The Twins don't mind makÂing hard rosÂter deÂciÂsions. They just preÂfer it would be beÂtween playÂers havÂing strong camps.
No one is emÂerÂging in batÂtles for rosÂter spots, leadÂing to a blunt asÂsessÂment from asÂsistÂant genÂerÂal manÂagÂer Rob AnÂtoÂny.
"I wish some guys would step up and earn a job," AnÂtoÂny said. "No one is reÂalÂly doing that. All these guys who are in comÂpeÂtiÂtion. [Aaron] Hicks hasn't been anyÂthing speÂcial this spring. NeiÂther has [Alex] Presley in cenÂter field. So there's your cenÂter-field batÂtle."
Hicks is batÂting .286 with a home run and three RBI. He went 1-for-2 with a walk and a bloop sinÂgle on WednesÂday. Presley is batÂting .161 and is 0-for-3 in stoÂlen base atÂtempts.
AnÂtoÂny moved on to the race for the fiÂnal spot in the startÂing roÂtaÂtion. While Kyle Gibson and SamÂuÂel Deduno have pitched well, AnÂtoÂny pointÂed out that Vance WorÂley is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA this spring while Scott Diamond is 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA.
AnÂtoÂny conÂtinued on the comÂpeÂtiÂtion for bench spots.
"[JaÂson] Kubel hasn't been very good," AnÂtoÂny said. "I think he's got a hit [acÂtuÂalÂly two] all spring. [JaÂson] BartÂlett is hitless. [EdÂuarÂdo] EsÂcoÂbar has had deÂfenÂsive lapsÂes and made misÂtakes in the field. So these are the guys batÂtling for a uÂtilÂiÂty spot, so it's hard to get exÂcitÂed and say, 'This is our guy,' when no one is doing parÂticÂuÂlarÂly well."
AnÂtoÂny spoke beÂfore BartÂlett got his first hit of the spring WednesÂday, a hard sinÂgle to right durÂing a hit-and-run in the sixth inÂning that drove in the Twins' lone run in a 3-1 loss to the Cardinals. But AnÂtoÂny's disÂapÂpointÂment was obÂviÂous as he calls for someÂone to step up.
DifÂferÂent opinÂions
AnÂtoÂny's comÂments came durÂing a disÂcusÂsion about the difÂferÂences in oÂpinÂion that pop up beÂtween manÂagÂers and the front ofÂfice at this time of year. For inÂstance, Gardenhire is pushÂing for BartÂlett.
Gardenhire was asked if a manÂagÂer should worÂry about things GMs worÂry about, such as who is out of opÂtions. The Twins have eight such playÂers in camp.
"I underÂstand all that stuff," he said. "OpÂtions are deÂceivÂing beÂcause if you are out of opÂtions that means you had chanÂces, you had lots of opÂporÂtuniÂties. They are deÂceivÂing. They don't deÂceive me. They are in my way, let's put it that way."
That was reÂlayed to AnÂtoÂny, who chuckled.
"SomeÂtimes that's the case," AnÂtoÂny said. "SomeÂtimes there's anÂothÂer case, like when Michael Cuddyer is out of opÂtions, Josh Willingham is out of opÂtions right now. Justin Morneau was out of opÂtions. A lot of good playÂers end up out of opÂtions beÂcause it took them three years to get going."
BuxÂton reÂcovÂerÂing
Top prosÂpect Byron BuxÂton reÂmains sideÂlined beÂcause of a sprained left wrist sufÂfered SunÂday afÂter divÂing for a ball. Brad Steil, Twins diÂrecÂtor of miÂnor league opÂerÂations, said BuxÂton is conÂsidÂered day to day.
On deck
Lefthander Diamond will start for the Twins on ThursÂday while lefthander CeÂsar Ramos starts for TamÂpa Bay. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. in Port Charlotte, Fla.
La Velle E. Neal III