Gallerie » was in very close proximity. Baton down the Belgian on a

Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Paul Molitor will be the new manager of the Minnesota Twins. The Twins said the Hall of Famer has agreed to a three-year contract through the 2017 season and will be officially introduced on Tuesday. Molitor will become just the third manager for the franchise since 1986, following Tom Kelly and the recently fired Ron Gardenhire. The 58-year-old St. Paul native and University of Minnesota product finished his Hall of Fame playing career with his hometown team from 1996-98 and was a coach on Gardenhires staff last year after previously serving as bench coach for Kelly in 2000 and 2001. This will be Molitors first managerial job at any level. After 10 years in the Minnesota organization as a minor league infield and base running coordinator, he joined Gardenhires staff last year to coach infield, base running and bunting, then moved to first base coach in July when Joe Vavra suffered a hip injury. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, Molitor played a combined 21 seasons for the Brewers, Blue Jays and Twins. He had a career .306 batting average with 234 home runs and 1,307 RBI. His 3,319 career hits are good enough for 10th on the all-time list, while his 605 career doubles rank 11th all-time. He was a seven-time All-Star and the MVP of the 1993 World Series with Toronto. After his two-year stint as a coach on Kellys staff, Molitor served as hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2004. Gardenhire was fired after the Twins finished 70-92 in 2014, the clubs fourth straight losing season. He led Minnesota to the postseason six times during his 13-year tenure, finishing with a record of 1,068-1,039. Kelly took over at the end of the 1986 campaign and guided the Twins to a pair of World Series titles during his 15 full seasons. Brian Bellows Jersey . Its like being on Broadway, everything you do matters. Id want to be good though! I couldnt play here if I wasnt very good. #83217388 / gettyimages. Craig Hartsburg Stars Jersey . LOUIS -- Known for his game-managing and defensive skills, Yadier Molina made another statement with his bat. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/jamie-benn-hockey-jersey/ . Costa injured his right thigh muscle against Barcelona last Saturday and had sought treatment in Belgrade from a doctor specializing in using fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells. Radek Faksa Stars Jersey .com) - Demario Richard posted four touchdowns and Kweishi Brown came up with a key late interception as No. Neal Broten Jersey . -- Canada played to expectation up until halftime.Adam Johnson and Manuel Pellegrini may well have walked off with Januarys BPL Player and Manager of the Month Awards, but no other club have had a better new year than Chelsea. Seven matches played, six clean sheets, wins heaped upon wins. The copy book only blighted by an inability to deal with West Hams so termed 19th century tactics. Having just returned from spending three weeks in the city of the 2012 Summer Olympiad, much time spent within the century plus old Stamford Bridge walls, its as if the clocks have been turned back to circa 2004-05. It was Mourinhos debut season, and the little horse galloped away from the entire BPL field. Chelsea winning the title by a very distant 12 points. Most remarkably, conceding an improbable 15 goals through the 38-match season - numbers Gary Bettman apparently salivates over. Such was Chelseas dominance of the Champions for almost the entire second half they played in reverse gear. Ryan Giggs couldnt watch as he continually covered his face in his hands. He likely would have thrown in the towel if he could have found one. The only passion on display that afternoon from anyone in a red shirt came from the quite magnificent Manchester United support - 6,000 strong, and as one in their complete support for club. The true definition of what the word supporter actually means. There in the midst of yet more adversity and not once did they veer from the full encouragement, slap on the back script. Hopefully, someone at the club shot a video which David Moyes has had time to watch. If theres one man in world football who needs to fully understand the inherent value of positive body language, additionally to be classically re-conditioned it is the boy set adrift by Ferguson. Ive witnessed more sideline encouragement during the traditional park life early Sunday morning pub league football. When most are still feeling the awful side effects of a very late and mostly liquid Saturday night. The Chosen One? More like The Shrugged Shouldered One. Such was Manchester Uniteds public demise at Stamford Bridge, Sir Alex Ferguson had to slum it sat next to yesterdays soul man, Mick Hucknall. Meanwhile, Miami FCs David Beckham took pride of place over in the regal confines of Roman Abramovichs private suite. Court side seats at a Lakers game are renowned as the ultimate status symbol of the celebrity and glitteratti set. As I walked the Fulham Road streets before the match, there was more jewellery than scarves on display in London SW6. I even caught sight of a man not often associated with the jet set. England manager Roy Hodgson walking with his assistant Ray Lewington as they purposefully mingled amongst the crowd making their way to the ground. Not an air of grace about them. For Englands Brazil 2014 sakes, lets hope the WAGs will have taken notes. Next up for Chelsea was an FA Cup fourth round tie against Stoke City. Late that morning, Mata completed his £37.1m ($69m million) move to Old Trafford, Matic made his Stamford Bridge debut that afternoon. Now over my time, I have seen some monsters on a football pitch. Not all of them dressed in football shirts. Nemanja Matic is almost completely unrecognizable from the person and footballer that he was in his previous stint. He hardly got a look in then, against Stoke he hardly put a foot wrong. Oscars sublime free kick separated the sides. Matic though was the talk of the press room at full time. That was until a 51st birthday celebrating Jose Mourinho walked into the room. It was only mere minutes after it had been announced the win against Stoke set up a highly tasty fifth round encounter at the Etihad. Hours previously, the twice straight player of the year had been sold. To Manchester United of all clubs, and a transfer which had Wenger and Pelligrini going into a lather. First question to the manager? “When Rafa Benitez was Chelsea manager, on his birthday he bought a cake in for the media. Wheres your cake?” Not to be outdone by Rafa, the Happy One promised champagne for when next he would meet the media 48 hours later.dddddddddddd You couldnt make this stuff up. When the subject did finally get round to Mata, Mourinho let it be known it was not his sole decision to discard the best left foot in the BPL. “Only the big boss makes sole decisions.” The manager made it abundantly clear it was a team decision that the 25-year old Spaniard was surplus to requirements. Weve all witnessed Oscar and Hazard on the ball. From the comfort of your sofa or bar stool, what the camera doesnt tell you though is the staggering amount of tracking back these two highly gifted players do through the course of a match. Out of possession sometimes, it seemed Oscar was so deep in his own half he was paired in defence with John Terry. Hauled off soaking wet with 10 minutes left and the Sunday evening sky darkening, one clever hack suggested the Brazilians mother had sent a text to Mourinho reminding him the fresh-faced youngster had to be at school Monday morning. There was nothing fresh-faced about Oscar, nor Mourinho, 72 hours later when Big Sams Claret and Blue Army [and Im speaking about the West Ham players] made the short hop over from Londons East end. Those gale-forced winds and pouring rain that has battered the south west of England for much of winter showed up too. Attending the match as a Chelsea supporter, with the trouble ‘n strife [wife] in tow, we took our seats in the lower tier of the West Stand. Mercifully under cover, but such was the ferocious wind we were rain lashed for the entire 90 minutes. The action on the pitch was not one bit as exciting as a sole Chelsea fan sat directly behind us. He made more noise than the thunder - his humour hotter than the tea. As he performed all the Chelsea classics in a virtuoso solo performance worthy of any Grammy winner. For all the plaudits bestowed on Mourinho following Mondays Etihad ‘title decider, he got it wrong against West Ham. In fact, it started with his Stoke line up when Frank Lampard captained the side and played the full 90-minutes. Lampard plays West Ham with fire in his belly and a goal in his feet. Not coincidental the best chance that evening fell to Chelseas leading goal scorer of all time in the 96th minute. But for a superb save from Adrian in the West Ham goal and Chelsea could be a magnificent seven straight wins through 2014. Matic should have started. Not as Mourinho did, only introduce him with less than 30 minutes left. Oscar struggled. Not so much with coming to grips with West Hams iron-like resolve, the conditions were so soggy and about as far removed from ball playing, he must have wished for the Copacabana. Of late, David Luiz has been spraying balls up field for Hazard to run onto. Luiz didnt leave the bench. Hazard for all his crafty guile was able to turn opponents inside out but where ever he went another West Ham player was in very close proximity. Baton down the Belgian on a windswept Stamford Bridge night they did. The Happy One, though wouldnt have swapped a moment of that ‘19th century like opponent for what was achieved against modern footballs shining knights, Manchester City. Hung, drawn and no Mourinho quarter given. As we get set later this month for the start of the knock out stages of the Champions League - the manner in which Etihad victory was achieved will have instilled a certain fear in Europes finest. That though is for the future. Speaking to Chelsea future, Samuel Etoo may have slayed Manchester United. The Cameroonians hier apparent is Islam Feruz. An 18-year old Somalian refugee who was signed from Celtic is currently ripping it up in Chelseas reserves. Scoring goals from all over the pitch, seemingly just for fun. Thoroughbred lightening quick, just maybe Feruz is the ‘little horse- The Especially Happy One was referring to after Chelsea made a mockery of Manchester Citys perfect BPL home form. You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel on Twitter ' ' '