FORT MYERS, FLA. - Twins infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka doesn't read the papers or watch television in the morning, so he didn't realize his native Japan had been rocked by earthquakes and a tsunami until he arrived at Hammond Stadium on Friday to concerned teammates.Nishioka then contacted his wife, Naoko, in Tokyo by e-mail to make sure everything and everyone was OK.
"I was able to get a hold of my wife right after," Nishioka said through interpreter Ryo Shinkawa. "She mentioned how severe the situation is and we talked of safety for people back home."
Japanese players across the league spent the day checking on loved ones in the wake of the disaster. Nishioka said he considered not playing in Friday's exhibition game against Boston but decided to remain in the starting lineup and went 1-for-2 with a walk.
"I understand that I'm in an occupation where I can relay dreams and hope and energy back to Japan," he said. "I wanted to be on the field and think about people back home and go all out on the field and give some of that back home."
No. 7 watchGardenhire was asked how close is Joe Mauer to catching in the bullpen, which needs to happen before he appears in a spring training game.
"This much," he said as he spread out his hands longer than shoulder width. "You can write that."
The Twins suddenly have become mum on injury news, so the only way to know if Mauer is getting close to playing in a spring training game is to hang out by the bullpen and wait for Mauer to show up wearing the tools of ignorance.
Etc.• Gardenhire noted how Nishioka and Alexi Casilla battled Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon before drawing walks in the three-run fifth inning. "Both of them laid off some tough pitches," he said.
