Paul Molitor warned us a few days ago that he was going to give Brian Dozier a day off. And Sunday is that day.
Despite being on the verge of being swept in this four-game series against the Indians, Molitor continues to look at the big picture and elected to sit Dozier down today. Dozier would rather play, but the boss has spoken. He did eventually enter the game as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
Eduardo Escobar will play at second base today and try to live Dozier's life. Jorge Polanco will bat leadoff.
Molitor said before the game that Nick Turley will probably get another start. Look for him to face the White Sox on Thursday. Ervin Santana will start on Tuesday, giving Molitor the option of starting him on Sunday in Cleveland, which I expect to happen.
Zack Granite already has a hit today, running his hitting streak to 17 games. The outfielder is tearing up the International League, and has been named the Twins minor league player of the week. He hit .526 over his last five games, entering Sunday, with five doubles, five runs scored and six walks. He was batting .508 during is 16-game streak before getting another hit on Sunday.
Cleveland last swept the Twins in a four-game series here in 2013.
Indians
Francisco Lindor, SS
Jason Kipnis, 2B
Jose Ramirez, 3B
Edwin Encarnacion, DH
Lonnie Chisenhall, RF
Carlos Santana, 1B
Bradley Zimmer, CF
Roberto Perez, C
Daniel Robertson, LF
Trevor Bauer, RHP
Twins
Jorge Polanco, SS
Joe Mauer, DH
Miguel Sano, 3B
Max Kepler, RF
Kennys Vargas, 1B
Eduardo Escobar, 2B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Byron Buxton, CF
Chris Gimenez, C
Kyle Gibson, RHP
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La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
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