The Minnesota Twins are staffing to the hilt in preparation for single-game tickets going on sale Saturday morning to the general public.

The team will have 68 phones -- that's every last one of them -- staffed when purchasers start having their calls to 1-800-33-TWINS answered at 10 a.m.

At the same time, tickets also go on sale at wwww.twinsbaseball.com and at Target Field (Gate 29 on Target Plaza as well as smaller window counters at Gates 14, 6 and 3).

"We expect a large volume of interest in these single game tickets from the general public," said Kevin Smith, Twins executive director of public affairs.

The Twins set a franchise record in Target Field's inaugural season with attendance of 3.22 million, selling out 79 of 81 home dates.

This week, single-game tickets to Target Field's second season were made available to season-ticket holders, and members of the On Deck Circle (those on the season-ticket waiting list) and the Twins Territory Team ($19.95 fee paid for various perks).

The team is capping how many tickets can be bought during each transaction: eight per game and no more than 24 at one time.

Smith said the limits are "for speed of transaction, to get more buyers through the system." However, if the restrictions cut into entrepreneurs' efforts at scooping up oodles of tickets for resale, that's "fine with us."

The Twins caution that online and telephone buyers should expect delays similar to what would be experienced standing in line at a ticket window.

"The Internet is a great way to buy tickets, but it's not an immediate way to get them," Smith said. "Same with the phone center."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482