All Span wants is a shot at CF job

Denard Span reported to camp Wednesday and promptly announced he wants to be the Twins' starting center fielder.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: February 20, 2008 - 11:34 PM

FORT MYERS, FLA. - Former first-round pick Denard Span reported to camp Wednesday and promptly announced he wants to be the Twins' starting center fielder.

"They told me it was there for the taking," said Span, who turns 24 Wednesday. "It's not over. Whoever wins the job is going to have to earn it."

Span, the 20th overall pick in 2002, batted .267 with three homers and 55 RBI last season for Rochester in his first season at Class AAA. He stole 25 bases but was caught 14 times.

After reading about all the center fielders the Twins were looking at during the offseason, Span felt he was being overlooked.

He told Twins assistant GM Rob Antony during TwinsFest that he wanted the job.

His numbers at Rochester weren't impressive, but he did hit .306 after the All-Star break. Span said he pressed early because he thought Torii Hunter could be dealt by the trade deadline. After that, he was motivated to earn a September callup.

"I had been giving pitchers in the International League way too much credit," Span said.

He didn't get the callup, but the Twins intend to keep the center field competition open between Span and newcomers Carlos Gomez and Jason Pridie. Gomez was obtained from the Mets in the trade for Johan Santana; Pridie, whom the Twins had in spring training two years ago as a Rule 5 pick before returning him to the Rays, came back in the same deal that brought Delmon Young.

"[Span] knows it but I'll tell him again and again, that you have a very good opportunity to go out there and have some fun and play the game and see what you've learned from there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Along with Gomez and Pridie, that's where we're at with him."

Immigration updates

Lefthander Dennys Reyes has had his passport problems resolved and is expected to report to camp today.

Infielder Alexi Casilla had his visa appointment moved up to today, giving him an outside chance of arriving in town in time for the first full-squad workout Saturday.

However, the Twins had no news on lefthander Francisco Liriano's attempts to secure a visa. The club still hoped Liriano could arrive over the weekend.

"I'm not sure what is transpiring, whether he got a call to go pick up his passport or what," Twins GM Bill Smith said.

Clark upfront

Infielder Howie Clark, a nonroster invitee to camp, was named in the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drug use in baseball. He has admitted to purchasing human growth hormone.

Gardenhire was unaware of that until Clark, 34, approached him shortly after reporting to camp.

"When I first met him, he walked over to me and told me, 'I don't know if you know it. I'm in the Mitchell Report. I made a mistake in 2005. I don't know if I'm going to be punished for it or not. I want you to know that. If you want me to say something to this baseball team I will step up and let them know and be up front with it,' " Gardenhire said. "I said, 'That's good enough for me right there. I don't need you to step up in front of my team. I appreciate you coming up and saying that.' "