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Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Monday, March 18, 2013

 Twins take to new heights. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 1  Souhan: Trade to Twins gives Worley new lease on life. StarTribune.com (Souhan) pg. 2  Twins hammered by Baltimore. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 3  Twins cut 7 non-roster players, reduce roster to 42. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 4  ’ , Glen Perkins return, take a day. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 5  Minnesota Twins’ Deolis Guerra OK after surgery, sent to minors. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 6  Minnesota Twins’ Scott Diamond back – in Class A. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 6  Minnesota Twins’ Ron Gardenhire has a houseful. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 7  Minnesota Twins Vance Worley hopes less is more this season. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 8  Joe Soucheray: Francis, pray for Twins fans April 1. PioneerPress.com (Soucheray) pg. 8  DR can get payback against Dutch in semifinals. MLB.com (Frisaro) pg. 10  Diamond, Swarzak expected to start season on DL. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 11  Mauer, Perkins return to Twins camp after Classic. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 12  Worley could be in line to start . Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 12  Twins send seven players to Minor League camp. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 13  Worley tosses four innings in loss to Orioles. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 13  Slugging first baseman among Twins’ lastest roster cuts. 1500ESPN.com (Mackey) pg. 14  Vance Worley serves up HR to J.J. Hardy in Twins’ loss to Orioles. 1500ESPN.com (AP) pg. 14  Twins outlast Pirates, top pitching prospect. Foxsportsnorth.com (AP) pg. 15  Minnesota Twins assign two pitchers to . DemocratandChronicle.com (Mandelaro) pg. 16

Twins take pitchers to new heights

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 3/18/13

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Some were good, some were bad, but Twins pitchers for a long time seemed to have their basic averageness in common. There were exceptions, of course, but most were medium height, medium build, a squad of Brad Radkes. Even the great had to fib a little to reach 6 feet tall.

But something has changed on the Hammond Stadium pitchers mound. As a pitching staff, the Twins look like a pretty decent basketball team these days, lanky and imposing, and it’s not a coincidence.

“You look for power arms, and a lot of times, the power pitchers are tall guys,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We definitely did talk about body types, and finding people who can throw the ball hard. We’ve got a few of those types now.”

More than a few. The Twins this spring could fill almost an entire pitching staff with pitchers 6-5 or taller in their camp, and perhaps they will soon. Over the winter, they signed 6-7 starter from the Mets. They added 6-6 and 6-7 Michael Tonkin to the 40-man roster. And they traded two of their smallest players, (6-0) and (generously measured at 5-9) to acquire 6-5 and former high school center Alex Meyer, 6-9 and perhaps still growing. ~ 1 ~

“It’s really different, isn’t it?” pitching coach Rick Anderson marveled. “It seems like [it’s] just about everybody.”

So much so that 6-5 relievers Jared Burton and Tyler Robertson appear almost average size.

“If there’s a brawl,” Gardenhire joked, “we’ve got protection.”

Height is handy, no question, if you’re looking for dunks and rebounds. The critical question for the Twins, however, is: Can it translate into outs?

The Twins believe it can, especially for such hard throwers. Simple geometry says it’s an advantage, points out Gardenhire.

“As a hitter, a tough pitch to is a ball going down,” Gardenhire said. “You get a big guy who’s got a bit of an angle, he can get away with a little bit more than a little guy, even if he throws it just as hard.”

“We talk about it all the time — angle, angle, angle,” Anderson added. “It’s nice to get these guys with some size to them, because we’re seeing them throw the ball down. The shorter you are, the flatter the pitch appears as it comes toward [the hitter].”

Anderson even preaches widening that advantage when possible. He and lefthander Scott Diamond — a relatively diminutive 6-3 — were watching Meyer throw in the bullpen, when they made a suggestion. “[Diamond] said, ‘Have you ever thought about standing taller on your back leg, just to make sure you get a little more tilt?’ ” Meyer said. “I told him I had, but hearing from a guy like that convinced me.”

Meyer and his fellow big men all throw relatively hard, and their velocity is accentuated by their size. The ratio of height to miles per hour isn’t definitive — 6-10 former Twin topped out at only 91 mph when he was in Minnesota — but Gardenhire believes the illusion of speed can be as important as the real thing.

“It’s like being side-armed — you put a little fear in the hitter when you’re bringing the ball he doesn’t see that often,” he said.

The classic disclaimer about tall pitchers, however, holds that gangliness equals wildness, that the longer the limbs, the greater the chance for something to go wrong. “You look at [6-10 former Cy Young winner] Randy Johnson — he was out of control for a while until he got all the parts moving in synch,” Anderson pointed out. “Sometimes long arms and legs don’t repeat a motion very well, so we try to keep it simple for them. The guys we have, all are pretty repeatable deliveries.”

Pelfrey made it a point to keep his delivery as stripped down as possible for that reason. “I always heard that, but I’ve been a guy who’s always been able to repeat it pretty close, pretty consistently,” Pelfrey said. “No long windup, no unusual delivery. My height hasn’t been a problem that way. I’d say it’s a real advantage.”

Well, with one exception. He owns an .098 career batting average, and being tall has definitely not helped. “If you’re smaller, you have a smaller strike zone at the plate,” Pelfrey said. “Mine is too big.”

Souhan: Trade to Twins gives Worley new lease on life

Jim Souhan / StarTribune.com – 3/18/13

SARASOTA, FLA. – Some ballplayers scrawl a word or two inside of their caps. Vance Worley is working on a graphic novel.

He’s written his initials, even though he prefers his nickname, “Vanimal.” He’s written a rude two-word command to himself, to make his adrenaline spike. “I flip the switch as soon as I take the rubber,” he said. “You have to have the mentality that ‘I’m better than you.’ ”

He’s stenciled in the initials of his aunt, who has been recovering from tumors in her stomach, and the name of his fiancée’s father, who has been in a coma for more than a year, and the name of his grandfather, who beat mouth and throat cancer after surviving diabetes and heart attacks. “I look at this every day,” he said, gazing at his writing. “It keeps me driving.”

~ 2 ~

The list of inspirational phrases and names is indelible. He’s learned that everything else in a baseball life can be erased with a phone call. On Dec. 6, he was working out on the elliptical machine at the Phillies’ facility in Philadelphia, and planning to pick up an engagement ring, when he noticed a 215 area code popping up on his phone. The third time the number flashed, he finally answered. It was Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro, who told him he’d been traded. Worley’s reaction: “What? I’m rehabbing here for you, and you traded me? Uhhhhh. OK. I’m not going to fight you.”

He hung up and remembers “instant panic in the air. I need to get the hell out of all these leases and get the heck out of here.”

Like most people, Worley had built his life around his job. He had just moved his stuff from California to a rented home in Jersey, and had rented a condo in Clearwater, Fla., where the Phillies train. He had met a local girl and settled down.

One phone call left him paying on two leases and looking to buy a condo in Fort Myers, where the Twins train. “But I can’t get credit,” he said with a smile. “They won’t let me buy a condo. They say my contract isn’t guaranteed enough.”

If the Twins correctly evaluated Worley, he should be able to sign a lease for three or more years in Minneapolis. While the Twins had been looking for the right deal for center fielder Denard Span for some time, they shocked fans by trading Span’s heir apparent, Ben Revere, to Philadelphia for Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May.

May adds to the Twins’ growing array of talented arms in their farm system, and Worley, they hope, will help immediately improve one of baseball’s worst rotations.

Worley finished third in the National League rookie of the year voting in 2011. In 2012, he pitched despite a sore elbow and had bone spurs removed in September, ending his season.

He stayed in Philadelphia during the winter to rehabilitate his elbow, feeling he might as well be close to his home base. Now he doesn’t have one.

“I never thought about getting traded,” he said. “If that was the case, I would have just stayed in a hotel for three months up there. My fiancée had no idea this could happen.

“It’s definitely different, being with an athlete. I’ve had my girlfriends, going through baseball. It tears up relationships. It’s a business. We have to work. Baseball has to come first. Some females don’t get it. Even some family members don’t get it. We get here at noon and we leave at midnight. It’s not easy, and it’s not all glamour. You’ve got to work if you want to stay around. I’ve talked to numerous guys who have made it up here. It’s not exactly easy to get here, but it’s harder to stay.”

Worley hasn’t flashed his 2011 form yet this spring. Sunday, he allowed three earned runs in four innings, leaving his spring ERA at 6.00. But he’s proven he can get out big-league hitters, and he’s blunt, affable, competitive and a bit of a character. Twins fans should enjoy having him around, even if he doesn’t plan to sign any leases longer than six months.

Twins hammered by Baltimore

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, FLA. – The Orioles celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green hats. The Twins celebrated Turn Back the Clock Day by getting beat by J.J. Hardy and Lew Ford.

Hardy hit a long off Minnesota starter Vance Worley, and Ford drove in three runs, leading Baltimore to a 7-1 victory in Ed Smith Stadium.

Worley allowed three runs in four innings, but his problem in the two-run second was that Baltimore didn’t hit the ball hard enough. With the bases loaded, Chris Dickerson dribbled a slow grounder that just got past Worley for a run-scoring . Then Ford followed with a ground ball directly at shortstop Pedro Florimon, but the ball reached him too late to turn an inning-ending play.

~ 3 ~

“I was battling, I was making the pitches I needed, and the results weren’t there,” the righthander said. “I got [Dickerson] to hit it and keep it in the infield, but it was just out of reach. That’s the nature of the game, I guess. The ball was rolling for them.”

Hardy’s blast didn’t need to roll, carrying completely over the picnic area beyond the left-field fence. Matt Weiters also homered for the Orioles, a two-run opposite-field shot off Casey Fien.

Worley was just happy to survive the game intact, after a miscommunication with Florimon on a popup. The ball wasn’t hit especially high, and it came down directly on the pitcher’s mound. Worley called for it, then nearly collided with Florimon when the infielder came charging up at the last second.

“I called for it and, as the ball was maybe five feet above me, I started hearing, ‘I got it,’ ” said Worley, who made the catch but was clearly rattled by the near-miss. “I didn’t want to get run over, because it was close.”

“It’s a real tough play for an infielder — all you’re doing is watching the ball, knowing you’re the only one who will get there,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Worley called it, he called it twice, but Florimon didn’t hear it. … [Worley]’s lucky he didn’t get killed.”

The Twins managed only six hits off Orioles starter Steve Johnson and three relievers, and avoided the shutout only when Brandon Boggs lifted Jair Jurrjens’ pitch over the right-field wall in the ninth inning, the reserve ’s third home run of the spring.

Twins cut 7 non-roster players, reduce roster to 42

Phil Miller / StarTribune.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, FLA. -- The Twins' clubhouse was an awkward place to be this morning, when seven non-roster players were assigned to minor- league camp. Slowly packing up their equipment were , Chris Colabello, , Eric Fryer and Mark Sobolewski. Also sent down were Deolis Guerra and , who haven't pitched for awhile, Guerra due to injury, Martis because he's with the Netherlands team in the .

It made for a somber room, with several players coming over to shake hands with some of the departees. Joe Mauer and both came over to say goodbye to Colabello, their WBC opponent last week.

That brings the Twins roster to 42 players -- 20 position players and 22 pitchers. The latter number figures to be trimmed back soon. One of them, lefthander Scott Diamond, said he is definitely going to open the season on the disabled list, but he believes he'll be in the rotation by mid-April. He makes his first spring start tomorrow in a minor-league game -- 30 pitches, probably two innings -- and then goes on a regular five-day schedule, increasing his workload by 15 pitches each time.

Joe Mauer is back in Twins camp, but he was crossed off the traveling squad today, because "I need a day to get situated again," he said. "I've basically been living out of a suitcase for two weeks."

Same goes for Glen Perkins, who like Mauer was disappointed that Team USA isn't headed to the WBC semifinals tomorrow, but is ready to get back to his regular preparation for the regular season.

Those two were spared the 90-minute bus ride up here to the home of the Orioles, a place that I don't even recognize. Ed Smith Stadium was one of the dumpiest, most rundown spring ballparks the last time I was here in 2009, but the renovated version, built to entice the Orioles to move here once the Reds left for Arizona, is unbelievable. Just a gorgeous new park, with lots of details that match Camden Yards. Here are today's lineups for the noon CT game with Baltimore:

Twins -- CF, Jamey Carroll 2B, C, Justin Morneau 1B, Wilkin Ramirez DH, RF, Joe Benson LF, Eduardo Escobar 3B, Pedro Florimon SS. Vance Worley P, followed by Jared Burton, Ryan Pressly, Casey Fien, Josh Roenicke and/or Tim Wood. Orioles -- Brian Robers 2B, 3B, Nate McLouth CF, Matt Wieters C, 1B, J.J. Hardy SS, Conor Jackson DH, Chris Dickerson RF, Lew Ford LF. Steve Johnson P.

~ 4 ~

Minnesota Twins’ Joe Mauer, Glen Perkins return, take a day

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 3/17/13

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Falling short of a World Baseball Classic championship was a "little disappointing," Twins Joe Mauer said, but if asked to return in 2017 he already knows what he will say.

"Yeah, if they'll have me," Mauer said Sunday, March 17, as he dressed for his first workout with his primary employer in more than two weeks.

"The only tough thing about it is it felt like a 2 1/2-week road trip," Mauer said. "Kind of throws off your routines a little bit, but you make adjustments. I'm feeling pretty good leaving the tournament. Kind of ready to open the season."

Originally on the list to ride to Sarasota for the Twins-Orioles game on Sunday, Mauer instead stayed back in Fort Myers to "kind of get situated," he said.

"I've been living out of my suitcase the last couple weeks," he said.

He said he assumes he will be in the lineup Monday, March 18, at home against the .

Mauer hit .429 (9 for 21) in six WBC games, including a in the elimination-game loss to Puerto Rico on Friday, March 15. He also had two doubles, five walks, four runs and four in posting a .538 on-base percentage and a combined on-base/ of 1.158.

As impressive as those numbers were, they were a shade below those posted over three first-round games by Twins first baseman Justin Morneau (.636/.692/.909).

"Morneau was on fire," Mauer said.

As for the groundball single Morneau had off Twins closer Glen Perkins last Sunday, March 10, in Team USA's win over Canada, Mauer added his spin to the moment.

"Justin got a little base hit," Mauer said. "Perk had him down -1/80-2-3/8. I was telling Perk, 'If that ball's down, I think you got a .' I think there'll be a lot of talk about that at-bat in this clubhouse for a while."

Little base hit? That was right there with Perkins' description of Morneau "rolling over" on his flat .

"That's the thing," Mauer said with a grin, "if we were on the same team, it was a laser to the right side of the field."

As for the moment itself -- teammates on the mound, behind the plate and at the plate on the international stage -- Mauer called it "a little different ... pretty neat ... a little awkward ... kind of cool."

Mauer tried to prepare his U.S. teammates for Twins teammate Samuel Deduno before the erratic righty shut them down in a four-inning start for the on Thursday night, March 14.

"Sammy threw the ball well," Mauer said. "We kind of had him on the ropes there in the first inning. He made some pitches. A whole lot of people didn't really know a whole lot about him. I told them, 'Hey, this guy's got good stuff. He can go out there and shut a good lineup down.' And that's what he did."

One night later, it was ex-Twins lefty J.C. Romero coming out of the Puerto Rico bullpen to record the final four outs and the in another tight loss for Team USA.

~ 5 ~

"I guess if somebody is going to get one against you, it's nice Romero was out there," Mauer said. "Obviously, we signed up with the intent of playing for a long time. They're fun games. It was fun to be a part of. I'm glad I did it."

Briefly

Third baseman (strained right calf) was slated to go through a full round of baseball activities on Sunday in Fort Myers. He was due to repeat the same program on Monday and then be reassessed with an eye toward a Wednesday, March 20 return to the lineup. ... Reliever is making solid progress in his return from two broken ribs, but he still figures to open the season on the disabled list , manager Ron Gardenhire said. ... Brandon Boggs homered in the ninth inning of a 7-1 road loss to the Orioles on Sunday, March 17. Wilkin Ramirez, battling Boggs and others for a bench spot, went 2 for 4 with a double and two strikeouts. ... Aaron Hicks went 0 for 2 and saw his spring average drop to .319, but he also saw 22 pitches in three plate appearances and notched his second in as many days. ... Joe Benson went 0 for 4 and is hitting .154 this spring. ... RHP Josh Roenicke bounced back from a tough outing to throw a scoreless eighth. ... Jared Burton allowed two unearned runs in a two-inning stint.

Minnesota Twins’ Deolis Guerra OK after surgery, sent to minors

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Twins right-hander Deolis Guerra was headed back to Fort Myers on Sunday, March 17, after undergoing surgery to repair a circulation problem in his throwing shoulder.

The rib-removal surgery was performed on Friday, March 15, in Tampa, Twins general manager said.

"Everything was favorable," Ryan said.

Next up for Guerra will be range-of-motion exercises as he begins the long road back to a mound return. Ideally that will happen by July, Ryan said.

Guerra, who turns 24 on April 17, was diagnosed with a blood clot after complaining of numbness in his throwing shoulder while in Puerto Rico with the Venezuelan team at the World Baseball Classic.

Guerra was among seven players reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday morning. Also sent down were first baseman Chris Colabello, third baseman Mark Sobolewski, catcher Eric Fryer, outfielder Brian Dinkelman, outfielder Clete Thomas and right-hander Shairon Martis. Martis, who is still pitching in the World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands, was informed by text message.

With those moves, the Twins have 42 players officially left in camp. However, that total includes Double-A third baseman Deibinson Romero, who remains in the Dominican Republic because of visa problems.

Minnesota Twins’ Scott Diamond back – in Class A

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Twins left-hander Scott Diamond will take the next step in his recovery from an offseason elbow procedure when he makes his spring debut against outside competition on Monday, March 18.

Diamond, who led the Twins with 12 wins and 173 innings last season, will throw about 30 pitches and work two innings on a back field against Class A competition.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he and pitching coach Rick Anderson likely would watch Diamond's outing before rejoining the big- league staff for the game at Hammond Stadium against the Miami Marlins.

In his most recent bullpen, Saturday, March 16, Diamond worked about 10 to 15 minutes and threw 40-50 pitches.

~ 6 ~

A projected mid-April return to the rotation is "fair," Diamond said, as he slowly works his way back up to the 90-pitch range. That should take another three to four starts, all at five-day intervals, he said.

The cutoff date for retroactively placing players on the disabled list to start the regular season is March 24. That would leave open the possibility that Diamond could face big-league hitters on Saturday, March 23, in Port Charlotte and still be eligible to come off the DL a week into the season.

Starting Diamond on a back field allows the Twins to regulate the outing and monitor Diamond more closely than they could in a Grapefruit League game.

"It's exciting just because I'm finally catching up or at least getting back into games," Diamond said back in Fort Myers. "It was a really minor procedure, but at the same time it's a big step being able to jump back into games. I'm really excited about it. I'm not too worried about the results, just as long as everything feels good and I'm able to start locating a little bit."

Minnesota Twins’ Ron Gardenhire has a houseful

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- It will be a Gardenhire family reunion this week.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is looking forward to seeing his two daughters, Tiffany and Tara, who are flying into Fort Myers to watch the University of Wisconsin-Stout baseball team as well as the Twins.

The Division III Blue Devils, under second-year coach Toby Gardenhire, the manager's son, will play the likes of Otterbein, Utica, Harkins, Knox and the College of Wooster in a weeklong slate of spring break games.

Tara Gardenhire, who is on break from college, will be joined by a few of her friends, while Toby's wife, Lindsay, will be on the trip as well. Carol Gardenhire, the family matriarch, was already in town.

"The house will be full," Ron Gardenhire said.

On Tuesday's off day, Wisconsin-Stout will play the Twins' rookie-level team in an exhibition on Field 1 at the minor league complex. That will give Gardenhire a chance to watch his 30-year-old son coach in person for the first time.

"I saw his team on the Internet a few times," he said. "Kind of following it -- not good, not like they're on TV. This will be the first time I've actually seen him during a game."

What will that be like for Toby, a Twins minor-league infielder from 2005-2011 who reached Triple-A?

"He's going to hear me, let's put it that way," Ron Gardenhire said.

There's also the question of where the proud father should sit.

On the aluminum bleachers with his family? Up in the observation tower? Or maybe in the dugout with the Twins' farmhands? "I don't know yet," Gardenhire said. "Have to get away from it. Probably have to sit somewhere. Maybe on the otherteam's side. I don't want to go sit on his bench. I'll sit with the Twins."

You could tell Gardenhire was looking forward to seeing his son's team play.

"That will be good," he said. "That will give me something to hoot and holler about. I can have a beer on my day off, can't I? Sit there drinking a beer. That would be entertaining."

~ 7 ~

Minnesota Twins pitcher Vance Worley hopes less is more this season

Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- If Vance Worley looks like a different pitcher than the one you might remember from his Philadelphia days, there's a good reason for that.

About 10 good reasons, actually.

That's how many pounds the burly right-hander has lost since being traded to the Twins in December.

"For me, the offseason is a chance for me to actually get back on a normal eating schedule," he said. "During the season, I just get fat. There's nothing I can do."

He's at 247 pounds and hoping to dip even lower before the regular season starts. His body-fat percentage, once somewhere north of 20 percent as a Phillie, was at 16 percent the last time Worley checked.

Worley, whose spring ERA sits at 6.00 after going four innings Sunday, March 17 against the , would love to keep slimming down, keep transforming fat into muscle, but he knows it's about to get a whole lot tougher.

On track to be the Twins' starter Opening Day, though nothing is official yet, Worley is already steeling himself for those late-night clubhouse spreads and brutal travel itineraries that tend to pack the pounds back on to his 6-foot-2 frame.

"I've always struggled, because for me and my family, we love food, so we just keep going," he said. "It's hard during the season. We get done so late. The food just sits on me and I just start putting on weight and then I try to lose weight and I start getting weak because I'm trying to do too much."

Rehabbing from surgery to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow gave Worley ample time to reshape his body during the winter months.

He typically worked out two to three times a day with far more cardio exercise than he does in-season. Back home in Sacramento, he'd get in a morning workout, eat a small meal, rest, go back out and play catch, maybe throw a bullpen, go for a run, rest, eat dinner, then hit the gym again for a round of evening core work.

"That's pitching," he said. "You've got to have a strong core and legs."

An 11-game winner in 2011, when he finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, Worley can feel the difference when he's in better shape.

"I notice my mechanics get out of sync if I'm a little heaver," he said. "When I lift my leg, I don't always come back around when I'm heavier. I just kind of fall with it."

With the Phillies, he worked with a team-supplied nutritionist but hasn't spoken with her since he "got the boot," to use his description of a trade that also brought the Twins minor-league righty Trevor May and cost them outfielder Ben Revere.

Worley has yet to find a nutritionist in his new workplace, though his fiancee has done a nice job this spring of cooking healthy foods for him. "She keeps it pretty basic: chicken, fish, steak, a couple pork dishes," Worley said. "She's got this little plate where it portions everything for you. I look at it like, 'Dang, is that a full portion? That's nothing. Give me some more.' "

No seconds for Worley on his kiddie plate, although he can dream.

"I eyeball it," he said, grinning. "I'm eating with my eyes." ~ 8 ~

The Twins like what they've seen from the begoggled Worley this spring, on the field and off.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan noted before Sunday's game that the pitcher's velocity has "spiked up" his last couple of outings, although Worley's fastball was back down in the 90-92 mph range against the Orioles.

As a rule, Ryan doesn't spend much time in the clubhouse, but the reports were so good on Worley, he hasn't even tried to engage him in conversation so far.

"I don't think I need to do that with a guy like Worley who has been in the big leagues for a couple years," Ryan said. "I wouldn't worry about Worley."

A bulldog type who gutted out 23 starts last season despite that nagging pain in his elbow, Worley came to Minnesota with glowing reports from Ryan's most trusted scouts.

"Competitive guy," Ryan said. "He's not afraid. He's got enough velocity; he's got enough slider; he's got enough breaking ball. It's not too complicated. Our scouts liked Worley."

The Twins will like him even more if he can figure out a way to avoid the in-season weight gain that has plagued him throughout his pro career, ever since the Phillies drafted him out of Long Beach State in the third round in 2008.

Worley has even tried to sample what The Rock is cooking and use the one-day binge method the action-movie star employs as a reward for those constant workouts.

"How does it work for me? It doesn't," Worley said. "I can't. I really can't. I can do it in the offseason when I'm working hard, but during the season, I have to really monitor things and watch my carbs and all that."

Still just 25, Worley is hopeful he eventually can tweak his eating habits to where he can keep his weight under control year-round. Yet he also believes much of this is predetermined.

"You can't do anything about it," he said. "Everybody's genetics are different. There's guys that can just crush the worst food possible and look shredded, and I'm like, 'You are so lucky, dude.' I'm going to try, but nobody wants a salad, you know?"

Joe Soucheray: Francis, pray for Twins fans April 1

Joe Soucheray / PioneerPress.com – 3/16/13

So long as he has taken the name of Francis, who, in revisionist history, it seems, has become the patron saint of the environment, all matters pertaining to April 1 might now be addressed to the new pope.

The Twins open at home April 1. That's two weeks from now.

I realize that the new pope has quite a bit on his plate and the weather for a Minnesota home opener is low on his list, but the Twins never have opened at home that early, indoors or out, and to a pope we might as well turn, for there seems to be little hope elsewhere, including the jet stream.

St. Francis of Assisi always was known as the patron saint of animals. In all the images and statues I have seen of him, he seems to be kind to birds, for example, who rest on his hand or flutter about him looking for a handout. That he also is the patron saint of the environment is news to me, as I didn't think the environment came much into play in the 12th century.

In any event, Papa, you're our guy. Will you intervene? The Twins open at home in two weeks, and we are anticipating another snowstorm for tonight and tomorrow here in Icelandia, where time and spring have forgotten us.

~ 9 ~

I can provide some history. My get-rich schemes have included a number of lesser-known books, many of them about as successful as the magnetic sign business that my father once dreamed up for a cottage industry in the garage. He bought a machine that stamped out signs in molded plastic that magnetically attached to the sides of cars. In my first test-drive of one of the signs, it blew off the door and landed in a ditch on Highway 36.

In "Once There Was a Ballpark'' -- it didn't blow into a ditch, but it also didn't make any money -- I gathered all the weather information for the seasons at Metropolitan Stadium, 1956 to 1981. It has become useful for settling arguments in bars and perhaps now on the occasion of having to call on the pope to mitigate such a ridiculously early opener in Minnesota.

The very first Twins home opener was April 21, 1961, against Washington. It was 63 degrees at game time.

The earliest outdoor opener was April 6, 1971: Milwaukee 7, Twins 2. It was 53 degrees at first pitch.

As an aside, in 21 seasons of opening outdoors at the Met, the Twins drew more than 30,000 only three times, the last three outdoor openers, 1979, 1980 and 1981. The weather didn't have much to do with it. Maybe we were appreciating what we were about to lose by going into the Metrodome. But it was on one of those openers, 1980, that we had the warmest opener, 89 degrees on April 22 -- Twins 8, California 1 -- with 36,268 customers. To prove the point about appreciating what we were about to lose, the largest attendance for an outdoor opener was the last one, April 9, 1981, 42,658. It was 63 degrees. Oakland 5, Twins 1.

The latest outdoor opener was April 23, 1972, 44 degrees and rain, Twins 8, Oakland 4.

The weather probably did have something to do with the lowest turnout ever for a home opener, 8,363 on April 14, 1962. Angels 12, Twins 3. Are you ready? It was 33 degrees. And that wasn't even the coldest temperature for a baseball game at the Met. That occurred on May 2, 1967, with the Yankees in town. It was 32 at game time with a wind chill of 9.

In all, 12 of the 21 outdoor openers were on or after April 14. Never April 1. Never.

What were the schedule makers thinking this year?

I am among those who are delighted that we are back outdoors. But as I have always said, if you want to worry about something you can't do anything about, worry about global cooling, not warming.

Come on over, Francis, and throw out the first pitch.

DR can get payback against Dutch in semifinals

Joe Frisaro / MLB.com – 3/16/13

MIAMI -- Payback isn't foremost on the minds of the Dominican Republic when it arrives in San Francisco. Winning the World Baseball Classic title is.

It just so happens that the team standing in way of the Dominican Republic is the Kingdom of Netherlands. The two countries meet on Monday at 9 p.m. ET in the second World Baseball Classic semifinal at AT&T Park (watch on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes).

No one from the Dominican has forgotten what occurred in 2009, when a scrappy, underdog Netherlands squad pulled off a monumental upset, beating the Dominican Republic twice and eliminating it in the first round of the Classic.

"I wouldn't call it a debt," Dominican All-Star Robinson Cano said. "You have to forget what happened in the past." The determination to bring the Classic championship trophy to the Caribbean is clearly the mission. Having Cano in the middle of the lineup certainly enhances the country's chances.

The Dominican Republic earned a day off by beating Puerto Rico, 2-0, on Saturday at Marlins Park. Puerto Rico will face Japan on Sunday in San Francisco at 9 p.m. ~ 10 ~

Cano was named the MVP of Round 2, just as he was in the first round.

"The MVP is an individual thing," Cano said. "First of all, Puerto Rico didn't know we had the most valuable players. Once we got to the second round, I wanted to go to the third round. You have to take it game by game. It wasn't only because of me, but also because of our players."

Compared to four years ago, the Dominican Republic is a more determined and driven club than the team that faced the Netherlands in '09. But the Netherlands isn't a flash in the pan, either. The squad is filled with some exceptional young talent. It just doesn't match the Dominican Republic in terms of star power. Dominican manager Tony Pena can run out Cano, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, , Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion.

Pena's message is what happened before doesn't matter in the win-or-go-home semifinals.

"What's in the past is in the past," Pena said. "We are not thinking about the past, we're thinking about the present."

In Miami, Pena's team clearly played as if it was on a mission. It won all three of its games at Marlins Park, and improved to 6-0 overall. For the semifinals, Padres right-hander Edinson Volquez will start. The challenge for big league pitchers in the Classic is to be built up to throw meaningful innings weeks before Opening Day.

"I think we did a pretty good job before we got to to try to get ready for the WBC," Volquez said. "I think most of the guys over here on our team are ready to play, especially me. I threw a lot of bullpens before I got here."

The Netherlands may not have the depth of proven Major Leaguers as the Dominican Republic, but it has its share of talent. For the semifinals, it has added Rangers top prospect to a lineup that already had Braves shortstop .

And if the Netherlands has a lead in the ninth, a proven big leaguer will be taking the ball. Dodgers closer has been added to the roster.

"This is going to be my first time playing for them," Profar said. "It's a great honor for me. I'm very happy to be here. You can see right away why they're winning. They have great guys, great manager, great coaches. So I'm proud."

The Netherlands' pitching staff is coached by Hall of Famer .

"We have good players," manager said. "It was just a matter of, when we played in these tournaments, you play your best game to show people that the way has expanded themselves all over the world is working. It's given countries an opportunity to show that they can play with any country. So it will be a very special thing for the Netherlands."

Diamond, Swarzak expected to start season on DL

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Scott Diamond and Anthony Swarzak are both making good progress in their rehab from injuries, but both pitchers are expected to start the season on the disabled list.

Diamond, who had a bone chip removed from his left elbow in December, is scheduled to make his first start of the spring on Monday in a Minor League game. The left-hander is slated to throw two innings in a Class A game at the Lee County Sports Complex.

Diamond needs to keep building his pitch count and isn't expected to be ready to rejoin the rotation until mid-April.

Swarzak, who broke two ribs in a horseplay incident in late January, is throwing bullpens without any issues but also needs to be stretched out in his role as a long reliever, according to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.

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"It's going to be hard," Gardenhire said. "You're talking about a guy that's in a long-man situation. You have no time to get him stretched out to where he can go four or five innings. So we'll have to wait and see. It depends on when he gets on a mound, but I don't think we have enough time to do that. So I'd imagine he'd go on the DL and go from there."

Mauer, Perkins return to Twins camp after Classic

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Joe Mauer arrived back at Twins camp on Sunday after playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but he didn't make the 90-mile trip to Ed Smith Stadium for Minnesota's game against the Orioles.

Mauer, though, said he expects to be back in the lineup on Monday against the Marlins and said he enjoyed representing his country even though Team USA was knocked out of the Classic with a loss to Puerto Rico on Friday.

"It didn't end up the way we liked, but it was a great experience," Mauer said. "But it's nice to be back here with the guys."

Mauer compared the atmosphere at the games to the playoffs and said he has no regrets about playing in the tournament. He was also one of Team USA's better hitters, as he batted .429/.538/.619 with two doubles and two RBIs in six games.

"I feel pretty good," Mauer said. "Obviously, there is some work to do be done, so I'm glad we have a couple more weeks before we get going. But I was able to square some balls up and was seeing a lot of pitches. So it was good.'

Twins closer Glen Perkins also arrived back at the Lee County Sports Complex after pitching for Team USA in relief. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he expects to get Perkins into a game soon, as he last pitched on March 10 against Team Canada.

Perkins gave up a hit to his teammate, Justin Morneau, that game with Mauer behind the plate in Team USA's victory.

"It was a little different, but it was pretty neat," Mauer said. "A lot of guys commented on that and said it must've been a little awkward. But it probably ended up turning out all right. Justin got a little base hit. Perk had him down 1-2, but I was telling Perk if that ball's down, it would've been a strikeout. So I think there will be a lot of talk about that at-bat in this clubhouse for a while."

Worley could be in line to start Opening Day

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Twins have yet to name an Opening Day starter, but if right-hander Vance Worley stays on his current schedule, he'd be the club's for the opener on April 1 against the Tigers at Target Field.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he'll wait until after Tuesday's off-day to make an announcement, but Worley is on track to start on Friday and March 27, which would be in line with him starting on Opening Day on April 1.

Worley said he hasn't been told about making that start but acknowledged it would be an honor to take the mound for the Twins in the regular-season opener.

"If it falls that way, yeah, absolutely," Worley said. "I'll take the ball and see what I can do with it, and hopefully bring us a 'W.'" Worley started against the Orioles on Sunday, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk over four innings. His Grapefruit League ERA is at 6.00, but he says he's happy with the way his pitches are coming along this spring.

"Everything is coming out of my hand the way I want it to, velocity-wise, and my breaking balls are coming out the way I need them to," Worley said.

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Twins send seven players to Minor League camp

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Twins reassigned seven players to Minor League camp on Sunday, including first baseman Chris Colabello, who also played for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Catcher Eric Fryer, third baseman Mark Sobolewski, outfielders Brian Dinkelman and Clete Thomas and right-handers Deolis Guerra and Shairon Martis were also reassigned to Minor League camp.

Colabello hit .294 with two doubles, two walks and three RBIs in nine Grapefruit League games. He also hit .333 while leading Team Italy with two homers and seven RBIs in the World Baseball Classic.

Colabello, who played seven seasons in the independent Can-Am League before playing at Double-A New Britain last season, is scheduled to start the season at Triple-A Rochester.

"He did fine," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He played great for Team Italy and really well for us. First base is a place where we don't have a ton of depth. We have [Justin] Morneau and then ad-libbing from there. So he's put himself in a good situation where if he's down there swinging the bat good, he could go right into the big leagues after all that time in independent ball. So it's a good story."

Guerra, meanwhile, is out with a blood clot in his right shoulder. He was released from the hospital on Sunday after having a first rib resection on Friday. He's expected to miss the first half of the season.

"He has to go through therapy and all that stuff, but ultimately he'll be back on the mound," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "Everything went well."

Martis also isn't with the club, as he's pitching for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. The Twins now have 42 players in camp: 22 pitchers (five non-roster), four (one non-roster), nine infielders (three non-roster) and seven outfielders (two non-roster).

Worley tosses four innings in loss to Orioles

Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Right-hander Steve Johnson tossed four scoreless innings, and J.J. Hardy and Matt Wieters both homered to help lead the split-squad Orioles to a 7-1 win over the Twins on Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium.

Johnson, who is competing for a spot in Baltimore's rotation, gave up three hits and a walk in four scoreless frames. Johnson last pitched in a Grapefruit League game on March 5 and lowered his spring ERA to 2.00.

He fared better than Twins right-hander Vance Worley, who surrendered three runs on six hits and a walk over four innings.

The Orioles scored twice in the second inning when they loaded the bases with one out. Chris Dickerson brought home a run with an infield single before Lew Ford plated a run with an RBI groundout.

Worley later gave up a solo shot to Hardy in the fourth inning. It was Hardy's first homer of the spring.

"I had to make an adjustment with the mound," Worley said. "I made pitches when I needed to, but I just didn't get the results I wanted." Wieters crushed a two-run blast in the fifth inning off Twins reliever Casey Fien after Manny Machado walked. It was the third homer of the spring for Wieters.

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Orioles closer Jim Johnson also worked a scoreless fifth inning in relief of Steve Johnson. He didn't allow a hit but walked Aaron Hicks with two outs.

Baltimore added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single from Lew Ford off reliever Jared Burton. Brandon Boggs homered in the ninth for Minnesota.

Up next: Right-hander Kevin Correia is slated to start for the Twins against the Marlins in a 12:05 p.m. CT start at Hammond Stadium on Monday. Catcher Joe Mauer also is expected to return to action after participating in the World Baseball Classic with Team USA. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is scheduled to start for Miami.

Slugging first baseman Chris Colabello among Twins’ latest roster cuts

Phil Mackey / 1500ESPN.com – 3/17/13

The Minnesota Twins trimmed seven more players off the spring training roster on Sunday morning, including slugging first baseman Chris Colabello.

Catcher Eric Fryer, third baseman Mark Sobolewski, outfielders Brian Dinkelman and Clete Thomas and pitchers Deolis Guerra and Shairon Martis were also reassigned to minor league camp.

Colabello, 29, made quite the impression this spring, reaching base seven times in 17 plate appearances, including two doubles and three RBIs. He also led team Italy in the World Baseball Classic with two home runs and seven RBIs.

After spending seven seasons in the Canadian-American Association Independent League, Colabello signed with the Twins last season and hit .284/.358/.478 with 19 home runs and 98 RBIs for Double-A New Britain.

It's likely he will start this season at Triple-A Rochester.

Guerra will likely miss several months due to a blood clot in his right shoulder.

The Twins still have 42 players on the spring roster, including 22 pitchers.

Vance Worley serves up HR to J.J. Hardy in Twins’ loss to Orioles

AP / 1500ESPN.com – 3/17/13

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Vance Worley could end up starting for the Minnesota Twins on opening day. If he does, he'll have to pitch better than he has this spring to justify the assignment.

Acquired from Philadelphia in December for outfielder Ben Revere, Worley allowed three runs and six hits over four innings Sunday in Minnesota's 7-1 loss to a Baltimore Orioles split squad.

In four Grapefruit League starts, the right-hander is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA. He has allowed 19 hits in 12 innings.

"Some things didn't go my way. I kept the ball in the infield like I wanted. I just didn't have it hit to anybody hard enough," Worley said.

The Twins have high hopes for Worley, who slumped to a 6-9 record with a 4.20 ERA last year after going 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA as a Phillies rookie in 2011.

He allowed two runs on four singles and an infield out in the second inning Sunday before giving up J.J. Hardy's first home run of the spring in the fourth. Worley threw 51 pitches before getting a swing-and-miss.

"I don't get a lot of swing-and-misses in general. Everybody says the same thing: 'You've got to get more swing-and-misses.' Maybe they ~ 14 ~

should swing at those pitches I want them to swing at. That's really nothing I can do. My job is to get ahead in the count and get them to put the ball in play," Worley said.

Steve Johnson, one of several pitchers competing for the No. 5 spot in Baltimore's rotation, threw four scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and walked one while striking out two.

"It is definitely a heated battle, but it's a lot of fun going out there and competing," Johnson said. "You're not only competing against the other team but you're competing against the other five, six, seven guys or however many we have going after the spot. So it's a lot of fun and it's just an honor to be in the running."

Hardy was 1 for 21 before his home run.

"It was definitely nice to put a barrel to a ball," he said. "I wasn't really worried. We still have a few weeks left. I'll get a few more at-bats. I wasn't too worried about the first 25 (at-bats) or so, but that definitely felt good."

Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer and Lew Ford drove in three runs. Ford, a non-roster outfielder, is batting .483 this spring. Wieters is hitting .500.

NOTES: Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said C Joe Mauer, who returned from the World Baseball Classic, would play Monday against Miami. ... Minnesota DH Wilkin Ramirez wore his cap during the playing of the national anthem. He finally remembered to remove it near the end of the song. ... Twins GM Terry Ryan said RHP Deolis Guerra had surgery to remove a rib Friday following a blood clot in his right shoulder. He was expected back in Fort Myers on Sunday. ... Minnesota LHP Scott Diamond will throw two innings in his first outing of the spring in a minor league game on Monday. ... Twins RHP Anthony Swarzak needs to be stretched out to five innings for him to be an effective long man, Gardenhire said, and there's probably not enough time left in spring training for that. As a result, Swarzak, who cracked two ribs wrestling with teammates in January, will probably start the season on the disabled list. ... Orioles CF returned from the WBC and said he would play again in 2017 if asked. He enjoyed the experience. "It is actually a legit tournament," Jones said. ... Baltimore is off on Monday. ... Minnesota reassigned OFs Brian Dinkelman, Chris Colabello and Clete Thomas, C Eric Fryer, INF Mark Sobolewski, RHP Shairon Martis and Guerra to minor league camp. Martis is with The Netherlands at the WBC. ... The Orioles optioned OF L.J. Hoes to Triple-A Norfolk.

Twins outlast Pirates, top pitching prospect

AP / foxsportsnorth.com – 3/16/13

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Cole De Vries knows he's pitching for a job.

Trying to earn a spot in Minnesota's rotation, De Vries gave up one run and three hits in three innings Saturday during the Twins' 2-1 win over the .

"I'm going out there every day and competing like one of those spots is mine to lose, and go out there and attack as much as I can," he said. "I really feel that if I pitch my game I will have one of those spots."

De Vries is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings. Still, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire wasn't pleased De Vries threw 60 pitches and walked two.

"You have to do better," Gardenhire said.

Gardenhire also said De Vries was more impressive in his four previous outings. Coming in, De Vries had walked one in seven innings.

"I was kind of struggling a little bit with my control," De Vries said. "But I got through it. That's what matters."

De Vries was 5-5 with a 4.11 ERA last year in 17 games for the Twins.

"I think it did a ton," he said. "This isn't a brand new big league experience. .. This isn't anything compared to when you got to do in the season and there are 40,000 people in the stands." ~ 15 ~

He allowed a pair of leadoff doubles, both to Alex Presley.

"You go out there and that lead off guy either gets a base hit or a double, you're kind of on your heels a little bit."

Top Pirates prospect Gerrit Cole allowed one run and five hits in four innings, struck out four and walked none. The top pick in the 2011 amateur draft, Cole has a 3.60 ERA this spring training in three appearances over 10 innings.

Gaby Sanchez hit a in the first, but Josh Willingham's RBI grounder tied the score in the bottom half. Brandon Boggs, a non-roster invitee to Twins camp, hit a go-ahead single off Kris Johnson with two outs in the eighth.

Twins centerfield prospect Aaron Hicks led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on Willingham's grounder. Hicks is batting .333 (15 for 45).

NOTES: Twins C Joe Mauer and LHP Glen Perkins are back with the team following the elimination of the U.S. at the World Baseball Classic. Mauer is scheduled to play Sunday against Baltimore at Sarasota. ... Twins GM Terry Ryan said the center field job likely won't be decided until the end of spring training. The candidates are Hicks, Joe Benson and Darin Mastroianni. ... The Twins optioned OF Oswaldo Arcia to Triple-A Rochester (IL). He hit .188 with a double and eight strikeouts in five big league games during spring training.

Minnesota Twins assign two pitchers to Rochester Red Wings

Jim Mandelaro / DemocratandChronicle.com – 3/14/13

The Red Wings’ pitching staff improved significantly Thursday as the Minnesota Twins optioned right-hander Kyle Gibson and left-hander Caleb Thielbar to Triple-A.

Gibson is a top prospect who missed most of last season following Tommy John elbow surgery. He was a candidate to make the Twins’ starting rotation. Thielbar was 6-2 at three different levels last season, including 3-1 with the Wings.

The Twins also reassigned pitcher , catcher Kyle Knudson and infielder James Beresford to minor-league camp. Slama appears headed for a fifth season in Rochester. Last year, he posted a 1.24 earned-run average in 31 appearances.

The Twins now have 51 players in camp: 24 pitchers (7 non-roster), 6 catchers (3 non-roster), 11 infielders (6 non-roster) and 10 outfielders (3 non-roster).

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