During a weekly radio show called. ``Coaches at the Cork,'' - named after a Chicagoland restraunt - White Sox bullpen coach Juan Nieves on Sunday offered a quick opinion about how his team should approach the AL Central-leading Twins during his appearance on WSCR (670AM)..
```I've even thought of telling guys, `hey Thornton, smoke Mauer, see if you can start a fight.' ' Nieves said. ``We're not afraid of anybody.''
The Twins and Sox have been fierce rivals for the past several years and have had their share of moments. Torii Hunter ran over catcher Jamie Burke in Chicago, Justin Morneau had a three-homer game there. Each team has clinched a playoff berth while in the other team's ballpark, And there's Game 163 in 2008.
The Twins can seriously damage Chicago's playoff hopes with a sweep this week. Perhaps that's why Nieves is suggesting hiss team should stop at nothing this week.
If you want to discuss this and other Twins issues., I'm filling in for Common from Noon to 3 p.m. today on KFAN....in a few minutes!
Sign up for our Twins newsletter to get all of the updates sent to you daily.
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.
Former Twins reliever May set to sign with New York Mets
Maeda finishes second to Cleveland's Bieber for Cy Young Award
Preposterous Game 4 finish makes a winner of ex-Twin John Curtiss
Graterol lives up to Twins' World Series dreams -- for the Dodgers
