FORT MYERS, Fla. – Nelson Cruz entered the Twins clubhouse around 8:05 a.m. Sunday. In less than a minute, he was in workout gear.
About two hours later, he showed why the Twins signed the 38-year-old to a $14 million deal this offseason, swatting pitch after pitch over the fence on a back field at the CenturyLink Sports Complex.
"Nelson Cruz? That was impressive," said Phil Roof, a retired minor league coach and manager who, at 77, still helps out during spring training. "First day, he walks out and starts hitting them out."
Cruz represents the Twins' biggest free-agent addition of the offseason, joining a team that's out to prove it can more relevant in the AL Central than some think. He will settle in as the designated hitter and serve as the cagey veteran available to provide baseball life lessons to teammates.
"I'm here to produce and help my team to win games," Cruz said. "Whatever I can do to help, if that's the case, I'm happy to do it. … I look to do my work, work hard, and leave everything every single day on the field. Hopefully that should be something that can inspire some of the guys."
Sunday was the official reporting day for position players, setting the stage for Monday's first full-squad workout. Position players also will have their annual physicals. They spent Sunday working out on a back field while pitchers went through drills and threw in the bullpen.
There's a catch
Some believe catcher is the most vital position on the field. And, as Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said Sunday, it carries significant responsibility and a lot of training.
"Over the years we have learned a lot about developing catchers," he said. "The receiving, blocking, the setups."
