July 21, 1964 - The fate of the Minnesota Twins lies in the team’s performance the next two weeks, says team president Calvin Griffith, who has spiked rumors that manager Sam Mele (pictured) is on the way out.
In a batting slump that has cost them eight of their last nine starts, the Twins exploded last night for six home runs against the Braves — but in an exhibition game. All the Twins’ runs except one came on home runs in the 12-7 victory.
“If we get hot in the next two weeks, we can get back up there,” Griffith said of his fourth-place club. “From now on, we’ve got to win, win, win.” The Twins, 9½ games out of first place, face Kansas City, Chicago, Baltimore, and New York in that period.
“I still don’t think it is Mele’s fault we are not winning,” said Griffith after the Twins lost seven straight to Los Angeles and two of three to Washington.
“There isn’t anything Sam can do to make the players hit. Right now, the manager isn’t our problem,” Griffith added. In the last nine games, the Twins hit .219 — only .205 in the eight they lost.
Griffith applauded Mele for slapping a $150 fine on third baseman Rich Rollins for getting picked off first base by the Angels Saturday. The next day, Rollins hit his first major league grand slam home run.
“I think the fines will make the players think,” Griffith remarked.
Bob Allison, players representative, termed the team’s ineffectiveness at the plate “unexplainable.”
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