Pregame: Vargas puts on a show, but Lester awaits

Kennys Vargas and his Twins teammates won't be facing a batting-practice pitcher tonight, the first of a four-game series with the A's. They get Jon Lester, Oakland's newly acquired lefthanded ace

August 8, 2014 at 1:12AM
Minnesota Twins prospect Kennys Vargas (35) ran after hitting a double in the fourth inning.
Minnesota Twins prospect Kennys Vargas (35) ran after hitting a double in the fourth inning. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- If nothing else, Kennys Vargas may convince fans to show up a little early for Twins game in the future. His batting practice sessions are already entertaining.

Taking swings in his first visit to O.co Coliseum, Vargas launched a handful of towering blasts that had the early arrivals cheering, including one rocket that bounced off the window of a football luxury suite, probably 50 feet above the outfield wall. It's impressive.

But it's also meaningless, two hours before game time, because Vargas and his Twins teammates won't be facing a batting-practice pitcher tonight, the first of a four-game series with the A's. They get Jon Lester, Oakland's newly acquired lefthanded ace, a pitcher who has already held them this season to one run on four hits in Fenway Park. Minnesota actually has had some OK success in the past against Lester -- he's 2-4 with a 4.41 ERA in nine career starts against the Twins -- but now he's pitching in front of a better defense, in a more spacious ballpark.

"He's a good one, a big horse. He just keeps pouring it in there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He cuts it, [has a] nice little changeup, a breaking ball. He's a very competitive pitcher."

The Twins will start Yohan Pino, who has lasted at least six innings in four of his last five starts. Here are tonight's lineups for the 9:10 p.m. CT start:

TWINS

Santana CF

Dozier 2B

Plouffe 3B

Willingham LF

Vargas DH

Arcia RF

Suzuki C

Colabello 1B

Escobar SS

Pino RHP

A'S

Crisp CF

Jaso DH

Donaldson 3B

Moss LF

Norris C

Reddick RF

Callaspo 2B

Vogt 1B

Sogard SS

Lester LHP

about the writer

about the writer

Phil Miller

Reporter

Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.

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