SARASOTA, Fla. – The most impressive performance in the Twins' 3-0 victory over the Orioles on Monday might have come from a guy who didn't swing the bat.
John Hicks singled home the Twins' first run, and Trevor Plouffe and Juan Centeno doubled home a run apiece as the Twins extended their Grapefruit League winning streak to three. But Oswaldo Arcia, long known as anything but finicky about the pitches he swings at, drew three walks in three plate appearances, stole a base and even made a running catch near the left-field fence, greatly enhancing his chances of earning back the roster spot he lost last year.
"That's a big plus," manager Paul Molitor said of the 24-year-old outfielder. "A lot of his offensive woes have been [due to] pitch recognition and keeping the ball in the zone, especially when he gets overaggressive. Any signs of more patience and a better plan are progress, so we're pleased to see him try to work on those things."
So is Arcia, despite his obvious fondness for smashing 500-foot home runs. He sounds like a man who knows his job is at stake.
"Yesterday I struck out twice, so today I came in more patient. I wanted to see more pitches," said Arcia, who hit 34 homers in his first two seasons, then only two last year. "Not a lot of people pitch me inside, so I've been more comfortable with letting outside pitches go. When that pitch comes inside, I'll be able to drive it. I'm just being more patient."
He's even trying to turn his fielding into a positive. When Chris Davis drove a first-inning pitch to the warning track, Arcia caught it on the run, preventing an Orioles run.
"With my offseason work, I feel faster out there," said Arcia, who also proved it by hustling to second on a pitch that handcuffed catcher Matt Wieters. That stolen base turned into the game's first run when he moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on Hicks' single.
"He's had trouble a little bit with concentration out there when he was a little bit younger, but he takes it a little more seriously now. He understands it's not just about the bat. He understands he has to defend," Molitor said. Davis' blast "had a lot of carry. He got turned around a little bit, but he recovered nicely."
