Here are three thoughts following the Twins' 8-1 loss to Kansas City
DOZIER BASHES EARLY: Brian Dozier likes batting near the top of the order. And when he's batting leadoff, he's in position for the early ambush. And that's how the Twins got on the board on Thursday. Dozier jumped on a 2-1 pitch from Royals righthander Dillon Gee and planted it in the left-center field stands. It was Dozier's 27th homer of the season. More interestingly, it was 14th career leadoff homer, tying him with Chuck Knoblauch for second most in Twins history. Jacque Jones is first with 20. Dozier is one home run away from tying his career high set last season.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT DUFFEY: Nothing. Tyler Duffey had a rough night in which he fell apart in the fourth inning and watched the game slip away from him. This is what development looks like. Let Duffey finish the season in the rotation so he can work on being calm and cool throughout games. He's got a quality curveball, a solid sinker and a change up that he needs to keep working on. Let him work it out.
OUTFIELD DEFENSE: Paul Molitor's hair is getting more gray by the day, and it's because of the sloppiness than went on in the eighth inning. Eric Hosmer hit an RBI single to center, and Eddie Rosario had no business trying to throw out Lorenzo Cain at third. Not only was it an ill-advised throw, it brought back memories of the throw Carlos Gomez made at the Dome that rolled through the infield and right up to Ron Gardenhrie. The Kendrys Morales sent a fly ball to left that Robbie Grossman looked at, then turned and sprinted toward the wall. When he looked back up to track the ball, it was not where he thought it was going to be. That led to him running an up-and-out route to try to get to the fly ball, to no avail. Molitor is not pleased with the outfield defense.
