Hot-hitting Monroe is center field option

Craig Monroe is a close friend of Torii Hunter, and in coming days, Monroe might find himself playing Hunter's old position for the Twins.

Manager Ron Gardenhire said Thursday that the hot-hitting Monroe will have chances to play all over the outfield, including center.

The Twins always planned to give Monroe a look in center, but a leg injury hobbled him early in spring training.

Now, he is swinging as well as anybody on the team, and the top two candidates for the center field job are struggling.

Monroe went 2-for-3 with a double in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Baltimore, raising his average to .421. He was the designated hitter but said his left leg felt good enough that he could have played center.

"I want that as an option," Gardenhire said. "And if this other thing doesn't work out with the center fielders, these young guys, and Monroe can go out there and play center field, I wouldn't be afraid to do that either."

Denard Span went 0-for-4 against Baltimore, dropping his average to .227. Carlos Gomez is batting .148. (Jason Pridie, now considered a reserve candidate, is batting .280.)

"There's not a guy who's going to be able to come in and do what Torii Hunter does; let's just be honest, he's Spider-Man for a reason," Monroe said. "But what I can do is make a routine play, and I'm going to surprise you with some plays."

Liner hits Crain, bruising his knee Righthander Jesse Crain's stint in a minor league game lasted four batters and 11 pitches before Orioles catcher Guillermo Quiroz lined a ball off his right knee.

Crain suffered a bruise and will be re-evaluated today. Team physician Dr. Dan Buss opted not to send Crain for X-rays, and Crain said he still hopes to pitch Sunday.

Crain had ridden to the minor league fields with former manager Tom Kelly. Their golf cart turned, and Kelly, somehow, tumbled out and fell to the ground. Both were OK.

"I actually started laughing," Crain said. "Then, I get hit with a line drive."

"I just didn't want it to be a distraction we didn't need," Redmond said. "So that's it."

Gardenhire called it a "great decision."

Etc. • Jason Kubel, who has hit several balls hard for outs in recent days, lined a run-scoring single in the fourth inning for the Twins only run. He is batting .185.

• Second baseman Nick Punto went 1-for-4 with an infield hit, raising his average to .118. Shortstop Adam Everett went 0-for-3, lowering his average to .211.

Up next Boof Bonser, who is 0-1 with a 5.40 in two starts, pitches for the Twins today against Pittsburgh in Fort Myers.