I wrote about Rocco Baldelli's approach to spring training today. He's really ushering in a new era of management this year, and it continues today.
After playing a night game in Sarasota, the Twins are playing several of their top prospects today against the Yankees. There was a lengthy hitters meeting today. The regulars are going to hit in the cage, and that might be it. Rest and recovery has been the catch word in this camp.
Meanwhile, Royce Lewis, Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff are in the starting lineup. We've seen Larnach and Kirilloff flash their talent as extra players in previous exhibition games. Lewis was shelved with an oblique strain, knocking him from major league spring training games - until today.
So enjoy getting a glimpse of the future.
Martin Perez makes his final start of spring training today. He's been one of the surprises of camp, lifting his velocity to 97 miles an hour to go with a sharp cut fastball. If Perez and Michael Pineda can lock down the back end of the rotation, that will be an upgrade from last season, when we had to endure a string of openers during the second half of the season.
Yes, I'm against heavy use of an opener. When I was the fan, I wanted to be energized by the pitching matchup that day, not Sergio Romo. O.K., enough of that.
Just three games to go, then back to Target Field.
Yankees
