MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins have added Paul Molitor to their coaching staff, assigning him supervision of the teams base running, bunting, infield instruction and positioning as well as assistance with in-game strategy. Fabio Coentrao Real Madrid Jersey . This is not some token job for a prominent, popular former player. All of those areas need a lot of work, so Molitor is going to be busy. "Hes certainly got a history and knowledge and a high baseball IQ," general manager Terry Ryan said. "Theres no doubt about that. It fits pretty good here." The hire was announced Tuesday by the Twins, who finished 66-96 for the second straight season after going 63-99 the year before that. "Theres really no part of the game that we cant do better at," Molitor said, adding: "Im going to be able to work on guys who need to have a small-ball game, with the things they can do, with ways to score runs. I think thats kind of a lost art. Guys worry so much about getting on base, but they forget how to score and how to pick up 90 feet. While it wasnt horrible, I think it certainly could be better." Since 2005, Molitor has served as a minor league base running and infield co-ordinator for the organization. The last three of his 21 major league seasons as a player came with the Twins until his retirement in 1998. The 57-year-old grew up in nearby St. Paul, attending the same high school where Joe Mauer later starred and then playing for the University of Minnesota before his professional career was launched with Milwaukee and extended with Toronto. The seven-time All-Star is one of six players in history with at least 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases. Molitor was a candidate to be Minnesotas manager in 2002 after Tom Kelly retired, but he withdrew during the unsettling process during which Major League Baseball tried to eliminate the franchise before being blocked in court. The job went to Ron Gardenhire, who has held it since then and received a new two-year contract last month. All of Gardenhires assistants were brought back, too, so the position for Molitor on staff is new. "I appreciate that hes respected my input in spring training when hes had me come down there as an extra coach those first few weeks the past several years," Molitor said. "Weve talked again often. Its going to be a chance for us to take that kind of to another level in how were going to work together, as me being as part of his staff." Gardenhire neednt look over his shoulder, Ryan said. The idea to hire Molitor was Gardenhires, actually. "Gardy has no reason to worry about his job," Ryan said, adding: "I didnt want to be perceived as hiring Molitor as a manager-in-waiting. Thats not true. Were adding him to our staff to make us better." Molitor didnt dismiss eventual interest in becoming a manager. But he didnt sound ready to think about it. "Im sure therell be some questions regarding that. Theres been a lot of speculation even over the last season about Gardys potential future, and I just dont think that I can really say anything other than this is going to be invaluable for me in terms of getting back into a major league situation and continuing to gain experience and maybe learning more about what I want my future to be," Molitor said. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe tweeted after the news was announced: "Wow, so stoked to see Molitor join our staff! Hes one of the most knowledgeable baseball men Ive ever met." Ryan was glad to hear that. "Thats kind of music to my ears because Im hoping we can get Trevor going. Hes got the capability to be a pretty good player. This year wasnt what we were hoping," Ryan said. NOTES: The Twins announced that closer Glen Perkins had arthroscopic surgery on Oct. 1 on the medial meniscus cartilage in his right knee. Hell be ready for spring training. ... Molitor has served three seasons on a major league coaching staff: with the Twins as a bench coach under Kelly in 2000 and 2001 and as hitting coach for Seattle in 2004, the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Karim Benzema Jersey . -- Josh Smith saved his only 3-pointers for when the Detroit Pistons needed them most. Iker Casillas Jersey . -- One of the byproducts of quarterback Matt McGloins rise to the top of Oaklands depth chart last week was the production of rookie tight end Mychal Rivera.SAN ANTONIO -- Annual traditions are everywhere in San Antonio. Theres the way the famed Riverwalk is transformed into a sea of lights at holiday time. Fiesta Noche del Rio, a summerlong outdoor performance of song and dance that dates back more than half a century. A huge rodeo, taking over the city for about three weeks every winter. And of late, theres been the Tim Duncan Watch. Unlike the others, this is one San Antonioians dread. But if he goes out now, hell be going out as a champion -- for the fifth time. San Antonios 104-87 win over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night gave Duncan his fifth title, all with the Spurs. And throughout this series, speculation has been rampant that if the Spurs ended Miamis reign Duncan might finally feel like the time is right to end what will surely be a Hall of Fame career. "Amazing," Duncan said. "It makes last year OK." His first title was in 1999. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a longer span between championships. "Its a very emotional time," Duncan said. When the 2011-12 season was threatened by a lockout, it was speculated that Duncan might have already played his last game. Hes certainly doesnt play for money anymore -- hes making about $10 million this season, a giant sum in the real world but well below market value by NBA standards -- and has always seemed to be a reluctant superstar. And then, every fall, Duncan shows up for training camp, the Spurs win a bunch of games, and the legacy just keeps growing. "I know hes got one more year on his contract, and he loves being with us, loves playing basketball," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "Either way, whatever he decides, Ill support him. But if I have to choose, obviously, I would love him to keep going. I love playing with him." Its hard to find something in San Antonio more revered than the Spurs. "Go Spurs Go" signage hangs from what seems like every other building in the sprawling city. If someone is on the streets of San Antonio on game day and not wearing Spurs gear, chances are they live somewhere else. During the NBA Finals, its not uncommon for residents to strap Spurs flags onto thheir cars, drive through downtown and honk like crazy -- even on off days in the series. Raphael Varane Jersey. Duncan has never played for money anyplace else. Sunday was his 1,488th NBA game. Every one of them has been in a Spurs uniform. The only other players in NBA history to play that many games and never change teams: Utahs John Stockton and Indianas Reggie Miller. "He feels a responsibility to his teammates," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He enjoys them. He wants to hang around as long as he can while hes useful and while hes having an impact on the game. He takes care of his body. He works out all summer long with a variety of different things, boxing, swimming. Hes very careful about what he puts in his body, so he does everything he can to maintain a level of play. "At some point," Popovich added, "that will stop." But when? Duncan insists he doesnt know. Its something he, Parker and Manu Ginobili -- the Spurs Big 3 -- have been hearing for years, that their demise and breakup is imminent. By now, they almost find it amusing. "Weve been on our last run for the last five or six years from how everyone wants to put it," Duncan said. "We show up every year, and we try to put together the best teams and the best runs possible because what people say doesnt matter to us. As I said, as long as we feel were being effective, were going to stay out here and were going to play. We feel like we can be effective, and we have been." Duncan is the 21st player in NBA history to win five rings with one team. Everyone else on that list played for the Lakers, Celtics or Bulls. That speaks to longevity and sustained greatness, which all factors in to the enormous legacy hell leave behind at some point. Again, though, thats not Duncans thinking. Not now. Not yet. First things first -- theres another parade coming to San Antonio. When the Spurs won the Western Conference title and earned their rematch shot with Miami, which won last years finals in a seven-game classic, Duncan vowed that San Antonio would win this time around. He was right. "This is the only one that counts right now," Duncan said. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '