Battered Redmond injures groin

By JOE CHRISTENSEN and LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune staff writers

Last update: April 7, 2009 - 7:18 AM

Twins catcher Mike Redmond got hit in the head and right shoulder by a broken bat Monday night, and that wasn't the worst news.

Redmond injured his right groin running to second base on his fifth-inning double, a potential blow to a team already missing Joe Mauer.

"I'm a little concerned," Redmond said. "A little more than normal."

Redmond tries to avoid the training room at all costs, but he was in there after the game.

"That's not a good thing," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I don't have enough of those [catchers]."

Redmond was expected to handle most of the catching duties until Mauer returns from the disabled list, with Jose Morales serving as the backup. The Twins also have Drew Butera at Class AAA Rochester.

As for the broken bat, Redmond said, "It clipped me pretty good, but after I got the feeling back in my arm, I was all right."

Redmond led off the next inning with a double off Felix Hernandez, and after limping into second base he scored the Twins' only run.

"I know the situation we're in, of course," Redmond said. "We're just going to wait and see and hopefully it feels better [today]."

Stelmaszek hospitalized

Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek was in uniform for the first 27 openers at the Metrodome, but he missed Monday night's game after being taken to United Hospital in St. Paul because of fatigue.

"They're running tests trying to figure out if it's the medication making him groggy or what," Gardenhire said.

Stelmaszek, 60, had a scare in January 2008, when two seizures left him in critical condition before doctors revived him.

Chase for record on hold

Japanese electronics company Dandy House had purchased advertising to be displayed behind home plate during the Twins-Mariners series because Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki is three hits away from becoming the all-time hits leader for a Japanese player.

The games were set to be televised back to Japan until Suzuki landed on the disabled list because of an ulcer, costing the Twins $20,000 in advertising.

The record is held by Isao Harimoto, who had 3,085 hits in his career.

Unlucky locker?

Twins right fielder Michael Cuddyer last year dressed at a stall near the middle of the Twins clubhouse, to the left of the bathroom entrance.

This year, he's moved to a corner of the clubhouse in a stall previously occupied by former reliever Dennys Reyes.

The reason?

"About 100 days on the disabled list last year, that's why," said Cuddyer, whose 2008 season was ruined by a dislocated right index finger in April, a strained tendon in left index finger in June and a broken left foot suffered while on rehab from the second finger injury.

Cuddyer decided to move during spring training, when he looked at a layout of the clubhouse and saw the opening.

Etc.

• The Rangers won their first home opener since 2005 when they defeated Cleveland 9-1 on Monday. The winning pitcher from their 2005 opener was current Twin R.A. Dickey. He didn't allow an earned run for seven innings that day, as the Rangers pounded Ramon Ortiz for seven runs in a 12-4 victory.

• Gardenhire on how he decided on a 3-4-5 combination of Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel: "Coin toss. Baseball won't use it; I will."

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