Morneau better, but still sits out

BALTIMORE - Twins first baseman Justin Morneau was seen briefly in the clubhouse before Tuesday's game as he and Michael Cuddyer chatted with clubhouse visitor and former teammate Matthew LeCroy, who now manages in the Washington Nationals farm system.

Then Morneau disappeared into the restricted area of the clubhouse as he recovers from the stomach flu that knocked him out of the lineup for the third consecutive game.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Morneau needed three intravenous bags of medication Monday and is feeling better -- just not quite ready to return to the lineup.

"Weather conditions," said Gardenhire, referring to the afternoon rain in Baltimore. "Plus he's not feeling great. No chance to put him out there. I'm don't know exactly what he could do to help us [Tuesday], if anything. Probably not too much. We'll see [Wednesday]."

Young misses game Luke Hughes started at first base Tuesday instead of Morneau.

Why Hughes? He started at first because Cuddyer, normally the backup first baseman, was needed in right field. Why? Jason Kubel had to start in left.

Why? Delmon Young couldn't play.

"He's a little sore in his ribs, so we will monitor that day by day," Gardenhire said. "Plus a little flu bug, too. Been fighting it off and on."

More health updates Joe Mauer, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is back in the Twin Cities recovering from his viral infection. He won't begin any rehab work for his weak legs until he recovers.

Righthander Kevin Slowey is headed to Fort Myers, Fla., as he's reached the final stage of his comeback from bursitis in his shoulder. He's expected to throw in the bullpen, then face some minor leaguers at extended spring training. It's not known at this time if Slowey will pitch in minor league games.

Hacker is here Righthander Eric Hacker was cut from spring training camp March 14.

"When we sent him down, he was kind of shocked we sent him down so early," Gardenhire said.

"So he would be the best pitcher pitching when we needed a pitcher," Gardenhire said.

Hacker was 1-0 with 11 scoreless innings at Class AAA Rochester. So the Twins called him up and will use him as the long man out of the bullpen.

Original Twin Bertoia dies Original Twin Reno Bertoia died Friday at a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after a brief battle with lymphoma. He was 76.

He started at third base for the Twins and batted seventh in the Opening Day lineup in 1961, after the franchise moved to Minnesota from Washington, D.C.

In that opener April 11, Bertoia hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning in the Twins' 6-0 victory over the host New York Yankees. Bob Allison hit Minnesota's first home run an inning earlier. As a Twin, the 26-year-old Bertoia batted .212, with that one home run and eight runs batted in. He retired early the next season, ending his career as a .244 batter.