Aches, pains up and down lineup

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: September 16, 2008 - 7:41 AM

CLEVELAND - The Twins appeared to be getting healthier Monday, when Michael Cuddyer returned to the starting lineup for the first time since June 27, but there were still concerns up and down the batting order.

Manager Ron Gardenhire still plans to give Justin Morneau a chance to DH in coming days.

Morneau has started all 150 games and his legs are sore. The Twins had him skip batting practice Monday, letting him get loose in the cage. He went 0-for-4 in the Twins' 3-1 loss to Cleveland.

Left fielder Delmon Young has downplayed the severity of his right ankle injury, but there's word he might need surgery after the season. He is running with a noticeable limp but has kept himself in the lineup for nine of the past 10 games, getting three of the Twins' five hits Monday.

Then there's second baseman Alexi Casilla. Before injuring his right thumb, he was batting .313 with a .351 on-base percentage. Those numbers have fallen to .290 and .341.

"That's one of the things I've been worried about," Gardenhire said. "I've got [Matt] Tolbert that I can run out there. I can put [Nick] Punto over there [at second base] and put [Brendan] Harris at short. I've got some options.

"I'm trying to give Lexi the benefit of the doubt. We'll see how he does and make adjustments if we have to. I still have a lot of confidence in Lexi."

Convincing argument

Cuddyer, who broke his left foot Aug. 8, didn't lobby Gardenhire directly but kept telling trainers he felt well enough to DH.

The team's medical staff has assured Cuddyer he won't re-injure the foot by playing. He just needs to manage the pain.

He returned from the disabled list Saturday and went 1-for-2 as a pinch hitter in Baltimore.

By Monday, the coaching staff was urging Gardenhire to give Cuddyer a start, so he relented. Cuddyer batted fifth as the DH and went 0-for-3.

"In early BP, he was hitting balls 80,000 rows up," Gardenhire said. "He was moving around pretty good, so let's give him a shot."

Pitching plans

Scott Baker, Glen Perkins and Nick Blackburn remain on schedule to face the White Sox Sept. 23-25 at the Metrodome. Gardenhire doesn't foresee a change.

He and pitching coach Rick Anderson have weighed their options and decided its best to stay status quo.

Francisco Liriano is scheduled to face Tampa Bay on Sunday. They don't want to bring him back on three days rest to pitch Sept. 25.

They could skip Liriano on Sunday and let him face Chicago Sept. 23. But to do that, they would either need Perkins to pitch on short rest Sunday -- something they oppose -- or a new starter.

Gardenhire said it's not worth sacrificing the team's chances Sunday. "There's not really much we can do," he said.

Gomez honored

Center fielder Carlos Gomez was named co-American League player of the week after batting .333 with a triple and 10 RBI. Gomez shared the honors with Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera.

Asked if he thought the award would help Gomez's confidence, Gardenhire just chuckled.

"It's another diamond in the crown," Gardenhire said. "I don't think he needs more confidence."

Etc.

• Gardenhire on the new Twins ballpark being called Target Field: "It's actually pretty cool. It's a great company, a Midwestern company. Now we don't have to call it 'The New Ballpark.' We can say, 'It's going well over at Target Field.' Or Tar-zjay. My wife calls it Tar-zjay."

• Jesse Crain returned to Minnesota to be with his wife, Becky, for the birth of their second child. Avery Margaret Crain was born at Regions Hospital in St. Paul at 8:21 p.m., weighing 7 pounds and 6 ounces and measuring 20 inches.