Twins showing early focus

Jerry Holt, Star Tribune

The Twins' Delmon Young slid safely past Boston catcher Josh Bard on a double by Mike Redmond in the second inning of Wednesday's exhibition opener, won 5-2 by the Twins.

The scar of last season's sour finish is reflected in the seriousness with which spring training is being taken.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: February 26, 2009 - 6:18 AM

FORT MYERS, FLA. - There might be no team that wants to get through this spring's 35-game schedule faster than the Twins. And perhaps that's why manager Ron Gardenhire had a $100 bill sitting on his laptop after the game.

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and clubhouse leader, was responsible for the donation. He collected it from a player who failed to run in the outfield after he left the game.

That player: Morneau.

And Gardenhire held up a note from Morneau that came with the fine that read: "Gardy, I forgot to run. I fine myself."

Morneau went to the batting cages after he left the game following a strikeout in the fifth inning but failed to run in the outfield.

Perhaps Morneau is the one most eager to prove the Twins can take the next step after last season ended with a 1-0 loss to the White Sox in a one-game playoff. That loss ended a rough finish to the season for Morneau, who failed to drive in runs in several big situations.

But he wasn't the only player that struggled down the stretch. Twins lefthander Glen Perkins, who pitched two scoreless innings Wednesday, said the struggles were a team effort.

"We all could have done a little more at the end," Perkins said. "Some guys kind of faded in September and I think that motivated a lot of us this winter to be ready for ... tonight, really."

Morneau apparently feels no corners can be cut -- even in spring training. Every player must get in his work.

That's what the Twins basically did Wednesday as they beat Boston 5-2 at Hammond Stadium in front of a sellout crowd of 7,849. The Twins showed off a brand-new scoreboard in left- center and proceeded to get good pitching and benefit from a few bloop hits that reminded many of Dome ball.

A moment of silence was observed for Carl Pohlad, the former Twins owner who passed away last month. Fans then settled in to watch a team many feel can win the AL Central Division.

They watched Morneau, the 2006 Most Valuable Player, match Dustin Pedroia, the 2008 MVP, as both doubled in their first at-bats of the exhibition season.

Righthander Jesse Crain, who could be the most important member of the 2009 bullpen, throw a 1-2-3 third inning in which he threw four pitches that hit 93 miles an hour on the radar gun and one that hit 94.

Righthander Luis Ayala, trying to prove his 5.71 ERA last season is not a true indication of his talent, took his first steps towards pleasing his new bosses by giving up only an infield single in the fifth inning.

Gardenhire wants to see as much of his World Baseball Classic-bound players as he can before they shove off early next week to join their national teams. By the end of the fifth inning, he had seen five of the six players he'll lose to the WBC -- Morneau, Crain, Ayala, Nick Punto and Joe Nathan.

"We got through the first night," Gardenhire said, "and that's a good thing."

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