3:54BRADENTON, FLA. -- The Twins are having a bullpen game today in Bradenton against the Pirates, as Taylor Rogers will start and be relieved by Trevor Hildenberger followed by Tyler Duffey. The Twins want Rogers and Hildenberger to face major league hitters, leading to the unusual set up.
But the news is back in Fort Myers, where Jorge Polanco is meeting with reporters one day after he slapped with an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Stanazolol.
Phil Miller is on the scene for that session, as well as the meeting with CBO Derek Falvey.
I did swing through the clubhouse this morning before the bus left for Bradenton, and talked to some more people in Bradenton. Twins players, not surprisingly, feel terrible for Polanco. But second baseman Brian Dozier made it clear that players don't want cheaters in the game.
"I do know this, that we as players want performance enhancing drugs out of the equation for everybody," he said. "We don't want it in our game, no part of it. We want a clean game. With that being said, people make mistakes. That's the world we live in. And I know, more than ever, Polanco needs a little love right now. That's my brother. So that comes first.
"He's our brother and we've got his back. He needs a little love and he'll get it from us."
Dozier, like a couple other players I asked, found out about the suspension Sunday night via twitter. The text messages started flying right after that.
"That was a tough part that the news," outfielder Byron Buxton said. "You see the news and you automatically feel for him. No one had a clue about anything. When I found out on twitter, I tried to get his number so he could have that support system."
