Fort Myers, Fla. – Paul Molitor, a Hall of Fame player from St. Paul, took the field Saturday for the first time as the manager of the Minnesota Twins, his hometown team, during an official full-squad spring training practice. No fireworks or rock anthems punctuated his arrival.
It was not "huge."
It was not "epic."
In the modern sports vernacular, every football game is the former and every interesting moment the latter. What occurred Saturday at the CenturyLink Sports Complex was neither. Molitor supervised drills, and then everyone showered and went home.
On a day devoid of drama, there was a tapestry of small moments.
For the past few years, the loudest voice at spring training was that of former manager Ron Gardenhire, who hollered instructions, needled players, chatted up fans and occasionally pulled a prank. Saturday, as Molitor spoke quietly, the loudest voice belonged to prodigal Twin Torii Hunter, who spent the early morning in his constant tutorial of center field prospects Byron Buxton and Aaron Hicks, and at the end of the workout gathered all of the position players on a side field for a group cheer.
"I'm just having fun," Hunter said. "I want to do that every morning."
In Hammond Stadium, Joe Mauer took his first batting practice in a ballpark this year, dropping two perfect bunts before lining a single to left off bullpen coach Eddie Guaradado.