Twins slugger Justin Morneau might be used more as the designated hitter this season because it increases his chances of avoiding the re-occurrence of the concussion symptoms that he battled late last season and into the offseason.

Morneau disclosed the reason after he drove a double to the center field wall on Monday during the Twins' 10-4 loss to the Rays.

"Not to get into the medical stuff too much, but (the doctors) said before that if my body gets worn down too much, I'm more vulnerable to having the symptoms reoccur," Morneau said. "The chance of going backwards is when I get worn down. I can have the fogginess and the headaches, and all that stuff can return, if my system gets too worn down. Then I'm in a vulnerable position."

This is why the Twins have triggered a plan to use Ryan Doumit at first base more and opened the door for prospect Chris Parmelee to break camp with the team. If Morneau winds up playing less at first base and more as the designated hitter, the Twins want to be prepared.

First base would still be available to Joe Mauer on days he's not catching.

"We'd have to make alternative plans at first," Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said. "As long as we have somebody to play there, that'll make that much easier.
"Going in we were thinking it would be Doumit (as the main DH). And sometimes Morneau. Sometimes Mauer. Sometimes (Luke) Hughes. Sometimes (Trevor) Plouffe.

Morneau's last eight starts have all been as a designated hitter. He's heated up at the plate recently, going 4-for-9 over his past three games with two doubles, two homers and five RBI. On Monday, he drove a ball over Pedro Felciano's head in center for a double.

He's says he feels good but wants to do all he can to reduce the possibility of having any sort of setback.

Nothing is for certain. Ryan said Morneau could decide that he feels well enough to be a full-time first baseman or that the safe move as he tries to distance himself from the concussion problems of the previous two seasons is to take defense out of the equation.

"I don't want you to go black-and -white here," Ryan said. ``If he's ready to play first base we will do it. That may happen or may not happen. May not happen sooner than later. May not happen at all, if he's not feeling right, don't want to force the issue right now. He's doing pretty good right now.