Twins right fielder Revere showing athleticism

July 15, 2012 at 5:44AM
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics. Former Twins pitcher Comilo Pascual threw out the ceremonial first pitch after being inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in ceremonies before the start of the game. (MARLIN LEVISON/STARTRIBUNE(mlevison@startribune.com
Former Twins great Camilo Pascual threw out the first pitch Saturday night, when the team inducted him into its Hall of Fame. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Twins fans have caught numerous glimpses of Ben Revere's speed in recent years, but this weekend, they've seen how high he can jump, too.

In the fifth inning Friday, Revere chased a foul ball from Oakland's Brandon Hicks into right-field foul territory and leaped onto the wall, pulling himself up and reaching, only to have the ball glance off his glove.

Matt Hoy, the Twins senior vice president of operations, said the ledge Revere reached over is about 9 or 10 feet tall.

"My foot started slipping a little bit, so I tried to lift myself back up, and it hit the palm of my hand and bounced out," Revere said. "If I had my footing, I could have had it."

The catch would have rivaled the over-the-shoulder, leaping grab Revere made last season to rob Baltimore's Vladimir Guerrero of an extra-base hit on Aug. 22. MLB Network recognized that one as the 2011 "Play of the Year."

The 24-year-old Revere, who is listed at 5-9, used to flash his leaping ability at Lexington (Ky.) Catholic High School.

"If I could get a good palm with a basketball, I could dunk it [in high school]," Revere said.

But Revere mistimed his jump Saturday on Yeonis Cespedes' RBI double off the wall, and he probably shouldn't have jumped at all when Seth Smith later hit a triple several feet above his head.

"A few of those you're going to have to back off and play off the wall," manager Ron Gardenhire said.

"He's trying to make a play, but he's aggressive. You hate to take that away from the kid."

Duensing's ankle ready Brian Duensing said he made a mechanical adjustment before his last start against the Tigers on July 4, which helped him pitch better than he did in his first two starts after moving from the bullpen.

But Duensing's start in Detroit was cut short in the fifth inning when he took a line drive from Alex Avila off his left ankle. Duensing was in severe pain before limping off the field, but he was able to throw a bullpen session on July 7, and had two more this week that has him confident heading into Sunday's start against Oakland.

"I think we kind of dodged a bullet," Duensing said. "If it would have been an inch up the ankle, it would have been bad. I think the shoe saved me a little bit."

Pascual enters Hall The Twins inducted Camilo Pascual into their Hall of Fame in an on-field ceremony before Saturday's game. Tony Oliva is among those who felt Pascual's honor was long overdue, as the rigthhander went 145-141 with a 3.66 ERA during his time with the Senators and Twins and led the American League in strikeouts from 1961 to '63.

"Everybody talks about his curveball," Oliva said. His curveball was the best in baseball; I've never seen a curveball like that. But his fastball was good too. In his day, he was in the top five pitchers in the American League.

"Put it this way: When he pitched, a lot of players got sick the night before."

Etc. Matt Capps made his first appearance since returning from the disabled list, and as expected, it came in a low-stress situation. Capps tossed a 1-2-3 eighth inning with the Twins trailing 8-2, though none of his pitches topped 91 miles per hour.

P.J. Walters, who went 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA in his first four starts for the Twins, was at Target Field to see a team doctor after having a recent setback with his right shoulder injury and isn't sure when he will be ready to pitch again. "It's not square one, but I'm not ready to go yet," the righthander said.

about the writer

about the writer

Joe Christensen

Sports team leader

Joe Christensen, a Minnesota Star Tribune sports team leader, graduated from the University of Minnesota and spent 15 years covering Major League Baseball, including stops at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Baltimore Sun. He joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005 and spent four years covering Gophers football.

See More