MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Minnesota Twins brought Jim Thome back for another season to be a mentor in the clubhouse and a slugger at the plate. They didn't plan on him serving as a counselor, too.

With the Twins having the worst record in the majors at 16-32, players have acknowledged the increasing difficulty of maintaining an optimistic outlook.

After their latest loss on Wednesday, Thome talked about the importance of a one-day-at-a-time approach and keeping a positive attitude that teammates can latch onto. He said he looks at the standings every day to see how the division-leading Cleveland Indians fare, reminding himself that the 14 1/2-game deficit can't be made up all at once.

The Twins start a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

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