twin051408.notes

StarTribune.com content is available via e-mail, mobile devices and as RSS feeds.

Mobile content

Advertise with us

Home | Sports | Twins

Young starts despite sore ankle

Ben Margot, Associated Press

Delmon Young

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: May 14, 2008 - 8:03 AM

Delmon Young tested his left ankle before the game and was cleared to start Tuesday night's game against Toronto. The Twins left fielder turned the ankle in the eighth inning Monday vs. Boston.

So Young appeared in his 203rd consecutive game, the second-longest streak in the majors. He went 0-for-4 in the 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Atlanta outfielder Jeff Francoeur leads the majors with 365 consecutive games played.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was asked before the game if he was worried that a player would try to conceal an injury in order to keep a streak alive.

"I told him to be honest, go out there and if you can run that's fine. If you can play that's fine," Gardenhire said, "but if you're going to be limping around out there I'll take you off the field.

"I don't need Superman out there. We need healthy players out there. I don't need to have something lingering because you want to set some kind of record. You are not Cal Ripken. I hope he plays every game, but if he's hurt, he's hurt."

Reyes' new pitch

Twins lefthander Dennys Reyes has added a split-fingered fastball to his arsenal and has enjoyed the results. He gave up his first earned run of the season Tuesday night following 11 1/3 scoreless innings, as his combination of a splitter, slider and fastball has been effective.

"I worked on it during the offseason, and it has been very good so far," Reyes said.

In 2006, Reyes was 5-0 with a 0.89 ERA for the Twins -- his ninth major league team -- earning him a two-year, $2 million contract. In 2007, he dropped to 2-1 with a 3.99 ERA while spending two stints on the disabled list, the second stint costing him the final six weeks of the season because of a sore left elbow.

Reyes is healthy this season. But he believed he needed another pitch after American League Central opponents had seen him for two seasons. So he tinkered with the pitch while in Mexico during the offseason.

He is comfortable throwing it against lefthanded and righthanded batters and is happy to have another pitch for hitters to worry about.

"I didn't know how it was going to be because I hadn't thrown it in a game," Reyes said. "I threw it in spring training and it worked pretty good, so I decided to use it."

Baker update

Righthander Scott Baker, on the 15-day disabled list because of a right groin muscle strain, threw in the bullpen in tennis shoes and continues to experience some discomfort in the area.

"Until he doesn't feel anything, he won't be on any kind of rehab [assignment] or things like that," Gardenhire said.

Baker is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but won't.

Etc.

• One thing the Twins watch out for with righthander Juan Rincon is when he rushes his delivery and loses command of his pitches. Monday, the Twins saw Rincon rush through a pitch only once during two strong innings vs. the Red Sox. "If he can throw like that, he can eat up a lot of innings," Gardenhire said.

• This could be a tough series for Twins lefthanded hitters. The Blue Jays have four lefties in their bullpen, three of whom pitched Tuesday: Jesse Carlson, Scott Downs and closer B.J. Ryan.

• Craig Monroe started at designated hitter for the second game in a row against a righthanded starter, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Jason Kubel pinch hit in the eighth inning and homered off Armando Benitez, ending Kubel's 0-for-15 slide, and Gardenhire said Kubel would start tonight.

Continue to next page

Time lapse of Twins stadium

One year ago this week, the first Web cam image of the new Twins ballpark construction site was taken. Today, the Twins released a one minute time lapse movie of how the construction has progressed over the past year.

Snow doesn't dampen opening day spirit

Twins fans and players alike shrugged off the snow for opening day and heralded the arrival of the baseball season.

Twins video player card: Mike Redmond

Twins catcher Mike Redmond talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Final of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Boof Bonser

Twins pitcher Boof Bonser talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Eighth of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Nick Punto

Twins infielder Nick Punto talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Sixth of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Justin Morneau

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Fifth of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Brendan Harris

Twins second baseman Brendan Harris talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Fourth of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Adam Everett

Twins shortstop Adam Everett talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Third of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Mike Lamb

Twins third baseman Mike Lamb talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. Second of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Twins video player card: Joe Mauer

Twins catcher Joe Mauer talks about his hopes for the season and how things are going this spring. First of nine in a series leading up to Opening Day.

Training camp: The battle for second base

Twins coach Ron Gardenhire is looking for Nick Punto to improve offensively and for Brendan Harris to be patient at the plate, but the competition for second base is close.

5-7-5: Twins are poets, don't 'cha know it?

Assorted Minnesota Twins read reader-submitted Haiku with flair ... or not.

Cuddyer is ready to lead the Twins

Michael Cuddyer says he's probably a natural fit to lead the team since he's got the most experience with the organization.

Who's going to make Twins roster?

Baseball writers La Velle E. Neal III and Joe Christensen think Wednesday's lineup against Boston features the A-listers or as close as it can be given the tough competition.