Sid Hartman: Kelly doesn't fret over Twins' pitching

The Twins had a 14-17 record in spring training, but two-time World Series champion manager Tom Kelly doesn't believe that record means a thing when it comes to the regular season.

"I think they're going to be fine," said Kelly, who managed the Twins from 1986 to 2001. "There's an adage that you don't let spring training fool you. ... about a week or so ago, I was talking to Gardy [manager Ron Gardenhire], and we were both a little bit concerned about a few different little things.

"Then the last week comes along, and a couple guys start pitching pretty good and a couple guys start hitting the ball better, and so you know, you can't worry about spring training too much. ... What you see in spring training, you sort of maybe have got to try to forget about it, and then at the last week you start paying attention a little bit more, and I think they played very good the last week. So, again, I think things are going to be fine."

When a pitching staff loses two outstanding pitchers, as the Twins did with Francisco Liriano and Brad Radke, there has to be some serious concern. For the Twins to repeat as American League Central champions, it will be important for new pitchers Sidney Ponson and Ramon Ortiz to be effective.

Kelly -- a special assistant to Twins General Manager Terry Ryan who annually works with the team in spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. -- said he saw the major league club play only about 12 innings this spring, but he is in contact with Gardenhire and the coaching staff every day.

Kelly liked what he saw of Ponson and Ortiz, though what he saw was limited.

"I really don't have that much of an opinion on some of the things, but I watched Ponson pitch five innings [Friday]," Kelly said. "I thought he did fine."

Ponson pitched 21 innings this spring, allowing 32 hits and 10 earned runs for a 4.29 ERA.

"Like anybody, he'll hang [a pitch] once in a while, and it might get hit, but who doesn't," Kelly said. "But he can sink the ball and gets a lot of grounders. I think he's fine, so far."

As for Ortiz, Kelly said: "I didn't see Ortiz pitch the last time, but they said he did really good. His changeup is coming along and it gives him another pitch to throw, and he threw the ball just fine, from what I understand. So, again, I think those two fellows have got a chance to be good."

Ortiz pitched 201/3 innings in Grapefruit League play, giving up 18 hits and seven earned runs for a 3.10 ERA.

Kelly said he can't disagree with people who rank Johan Santana as the best pitcher ever to wear a Twins uniform.

"Well, he certainly has proven that with his Cy Young Awards and the way he can dominate a game," Kelly said.

Santana won the opener Monday night, giving up four runs and seven hits in six innings as the Twins beat Baltimore 7-4 at the Metrodome.

"You know, we've seen some pretty good pitchers along the way here in Twins history, [with] Jim Kaat and Jim Perry and you can go on and on with the names Frank Viola, of course, Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris," Kelly said.

"There's been a lot of guys that can really throw the baseball and throw with command and get the job done, and Johan, just maybe he's the best ever. I'm not sure yet, but he certainly can dominate a baseball game, there's no question about it."

Kelly said he can't say enough good things about closer Joe Nathan.

"He's been terrific so far as a Twin and he's found a home here, and gosh, he's been just lights out, just outstanding," Kelly said. "There's been closers here over the years ...[Jeff] Reardon and [Rick] Aguilera ... and Nathan has seemed to follow right along with some of those names, so he's the real deal. There's no question when he comes in, I think everybody feels pretty good that we're going to get it done."

As Kelly said, any time you have a great starter like Santana and a great closer like Nathan, there are a lot of good things to say about a pitching staff.

St. Peter optimistic

Twins President Dave St. Peter said he and Jerry Bell met with Steve Kramer, chairman of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, and Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat on Monday, and they made considerable progress toward an agreement to start building the new stadium.

"The Burlington railroad situation is still the problem, but we think we can solve it and start building on time," St. Peter said. The stadium will require the adjacent railroad tracks to be rerouted.

Jottings

The big question facing the Gophers men's hockey team now is whether freshman Erik Johnson, the No. 1 overall selection in last year's NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues, will turn pro. Gophers coach Don Lucia said he agreed with Lou Nanne about Johnson's future. "Nanne said it best. The closer you are to the net, the longer it takes to get there. And you know it's a lot easier for a forward to go in and play, it's more difficult for defensemen because you're only one of six. But I think the Johnson family is taking the right approach and not rushing into anything, and really sitting back and evaluating where they think he is, as a player and as a person, the maturity and everything that goes into it when you're dealing with a 19-year-old."

Wild President and GM Doug Risebrough believes that his team will open the playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks, but he doesn't believe it makes any difference who the Wild opens against. "When you've got a conference like ours, and specifically going into the playoffs, this could be the first time that I ever recall eight teams possibly having 100 points," Risebrough said. "It tells you there's not a big difference between 1 and 8, and we're seeing that with Calgary behind us. All of a sudden they won a couple, so they're getting closer to us. But I don't think it really matters. It just shows you they're quality teams."

Tim Brewster and the Gophers football department already have more than 250 reservations for their Friday party at the Rod Wallace building for former Gophers players, and Brewster is looking for more. ... Gopherillustrated.com reported the Gophers received a commitment from Cooper junior tackle Roszell Gayden Monday. The 6-7, 260-pounder was also being recruited by Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

Tom Ward, who coaches the Shattuck-St. Mary's hockey team in Faribault, Minn., that has contributed many top players, noted that many of the school's alumni won college awards this past season. From North Dakota, Ryan Duncan was the WCHA player of the year and scoring champion and is a Hobey Baker finalist, and Jonathan Toews and Taylor Chorney were second-team all-WCHA. Wisconsin's Jamie McBain was a WCHA all-rookie defenseman, and the Gophers' Kyle Okposo made the WCHA all-rookie team and was a second-team all-conference forward.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on Podcast twice a week at www.startribune.com/sidcast. shartman@startribune.com.