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Good morning Twins fans! Here are the links:
- In case you missed in, Aaron Hicks was placed on the DL yesterday with a left hamstring strain. Oswaldo Arcia was called up to replace Hicks--but obviously not in center field. Chris Schad wrote about the battle between Ryan Doumit, Chris Parmelee, and Oswaldo Arcia for two spots in the Twins lineup.
- So, get ready for more CLETE! Thomas.
- Meanwhile, the Twins last series and their next series both involve reunions with those two center fielders we didn't need. Denard Span told fans to lay off Hicks (before making his own jab at him), while struggling Ben Revere returns to Minnesota tonight with the Phillies (oh, and Delmong Young too).
- Speaking of center fielders, you have to look at this catch Twins' top prospect Byron Buxton made yesterday (no, he is not going to be called up to the majors--yet).
- Target Field will have another special visitor Tuesday night--record-setting ball hawk Zach Hample, who has over 6,700 major league baseballs. In an interview with the Pioneer Press, Hample is proud to point out he has never knocked down anyone, young or old, to get a baseball, and he's actually touring each MLB park snagging baseballs for charity. (I hope Andrew Bryz-Gornia's head didn't just explode!)
- So Joe Mauer's slugging-percentage is the highest it's been since his 2009 MVP season, he hit his 100th career home-run on Saturday, and he's still walking--but now he's striking out more than ever! Come on, Joe!
- Tom Schreier writes about the joy of watching Samuel Deduno pitch, which you might not agree with if you don't like surprises.
- Kohl Stewart will be the first high-school pitcher drafted by the Twins in the first round to ever be successful in the majors--you know, if that actually happens, because it's never happened before.
- Here's another one: in the 30th round of the draft, the Twins selected Tanner Vavra--third base coach Joe Vavra's semi-blind son. Sounds about right. (Thanks Tommy Lasorda.)