Though Rocco Baldelli's time as a player was cut short by physical ailments, his career in baseball was only beginning to take off.
The mind and the heart can be powerful forces.
Seeking a fresh voice for their underachieving young players, the Minnesota Twins made the 37-year-old Baldelli the youngest manager in the major leagues on Thursday by hiring a sought-after candidate who interviewed for vacancies with four other teams.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens has interviewed with the Cincinnati Reds for their open managerial position and also is set to meet with the Minnesota Twins this week for the job that opened when Paul Molitor was fired.
Meulens was in Minneapolis on Thursday and scheduled to interview with the Twins through Friday after traveling from Cincinnati. He met with the Reds, who fired Bryan Price after a 3-15 start.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two years ago, the Minnesota Twins made Derek Falvey their chief baseball officer with the precondition that Paul Molitor remain as manager.
Molitor presided over a playoff team and won the American League Manager of the Year award in 2017, but the Twins slipped backward this season. Last week, Falvey and general manager Thad Levine decided the time was right to hire their own manager.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — If Joe Mauer is ready to retire, he's going out on a high note.
Mauer reached base three times and Kyle Gibson capped a season of improvement with six quality innings in the Minnesota Twins' 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
A free agent after the season, Mauer has said he'll contemplate retirement after 15 years in Minnesota. But the former MVP and seven-time All-Star is showing he can still swing the bat with a strong September.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It looked like a sure triple play. A double play, at least. In the end, the Detroit Tigers got just one out from it, and the Minnesota Twins made them pay.
Johnny Field homered twice, Jorge Polanco hit a bases-loaded triple and the Twins beat the Tigers 11-4 on Wednesday night.
The game turned on an odd play in the fifth inning with the Twins leading 6-4.
With Robbie Grossman on second and Tyler Austin on first and nobody out, Twins manager Paul Molitor called for a hit-and-run.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It has been one rough year for the Kansas City Royals.
Not this night, though. This one was fun.
Salvador Perez capped Kansas City's five-run ninth inning with a game-ending grand slam, lifting the Royals to an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As he inched closer to a no-hitter, Jake Odorizzi was ready to throw 140 pitches if needed. He was nearing his career high against the New York Yankees, but was confident he could talk Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor into leaving him in for the ninth inning if it got to that point.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi has given up an RBI double to Greg Bird with one out in the eighth inning, ending the right-hander's bid for a no-hitter against the New York Yankees.
After a walk to Luke Voit, Bird lined the next pitch deep into the left-center gap. It was the 120th pitch for Odorizzi on Wednesday night, matching his career high.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins right-hander Ervin Santana may miss the rest of the season while receiving a series of platelet rich plasma injections in the middle finger of his pitching hand.
Santana is 0-1 with a 8.03 ERA in five major league starts this season.
"He had one done," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said Saturday. "I think over a three-week period he'll have that done three times."
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Twins manager Paul Molitor is taking full advantage of expanded September rosters.
Eddie Rosario homered, Ehire Adrianza had three hits and three RBIs, and Minnesota used six relievers to overcome a short start and beat the Kansas City Royals 10-6, snapping a five-game skid Friday night.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — All that Logan Forsythe has done since arriving in Minnesota is get hits.
The veteran infielder joined the Twins at the beginning of August in a trade that sent popular second baseman Brian Dozier to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thursday night was Forsythe's 14th game in a Minnesota uniform, and arguably his best.
Forsythe had a career-high five hits and Jorge Polanco drove in four runs as the Twins outslugged the Detroit Tigers for a 15-8 victory.
DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Austin looked pretty comfortable in his debut with the Minnesota Twins.
Austin hit a two-run homer, Kyle Gibson pitched seven effective innings and the Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Saturday night.
Austin was acquired in the July 30 trade that sent Lance Lynn to the New York Yankees. The 26-year-old Austin, who hit .223 with eight homers in 34 games for the Yankees before the move, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Friday.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Minnesota's pitching staff rebounded from a double-digit loss with a gritty win Tuesday night.
Fernando Rodney struck out Francicso Lindor with the tying run on second base in the ninth inning after Adalberto Mejia pitched one-hit ball over five innings, and the Twins beat the Cleveland Indians 3-2.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Kepler saw a lot of pitches Friday night, and it paid off Saturday night.
Kepler had three hits, including a two-run homer that put Minnesota ahead to stay, and Jose Berrios threw seven sharp innings to help the Twins to an 8-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Kepler went 3 for 3 with a walk and scored twice. He walked three times in Minnesota's 6-4 victory in the series opener.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — By the time their series opener against Kansas City concluded, the Minnesota Twins had played almost as much dominoes as baseball.
Play was halted for 1 hour, 31 minutes in the top of the fourth inning and again for 53 minutes in the bottom of the sixth. The game concluded at 12:56 a.m. local time.
When all was said and done, the Twins were rewarded for their patience with a 6-4 win over the Royals in a game that ended early Saturday morning.
TORONTO (AP) — It wasn't his leaping catch at the center-field wall that Minnesota's Max Kepler liked most about Monday's game, or his two-run homer.
It was the final score.
Logan Morrison homered and had three RBIs, Kepler added a two-run blast and the Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3, snapping a three-game losing streak.
"It's a good feeling," Kepler said. "We'll build off that."
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Paul Molitor said Minnesota's recent 1-8 road trip was one of the worst he's experienced in a long career in baseball. The Twins' manager is feeling much better about their homestand.
Joe Mauer homered and drove in four runs, and the Twins held on for a 11-8 win against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Jake Cave had three hits and a pair of RBIs, and Robbie Grossman added three hits to help Minnesota win for the eighth time in nine games on its homestand.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When you get home after a disastrous road trip, it's nice to have the worst team in baseball waiting for you.
Jake Odorizzi pitched six scoreless innings and Mitch Garver, Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier homered as the Minnesota Twins completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 10-1 victory on Sunday.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bobby Wilson helped Kyle Gibson turn around his pitching after a rough first inning. Then, for at least one afternoon, the veteran catcher fixed his own struggles at the plate.
Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, Gibson recovered from a shaky first to throw seven innings, and the Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Saturday.
Max Kepler homered in his second straight game to help send the Twins to their third win in a row.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have reinstated shortstop Jorge Polanco after he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
Polanco was reinstated Monday before the Twins' game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Speaking through the team's interpreter, Polanco said that the time away from the game "was very difficult."
A look at what's happening around the majors today:
CAREFUL
Texas has won seven in a row, and things got a little testy Saturday during a 9-6 victory at Target Field. Jurickson Profar tied a Rangers record when he was hit by pitches three times. Profar stole second base in the fourth inning with a 9-2 lead — his next at-bat, Minnesota reliever Addison Reed threw three inside fastballs, finally hitting him in the leg.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eduardo Escobar, yet again, gave the Minnesota Twins the go-ahead hit.
Two of them, of course. He's become a doubles machine.
With a two-base hit that drove in two runs off Chris Sale in the sixth inning and another that launched a four-run eighth, Escobar led for the Twins to a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
"I don't know if he can keep up that kind of torrid pace, but we're seeing a guy who is supremely confident," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Every year he's been with the Minnesota Twins, Eduardo Escobar has been slotted for a utility reserve role in spring training until some kind of setback during the season necessitates more action for the affable infielder.
Once again, he has further entrenched himself as a vital everyday player. Facing the Chicago White Sox, well, that especially brings out his best.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Every year he's been with the Minnesota Twins, Eduardo Escobar has been slotted for a utility reserve role in spring training until some kind of setback during the season necessitates more action for the affable infielder.
Once again, he has further entrenched himself as a vital everyday player. Facing the Chicago White Sox, well, that especially brings out his best.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After suffering through a historic streak of walk-off losses, the Minnesota Twins were only too happy to reverse the trend.
Eddie Rosario hit his third homer of the game, launching a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Twins over the Cleveland Indians 7-5 Sunday.
On Tuesday, the Twins tied the 1968 Pirates and 2010 Mariners with their eighth walk-off loss in their first 50 games.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Losing six of seven games had the Minnesota Twins searching for answers, with manager Paul Molitor addressing his team and second baseman Brian Dozier calling a meeting.
The two wanted to discuss the miscues that had plagued playoff-hopeful Minnesota this season. Eduardo Escobar and Jose Berrios then helped lift the Twins over the Cleveland Indians.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Ron Gardenhire woke up in his own bed, drove to the ballpark and even parked in the employee lot, just like he never left Minnesota.
With 13 seasons managing the Twins and nearly three decades with the organization, the association is too strong to be diminished. The difference now is he's in his first year running the division rival Detroit Tigers.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Minnesota Twins finally got the comeback win they had been close to staging so many times this season.
Eddie Rosario homered twice, Bobby Wilson hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, and the Twins rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
"If you keep that mindset of trying to play the 27 outs the best you can, sometimes it's going to turn, and tonight we got one back," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Following Fernando Rodney's first blown save with Minnesota, Twins manager Paul Molitor took the long-game approach and began talking strategy in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Max Kepler stepped to the plate and negated any further planning.
Kepler hit his second home run of the game, connecting for a solo drive with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the Twins bounced back from a late collapse to beat the Houston Astros 9-8 on Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins had to bundle up for their home opener.
The extra layers sure didn't limit their strength.
Mitch Garver hit the go-ahead home run in the seventh, one inning after Miguel Sano tied the game with a two-run shot, and the Twins powered their way past the Seattle Mariners for a 4-2 victory on Thursday afternoon.
"We've got a lot of guys who can hit it over," manager Paul Molitor said.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brian Dozier's bat tends to warm up in step with the weather. Not this year.
The Minnesota second baseman hit his fourth home run in four days and his hustle on the bases sparked a rally as the Twins handed the Pittsburgh Pirates their first loss of the season with a 7-3 victory at frigid PNC Park on Wednesday night.
BALTIMORE (AP) — One after another, the Minnesota Twins' starting pitchers kept getting better and better against the Baltimore Orioles.
Jose Berrios threw a three-hitter in Minnesota's 7-0 victory Sunday, capping a season-opening series in which Twins starters combined for 21 innings of five-hit ball.
After Jake Odorizzi blanked Baltimore for six innings in the opener, Kyle Gibson tossed six no-hit innings before Berrios rang up his first career complete game.
BALTIMORE (AP) — For six innings, Kyle Gibson was unhittable.
If it wasn't so early in the season, and if Gibson hadn't wasted so many pitches on walks, the Minnesota Twins right-hander might have been given the opportunity to finish what he started.
Gibson was forced to abandon his no-hit bid after the sixth, and the Baltimore Orioles didn't get their first hit until the eighth inning in Minnesota's 6-2 victory Saturday night.
A look at what's happening around the majors today:
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LET'S START
The 2017 postseason begins at Yankee Stadium when the Minnesota Twins take on New York in the AL wild-card game. Luis Severino pitches for the Yanks — he's 23, he averaged 97.6 mph on his fastball, tops among qualified starters. Twins starter Ervin Santana is 34, and hasn't been in the playoffs since 2004.
A look at what's happening all around the majors today:
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ENJOY IT
A day after clinching their first playoff spot since 2010, the Twins are back on the field for an afternoon game at Cleveland. Minnesota became the first team to lose at least 100 games and then make the postseason the following year. Manager Paul Molitor's club will play in the AL wild-card game next Tuesday at either Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park. Boston leads New York by three games in the AL East.