Déjà vu: Cuddyer put on DL; Span called up

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: June 30, 2008 - 7:44 AM

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The Twins placed Michael Cuddyer on the 15-day disabled list because of a finger injury Sunday and recalled outfielder Denard Span from Class AAA Rochester.

If that sounds familiar, they made the same news the first week of April, when Cuddyer dislocated his right index finger on a headfirst slide.

This time, it's a torn tendon in Cuddyer's left index finger, and he's not sure how it happened. He said he played through the pain for at least two weeks.

"I took a swing on Friday, and it just sent me over the edge," he said.

He's eligible to return from the DL on July 13, which is the final day before the All-Star break, though it will take time before the Twins can predict his return date. He will have a magnetic resonance imaging exam today.

"Somebody has to step up; that's just the way it is," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's been going along at a pretty good clip."

Cuddyer is batting .252 with three home runs and 35 RBI. The finger injuries have limited his power, but after batting .212 in May, he batted .291 in June.

Without Cuddyer's righthanded bat, Gardenhire used three lefties -- Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel -- in the 3-4-5 spots Sunday against Brewers ace Ben Sheets, and the Twins won 5-0.

Span's role uncertain

Span started nine games in April -- eight in right field, one in center -- and batted .258 (8-for-31) with a .324 on-base percentage before getting sent back to Rochester.

He began thriving as Rochester's center fielder and leadoff hitter. Then he missed four weeks because of -- what else? -- a broken left finger. He returned in mid-June and continued flourishing.

Span is batting .340 with a .434 OBP for the Red Wings. Scouts who watched Span last year have called him one of the minors' most improved players.

Before Cuddyer's injury, Gardenhire talked about promoting Span and mixing him into the outfield rotation, perhaps even "splitting time" with left fielder Delmon Young. On his weekly radio show, Gardenhire said he could use Span to occasionally spell center fielder Carlos Gomez.

Later, when asked if he planned to give Span most of the starts in right field, Gardenhire said: "No, I just plan to keep winning. If Span's up here, he's going to play. I don't want to bring him up to sit, but we're going to mix them all in."

Etc.

• Starting his first game since June 13, Mike Lamb went 1-for-3 Sunday as the Twins designated hitter. He is 2-for-32 in June.

• With All-Star rosters announced next Sunday, Mauer is the leading vote-getter among AL catchers. He recently padded his lead over Boston's Jason Varitek to about 145,000 votes. Meanwhile, Morneau trailed Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis by about 275,000 votes.

• Former Twins Brad Radke and Corey Koskie brought their children to the Metrodome for Sunday morning kids batting practice, which Gardenhire pitches each week when the team is home.

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