By: Kelly Thesier/MLB.com

SEATTLE — Sorry for the lack of a lineup post yesterday. For some reason, I typed a blog entry and it never ended up posting. Oh well, guess I need to learn technology a little better.

After facing two pitchers who throw similar to their own starting staff the last two days, the Twins now face a bigger test in the final two contests of this series. Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez — perhaps two of the best pitchers in the American League — will start for Seattle beginning tonight with Lee on the mound.

Having gone 1-1 over the first two games of the series, it seems the Twins would be happy to walk out of Safeco Field tomorrow night with a split.

Here are the lineups. I’ll have more news later.

UPDATE: Of course the big news here in Seattle today is Ken Griffey Jr.’s retirement which came about suddenly. Griffey issued a statement and the Mariners were reacting to the news that the 22-year career of the future Hall of Famer had come to an end.

As for Twins news, there was plenty of that as well. Michael Cuddyer’s father-in-law, Jon Rente, passed away on Monday night and the Twins outfielder is leaving the team on Thursday for the funeral in the Arlington, Virginia/Washington D.C. area. Cuddyer is scheduled to rejoin the Twins on Tuesday for their homestand in Minnesota. The Twins will put Cuddyer on the bereavement list after tonight’s game and make a corresponding roster move.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire also said that infielder Alexi Casilla will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow to remove a bone spur and loose bodies on Friday. Casilla will miss 4-8 weeks. 


Twins

(31-21)
Denard Span, CF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Michael

Cuddyer, RF
Jason Kubel, DH
Delmon Young, LF
Matt Tolbert, 2B
Nick
Punto, 3B
Pitching: RHP Kevin Slowey (6-3, 4.15 ERA)

Mariners
(20-31)
Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Chone Figgins,
2B
Franklin Gutierrez, CF
Mike Sweeney, DH
Milton Bradley, LF
Jose
Lopez, 3B
Casey Kotchman, 1B
Rob Johnson, C
Josh Wilson, SS
Pitching:
LHP Cliff Lee (3-2, 3.22 ERA)

A
reminder
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