Casilla's arrival could take weeks

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: February 21, 2008 - 12:58 AM

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FORT MYERS, FLA. - Infielder Alexi Casilla has an outside chance, at best, to make the Twins' Opening Day roster, but even that could be in jeopardy if the team can't get his visa appointment moved up.

Casilla's appointment is scheduled for March 11 -- 13 days into the Grapefruit League season. The Twins and Major League Baseball are trying to have the date moved up.

"We're waiting to see if they have an opening, they can work him in," Twins General Manager Bill Smith said.

Smith said Casilla has been approved for the visa but needs to finalize arrangements before he can fly from the Dominican Republic to the United States.

The Twins have said Casilla missed his appointment last week because he had a take care of a family medical emergency.

Lefthander Dennys Reyes was supposed to pick up his visa Tuesday morning. Smith said it was unclear if he could grab a flight out of Mexico or would have to drive to Phoenix. If it's Phoenix, Reyes wasn't going to leave until today and not report to Florida until Thursday.

Lefthander Francisco Liriano remains in the Dominican Republic as he sorts out visa issues from his 2006 drunken driving arrest.

"Best case scenario, from what I was told, Thursday would be lucky," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Liriano. "By Friday or Saturday, we'd be more realistic."

When asked by a national reporter about any restrictions on Liriano's workload following his 2006 elbow surgery, Gardenhire had encouraging news for Twins fans.

"He's letting it fly," Gardenhire said. "He threw two innings at the [Twins' Dominican] academy and they said he was averaging 93 and throwing it up to 96. Free and easy."

Gardy's dozen

Gardenhire, when asked Tuesday on the chances of having two lefthanded relievers in his bullpen, revealed he plans on taking 12 pitchers north.

"We're going to take the best 12, and if it gets down to two lefties, great," he said. "We just want to get one lefty here Reyes] and go from there."

Righthanders Matt Guerrier, Juan Rincon, Pat Neshek and Joe Nathan and the lefthanded Reyes are considered locks. Righthander Jesse Crain would make it six if he proves he's healthy following shoulder surgery last year.

That would leave one available spot in the bullpen.

Rincon a citizen

Rincon can worry less about immigration issues after he and his wife, Roselen, became U.S. citizens over the offseason.

"It makes things easier for me and for, obviously, my family," said Rincon, who is from Venezuela but has a home outside Miami. "I can stay here longer in the house I have in Florida."

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