Scott Diamond gets rusty due to cut on thumb

FORT MYERS, FLA. — Lefthander Scott Diamond hasn't appeared in a game for the Twins since March 12. He developed a cut on the outside of his thumb that made it difficult to throw all his pitches.The Rule 5 pickup from Atlanta has been idle while Dusty Hughes and Glen Perkins have made their cases for joining Jose Mijares as the lefties in the Twins bullpen. Hughes has thrown 10 scoreless innings and Perkins has a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings.

Diamond, who has given up one earned run in six innings, hasn't been able to show the Twins what he can do lately.

"What they have to base it on is the stuff I showed earlier," Diamond said. "It' definitely been a frustrating couple of weeks but I feel like I'm back on pace and whatever happens, happens."

Diamond, who doesn't throw hard but has good control, is finally healthy and is scheduled to throw three innings Saturday in a minor league spring training game. If the Twins elect to not keep him, they can offer him back to the Braves organization or work out a trade to send him to Class AAA Rochester.

"We've got a couple days, so we'll see what happens," he said. "It's not the best situation to be in, but I'm really happy for the opportunity. It's been a fun camp."

Minor details Several Twins pitchers went over to the minor league camp to get some work in Friday.

Hughes pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

Mijares gave up three hits in an inning of work but didn't give up any runs.

Etc. • In the Twins' 6-5 victory over Baltimore, Delmon Young homered for the second consecutive game, this one a no-doubter with a man on in the second off of Orioles lefthander Mike Ballard.

• Tsuyoshi Nishioka went 2-for-4 on Friday and now has a hit in 13 consecutive games.

• Steelers safety Troy Polomalu, in town to film a Head & Shoulders commercial with Joe Mauer, threw out the first pitch to Mauer on Friday.

• Perkins' fastball topped out at 95 miles per hour during a ninth-inning appearance. That's what happens when you get four days off between one-inning stints.

• Good: Matt Tolbert's RBI single in the second went to the opposite field. Bad: Tolbert, a little later, got thrown out trying to advance from second to third on a fly out.