Tsuyoshi Nishioka is on the field as I write this, playing catch with interpreter Ryo Shinkawa. Moments ago, he limped slowly out to second base and chatted with coaches.

Heard through the Japanese media that Nishioka was supposed to begin pool work today as he begins the process of recovering from the broken fibula he suffered last Thursday in New York. The Twins hope he can be ready in four to six weeks.

The Japanese media has taken the injury pretty hard. Their new organizations are spending a lot of money for them to cover Nishi's every move. The day he got a haircut in Fort Myers, it was news back home,

With Nishi injured, a few reporters already have been taken off the Twins beat. One was headed back to headquarters in New York. Another has been sent to Los Angeles to cover the Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda. It will be interesting to see how many of them are in the clubhouse before the game. The have been very polite and very kind.

Changing the subject, the Twins just tweeted their lineup. The baseball communications department has taken control over the release the lineup. I have no problem with that. But today is the fourth straight game in which printed lineups have been unavailable when the clubhouse opened, and that has never happened before.

CORRECTION: My attack on the Twins baseball communications department was unwarranted. Apparently, they were at the mercy of the A's releasing their lineups last weekend. And, just as I posted this entry, copies of today's starting lineups appeared in the pressbox. So I was wrong. The Twins are committed to providing the starting lineups as soon as they are proofed and printed. We all are aware how much fans look forward to digesting the starting nine each day.

Royals (6-3)

1. Chris Getz, 2B
2. Melky Cabrera, CF
3. Alex Gordon, LF
4. Billy Butler, 1B
5. Jeff Francoeur, RF
6. Wilson Betemit, 3B
7. Mike Aviles, DH
8. Brayan Pena, C
9. Alcides Escobar, SS

Pitching: Jeff Francis, LHP

Twins (3-6)

1. Denard Span, OF
2. Joe Mauer, C
3. Justin Morneau, 1B
4. Delmon Young, LF
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF
6. Jason Kubel, DH
7. Danny Valencia, 3B
8. Luke Hughes, 2B
9. Alexi Casilla, SS

Pitching: Brian Duensing, LHP