1:23PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. – Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has decided that nice guys finish last — or nice guys lose 291 games over a three-year period.
Gardenhire watched Oswaldo Arcia get buzzed twice by Rays pitcher Adam Liberatore, then blast a solo homer to left during the Twins' 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday. There are no indications that Arcia and Liberatore have a history, but it did bring up memories of a couple moments last year when Arcia was pitched tough.
If Arcia is giving off bad body language and is getting pitched up and in because of it, Gardenhire is not going to blame Arcia. Especially if he responds the way he did on Sunday.
"If you don't like people buzzing your tower then, there you have it," Gardenhire said. "You have to hit it in the seats. That's what I told him on the bench. Two bow ties, and [Liberatore] had to go get a new baseball."
There a fine line between confident and cocky, but Gardenhire doesn't sound concerned if he has players who walk that fine line — or even cross it.
"You need a little bit of that. [I don't want] 'How are you Mr. Gardenhire. How are you, sir?' You know what?" Gardenhire said. I want a little attitude. We need attitude."
Brandon Waring also homered for the Twins in the defeat, their first in three Grapefruit League games.
Anthony Swarzak, who gave up three runs in two innings, took the loss.
![Ricky Nolasco threw a pitch in the first inning Sunday March 2, . 2014 in a game between the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte , Florida. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com Jerry Holt](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/753XRXZMXVBVBHSSLCRLTURF3Y.jpg?&w=1080)
