Cardinals top Twins
Jaime Garcia kept up his bid for a spot in the St. Louis rotation, pitching six innings Monday as the Cardinals beat the Minnesota Twins 5-3.
Garcia gave up two runs and eight hits without a walk. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said there probably would be an announcement about the starting staff.
“He knew what was at stake and he handled himself well,” La Russa said. “He got a lot of balls on the ground and threw a good assortment of pitches.”
Garcia, 23, will start the team’s final exhibition game Saturday in Minneapolis.
La Russa confirmed that Chris Carpenter will start opening day in Cincinnati.
Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick homered off Twins starter Kevin Slowey. Minor leaguer Daniel Descalso hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win it.
Garcia entered Monday’s game having allowed five hits in 12 2/3 innings. The Twins had six hits in the first three innings, including Brendan Harris’ two-out, two-run triple.
Jim Thome, 39, still strikes an imposing figure when he comes to the plate.
He is only 36 home runs shy of 600 for his career and has been swinging the bat with plenty of punch in his first spring training with the Twins, but individual numbers don’t mean much to Thome these days, which is why one of the most feared sluggers of his era turned down more money, and more guaranteed playing time, to sign with Minnesota in the offseason.
“As you get older, there’s more you can do than just going out there and doing it by performance,” Thome said. “I think the main thing every day is to be ready, prepare yourself and be ready to play no matter what happens.”
It’s a little startling to hear a player of his stature talk about taking a reduced role. Only 11 players in history have hit more home runs than Thome, who is 10 long balls away from leapfrogging former Twins great Harmon Killebrew for 10th place on the career list.
In just over 17 years in the big leagues, Thome has cemented himself as one of the giants of the game, thanks both to his 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame and an affable personality that makes him a favorite in the clubhouse.
The one thing that has eluded him to this point is a World Series title. He played in two with the Cleveland Indians, losing to Atlanta in 1995 and Florida in 1997.
That’s why he’s here.
“There was an opportunity for him to go a couple of other places and DH every day or play every day and try and get 600 homers,” Twins first baseman Justin Morneau said. “Well, he’s more interested in that World Series ring. Our goal, for him and for us, is to get that. That’s what we’re here for.”
He signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal in February to serve as a pinch-hitter and part-time DH for a team that is coming off its fifth AL Central title of the decade.