The Saints tried to get the last game in their six-game series with Nashville on Sunday afternoon at CHS Field, but even a light rain proved too much for the field to cope with.
“I’ve been playing for the last three days and it’s been raining every day,” said Saints manager Toby Gardenhire. “We wanted to play, but when we took the tarp off the field it was very soft and we couldn’t have done much about it.
“I had (Diamond Dry) downstairs, but everything was muddy underneath. We’re going to take some of the stuff out and let it air out and we should be fine. ”
The Saints are in the middle of a 12-match match that resumes on Tuesday.
A JETER DRINK
Saints’ shortstop, Royce, said Derek Jeter was his favorite player, but that’s not why he’s wearing Jeter’s No. 2 pick.
“We had a few options for the smaller T-shirts that were available,” Lewis said. “I needed a smaller T-shirt because I’m a pretty weak guy. After choosing number 2, I said, “Yes, this is Jeter’s number.” Plus, my girlfriend likes number 2. ”
Lewis said his admiration for Jeter exceeded what he was able to accomplish on the field.
“He played short circuit at a high level and always won,” Lewis said. “He came on the field with the same mentality every day, namely to do everything he could to help the team win.
“Off the field, I would love to be like him; he was the baseball captain for me. ”
Lewis had a day off scheduled Sunday after playing in 21 of Saints’ first 22 games.
BIG ARM IN RECOVERY
Jordan Balazovic, the Twins’ best prospect, is on the Saints list, but he hasn’t pitched this season due to a left knee strain. The 23-year-old right-hander is currently in rehab at Fort Myers Class A and is expected to throw five innings in a game this week.
Gardenhire doesn’t have a schedule, but he hopes to have Balazovic’s 6-foot 5 and 215-pound in the Saints starting rotation soon.
“It would be nice,” he said. “He threw in the mid-90s and has a good breaking ball. He pitched in the Futures (Major League Baseball) game for us a few years ago. He is a good prospect for us. ”
I’M LOOKING FOR A SPARK
Twin outfielder Alex Kirilloff has struggled on the set since joining the Saints on a detox mission. Kirilloff had pain in his right wrist that he surgically repaired last season.
Kirilloff is 2 out of 10 with Saints. He was 1 to 17 with the Gemini before entering the injured list, while trying to get through the discomfort.
“It will take time for anyone who hasn’t been beaten for a while,” said Gardenhire. “He is trying to figure out how to solve his wrist problem. He has a few things on his plate, but that guy has always been a hit. He will realize. ”