Öffentlicher Bereich » Rosa struggled even before his back acted up.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins have added Paul Molitor to their coaching staff, assigning him supervision of the teams base running, bunting, infield instruction and positioning as well as assistance with in-game strategy. This is not some token job for a prominent, popular former player. All of those areas need a lot of work, so Molitor is going to be busy. "Hes certainly got a history and knowledge and a high baseball IQ," general manager Terry Ryan said. "Theres no doubt about that. It fits pretty good here." The hire was announced Tuesday by the Twins, who finished 66-96 for the second straight season after going 63-99 the year before that. "Theres really no part of the game that we cant do better at," Molitor said, adding: "Im going to be able to work on guys who need to have a small-ball game, with the things they can do, with ways to score runs. I think thats kind of a lost art. Guys worry so much about getting on base, but they forget how to score and how to pick up 90 feet. While it wasnt horrible, I think it certainly could be better." Since 2005, Molitor has served as a minor league base running and infield co-ordinator for the organization. The last three of his 21 major league seasons as a player came with the Twins until his retirement in 1998. The 57-year-old grew up in nearby St. Paul, attending the same high school where Joe Mauer later starred and then playing for the University of Minnesota before his professional career was launched with Milwaukee and extended with Toronto. The seven-time All-Star is one of six players in history with at least 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases. Molitor was a candidate to be Minnesotas manager in 2002 after Tom Kelly retired, but he withdrew during the unsettling process during which Major League Baseball tried to eliminate the franchise before being blocked in court. The job went to Ron Gardenhire, who has held it since then and received a new two-year contract last month. All of Gardenhires assistants were brought back, too, so the position for Molitor on staff is new. "I appreciate that hes respected my input in spring training when hes had me come down there as an extra coach those first few weeks the past several years," Molitor said. "Weve talked again often. Its going to be a chance for us to take that kind of to another level in how were going to work together, as me being as part of his staff." Gardenhire neednt look over his shoulder, Ryan said. The idea to hire Molitor was Gardenhires, actually. "Gardy has no reason to worry about his job," Ryan said, adding: "I didnt want to be perceived as hiring Molitor as a manager-in-waiting. Thats not true. Were adding him to our staff to make us better." Molitor didnt dismiss eventual interest in becoming a manager. But he didnt sound ready to think about it. "Im sure therell be some questions regarding that. Theres been a lot of speculation even over the last season about Gardys potential future, and I just dont think that I can really say anything other than this is going to be invaluable for me in terms of getting back into a major league situation and continuing to gain experience and maybe learning more about what I want my future to be," Molitor said. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe tweeted after the news was announced: "Wow, so stoked to see Molitor join our staff! Hes one of the most knowledgeable baseball men Ive ever met." Ryan was glad to hear that. "Thats kind of music to my ears because Im hoping we can get Trevor going. Hes got the capability to be a pretty good player. This year wasnt what we were hoping," Ryan said. NOTES: The Twins announced that closer Glen Perkins had arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 1 on the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee. Hell be ready for spring training. ... Molitor has served three seasons on a major league coaching staff: with the Twins as a bench coach under Kelly in 2000 and 2001 and as hitting coach for Seattle in 2004, the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Allen Iverson Jersey .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. Mike Bibby Grizzlies Jersey . The injury could land Machado on the 15-day disabled list, but its not as serious as it looked on Monday night, when the third baseman crumpled in a heap at the plate after taking an awkward swing in a game against the New York Yankees. http://www.grizzliesbasketballpro.info/Shareef-Abdur-Rahim-Grizzlies-Jersey/ .com) - Former foes from the Mountain West Conference battle in the 23rd annual Las Vegas Bowl, as the 23rd-ranked Utah Utes clash with the Colorado State Rams at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday. Jaren Jackson Jr. Jersey .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them. Kyle Anderson Jersey . McCutchen was cut before the series opener against Seattle on Monday night, when Lewis was set for his first start for Texas since July 18, 2012. Texas selected Lewis contract from Triple-A Round Rock.SAN FRANCISCO -- With only a handful of wins over the past two years, the Colorado Rockies have grown to loathe their annual visits to AT&T Park. A five-run ninth inning against Giants closer Sergio Romo might just change how manager Walt Weisss club views its road trips to San Francisco. D.J. LeMahieu hit a tiebreaking single after going hitless in his first three at-bats, and the Rockies rallied to beat the Giants 7-4 on Friday night. "Its a tough place to play, not only for us but for everybody," said Weiss, whose club had dropped 15 of 18 at the Giants waterfront ballpark. "The Giants are always tough at home. To win a game like that, not only the first game of the series but the way we won it, (is) big for our club." The Rockies had gone five straight innings without a hit before scoring five times off Romo (3-2), who went into the night tied for most saves in the majors. Troy Tulowitzki had a leadoff single, but was replaced by Charlie Culberson after injuring his foot reaching first base. After Justin Morneau singled, Romo retired Wilin Rosario on a fly to centre field. He then intentionally walked Corey Dickerson to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Ryan Wheeler hit a two-run single before LeMahieus soft single to centre drove in Dickerson. "(Romo) does such a good job of keeping the ball down," Wheeler said. "Even the pitch I hit, I think it was a ball. I hit the barrel and it went up the middle." Michael McKenry added an RBI single off George Kontos, and LeMahieu scored while McKenry was caught in a rundown between first and second. Matt Belisle (1-2) pitched one inning for the win, and LaTroy Hawkins worked the ninth for his 12th save. "This team knows what to do and we continue to hold each other accountable, but you still have to get it done," Belisle said. "Tonight, thats what happened." The Rockies had to overcome an injuury-shortened night by starter Jorge De La Rosa.dddddddddddd The left-hander, who had lost his previous two starts, was forced out of the game after the third inning due to tightness in his lower back. The Rockies bailed him out with their huge ninth, marking the eighth time this season Colorado has won in its final at-bat. "They found a way to find the holes," Romo said following his third blown save this season. "I have no explanation for that other than it was their night. I felt fine. I needed a groundball and it didnt work out." Up to that point, Weiss team hadnt done much. Tim Lincecum worked six solid innings for San Francisco. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits and two runs, retiring his final 10 batters. Three relievers combined to shut out Colorado over the next two innings before Romos collapse in the ninth. Morneau finished with two hits, the only Rockies player with multiple hits. De La Rosa struggled even before his back acted up. He had to strike out Lincecum to escape a bases-loaded jam in the second, then gave up a leadoff double to Angel Pagan in the third. After Hunter Pences RBI single, De La Rosa retired the next two batters but threw one pitch to Michael Morse before summoning team trainers and Weiss to the mound. Umpires allowed De La Rosa to make a few warmup pitches before Morse hit a tying single. Morse also doubled off Tommy Kahnle in the fifth, and Pence doubled and scored on a wild pitch by Chris Martin in the seventh. NOTES: C Rosario got hit in the face by a ball he fouled off that hit the ground and bounced straight up in the second inning. A team trainer came out to check on Rosario, who stayed in the game. ... Colorado RHP Christian Bergman (0-1) will make his second major league start on Saturday. The rookie allowed two runs in six innings in his pro debut on Monday. RHP Ryan Vogelsong (4-3) pitches for San Francisco. ' ' '