Span first, Gomez ninth in restructured batting order

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: July 22, 2008 - 11:31 PM

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NEW YORK - Twins manager Ron Gardenhire couldn't delay the change any longer. Denard Span has been going too good, and Carlos Gomez seems to be on the verge of biting a chunk out of his bat.

The two players were flipped in Tuesday's batting order against the Yankees. Gomez, who entered the 8-2 loss a horrific 5-for-58 skid (.086), batted ninth for the first time this season, and Span, with a sparkling .424 on-base percentage, moved into the leadoff spot.

"Pressing, trying too hard," Gardenhire said of Gomez. "We saw it before the break, then after the break he had a couple good days but is still pushing it a little bit too hard. He's just trying too hard. He wants to take pitches. He wants to do so many things rather than just play.

"I told him, 'We'll move you down there and see what happens.'"

Gomez looked ready to slam his helmet after grounding out to third base in the fourth inning Monday. And he was visibly upset when he left the clubhouse following the game.

Asked about Monday's game Tuesday, Gomez said he was more upset with the Twins losing 12-4 than anything else. The big question: How would Gomez handle the move? After all, Gardenhire has been concerned with keeping Gomez's spirits up and didn't want him to misinterpret being replaced at the top of the order by the player he beat out for the job during spring training.

"If it's better for the team, it's better for me. Do it," Gomez said. "You have to try different things. With myself, Denard and Casilla, he can mix and that's good."

Span entered Tuesday batting .370 since being called up June 30 and has filled in well in right field while Michael Cuddyer recovers from a finger injury. Span was 2-for-3 with a walk on Tuesday.

Gardenhire hopes Gomez (1-for-3 Tuesday) can get his game going now that he's out of the leadoff spot.

"We're in a good position in a pennant race in the second half because of Gomez,'' Gardenhire said. "I explained that to him.''

Cuddyer still out

Cuddyer's CT scan on Monday didn't reveal any problems with the bone in his left hand, but the discomfort remains.

So Cuddyer will meet with Twins team physician Dr. John Steubs and hand specialist Dr. Tom Varecka to figure out the next step.

Cuddyer has been out since June 28 because of the injury, which has taken much longer to heal than he anticipated.

Etc.

• Infielder Nick Punto, who missed six games because of a sprained left ring finger, returned to the lineup on Tuesday, starting at shortstop.

• Lefthander Craig Breslow on Monday became the first pitcher to throw two wild pitches and commit a balk in the same inning since Cleveland's Jason Davis on May 2, 2003.

• Twins radio voice John Gordon is one of six broadcast professionals who will be inducted into the Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The hall of fame dinner will take place on Oct. 11 in St. Louis Park.

• Righthander Shooter Hunt, the Twins' sandwich pick between the first and second rounds in the June draft, has been promoted to Class A Beloit. In four outings at rookie league Elizabethton, he posted a 0.47 ERA with 34 strikeouts and six walks in 19 innings.