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. Nathan Shepherd Jets 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. Sam Darnold Jersey .C. - The Panthers will be without starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei for Saturday nights NFC divisional playoff game against Seattle after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his foot. New York Jets Jerseys . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. http://www.authenticjetsfanatic.com/c-109-jets-chris-herndon-jersey.aspx . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract.PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Substitute Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil scored in extra time and Germany survived Algerias aggressive play with a 2-1 win Monday to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive time. All three goals came in extra time after Algeria dominated for long stretches during the opening 90 minutes. "It was a victory of will power," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "We had major problems in the first half to organize the way we played. We made simple mistakes, which invited the opponents to start counter attacks." Germany finally took the lead when Thomas Mueller provided a cross from the left flank that was slightly behind Schuerrle. The Germany forward dragged his left leg and backheeled the ball into the far corner in the 92nd minute, leaving goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi with no chance. Ozil added the second in the 120th and substitute Abdelmoumene Djabou pulled one back in injury time for Algeria. Three-time champion Germany will next face 1998 winner France on Friday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. With the temperature a chilly 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit) and a light rain falling at times, the pace was high at the Estadio Beira-Rio but the goals didnt come until the end. Ozil thought he had put the result out of reach when he pounded in a rebound after a shot from Schuerrle was cleared off the line by defender Esseid Belkalem, but Djabou volleyed in a minute later to make the last seconds count. Perhaps inspired by the "Disgrace of Gijon" at the 1982 World Cup, when Germany and Austria supposedly conspired to oust Algeria in the group stagee, the northern African nation outmatched Germanys intensity for long stretches in an entertaining match. Custom New York Jets Jerseys. . Algeria was playing in the second round of the World Cup for the first time and thought it had taken the lead before a goal from Islam Slimani was waved off for offside in the 17th, one of many opportunities for the Algeria striker. At the start of the second half, Germany put Schuerrle on for Mario Goetze in an attacking midfield and came out better organized. In the 55th, Germany captain Philipp Lahm unleashed a hard shot that an outstretched Rais did well to push wide with his fingertips. Still, Algeria continued to produce dangerous counterattacks. In the 72nd, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had to come out of his area to head away the danger with Slimani chasing. In the 88th, Germanys inability to find the target turned theatrical for a moment when Mueller appeared to fall during a free kick. Then the goals came, the rain intensified, and Germany took control. Still, Algeria was cheered by its fans at the final whistle, while the Germany supporters appeared more relieved than content. ___ Germany: Manuel Neuer; Shkodran Mustafi (Sami Khedira, 70), Per Mertesacker, Jerome Boateng, Benedikt Hoewedes; Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger (Christoph Kramer, 109), Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos, Mario Goetze (Andre Schuerrle, 46); Thomas Mueller. Algeria: Rais Mbolhi; Faouzi Ghoulam, Essaid Belkalem, Rafik Halliche (Madjid Bougherra, 97), Mehdi Mostefa, Aissa Mandi; Medhi Lacen; Islam Slimani, Sofiane Feghouli, Saphir Taider (Yacine Brahimi, 78); El Arabi Hilal Soudani (Abdelmoumene Djabou, 100). 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