FORT MYERS, Fla. — There are a lot of people in suits at the ballpark today. The Twins are meeting this morning with Commissioner Rob Manfred, owner Jim Pohlad and team president Dave St. Peter, sessions set up mostly so the ballplayers can meet each of people they work for. The commissioner has spent much of the spring touring camps and shaking hands.
It's been awhile since that happened. Except for Glen Perkins, a two-time All-Star, none of the Twins I talked to had ever met the former commissioner, Bud Selig. (Though Casey Fein said he spotted him once in a clothing store in Milwaukee.) Most everyone agreed that it would be interesting to meet Manfred, but nobody could come up with a question they particularly wanted answered.
The Twins still have questions to answer, and today may go a long way toward determining one of them. Righthander Trevor May is on the mound against the Pirates — assuming the thunderstorms that soaked the city overnight don't return this afternoon — in what should be the final audition for that vacant spot in the starting rotation. Tommy Milone was OK but not great yesterday against the Red Sox, and May, who pitched four shutout innings last weekend, will try to top him. We should know sometime in the next day or two who stays, who goes, and who starts and relieves.
Today's lineup is an interesting one, with all the presumed starters save Kennys Vargas in the lineup. Jordan Schafer will serve as the DH, an indication the manager is still watching his at-bats. It's hard to tell whether Schafer's roster spot is safe, especially since manager Paul Molitor went out of his way to compliment fellow outfielder Shane Robinson yesterday. That's another question that lacks an answer at the moment.
By the way, another power-hitting prospect will be in uniform for the Twins today, and could get into the game in the late innings: Adam Brett Walker, who has hit 66 home runs in three minor-league seasons, including 25 for the Fort Myers Miracle last year. Also here is former first-round pick Levi Michael and veteran first baseman Brock Peterson.
Here are today's lineups for the noon CDT game:
PIRATES
Harrison 3B
