Rincon's roster spot in jeopardy

The Twins expect to add a position player to the roster next week, with veteran Juan Rincon appearing to be the odd pitcher out.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: June 9, 2008 - 7:56 AM

Print this story

More from Twins

CHICAGO — Twins manager Ron Gardenhire admitted it's been difficult to watch Juan Rincon struggle in his recent outings, like on Friday, when he gave up two home runs to the White Sox.

Gardenhire remembers how valuable Rincon once was to the Twins bullpen.

"It's not fun watching him go out there,'' Gardenhire said. "I know how much he cares and how much he has cared around here."

Rincon's struggles have raised the possibility that he will be the one to go when the Twins reduce their pitching staff from 13 to 12 sometime in the next few days.

Rincon would have to clear waivers to be sent to the minors, but he has enough service time that he could reject going down.

The Twins might trade a pitcher to reduce the staff. Gardenhire mentioned the possibility last week, although it's hard to tell how much value Rincon or anyone else would have.

"Who knows which way we're going to go with anything," Gardenhire said. "[We're] trying to figure out a few things here and try to get out of a rough stretch. We know we've got to do something here within a week.''

Could Rincon be the one to go in a week? "All we can do is keep running him out there until some other decision is made where we can't," Gardenhire said.

How about Bass?

Righthander Brian Bass has given up homers in each of his past two outings and in four of his past seven. His ERA is 5.26, but part of the reason for that is the seven runs he gave up during the Tigers' 19-3 smackdown of the Twins on May 24 in Detroit.

Gardenhire said Bass is getting beat with his second-best pitch. "That sinker is his bread and butter," Gardenhire said. "He knows he's made a couple mistakes with his slider. That's the pitch he really has to get down."

Young goes deep

Chicago's 11-2 rout Saturday overshadowed Delmon Young's first home run with the Twins, a solo shot to left in the seventh inning off Mark Buehrle.

It came in the same park Young hit his first major league homer, which came on Aug. 29, 2006, off Freddy Garcia.

Draft update

Twins first-round pick Aaron Hicks doesn't graduate from high school for another week, and can't officially sign until then. But Twins scouting director Deron Johnson is optimistic it will be a short negotiation. "His agents have indicated to us that the kid wants to sign quickly," Johnson said.

Hicks will begin his career at one of the Twins' rookie league teams, but there's a chance that their other first-round selection, righthander Carlos Gutierrez, will begin his pro career at Class A Beloit when he signs. Gutierrez is pitching for Miami (Fla.) in the NCAA tournament.

Johnson is optimistic about ninth-round pick Mike Gonzales, a 6-6, 245-pound first baseman from Diablo Valley Junior College who could become a nice power hitter. He's also high on 10th-round pick Evan Bigley, an outfielder from Dallas Baptist.

The Twins know their bonus offer to Holy Angels third baseman Joe Loftus will have to be six figures if they are going to keep him from attending Vanderbilt.

Etc.

• Mike Redmond caught Saturday because he was batting .476 off Buehrle, better than Joe Mauer's .267, and Redmond went 2-for-4. Mauer is expected to start the next two games, but Cleveland lefthander C.C. Sabathia is penciled in as Tuesday's starter when the Twins open a series at Jacobs Field.

Recent Twins stories

TV camera is moved back slightly a day after A-Rod's drive at World Series - June 9, 2008

TV camera is moved back slightly a day after A-Rod's drive at World Series - Baseball moved the right-field TV camera made famous by Alex Rodriguez in Game 3 of the World Series. More