Cuddyer vows he will be back

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: August 9, 2008 - 11:11 PM

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KANSAS CITY, MO. - His left foot is in a boot. His spirits are down a little. His determination, however, is unchanged.

Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer, one day after having his left foot broken by a line drive during a rehabilitation assignment at Class AAA Rochester, pledged to do all he can to get back before the end of the season -- even if it's just for the final two weeks of the season.

He's been told that, in most cases, the bone needs four to six weeks to heal. He will learn more on Monday when he's examined by Twins physician John Steubs.

"I'm expecting to be back," Cuddyer said from Rochester during a phone interview. "Even at the six-week point, that leaves [about] two weeks to contribute in some capacity. If it's four weeks, well, there's four weeks to contribute."

Cuddyer has been held to 62 games because of two trips to the disabled list for injuries to both his index fingers. This latest setback threatens his season, because he needs a favorable diagnosis and a smooth recovery.

He was injured in the first inning Friday of Class AAA Rochester's game against Indianapolis -- one of three more games Cuddyer was to play in before returning to the Twins.

He was on first base when teammate Garrett Jones laced a line drive off a pitch thrown by Ross Ohlendorf.

"Ohlendorf's pitch was about 96 [miles an hour] and Jones absolutely smashed it," Cuddyer said. "I jumped and I thought I cleared it. Like a sniper, it got me."

He struggled to get off the field, but he wasn't about to be carried off. He made it to the dugout, and then the pain went away, leading him to think it was just a bruise. But X-rays revealed a break of the second metatarsal bone.

"Right smack dab in the middle of the foot," Cuddyer said.

The Twins learned of the injury during the third inning of their game against the Royals on Friday and were rocked by the news.

"That was a letdown in the middle of the game," Twins first baseman Justin Morneau said.

Their reaction might have paled compared to that of the man who hit the ball that broke Cuddyer's foot.

"Garrett Jones looked like he was about to cry," Cuddyer said.

Cuddyer will return to the Twin Cities today to begin his next attempt to be part of the Twins' playoff push.

"I was looking forward to him coming back as much as he was," Morneau said. "If he's got a chance to come back, he's going to battle."

Neshek an option?

The Twins don't expect righthander Pat Neshek, who has been out since early May because of an acute partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, to be back this season. But they aren't counting him out, either.

Neshek has started a throwing program in Fort Myers, Fla. He's throwing from 60 feet but will soon move to 75 feet, then 90. He might throw off a mound by the end of the month.

"If everything goes great and he feels nothing sure he can come back and be here in September or something," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The problem is when you get to September, there is nowhere to pitch [during a rehab stint]. No place to go."

Neshek, in response to an e-mail request, said he feels great but really hasn't let it loose yet.

"The docs seem pretty upbeat that I can come back from this; I'm still not sure,'' Neshek said. "I'm taking it slow and will test it when they tell me to.''

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