Spring training, Day 2: Santana takes the mound

Greetings from Fort Myers, where the cloud cover is juuuuust about to blow over and allow sunshine to splash all over southwest Florida.

If you plan to come down here, watch out for the drivers. It's nuts down here. I've had to honk at least four times because of jackassery on the roads. Cutting drivers off, not using turn signals, racing, crazy lane changes. I've seen it all down here in six days.

My colleague, Phil Miller, is driving a Chevy Sonic this spring. With these crazy drivers down here, I wouldn't be caught dead down here behind the wheel of a small car like that.

RUNNING GAME CONTROL

Talked to a couple Twins pitchers, and the gist of Paul Molitor's first talk of the spring centered on improving the running game, Thank goodness. The Twins threw out just 18 percent of baserunners attempting to steal last season.

If you believe that pitchers are the key to slowing down the running game, the numbers of some were scary.

Teams were 14 of 15 in steals with Phil Hughes on the mound.

They combined to go 17 for 17 combined against Jared Burton and Kevin Correia.

So this is an area that needs to be cleaned up, one area that can put a pitcher's ERA at risk and cost a team games.

IN THE BULLPEN

The pitchers are in the bullpen getting work in, and new righthander Ervin Santana is scheduled to throw. Molitor would not confirm that Santana will follow Hughes in the rotation, but it makes too much sense.

In fact, I see Santana slinging it in the bullpen as I write this.

Was startled by this yesterday. I have been checking out new spots to eat as production of the 2015 Fort Myers food guide is underway. But now I have competition.

I pledge to eat like I've never eaten before in order to provide to most comprehensive food coverage around.

Folks, it's Wayne Hattaway's 75th birthday today. The long time minor league and major league clubhouse attendant has stood the test of time. This is the man who once told a struggling minor league player. ``That's all right big'un. It's not you, it's the scout who signed you."