twin061309.notes

On the homepage

Vikings

Vikings respond to challenge

Out There

Artcetera

Biggest album release day of the year

Television

ABC gets complaints about Adam Lambert

Home | Sports | Twins

Span not expected at Wrigley

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: June 12, 2009 - 11:31 PM

Print this story

TEAM NOTES

More from Twins

CHICAGO - Denard Span is back on the medication he was given for an inner ear infection, but the outfielder will not be allowed to rejoin the Twins this weekend at Wrigley Field.

Span, who has battled dizziness in recent weeks, had stopped taking the medication.

"It made him feel funny," manager Ron Gardenhire said, "and he got off of it."

But the symptoms returned earlier this week at Oakland, so Span was sent back to the Twin Cities to see a specialist. He missed that appointment but will be examined by one Tuesday. Until then, doctors recommended that Span not travel.

"He will not be joining us here. I do know that," Gardenhire said.

The Twins will play shorthanded vs. the Cubs but won't consider placing Span on the disabled list until he learns more. Gardenhire pointed out that Span could feel better by Tuesday because the medicine is working.

Milton's miscues

The ball kept finding right fielder Milton Bradley on Friday -- which was great for the Twins during their 7-4 victory but had Cubs fans booing him lustily.

Bradley lost Jason Kubel's fly ball in the sun in the seventh, enabling Kubel to reach and sending Justin Morneau to second.

Two batters later, Bradley tried to make a diving catch of Michael Cuddyer's sinking fly but just missed it, enabling Morneau to score and Cuddyer to hustle to second.

Then the Cubs fans among the announced crowd of 41,509 really let Bradley have it in the eighth.

With the Twins up 5-3, Joe Mauer batted with one out and runners on first and third. That's one out.

Mauer sent a fly ball to deep right that Bradley caught. Nick Punto tagged up from third and scored. Brendan Harris was off first base but looked at Bradley and decided to tag up.

"I was going to tag anyway because he was going to catch it flat-footed," Harris said.

Bradley caught the ball, paused for a moment, then turned and threw the ball to a fan in the bleachers. That counted as an error, as it allowed Harris to advance to third, though he was stranded there.

"I almost kind of laughed when I saw him throw the ball into the stands," Harris said.

Bradley admitted to reporters he had lost track of the outs. "That's life," he said. "These people have high expectations. I have high expectations for myself. I never made a mistake like that in my life. Sue me."

Bradley was primarily a designated hitter last season as he made the All-Star team for Texas. The Cubs signed him to a two-year, $20 million contract, but he is hitting .224 with five homers and 16 RBI while battling injuries.

Power check

Kubel's homer in the ninth inning Friday was his 10th, joining Morneau (16), Mauer (13) and Joe Crede (10) as Twins with double-digit homers.

The Twins only had three players last year -- Morneau (23), Kubel (20) and Delmon Young (10) -- in double digits.

Cuddyer has nine; once he goes deep again, the Twins will have five players with at least 10 home runs for the first time since 2005.

Twins eye prospect

The Twins are among several teams interested in Miguel Angel Sano, a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic. Baseball's international signing period begins July 2. Sano, an elite power-hitting prospect, is expected to command a bonus of at least $3 million. The Twins haven't spent anywhere near that much on an international signing in the past, but insiders say they are doing serious due diligence.

Staff writer Joe Christensen and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Recent Twins stories

White Sox buy out Jermaine Dye - June 12, 2009

White Sox buy out Jermaine Dye - The Chicago White Sox have declined the mutual option on veteran right fielder and former World Series MVP Jermaine Dye, clearing the way for him to become a free agent. More