a 3-1 lead. ~ 24 ~

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who earned his 600th career win, had Preston Claiborne warming in the bullpen in the first, but Pettitte was able to settle down after that rocky inning, breezing through the next four to keep his team in the game. "You hope that the hard work that they've been putting in starts to pay off," Girardi said. "Maybe this is the start of something." Cano's second homer of the night, a two-run shot to left field, tied the score at 3 in the third, and Pettitte made some more history in the fifth. He began the night needing two strikeouts to pass Ford for the Yankees record. After fanning Clete Thomas in the third inning, Pettitte broke the record by getting Morneau swinging in the fifth for his 1,958th career strikeout. "I feel very fortunate to be around for as long as I have," Pettitte said. "To be able to be mentioned with Whitey's name is obviously always an honor." The Twins were missing Josh Willingham with a left knee injury, and Joe Mauer struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth.

TwinsFest 2014 moves to Target Field from Jan. 24-26

Staff / FSN – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Twins, in conjunction with the Twins Community Fund, today announced that they will host "TwinsFest at Target Field," a first-of-its-kind event in 2014. The annual festival, which runs from January 24 through January 26, will feature all new fan experiences that accentuate Target Field, while continuing the popular player autograph and photo sessions.

"We’re excited to bring TwinsFest home to Target Field," said Twins President Dave St. Peter. "Hosting this at our ballpark gives us a chance to reinvent this great event, providing creative new experiences for our fans in a smaller, more intimate setting. And perhaps most importantly, the event again promises to raise significant proceeds for the Twins Community Fund and its many worthwhile programs." As in years past, more than 60 current, former and future Twins players are expected to appear throughout the course of the weekend. Ticket prices and additional details will be announced at a later date.

Since its creation in 1989, TwinsFest has become a staple of the Minnesota sports scene. While the H.H.H. Metrodome has been the primary venue for TwinsFest, the event has also been hosted at Mall of America and the National Sports Center.

TwinsFest, one of the largest team-run fan festivals in professional sports, is the largest annual fundraiser for the Minnesota Twins Community Fund. Over the past 25 years TwinsFest has raised more than $4.2 million for programs and organizations supported by the Twins Community Fund.

Twins’ Scott Diamond scales mental hurdle versus Yankees

Tyler Mason / FSN – 7/1/13

MINNEAPOLIS -- Given the way his last several starts had gone, Twins left-hander Scott Diamond knew he needed a strong outing Monday.

The final score might not have indicated it -- Minnesota fell 10-4 to the New York Yankees at Target Field -- but Diamond took a step in the right direction with Monday's start. For the first time since May 7 Diamond pitched into the seventh inning. He left after 6 2/3 innings of work, but also exited the game with a lead.

Minnesota's bullpen didn't do Diamond any favors, however, as the Yankees scored three runs in the eighth and four more in the ninth to dash Diamond's best start in nearly a month.

"I'm happy with the improvement personally, but we lost," Diamond said. "It's frustrating just the way it all unraveled a little bit. Hopefully we can make an adjustment and come back tomorrow and be a little more competitive in the series."

The only player who really did damage against Diamond on Monday was Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who hit a pair of homers off the Twins left-hander. The first came with two outs in the first inning when Cano took Diamond deep to straightaway center for a 435- foot blast.

~ 25 ~

Two innings later, with a runner on first, Cano again went deep, this time hitting it to the opposite field for a 2-run shot. That tied the game at 3-all after Diamond was spotted a lead by his offense.

"All I was thinking that first at-bat was just keep the ball down and I threw it right into his wheelhouse," Diamond said. "The second time, he was just really aggressive, and not a good pitch by me. A real tough out. He definitely spoiled us tonight."

The fifth and sixth innings have given Diamond the most trouble this year. Last time out, he pitched into the sixth inning against Miami but lasted just one batter before he was pulled. The outing before that, against the White Sox, he again started the sixth inning but did not finish it.

Monday, Diamond not only pitched into the sixth but he escaped it unscathed. The only blemish in the fifth or sixth innings was a one-out walk to Travis Hafner in the sixth. But Diamond induced groundouts by Zoilo Almonte and Lyle Overbay to end the inning.

"Those have been pretty tough for me lately," Diamond said of the fifth and sixth innings. "I think to just work through those, get the first batter, even when I walked Hafner, just to calm myself down and continue to push through it, that was a big step for me. I'm happy, but in the long run it really doesn't matter."

When Diamond left the game with two outs in the seventh, Minnesota was holding onto a 4-3 lead. Casey Fien came in and recorded the final out of the seventh inning, meaning Diamond was in line for the win. He matched a season high with five strikeouts and walked just one batter while scattering seven hits. One of the three runs he allowed was unearned after Jayson Nix reached on a Jamey Carroll error and later scored on Cano's second home run.

If nothing else, Diamond cleared a mental hurdle with Monday's outing.

"He got over the hump," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "Cano, if you take him out of the lineup against Scott, (it was) a really good night. But Cano's swinging pretty well. We saw that. The one guy we talked about not letting beat us, he didn't personally beat us but he got a lot of hits."

This was a big start for Diamond, who was 2-3 with a 5.74 ERA in June. He's struggled to find the consistency that the Twins saw a year ago when he was their best .

Minnesota will also likely have a decision to make soon when right-hander Mike Pelfrey rejoins the rotation. Pelfrey made a rehab start Monday for Low-A Cedar Rapids and allowed just one run. Chances are he'll head back north and make his next scheduled start on July 6 -- which is also when Diamond would pitch next.

Knowing what was on the line, Diamond tried not to worry about any of that on Monday.

"I knew what I needed to do, and that was to work down in the zone," Diamond said. "I was just trying to keep it simple. It seems like for the past couple outings that everything's really been speeding up. I've been over-thinking and questioning. Today was just about staying calm and working one pitch at a time."

Samuel Deduno looks to extend perfect home record

AP / FSN – 7/2/13

The New York Yankees have ended their second five-game slide of the season, but they haven't had much success lately when Phil Hughes has been on the mound.

The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, rarely lose when Samuel Deduno pitches at home.

This matchup of right-handers could help the Twins even this four-game set Tuesday night, as Deduno looks to improve to 4-0 at Target Field this year.

~ 26 ~

New York (43-39) avoided its first six-game skid in six seasons by scoring seven times over the final two innings to rally for a 10-4 victory in Monday's opener. The Yankees totaled 13 runs during their losing streak but Robinson Cano homered twice and Zoilo Almonte added three hits including clutch RBI singles in the eighth and ninth innings.

"We're not that team anymore that we used to have the guys that we could say, 'This guy might hit two home runs in the next inning,'" Cano said. "So we've just got to take advantage when we get men on base."

New York entered the day with the AL's third-worst average with runners in at .236 and went 4 for 16.

The Yankees have dropped seven of Hughes' last eight outings, and he's 1-5 with a 5.19 ERA in that span.

Hughes (3-7, 4.82 ERA) took a step in the right direction Thursday by limiting Texas to two runs over eight innings in a 2-0 defeat. That continued a trend in which he has received no runs of support over his last three outings.

He is 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA in five career starts against the Twins, including one in the postseason. He has limited Joe Mauer to four hits in 16 at-bats and Justin Morneau to two in 10 overall.

The Yankees will try to solve Minnesota's best starter in Deduno (4-2, 3.32), who improved to 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three home starts by yielding one run over seven innings Thursday in a 3-1 victory over Kansas City.

"When you are ahead of the count, you can make pitches and everything was working," Deduno told the Twins' official website after throwing 60 of 87 pitches for strikes.

Deduno is 7-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 10 career starts at Target Field, with Minnesota (36-43) winning eight of them.

Deduno's lone career start against New York on Sept. 26 was cut short after he recorded five outs due to irritation in his left eye.

Mauer figures to be back in the lineup to try to break an 0-for-16 slide. He did not start Monday after coming to the ballpark feeling under the weather.

The situation is murkier for Josh Willingham, scratched Monday due to discomfort in his left knee. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi finally notched his 600th career victory and hopes that Monday's strong finish will help his team get on a roll.

"You hope that the hard work that they've been putting in starts to pay off," Girardi said. "Maybe this is the start of something."

These pitching staffs have both issued 211 walks to tie for the AL's second-lowest total.

~ 27 ~