Live from Fort Myers: Feb. 24

Last update: February 25, 2008 - 12:16 AM

Young happy in new environment

So far, spring training with the Twins has been pure enjoyment for Delmon Young.

"It seems like I'm in a baseball camp when I was 12 years old," he said. "It's amazing. You have one cage, Tony Oliva. One cage, Rod Carew. We've got Paul Molitor on the basepaths. I'm just looking at it like a kid in a candy store."

Manager Ron Gardenhire told Young he would be the starting left fielder but to also spend time practicing this spring in center and right.

After playing mostly right field last year with Tampa Bay, Young said he was fine making the switch.

"Especially with all the time I've had since the trade to prepare myself," he said. "They gave me plenty of time to let me know there's chance I was going to left field."

Gardenhire said he also spoke to Young about the way he handled the criticism last week from former Tampa Bay teammate Carl Crawford.

"I said, please don't find yourself getting into any [sparring] matches in the newspaper because it's no good for anybody," Gardenhire said. "He said, 'Believe me, I want no part of it.' And I said, you'll do well here if you handle it like that."

Tennessee pride

One day after watching Tennessee knock off Memphis in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 men's basketball showdown, Twins closer Joe Nathan felt the pride.

The Knoxville, Tenn., resident strolled through the clubhouse wearing a black Tennessee T-shirt.

Nathan left the clubhouse with a different souvenir -- a broken bat signed by Mauer, along with the inscription, "Nice two-seamer, thanks."

Mauer hit a ball to the opposite-field wall on the first pitch from Nathan before the closer sawed him off with a vicious two-seam fastball.

JOE CHRISTENSEN

3?s: PHILIP HUMBER

Pitcher

Age: 25

2007: Went 0-0 with a 7.71 ERA in three games for the Mets and 11-9 with 4.27 ERA at Class AAA New Orleans.

How beneficial was it, being on the same pitching staff in college at Rice as fellow first-round picks Wade Townsend and Jeff Niemann?

"It was a lot of fun to be on a staff like that. It was constantly a 'Can you top that?' thing."

You tossed a five-hitter to defeat Stanford for the 2003 NCAA championship. Has that experience come in handy?

"In college, that's as high-pressure as a situation can get. I got a start last year in the big leagues, and it was a similar feeling. I really felt that same type of adrenaline."

How is your arm this spring compared to last spring, when you were only 19 months removed from Tommy John surgery?

"I'm a lot more confident in what I'm doing. I'm not really searching for a new delivery or a different feel. I'm just going out and letting it rip."

CAMP CHATTER

"It's hard when you've got a player like me at home plate because I can hit for power, and I'm a speed guy, too." -- Center fielder Carlos Gomez on how he likes dropping a good bunt almost as much as he likes hitting a ball over the fence.

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