It's overcast at Turner Field but there's optimism that a game will be played today.
After the starting pitchers get their work in, all bets are off, I think.
With many teams dealing with late spring injuries, the Twins are heading into the regular season in relatively good shape healthwise.
That means the, `When-to-play-Jim-Thome?' question will occur frequently.
Matchups will play a part of it. But Gardy said this morning that he can give one of the other players a full day off when Thome starts.That leads to something I suspected: Joe Mauer might not DH as much as he did last year when he wasn't behind the plate.
Jason Kubel will lose some at-bats. Maybe Michael Cuddyer will against certain righthanders. But it will be interesting to see when Mauer doesn't play. He'll rarely be at a mismatch at the plate.
Then again, this could be a way to ensure Mauer gets through the season as smoothly as possible.
Twins
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Tsuyoshi, Nishioka, 2B
3. Justin Morneau, 1B
4. Jim Thome, DH
5. Delmon Young, LF
6. Michael Cuddyer, RF
7. Danny Valencia, 3B
8. Drew Butera, C
9. Alexi Casilla, SS
Pitching: RHP Scott Baker
Braves
1. Martin Prado, 3B
2. Nate McLouth, CF
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Eric Hinske,DH
5. Brooks Conrad, 2B
6. Matt Young, LF
7. Joe Mather, RF
8. Brandon Hicks, SS
9. J.C. Boscan, C
Pitching: Brandon Beachy
Sign up for our Twins newsletter to get all of the updates sent to you daily.
La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
Former Twins reliever May set to sign with New York Mets
Maeda finishes second to Cleveland's Bieber for Cy Young Award
Preposterous Game 4 finish makes a winner of ex-Twin John Curtiss
Graterol lives up to Twins' World Series dreams -- for the Dodgers
