FORT MYERS, FLA. – Twins righthander Kevin Correia was scratched from his scheduled batting practice session Monday because of a stiff neck.

"He said he could have pitched," pitching coach Rick Anderson said, "but why risk it?"

The Twins are confident that Correia's neck problem is very minor, to the point that he's already scheduled to pitch Thursday during an intrasquad game at the Lee County Sports Complex.

Correia was 9-13 with a 4.18 ERA in 31 starts last year.

Righthander Phil Hughes is also scheduled to pitch in that intrasquad game, with the rest of the pitching lineup to consist of young arms.

Collision decision

Major League Baseball announced the addition of experimental rule 7.13 on home plate collisions. Umpires will have the authority to declare a base- runner out if he went out of his way to make contact with whoever is covering home plate. A runner can also be called safe if the person covering home plate goes out of his way to block home plate.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire remains concerned about how the rule will be implemented.

"We need more information on it," Gardenhire said. "I need pictures. I need to see plays they're talking about. What they want our catchers to do. What we want our baserunners to do. We need video of it to give to our players instead of saying this is what we're going do and make a call on it."

Pinto progresses

Catcher Josmil Pinto took a few swings in the batting cage and caught in the bullpen as he recovers from a sore back that has forced him to miss several workouts.

"It's still a little tight," Pinto said. "We'll see [Tuesday]. I hope to be up to 90 percent."

With spring training games set to start Friday, Pinto is running out of time to get back on the field. He needs to have a strong spring make the team and work his way into some sort of platoon with Kurt Suzuki.

Etc.

• Chris Parmelee's sore right wrist is much better, but he was held out of batting practice Monday. "I've swung the past two days," he said. "They decided it's time for a break. It's getting better."

• The Twins have scheduled a B game March 7 at Pittsburgh's minor league field. The game will be played before the Twins and Pirates play a regularly scheduled game later that day.

Let's meet

Sean Gilmartin

Lefthander

Age: 23

2013 stats: 3-8, 5.74 ERA for Class AAA Gwinnett County.

Acquired: Trade with Atlanta on Dec. 18 in exchange for catcher Ryan Doumit.

Role: Likely starter at Class AAA Rochester.

Did you know? The Twins now have five players from the first 55 picks of the 2011 draft: Alex Meyer (23rd), Gilmartin (28th), Levi Michael (30th), Travis Harrison (50th) and Hudson Boyd (55th). Meyer was acquired from Washington in November 2012.

La VELLE E. NEAL III