A couple leftovers from last night's win here in Arlington, Texas ...
TWINKLE TOES AT THIRD: There is NO doubt that Miguel Sano is more comfortable at third base than right field. He was charged with a ninth-inning error, but he made three great plays before that that were all highlight worthy. His glovework was on display in the first inning when Carlos Gomez laid down a bunt that forced Sano to rush in and make a barehanded grab before lasering a throw to Joe Mauer at first to get Gomez by a hair. "The bunt was the highlight, for me, of the three," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We tried to back him up on the count, knowing Gomez's tendencies. Gomez peripherally saw that he backed up and tried to beat him. It's amazing that a man with that size and quickness has the ability to finish that play." Sano wasn't finished. He dived to his left in the fourth then scrambled to his feet to throw out Mike Napoli. He also made a leaping stab of Napoli's line drive in the seventh. "He's helping us both offensively and defensively," Molitor said. Sano said after Tuesday's game that he watches the good defensive third baseman like Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado for tips on how to handle the hot corner. "I try to learn from those guys," Sano said. "I watch Machado when he sets up and Beltre, so I try to learn. You have to be ready all the time."
RARE SWEEP: The Twins have a chance to sweep the Rangers here in a three game series for the first time since Sept. 7-9, 1976. The scores were 1-0, 3-1 and 6-0 and played in front of crowds of 4,640, 3,777 and 3,603 at old Arlington Stadium. The winning pitchers: Pete Redfern, Steve Luebber and Dave Goltz. The Twins used one reliever the entire series. And the lineup included Rod Carew, Roy Smalley, Lyman Bostock, Butch Wynegar and Larry Hisle. Bostock went 4-for-4 in the second game. Carew hit a pinch hit grand slam in the third game. Nearly 41 years ago. Wow.
ONE MORE THING: Someone asked me on Twitter (what? you don't tweet? what's wrong with you!) why the outfield at Globe Life Park has weird markings. The stadium was used for a golf promotion in November, and greens were drawn in the outfield. They Rangers were told the markings would go away by Opening Day, but that did not happen. The grounds crew had to re-sod some spots. It's all supposed to disappear by May.
