His thumb has healed, Alexi Casilla said, but that doesn't mean he is quite the player he was before he injured it in late July. But his two hits on Sunday -- including his sixth home run of the season -- give him hope that his swing is beginning to come around.
"I've been struggling lately, and (starting) yesterday, I'm just trying to make a good swing at strikes. I was too aggressive," Casilla said. "When you come from disabled list, when you have a lot of games without playing, it's not the same." That realization convinced manager Ron Gardenhire to temporarily drop Casilla to the bottom of the Twins' batting order, with a promise that the second baseman will be restored to his customary No. 2 spot once he gets comfortable at the plate again.
And judging by Sunday's game, that won't be long. In the second inning, Oakland starter Greg Smith tried to zip a fastball past him on the inside corner, and Casilla was ready. He sizzled the pitch on a low line drive, just beyond the left field wall.
"He's very quick. He realizes what a pitcher is trying to do to him," said manager Ron Gardenhire. "He's not afraid to turn on a ball when they're pounding him in."
"I'm trying to make a good swing. I'm not trying to hit home runs," Casilla said. "I'm just trying to swing it hard and hit line drives."
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