Center fielder Carlos Gomez was in the starting lineup for the third time in 10 games this month and, entering Sunday's game, Gomez, now batting .218 with a .250 on-base percentage, had just 13 at-bats in the team's last 15 games.
Manager Ron Gardenhire said he's talked with Gomez, who's been relegated to a utility role because, the skipper said, his other three outfielders are swinging the bat better, and told the 23-year-old to use his time on the bench to improve. "This is an opportunity to get with (hitting coach Joe) Vavra a lot, work on his swing in the cage, do the cage stuff, work on his swing plane and breaking balls and all those things," Gardenhire said. "He'll get at-bats. He'll get probably one or two a game defensively, he got a couple the other day, he'll get a couple today. It's not like playing every day, but it's also an opportunity for him to keep working."
Gardenhire likes having Gomez's speed off the bench, and on Sunday Gomez finally got back to what he did so well for the Twins in the past -- small, speedy baseball -- when he bunted for a hit in his first at-bat of the game.
Late last month, Gardenhire had a meeting with Gomez during which he explained that Gomez, who had been showing his frustrations over his performance and his playing time, has to be better about staying on an even keel with his emotions.
Asked how Gomez has been doing with that since then, Gardenhire said, "He's trying hard. He's an emotional kid, and baseball's an emotional game, but you just have to control yourself. He knows. He understands those things. He's been working really hard, one of the first guys here."
MARINERS 5, TWINS 3: Handed just a 2-0 lead and just two innings of work on Sunday, Minnesota's bullpen gave up five runs, the win and a chance at a three-game sweep of Seattle.
