Joe Mauer’s concussion symptoms and Byron Buxton’s toe pain continues to linger, but Logan Morrison said his back was improving — meaning that there’s at least some positive news on the injury front coming out the Minnesota Twins clubhouse.
“I’ve had some back tightness before, but I don’t know to this degree,” said Morrison. “Not only is it getting better, it’s (going away).”
Paul Molitor says that Mauer is getting better, but that he might need a rehab stint before joining the team again.
“Of all the things that he’s tried to introduce himself to, in terms of stimulus and environment, playing a nine-inning game will be different than anything he’s done up to this point,” said Molitor. “So, I think it would make a lot of sense to have that as an option, to make sure that we don’t go backwards in some form.”
Molitor says the team is being cautious and evaluating him every day. The concussion symptoms didn’t crop up immediately after he suffered whiplash diving after a ball in the Anaheim series and have been sporadic since.
“Joe’s doing well,” he reassured. “I know it’s been a redundant issue for a while; it’s just kind of the nature of what he’s dealing with.
“He’s going to run through our workout today pregame, which will involve defensive work and hitting in a group. I’m just very cautious about getting too far out on trying to lay out any kind of plans.”
It’s kind of the same thing for Buxton, who is on the 10-day disabled list after trying to play through pain due to a hairline fracture in his large left toe.
“There’s not a lot of news to report there other than that the pain reduction has been slow,” he said. “So, we’re going to add on some days there, probably another three days or so, before we even start considering baseball activity.”
This means that once again Robbie Grossman was the designated hitter on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox.
“This year, with some of the injuries, he’s gotten some at-bats in that role,” said Molitor, who was mostly a DH at the end of his career. “A DH is someone who really has to have the ability to not get consumed by your previous at-bats.
“You know, you’re on the field for 10 minutes in a three-hour game, so you have to find something that holds your focus, don’t be consumed by your next at-bat because you’re going to sit around and wait for it for about an hour.”
Gophers in the Super Regionals
The University of Minnesota baseball team won an NCAA Regional for the first time since 1977, when Molitor was on the team.
“Sad,” said Molitor with a wry smile. “Forty-one years ago, or whatever, that’s just the reality of it. They’ve had a lot of opportunities, and a lot of regionals. Not too many at home. But they took advantage this time, and now they’re one step away.”
They travel to Corvallis, Ore. to face Oregon State University in the Super Regional. OSU has been to the College World Series twice in the past five years and features controversial superstar pitcher Luke Heimlich and Twins first-round draft pick Trevor Larnach.
“I see they’re gonna be televised (on ESPN2), so we’ll get a look at our first-round pick in some of those games,” said Molitor. “But hopefully they got a couple of hot pitchers, and they find their way into Omaha.”
