Category: Dailies

Time changes and other morning updates

The Twins are scheduled to take on the Netherlands today at Hammond Stadium in a 2:05 p.m. ET start, which is an hour later than normal Spring Training day games. The players seemed as confused as anyone by the time change. Baseball is a sport that’s based upon habit and although today’s game just meant pushing back everything an hour, it seemed to get most of the players out of their usual routines.

As for news this morning, we talked to Nick Blackburn about his sore left knee. He said that he woke up on Friday morning, the day after his start in Sarasota, and noticed his knee was swollen. Doctors told Blackburn that might happen due to the arthroscopic surgery he had on the knee this offseason. Blackburn said this was the first time he’s experienced the swelling since the surgery, but doesn’t expect it to be a long-term thing…”I don’t see this going into the season,” he said.
UPDATE: Blackburn threw a seven-minute bullpen on Thursday morning and felt nothing. The plan is to have him throw another bullpen in two days to test the knee.

Joe Mauer reported that he expected to have small setbacks like the one he experienced the other day as he makes his comeback from kidney surgery. “You have to try out and see where you are at,” Mauer said.

Closer Joe Nathan is scheduled to throw to live hitters during batting practice this morning. If he doesn’t feel any soreness in his shoulder, then he likely will return to game action this weekend.
UPDATE: Nathan threw 28 pitches during his live batting practice session and said afterward that he hasn’t “felt like that in four years. That’s about as good as I’ve felt in a long time.” In total, Nathan threw around 40-50 pitches with his side work before the session. The plan now is to have the closer pitch in Sunday’s contest at Fort Lauderdale against the Orioles.

All right, here are your lineups today. The Netherlands starting pitcher is right-hander Tom Stiufbergen, a Twins prospect who missed the entire 2008 season as he recovered from right shoulder surgery. Another familiar face to Twins fans will also be in the dugout for the Netherlands. Bert Blyleven is the pitching coach for the team.

Lineups

Twins
Carlos Gomez, CF
Alejandro Machado, 2B
Joe Crede, 3B
Jason Kubel, DH
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Mike Redmond, C
Brock Peterson, 1B
Jason Pridie, LF
Matt Tolbert, SS
Pitching: Kevin Slowey

The Netherlands
Gene Kingsdale, RF
Sharlon Schoop, 2B
Randall Simon, 1B
Greg Halman, CF
Yurendell de Caster, 3B
Sharnol Adriana, DH
Bryan Engelhardt, LF
Kenley Jansen, C
Hainley Statia, SS
Pitching: Tom Stuifbergen

Better late than never?

Sorry for my delay in posting extra notes everyone. There are some days down here at Spring Training that get a little hectic with stories and then the travel…especially when it’s close to an hour and a half drive each way like it was to Bradenton yesterday. I promise I’ll try to get better.

Anyway, here are some extra news nuggets from Wednesday that I didn’t get into the stories.

  • Francisco Liriano looked much better in his second outing of the spring. After getting knocked around a little by the Yankees, Liriano pitched three scoreless innings against the Pirates and allowed just two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. It looked like Liriano was in much better command of the strike zone. His changeup continues to look better and better, and like everyone said it might just be his best pitch now.

  • Matt Macri made his first start at third base and produced an impressive play in second inning. He made a diving lunge toward the shortstop hole to snag a ball and then got up on his feet and side-armed the ball to Brian Buscher at first base to get the out. But Macri then was charged with an error the very next inning when the first batter, Jack Wilson, hit a hard grounder to third. After fielding the ball, Macri’s throw sailed high to first base and allowed Wilson to reach base. Manager Ron Gardenhire talked to Macri about using his legs more on the second play, but he was still pretty impressed by the first snag Macri made…”That’s probably about as laid out as you are going to get on a ground ball,” Gardenhire said. “Then you get up and make a throw submarine and still get the guy. I don’t know how much better you can do. That’s one of the better ones I’ve seen this spring.”

  • Memorable moment of the day: In the second inning, a white bird — likely a seagull– was seen sitting in the grass in right-center field. There was a debate in the press box as to whether the bird was dead or injured after Wilson Ramos hit a double close to the bird and it didn’t even move. Pirates center fielder Nate McLouth nearly stepped on the bird while trying to chase down the ball, but even then — nothing. So shortly after the next inning, a member of the grounds crew was sent to try and scoop up the bird with a shovel. But when he approached it with the shovel, the bird suddenly flew over the center field wall — miraculously fine.

Twins-Pirates Lineups

Here are the lineups for today’s game at McKechnie Field in Bradenton. The pressbox here is a wind tunnel and quite chilly so I’m just going to post this before I head down to the field to catch a little sun and talk to Gardy. I’ll post more news updates when I get back up after BP.

Twins
Denard Span, RF
Alexi Casilla, 2B
Delmon Young, LF
Michael Cuddyer, DH
Biran Buscher, 1B
Wilson Ramos, C
Carlos Gomez, CF
Matt Tolbert, SS
Matt Macri, 3B
Pitching: Francisco Liriano

Pirates
Nyjer Morgan, LF
Freddy Sanchez, 2B
Nate McLouth, CF
Ryan Doumit, C
Adam LaRoche, 1B
Craig Monroe, RF
Brandon Moss, DH
Andy LaRoche, 3B
Jack Wilson, SS
Pitching: Tom Gorzelanny

Nathan throws bullpen session without any pain

Twins closer Joe Nathan threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and reported afterward that his right shoulder felt great.

Nathan had been expected to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic but pulled out of the event on Sunday due to soreness in the AC joint – where the clavicle meets the acromion process of the scapula at the top of the shoulder.

The plan now is to have Nathan throw to live batting practice on Thursday and to possibly pitch in the Twins’ Grapefruit League contest against the Pirates on Saturday.

Third base debut and a lineup full of stars

After a one-day break for the first off day of the spring, the Twins are back at Hammond Stadium this morning and ready to face Puerto Rico in a World Baseball Classic exhibition contest.

The game will mark Joe Crede’s debut at third base for the Twins. Crede has played in two contests already for Minnesota, although both times he was the DH.

There are plenty of notable names on the Puerto Rico roster (and in their lineup for Tuesday’s contest). One face for Twins fans to watch in today’s game on the other side is right-handed pitcher Carlos Gutierrez. A first round pick (No. 27 overall) of the Twins in last year’s draft, Gutierrez could pitch out of Puerto Rico’s bullpen in the contest. Gutierrez was a closer for the University of Miami before being drafted but the Twins are making him into a starter. It’s still likely that the pitcher will wind up back in the bullpen by the time he’s Major League ready, but for now the job of a starter will give Gutierrez more chances to work on his pitches — which includes a very strong sinker.

Here are the lineups:

Twins:
Denard Span, CF
Alexi Casilla, 2B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Jason Kubel, DH
Joe Crede, 3B
Brian Buscher, 1B
Delmon Young, LF
Mike Redmond, C
Matt Tolbert, SS
Pitching: Scott Baker

Puerto Rico:
Bernie Williams, DH
Ivan Rodriguez, C
Carlos Beltran, CF
Carlos Delgado, 1B
Alex Rios, RF
Hiram Bocachica, LF
Felipe Lopez, 2B
Mike Aviles, SS
Ramon Vazquez, 3B
Pitching: Ian Snell

News and notes from Saturday

All right, now that my trip back from Tampa is complete — and I got some dinner — here are some of the other newsworthy things that happened on Saturday.

  • The Twins will use Monday’s off day as just that — an off day. Left-hander Francisco Liriano will come to the ballpark to throw a bullpen but otherwise there is no planned workout for the team. Manager Ron Gardenhire said that Joe Mauer might come in and catch Liriano’s bullpen, now that he’s advanced to doing that. But the team might also give him a day of rest since he’s been working out every day. The decision on whether Mauer will be the one to catch Liriano will be made by the trainers, Gardenhire said. The off day is one of four that is scheduled for the Twins during this prolonged Spring Training.
  • Any questions about whether the Twins might acquire reliever Juan Cruz were answered Saturday when he signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Royals. The contract includes a $4 million club option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout. Although many Twins fans were hopeful that the club would sign Cruz, the two sides just never seemed to find a fit and now the Twins will move forward with Jesse Crain, Luis Ayala, and Jose Mijares as their primary setup options.
  • One of the hottest hitters for the Twins early in spring has been outfielder Delmon Young. After a 3-for-3 performance on Saturday, Young is now batting .857 (6-for-7) this spring. Although some of Young’s hits in previous games weren’t necessary bullets, he showed more power in his three hits agianst the Yankees. And Young isn’t the only one delivering hits. Brian Buscher is now 6-for-8 this spring with 4 RBIs, Jason Kubel is 2-for-4 with a home run and Carlos Gomez even delivered a home run to left field on Saturday… “The guys are swinging good,” manager Ron Gardenhire said after the club’s 7-3 win over the Yankees. “Delmon is whacking the crap out of it; Kubel looks like he’s been hitting all winter long. There have been some really good at-bats and good swings. A lot of guys look like they’ve really got it going, and it’s early. Only six or eight more weeks of spring.”  (The last part was Gardy joking…there are only five weeks left of spring –which is still plenty of time)
  • Quote of Day: Gardenhire on Nick Punto playing for Team Italy “I think he grew up in Little Italy in California. That’s why I thought I had a shot to manage the Canadian team, because I live in Little Canada.”

(And for those of you who didn’t learn why Punto is playing for the Italian team — his grandparents are from Italy)

Corey Koskie signs with Cubs

Corey Koskie’s comeback won’t just be limited to playing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

The Cubs announced Saturday that they had signed the former Twins third baseman to a Minor League contract for the ’09 season, which includes an invitation to Major League camp. Koskie is scheduled to report to Cubs camp in Mesa, Ariz. when Canada’s run in the Classic comes to an end.

Koskie had been working out on the back fields of the Twins Minor League complex in Fort Myers, Fla. recently to get ready for Team Canada.

Yankees Part 2

Greetings from the pressbox at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, following a nice long drive up I-75 (although traffic was much better since it’s a Saturday). It’s the second straight day that the Twins and Yankees will face each other but this time, New York’s lineup looks more like it does during the regular season.

For now, here are the lineups and I’ll be back a little later to update on the interesting tidbits of the day.

Twins:
Denard Span, RF
Nick Punto, SS
Delmon Young, LF
Jason Kubel, DH
Brian Buscher, 1B
Luke Hughes, 3B
Matt Tolbert, 2B
Drew Butera, C
Carlos Gomez, CF
Pitching: Francisco Liriano

Yankees:
Johnny Damon, LF
Derek Jeter, SS
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Nick Swisher, RF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Jose Molina, C
Shelley Duncan, DH
Melky Cabrera, CF
Pitching: Joba Chamberlain

A debut and another small step

Friday’s game against the Yankees marked Joe Crede’s debut in a Twins uniform. But while many fans were focused on Crede’s big step, there was another player making strides in his attempt to return to the field — catcher Joe Mauer.

Mauer’s latest acheivement came on Friday when he caught one of Glen Perkins’ bullpen sessions. The catcher then took swings off a tee inside the batting cage. Around 40 people watched Mauer’s session in which he also took soft flips from bullpen catcher Nate Dammann.

There still is no expected timeline for when Mauer will rejoin his teammates on the field, but he’s making progress and that’s definitely positive news for the Twins.

Here are some other news and notes from Friday:

  • Scott Baker’s outing wasn’t pretty in the box score (3 earned runs on six hits over two innings, including a solo home run), but at this point in the spring it wasn’t anything that worried the coaching staff. Pitching coach Rick Anderson said Thursday that he’s asking his pitchers to work on one or two pitches in their early outings. Baker said he threw mostly fastballs, but that his troubles were a result of being a little amped up for his first start. Although he said he still doesn’t like “to get hit around,” Baker said he’s trying to focus on his pitches so that he’ll be ready for his Opening Day start.

  • Twins manager Ron Gardenhire hasn’t given much indication as to what his lineup will look like in 2009, but on Friday he indicated that Justin Morneau will likely be back in the cleanup spot. When asked if he might separate Mauer and Morneau in the order, Gardenhire said, “I have no problem with it but you don’t have to do it because they hit both lefties and righties.”

  • Catching prospect Wilson Ramos, who was ranked the Twins No. 3 prospect by Baseball America, impressed the fans during Friday’s contest with his arm. He threw out two would-be basestealers after taking over for Mike Redmond behind the plate. But Ramos is known more for his offense than his defense. “He’s a pretty good player,” Gardenhire said. “He’s going to be a good one, we think. He’s got things to learn defensively, believe me.”

Sunny Sarasota

Greetings from Ed Smith Stadium where the Reds are hosting their final Spring Training opener in this ballpark. Cincinnati is moving its Spring Training to Goodyear, Ariz. next year and one sign of their impending departure was the “less than full” crowd on hand for Thursday’s opener.

Here are the lineups for today’s contest

Twins:
Denard Span, LF
Carlos Gomez, CF
Brendan Harris, 3B
Brian Buscher, 1B
Luis Matos, RF
Dustin Martin, DH
Matt Tolbert, 2B
Jose Morales, C
Trevor Plouffe, SS
Pitching: Nick Blackburn

Reds:
Willy Taveras, CF
Jerry Hairston Jr., SS
Joey Votto, 1B
Brandon Phillips, 2B
Jay Bruce, RF
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B
Laynce Nix, LF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Jeff Keppinger, DH
Pitching: Micah Owings

Here is some other news and nuggets:

  • Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Thursday that the club will continue to take it slow with infielder Steve Tolleson (strained oblique). Although Tolleson has reported that the muscle is feeling better, the skipper doesn’t want to take any chances. “We are trying to tell him to calm down,” Gardenhire said. “They said three days and go from there. But I think we all know with the oblique, it’s like a 10-day or two-week thing if you’re lucky. It can go further if you bother it again. So I don’t want him to do too much right now.”  

  • Gardenhire also said that he’ll use the upcoming games to make sure all of his World Baseball Classic participants get in their work. Justin Morneau and Nick Punto each started on Wednesday night while Joe Nathan, Jesse Crain and Luis Ayala all threw out of the ‘pen. Infielder Luke Hughes, who will play for Australia in the event, was expected to see time at third base in Thursday’s game against the Reds.

  • Wayne “Big Fella” Hattaway celebrated his 69th birthday on Tuesday. Hattaway, a longtime clubhouse attendant in the organization, is considered now to be the Twins’ director of team morale and he’s beloved by all of the players. That’s why it was no surprise that Hattaway got a few special visitors to the clubhouse on Tuesday to give him birthday wishes in person — former Twins pitchers Brad Radke and Johan Santana. 

  • The MLB Network has announced that it will air a 96-minute documentary called “We Are Young: A Baseball Family” on Monday night at 8 p.m. CT. It focuses on Twins outfielder Delmon Young and his older borther, Dmitri, over a seven-year period. The documentary covers everything from the influence of their father, Larry, on their careers to Dmitri Young’s battle with diabetes and Delmon’s suspension for flipping a bat at an umpire.

  • The Twins Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, announced that the club will be filmed as part of a 13-episode reality show for PBS. The show will be filmed during the 2009 season but won’t be broadcast until 2010. Cameras will be allowed access to most areas of the Minor Leaguers life. The one exception is that cameras will not be allowed on long bus ride. The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle had a nice article on the show.