YOUR GUIDE TO THE TWIN CITIES
La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts. Mark Rosen borrows him occasionally for WCCO-TV.
Post workout notes
Posted by: La Velle E. Neal III Updated: February 27, 2010 - 2:52 PM
Carl Pavano likes to talk. I've watched him talk up a storm during discussions on the field about holding runners on base. On Saturday, he threw to live batters for the first time and couldn't wait to get feedback.
``How I look?'' he said as he walked by a group of reporters and coaches. No one was sure who he was talking to, so no one said anything. Pavano eventually got to Joe Mauer between rounds of batting practice to get his thoughts.
Scott Baker was around the plate throughout his session. Deolis Guerra, the last player remaining from the Johan Santana trade, looked to be throwing really hard but there was no gun around to back it up. It looks like he's worked off some of the baby fat he had on him when he got the Twins a couple years ago.
The Twins got most of their work in before rain stopped the final round of batting practice. Everyone headed into the clubhouse, where the Nike reps were waiting.
Team Nike uses spring training to talk to players about design concepts. There were about 20 pairs of shoes on a table and the floor around it for players to look at and comment on. Nike takes the suggestions and uses them for the next year's product line. So they were working on 2011 today.
``They just end up doing whatever they want.'' one player said.
The main Nike rep's name is Dana. I've seen him around for year and I always give him crap for not starting a Nike sportswriter line.
``I can be a model,'' I told him. ``I think I have the average sportswriter's body.''
The other people on the beat, the PP's Kelsie Smith and MLB's Kelly Thesier, might disagree.
That reminds me. I apparently grossed them out in the pressbox this morning.
It's been cold the last couple days in the pressbox. Smith took a break, came back into the pressbox and said, ``It's so warm in the women's restroom that I want to work in there.''
I replied: ``The wireless works in the bathrooms.''
She threw her hands in the air and said. ``How would you know that, La Velle!'' HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THAT!!!''
Thesier said: ``T..M.. I''
I'm like, what;s the big deal? They call these things laptops. But they were appalled that I have taken my laptop into the bathroom. I don't see what the big deal is. Do you?
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