Younger Gardenhire a Twin in his father's eye

SARASOTA, FLA. - Among the varieties of discipline at the disposal of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire are suspensions, fines, kangaroo court subpoenas, clubhouse ridicule and public criticism.

Unless you're wearing No. 85 in Twins camp. Then you would receive a chiding from the manager's wife.

This spring, Toby Gardenhire is playing for, and living with, his father. He received his first official invitation to big-league spring training from his father, while at his father's house, when his father took a call from Twins General Manager Bill Smith.

When it became clear that Joe Mauer's kidney surgery would keep him from contributing early in camp, the Twins began looking for someone in the organization who could catch bullpen sessions and batting practice. "I called Toby over and said, 'Billy just called, and I spoke for you,'" Ron Gardenhire said. "They asked me if you'd be interested in coming over and catching in big-league camp. I said you would.

"Toby said, 'Sure, why not?' My wife said, 'He's going to big-league camp!'"

Ron worried that this rare event -- a son playing for his father in a big-league setting -- would prove awkward, but they hardly see each other unless it's dinnertime at the house, or Toby gets into a game.

Thursday, Toby played a few innings at shortstop at the end of the Twins' 10-4 victory over the Reds in Sarasota, striking out in his only at-bat in an apparent homage to his father's lifetime batting average. (It's .232.)

"We're pretty close," Toby said. "I think we've gotten a chance to be more close now that I'm playing pro ball. When I was in college [at Illinois], it was really tough, because I was gone all the time and he was gone all the time. Now, being in pro ball and especially being in Twins camp, I get a chance to be around him all the time.

"It's a pretty cool deal."

Toby was born in New York, when his father played for the Mets, and he'd love to follow his father's career path -- making it to the big leagues as a utility player. If that doesn't work, he'll try to make it as a coach or manager.

"He's gotten better," Ron said. "Major leagues? A stretch. Who knows? It was a stretch from the beginning. But you get an opportunity to play and see how far you can go and how much you can learn, and you see what happens. He's gotten better, stronger, he's worked really hard.

"I'm happy for him, because it has not been easy for him. He's become just one of the guys, which is pretty hard to do."

"The best part is you're around all these great players, and you see them on TV, and you talk to them, and you really learn a lot. Just sitting down there doing all the catching, I got to talk to Mike Redmond, and Terry Steinbach. I felt like I learned more in the first three days than I've ever learned about catching."

Toby got all the advice he needed about hitting from his mother. "She's my toughest critic," he said. "I'll call and tell her I went 0-for-3, and she'll say, 'You need to get more hits.'"

There will be an awkward moment in the Gardenhire household this spring, after the father sends the son to minor-league camp. Usually, such moves require a meeting in the manager's office. "I think I'll just tell him at home -- hey, go to minor-league camp tomorrow," Ron said. "I better do it when Carol is out of town."

Jim Souhan can be heard Sundays from 10 a.m.-noon on AM-1500 KSTP. jsouhan@startribune.com