Kubel sprains his 'good' knee

Twins left fielder Jason Kubel suffered another knee injury Saturday night, but he's hoping this one isn't as serious as the two that have required surgery.

Kubel sprained his right knee while chasing Austin Kearns' double down the left field line in the second inning. He remained in the game, grounded to first base the next half-inning but pulled himself after the third because the knee wasn't feeling right.

Kubel, 25, missed the entire 2005 season after severely injuring his left knee in the Arizona Fall League. This injury is to his other knee, but he had surgery on this one during the offseason -- an arthroscopic procedure to repair torn meniscus.

Kubel said he caught his right spike on either the turf or rubber warning track Saturday. He was hitting .316 with two homers in his previous five games.

"I haven't had any problems [with the right knee] until now," Kubel said. "So hopefully this goes away in a day or two."

Kubel will be re-evaluated today and said he might have an MRI exam on Monday.

Money is there

If the Twins decide they must trade for help this season, money won't stand in the way, team President Dave St. Peter said.

The Twins are trailing Detroit by 5½ games in the wild-card race. Their offense has looked at least one hitter short all season, but a trade could address that.

"Carl and Jim Pohlad want to win baseball games," St. Peter said. "If Terry [Ryan] and our front office recommends a move that they think will help us get back to the postseason and contend for a world championship, I don't know that money would be a factor."

The Twins pushed their payroll to a franchise-record $71 million this year. The last time they made an impact trade during the season came in 2003, when they acquired Shannon Stewart from Toronto.

"This team has never let payroll be an issue as it relates to a midseason acquisition," St. Peter said. "If there's a chance to improve this baseball team, I think we'll have the flexibility to do that.

"But at the same time, it has to make sense. And I think the bigger concern is what do you have to give up in terms of the future."

Mauer decision

Joe Mauer said he'd like to be the designated hitter on days he's not catching, but that wasn't Manager Ron Gardenhire's plan for today, at least as of late Saturday afternoon.

Mauer caught the past two games, and Gardenhire said, "I'm thinking he's not going to play [today]."

Gardenhire did leave the door cracked open, though.

"That could change in a heartbeat," he said. "He might come to my office saying he wants to hit. But he's not catching for sure, and if I DH him, I'd really have to think about that."

The decision might not be Gardenhire's or Mauer's alone.

"I had a plan," Gardenhire said. "The doctors talked about it, we talked about it, the trainers, the whole package, on what was the right thing to do."

Baker skipped

In order to keep Johan Santana pitching every five days, the Twins will skip Scott Baker the next time through the rotation. Baker, who took the loss Wednesday against the Angels, won't pitch again until Friday against the Brewers.

The Twins had a choice of skipping Baker or Kevin Slowey, and Slowey will take his usual turn Tuesday against Atlanta.

"We're looking at who can handle it easier," Gardenhire said. "Slowey's been on a routine. Baker's done it before; he can probably handle it a little easier. We like the way Slowey's attacking, Baker too."

Lefties healing

Reliever Dennys Reyes will test his left shoulder in the bullpen today, and if all goes well he'll pitch a simulated game Tuesday.

Reliever Glen Perkins, who also is on the DL because of a left shoulder injury, said he's scheduled to begin a throwing program Tuesday and hopes to be ready to return June 26.

TWINS STATISTICS

Through Friday * - on disabled list

BATTERS AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI

Mauer .346 107 18 37 10 1 1 14

Castillo .335 191 34 64 4 1 0 9

Hunter .306 216 34 66 17 0 13 48

Redmond .299 147 13 44 9 0 1 17

Cuddyer .293 208 39 61 11 1 8 41

Morneau .279 229 39 64 11 1 16 45

Tyner .262 103 15 27 6 0 0 11

Kubel .243 173 15 42 12 0 4 21

Bartlett .233 163 17 38 7 0 1 11

Punto .227 194 23 44 6 2 1 13

Heintz .217 23 0 5 0 0 0 4

Cirillo .216 74 8 16 3 1 1 11

Ford .205 44 3 9 2 0 0 3

Rodriguez .203 69 7 14 2 0 1 5

Rabe * .194 31 2 6 0 0 0 2

White * .111 9 1 1 0 0 0 2

Totals .269 2040 273 549 101 7 47 258

Stolen bases (47): Punto 11, Hunter 9, Bartlett 7, Castillo 5, Mauer 3, Tyner 3, Cuddyer 2, Kubel 2, Cirillo

Errors (27): Bartlett 11, Punto 3, Bonser 2, Ortiz 2, Castillo, Cuddyer, Morneau, Reyes, Rodriguez, Tyner

PITCHERS W-L ERA IP H ER BB SO

Cali 0-0 0.00 4.2 3 0 2 2

Neshek 3-0 1.26 28.2 12 4 9 34

Guerrier 1-2 1.72 36.2 19 7 10 25

Nathan 2-1 2.05 26.1 26 6 9 27

Rincon 2-0 2.66 20.1 20 6 12 19

Santana 6-5 3.30 79.0 65 29 23 91

Perkins * 0-0 3.80 23.2 20 10 12 16

Slowey 1-0 4.09 11.0 15 5 2 5

Bonser 4-2 4.12 67.2 73 31 30 69

Silva 3-7 4.58 70.2 84 36 18 30

Ortiz 3-4 5.40 65.0 78 39 12 28

Crain * 1-2 5.51 16.1 19 10 4 10

Baker 1-1 6.45 22.1 29 16 8 14

Reyes * 0-1 6.57 12.1 18 9 9 10

Miller 0-0 18.00 4.0 7 8 3 2

Totals 29-39 4.28 529.1 549 252 186 406

Saves (13): Nathan

Home attendance (30 dates)

Year Total Avg.

2007 814,874 27,162

2006 697,772 23,259

Joe Christensen • jchristensen@startribune.com