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Home , Byron Buxton, Calvin Griffith, Chris Parmelee, Chuck Knoblauch, Darin Mastroianni, Terry Ryan (baseball)

Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Monday, January 27, 2014

 First TwinsFest at a success. MLB.com (Bollinger) pg. 1  excited to reinvent himself at first base. Fox Sports North (Mason) pg. 2  Twins to utilize metal detectors at Target Field in 2014. Fox Sports North (Mason) pg. 4  How will fans react when joins Twins’ Hall? 1500 ESPN.com (Zulgad) pg. 5  Twins prospect a natural as a father, too. Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 6  TwinsFest attendance drops, but fan feedback is positive. Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 7  Twins’ expects to be ready. Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 8  : Rehabbing still on free-agent radar. Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 9  Minnesota Twins: Arcia no-show at TwinsFest approved. Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 9  Minnesota Twins: Darin Mastroianni sports new look, but for how long? Pioneer Press (Berardino) pg. 10  TwinsFest works on smaller scale. Star Tribune (Miller) pg. 10

First TwinsFest at Target Field a success

Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com – 1/26/14

MINNEAPOLIS -- The first TwinsFest held at Target Field came to a close on Sunday, and Twins president Dave St. Peter said he was pleased with the three-day event, which was created in 1989 and used to be held at the Metrodome.

St. Peter estimated that 13,000 fans showed up at Target Field for TwinsFest, which also raised roughly $200,000 for the Twins Community Fund. More than 75 current, former and future Twins players were in attendance over the three days.

"I think the feedback we've gotten has been very positive," St. Peter said. "I think the thing we maybe underestimated was how much our fans would enjoy accessing the different clubs within in the ballpark -- whether it be the Champions Club, the Legends Club, the clubhouse or the Metropolitan Club. These are areas some fans have never been able to be in, so that's been a positive -- and so has the increased player interactives. So I think it's been reinvented."

St. Peter added that he expects the event will return to Target Field next year, based on the feedback he received from the fans, players and staff members. But the Twins will still meet to determine if Target Field is the best option to hold TwinsFest moving forward, now that the Metrodome is in the process of being torn down.

The drawback is the size of the venue, as the Twins had to cap ticket sales because they didn't want the ballpark to be too congested -- especially in the hallways of the service level, where the collectors held their trade show and Twins players were brought from the visiting clubhouse to the various signings, photo opportunities and fan interactives on the club and suite levels.

"In a big day at the Metrodome, we could have 13,000 fans in one day. But that wouldn't be conducive to a good experience here, so I think that's the biggest drawback," St. Peter said. "I think we're going to be at about 13,000 in the door, which was a little bit down from what we thought we might have -- but I don't think the weather helped. But I think, all in all, it's been a positive. This is an event you can sell too many tickets for, because it can lead to congestion -- which isn't conducive to a good experience." ~ 1 ~

The Twins used the ballpark to their advantage, however, as they opened up areas such as the clubhouse and even the team archives to fans as part of a "White Glove" tour hosted by team curator Clyde Doepner. St. Peter said the tour was so popular the club is considering offering it during the regular season, as well.

The club also added more than 100 player interactive opportunities throughout the three-day event. Activities with players included Pop-A-Shot, -themed Basebowling, Down on the Farm Bean Bag Toss, Derby on Playstation's "MLB 13: The Show" video game, T-Mobile Call-A-Friend, Reading With TC, interactive bingo, Twins Fan Feud and player question-and-answer sessions.

"I think the player interactives were really cool, and [they are] something we'd never done at TwinsFest," St. Peter said. "So from things like playing [Fan] Feud to Joe Mauer playing bowling games with kids, those were really positive additions to the event."

But, perhaps, the biggest draw was the opportunity for fans to meet the club's top prospects. Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton and Alex Meyer drew some of the longest autograph lines of the weekend.

"The biggest with the fans was Sano, Buxton, Meyer and those guys," St. Peter said. "I think that's the story of TwinsFest, which in some ways has always been a story for TwinsFest. I remember the first time came to TwinsFest, and the same with Joe Mauer and ."

Buxton, ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect by MLB.com, said he enjoyed the attention from the fans, who are excited for the next crop of top Twins prospects to reach the Majors.

"I had some fun talking to the fans," said Buxton, who drew lines of more than 500 people for autographs. "They're really excited -- and I am, too. I'm going to keep working hard to be able to get up here."

Joe Mauer excited to reinvent himself at first base

Tyler Mason / Fox Sports North – 1/26/14

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins drafted as a back in 1999. After less than a season as a minor league backstop, Morneau made the position change to a full-time .

For the 2014 season, Morneau's good friend Joe Mauer will be making that same change -- albeit for very a different reason. In Morneau's case, the move from behind the plate had more to do with his defense at catcher. Oh, and there was the fact that Mauer was drafted No. 1 overall out of high school in 2001.

"It's funny, I always give him a hard time, saying that I got drafted because he was a catcher," Mauer said this weekend at TwinsFest. "He didn't like to hear that. My first instructional league, they were kind of trying out different positions, so I actually saw Morneau in right field, too. That was a treat. He found a good place over at first base."

Mauer also hopes he finds a home at first base after a concussion this past August forced the change. The Twins' All-Star catcher and face of the franchise took a foul ball of the mask in a game against the . The result was a concussion that sidelined him for the rest of the 2013 season.

~ 2 ~

Knowing just how valuable Mauer is to the franchise, the front office and Mauer made the decision to get him out from behind the plate to a position that wouldn't beat up his body on a daily basis. He had played a handful of games at first base over the last two season as a fill-in for Morneau, and he picked up the new position with relative ease.

Yet Mauer had been a catcher nearly his entire baseball career, dating back to his days as a three-sport athlete at Cretin-Derham Hall in nearby St. Paul. As much as Mauer loved catching, the new father of twin girls saw the bigger picture and knew the change was the right thing.

Morneau also offered encouragement as a fellow catcher-turned-first baseman.

"Actually, when I was kind of going through these doctors, he was real supportive," Mauer said. "He actually told me, "Joe, you need to move. It's just not worth it.' That's coming from a guy who experienced a lot of the things that I was going through. He was very supportive in that. He's thinking about me as a friend, not just as a teammate."

The hope now is that Mauer's bat -- which has hit its way to three batting titles, an MVP award and six All-Star Games -- will now be in the lineup on a more regular basis. Mauer's career high for games played was 147 in 2012. Minnesota's front office believes a healthy Mauer at first base should be in the lineup at least 150 times, if not more.

For a team that has lost 90-plus games in each of the last three seasons, more Mauer can only help this offense.

"This guy is an All-Star and one of the best in the game but health-wise we need him on the field. We've said that all along," said Twins . "I think I'm going to be able to write him in the lineup an awful lot this year, which we have to have. It's not saying that you can't get hurt at first base -- there's a lot that can happen over there -- but those foul tips and shots off your body, that's definitely something that's kind of hindered him a little bit and he's still hitting .330."

Mauer said he had plenty of discussions with his family -- especially his wife, Maddie -- about the move. Their twin girls, Emily and Maren, are now six months old, and Mauer has fully embraced fatherhood.

There were nights, though, that he couldn't be near his baby girls because of his concussion. When Emily or Maren would cry, Mauer would have to escape to a quiet room in the house while his wife took care of the kids.

That's something Mauer doesn't want to endure anymore, and he hopes his new position will alleviate that.

"Maddie was there every meeting, every doctor's meeting," Mauer said. "I think I kept visiting different doctors hoping that somebody would tell that it was OK to get back behind there. She understood. She let me make that decision."

For Twins fans holding out hope that Mauer might keep a catcher's mitt handy, don't hold your breath. Mauer said going back behind the plate, even in an emergency situation, would defeat the purpose of why he moved to first base. Instead, Minnesota signed veteran Kurt Suzuki to handle most of the catching duties in 2014, while Josmil Pinto, Chris Herrmann and Eric Fryer all have a shot to make the club at catcher this spring.

As weird as it is for Mauer to leave his catcher's gear behind, it will also be weird for the who grew accustomed to throwing to him.

~ 3 ~

"He's a great catcher. He's got a great target back there and knows the game and knows the teams we're playing really well," said reliever Brian Duensing. "But we need him on the field, too. . . . Obviously he's a natural athlete, so first base isn't going to be too tough for him."

What has been tough for Mauer has been getting used to thinking of himself as a first baseman. He was introduced at Thursday's Diamond Awards as "Twins first baseman Joe Mauer," a phrase that brought a pause not only to Mauer but to those in the audience.

For as long as anyone has watched Mauer in a Twins uniform, he's been a mainstay behind the plate. Now Minnesota hopes he'll be a mainstay at first base for many years to come.

"Seeing the name tag at my signing booth with '1B' next to it is a little different," Mauer said. "But interacting with fans, they're excited, and it makes me excited, too."

Twins to utilize metal detectors at Target Field in 2014

Tyler Mason / Fox Sports North – 1/26/14

MINNEAPOLIS -- If you plan on attending a Twins game at Target Field in the future, you might want to arrive at the gates a few minutes earlier than normal.

The Twins will be installing metal detectors at each of the park's five gates for the 2014 season, team president Dave St. Peter said on Sunday. Minnesota must have the detectors installed in time for 's All-Star Game festivities in mid- July, but the team hopes to have everything in place by June 1.

"It's a huge operational sea change," St. Peter said. "We have the advantage of being able to get it in early and get it phased (in) and learn a lot and educate not only our fans and our staff but educate the people who are executing it, just to make sure that we're doing it in a safe way, in a smart way, and frankly in a commonsensical way, as I like to say."

Major League Baseball is mandating that all 30 teams in the league install metal detectors at every entrance by in 2015. In hosting this year's All-Star Game, the Twins will likely be one of the first to operate under this extra layer of security.

Target Field has five gates through which fans enter for games, plus several other additional entry points around the park for team employees, media and gameday staff. The plan, St. Peter said, is to phase in the metal detectors at one gate before expanding to the other four.

Some of the equipment -- which has already been purchased -- will be installed by Opening Day 2014 on April 7. St. Peter said the cost of the metal detectors and all the costs involving the process is "deep into seven figures" but he feels it's worth it in the name of safety.

~ 4 ~

"I accept it because of the world we live in today," St. Peter said. "At the end of the day, it's all about fan safety. I'm not sure that's a bad thing. I think that's a good thing. The key for us is to make sure it doesn't impede anybody's experience in coming to a game. That's something we're going to take very, very seriously."

How will fans react when Chuck Knoblauch joins Twins’ Hall?

Judd Zulgad/ 1500 ESPN.com – 1/26/14

The Twins established a Hall of Fame in 2000 as part of a way to celebrate their 40th season in Minnesota.

There have been 26 former or current members of the organization inducted since that time. Chuck Knoblauch will become the 27th member when he's honored on Aug. 23.

Knoblauch is deserving of this recognition -- he is either the greatest in Twins history or No. 2 on that list depending on if you consider to be a first or second baseman - but he's also the first person on the Twins' Hall of Fame list who might not garner unanimous applause at Target Field.

Heck, this could be downright interesting. (Not as interesting as if A.J. Pierzynski was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame one day - that is extremely unlikely - but still interesting.)

This is not to say Knoblauch was the first guy to depart Minnesota on poor terms and continue his playing career elsewhere.

Rod Carew, who went into the Twins Hall with the inaugural class, was traded to the California Angels in February 1979 after he grew tired of 's money-saving ways and forced the owner to trade him.

Pitcher , who was inducted in 2001, also didn't see eye-to-eye with Calvin and ended up being claimed off waivers by the in August 1973.

Kaat was joined in the 2001 Class by another new , who had among the worst exits of any Twins player. , another non-Calvin fan, saluted a few fans at Met Stadium by extending his middle finger on the night he was traded to the Rangers in 1976.

In each of these cases, fences were mended between the former Twin and the fan base before they were honored by the team. Blyleven even returned to help the Twins win the 1987 and there is a generation of fans who now only know him as the broadcaster who circles fans with signs.

Knoblauch, though, has never mended fences back in the Twin Cities and rarely has been heard from since he retired in 2002 and moved home to . Frankly, he's never come off as a guy who seemed as if he cared about making things right.

Knoblauch went from fan favorite as the spark-plug second baseman who won the Rookie of the Year on the World Series winning Twins team of 1991 to the guy who forced his way to the big-market Yankees after the 1997 season.

In the early Knoblauch years, he was considered fiery but loveable. In the later years, at least in Minnesota, the word loveable had been replaced with the term jerk by many.

How deep was the dislike?

Knoblauch was in his fourth season with the Yankees, and had been moved to left field because of throwing issues, when Twins fans decided to get their revenge on Dollar-Dog-Night on May 2, 2001.

~ 5 ~

Angry fans, who likely had enjoyed beverages with those hot dogs, attempted to pelt Knoblauch with enough items that the umpires pulled the Yankees from the field, public address announcer Bob Casey screamed for fans to "Quit This!" or the game could be forfeited and eventually, before the game was resumed, Twins manager walked out to left field with Knoblauch to try to calm the situation.

Thirteen years later, Knoblauch will return to Minnesota, this time to be honored by the Twins and, at least the franchise is hoping, by the fans.

It will be interesting to see if the latter group is as forgiving as the former.

Twins prospect Byron Buxton a natural as a father, too

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

As Byron Buxton wheeled an oversized red suitcase through the TwinsFest crowd early Sunday afternoon, he couldn't wait to get home.

Not just because it's significantly warmer in tiny Baxley, Ga., than here in snowy Minnesota.

Far more important to baseball's top prospect was having the chance to hold his infant son again.

Brix Scott Buxton was born on Dec. 6 to Lindsey Tillery, Byron's girlfriend of 18 months.

"Byron loves him to death," said Carrie Buxton, the 's mother. "He's just the cutest thing."

Six days after Brix was born, Byron made the 3-1/2-hour drive from Baxley to Disney World to receive 's Minor League Player of the Year Award. Buxton, 20, drove right back home the next day, which made this weekend an excruciating separation for the new father.

While parents Carrie and Felton Buxton made the trip to TwinsFest along with their 10-year-old daughter, Keva, Lindsey and Brix stayed back because of the sub-zero temperatures.

What has fatherhood meant to this budding superstar?

"It just makes you appreciate more things in life," Buxton told the Pioneer Press. "Now you've got to take care of somebody that's yours. So far, it's been pretty amazing."

In addition to raising three children of her own, Carrie has run an aftercare program at the family home for years. Yet even she marvels at what a natural Byron is when it comes to caring for his son.

"He'll change diapers, give him a bath, feed him. Yes, he will," Carrie Buxton said. "If I hold him and he starts whining a little bit, Byron will say, 'Give him to me,' and put him on his shoulder and pat him, and that baby just looks around like, 'I know my daddy loves me.' "

Asked about this, Buxton drops his head and smiles. He is clearly proud of his son.

"He's been relaxed so far, sleeping all the time," Buxton said. "So that means I get to sleep and rest. It's been great so far.

~ 6 ~

There have been times this winter at his condo in Atlanta when it has been hard to drag himself away from his new family to spend the day working out and rehabbing his left shoulder, which suffered a bone bruise back in early November at the .

"I get home about 2 o'clock every day," he said, "and the rest of the day I'm just home with my girlfriend and my son."

Lindsey, a former softball star at Appling County High School, was three years ahead of Buxton at the same school.

"She was pretty popular," he recalled.

The two didn't begin dating until some mutual friends stopped by Buxton's home and made the introduction.

A nursing student at Valdosta State University, Lindsey is the one who keeps Buxton focused.

"She's just always telling me good things," Buxton said. "When I don't want to work out, she'll be the one to tell me, 'You're going to work out.' She just keeps me straight most of the time."

Despite Lindsey's softball ability, it might surprise some to hear the young couple already has decided their son will not play baseball.

"It's going to be tough turning him away from being a baseball player, but I hope he's a football or basketball player," Buxton said. "Something other than baseball."

Because of the pressure the boy might face if the father's career goes as expected?

"Kind of," Buxton said. "I don't want people to go around saying he's not as good as me or asking him in high school if he's going to be as good as his dad. I don't want to make him have to go through that in life."

What Buxton does hope is to bring Lindsey and Brix down to Fort Myers, Fla., for his first big-league . Once the minor-league season starts in April, likely at -A New Britain, mother and child will be right there with him as Buxton heads to the chilly Northeast.

No doubt driven by impending fatherhood during his remarkable 2013 season, Buxton soon will get to enjoy a different kind of motivation. He smiles and nods at the suggestion that future four-hit games will be achieved in honor of his young family.

Balance? That's the perfect word, he agrees.

"It will be a great feeling to come home every night and see your son and your girlfriend," he said. "I'm just ready and anxious to see how it's going to be."

TwinsFest attendance drops, but fan feedback is positive

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

TwinsFest 2014 didn't prove as big a draw as the club might have hoped, but the event is still likely to return to Target Field next year. ~ 7 ~

Twins president Dave St. Peter said Sunday the club was pleased with initial feedback from visitors despite attendance for the three days that was projected at 13,000, down somewhat from what the club had hoped.

"We used to draw 13,000 in a day at the Metrodome," St. Peter said.

Increased interaction with Twins players proved popular, St. Peter said, as did the tours of the home clubhouse and other typically off-limits areas.

When it came to the White Glove Tour led by team curator Clyde Doepner, "the feedback was extraordinary," St. Peter said. The club will consider extending those tours into the regular season.

Overall, this year's TwinsFest is expected to generate about $200,000 in proceeds for the Twins Community Fund. Annual budget for the fund's various good works is $1.2 million.

In addition, the Twins sold roughly 5,000 seats for the April 7 home opener against Oakland once the general sale began Friday. The balance of -game tickets for this season will go on sale Feb. 22.

Metal detectors, as part of a Major League Baseball initiative, will gradually be phased in and should be installed at all entrances to Target Field by June 1.

All teams were given a deadline of Opening Day 2015. However, with the All-Star Game coming to the Twin Cities for the first time in 29 years, the Twins decided to move up their timeline.

Minnesota Twins’ Chris Parmelee expects to be ready

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

The large cast was gone from Twins outfielder Chris Parmelee's right wrist on Sunday.

In its place were a light gauze wrap and a Band-Aid following early January surgery.

"I had a cyst in the wrist," Parmelee said at TwinsFest. "Didn't mean to rhyme there. It was putting pressure on the nerve, so I went to see a hand specialist and had it taken out."

Parmelee called the issue "super minor," saying he first noticed it in September as he finished out a disappointing season.

"It didn't bother me too much," he said. "It didn't affect anything."

Taking extra swings with Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky this winter in southern California, Parmelee noticed the issue "getting a little worse."

Parmelee hopes to be cleared to resume taking swings in a week or so.

"I'll have two to three weeks to swing before camp actually starts," he said.

Position players report to Fort Myers, Fla., on Feb. 20.

~ 8 ~

Minnesota Twins: Rehabbing Johan Santana still on free-agent radar

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

Jason Kubel and Jason Bartlett could yet have some company in the Twins' reunion corner of the clubhouse.

Left-hander Johan Santana very much remains on the Twins' radar, Twins told fans during a Q&A session at TwinsFest on Sunday morning. Nothing is imminent, but the Twins continue to talk with Peter and Ed Greenberg, agents for the two-time winner.

"He lives down in Fort Myers, so geographically it makes a lot of sense," Ryan said. "We've had some dialogue with his representation. He's not quite ready to make a decision yet, but we're keeping an eye on him down there. Obviously, it would be a good fit for both of us."

Santana, who turns 35 on March 13, is coming off April 2 shoulder surgery -- his second shoulder surgery in 31 months -- and still hasn't scheduled a throwing session for interested clubs. The Twins aren't sure where Santana is in his throwing program, but they expect a bullpen session will be scheduled when he's further along the rehab trail.

Santana went 6-9 with a 4.85 earned-run average in 21 starts for the New York Mets in 2012 but hasn't pitched since. The ex- Twins great likely won't be ready until sometime in the summer, Ryan said.

After his first shoulder surgery in September 2010, it took Santana nearly 19 months to return to the majors.

"He'll be held back," Ryan said. "He's not ready to go. He won't be ready to go probably, I'm going to say, (until) the summer at some point. Even with that being said, we do have some interest in him. Whether or not he wants to sign with us will be up to him."

Coming off a six-year, $137.5 million contract signed after the Mets traded four young players to the Twins for him on Feb. 2, 2008, Santana received a $5.5 million buyout on the Mets' $25 million option for 2014.

Contract terms aren't expected to be the primary issue with Santana this time around. More important to him will be comfort level and opportunity.

With $84 million worth of offseason additions to the starting rotation, the Twins don't figure to offer Santana nearly as much opportunity as they could have in recent years. Top pitching prospects such as Alex Meyer, and Trevor May also complicate the recruiting process.

"We certainly are familiar with him and he with us," Ryan said of Santana. "So it would be a good fit for us, and if he deems that same opinion, maybe we can work something out."

Minnesota Twins: Arcia no-show at TwinsFest approved

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

Oswaldo Arcia's Zulia club was knocked out of the Venezuelan Winter League playoffs on Tuesday, but the Twins had no problem with the young outfielder's decision to skip TwinsFest.

~ 9 ~

"We didn't know whether he was going to play or not," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "I didn't have any problem with it."

The league championship series began later in the week without Arcia, but the Twins didn't pressure him to book a flight to the Twin Cities at the last minute.

"Only if it was convenient," Ryan said. "It would have been difficult for him to juggle it, so he's not here."

Arcia, 22, was the only active no-show for the event, which featured 33 members of the Twins' 40-man roster.

Minnesota Twins: Darin Mastroianni sports new look, but for how long?

Mike Berardino/ Pioneer Press – 1/26/14

Spotting Darin Mastroianni in the clubhouse hallway Sunday, Twins President Dave St. Peter jokingly asked the outfielder if he was going to be "rocking the ponytail" at spring training.

Mastroianni, who last shaved or cut his hair in mid-October, said that wasn't the plan. Plenty of current Twins sport beards, but the team has no official policy against long hair.

"We haven't had one officially," St. Peter said. "The unofficial one is (general manager) Terry Ryan might walk by a guy and tell him to grab a razor."

And if Mastroianni opts to take his hirsute act into the season? It doesn't sound like St. Peter would be the one to stop him.

"We're looking for characters on our team," St. Peter said. "Marketing, right?"

TwinsFest works on smaller scale

Phil Miller/ Star Tribune – 1/27/14

Moving TwinsFest to Target Field this year cut attendance by almost half, Twins President Dave St. Peter said, but that may be the only measure by which the team’s annual fan carnival was not a success.

“The feedback we’ve gotten was very positive,” St. Peter said as the three-day event wrapped up. “The event has kind of been reinvented. ... I would say it’s pretty likely that it will return here again next year.”

Roughly 13,000 fans attended the 26th annual event, one of the smallest totals in the event’s history; more than 25,000 attended the 2013 version at the Metrodome, and the team drew more than 35,000 in 2007.

“On a big day at the Metrodome, we would have 13,000 on one day,” St. Peter said.

The drop was due in small part to the cold, snowy weather, which kept the event from selling out on Friday and Sunday. But mostly, it was by design, given Target Field’s much smaller indoor space.

“It was important for us to get off to a good start here, and try to avoid a level of congestion that isn’t conducive to a good experience,” St. Peter said. “As we get better on the field and interest in our team builds, we’re going to need to be disciplined about how many tickets we sell.” ~ 10 ~

Still, the team raised an estimated $200,000 for the Twins Community Fund, which spends more than $1.2 million on charitable work in the community, St. Peter said. And the new interactive games with Twins players, from bingo to bowling to “Fan Feud,” were popular with fans.

Vendors and collectible dealers were stationed on the ballpark’s basement level hallway, and some said the lack of adequate lighting and the corridor’s chilliness were a problem. So was the relative lack of customers.

“I did about 75 percent of the business I did in the Dome last year, so it wasn’t too bad for me,” said Duane DeBower, owner of Dui’s Sportscards, who had a table in a high-traffic area. “But some vendors are hurting. Some might not even make their table fee.”

Twins still talking to Santana

Johan Santana lives just a few miles from the Twins’ Florida headquarters in Fort Myers, so it would be easy for the two-time Cy Young Award winner to rehab from shoulder surgery and prepare for a comeback attempt at his former team’s complex. The Twins have interest in making that happen, General Manager Terry Ryan said Sunday.

For now, though, “we’re monitoring his situation,” Ryan said. “He’s not ready yet to start that process. He’s only just started playing catch.”

The Twins, who traded Santana to the Mets before the 2008 season, have discussed a reunion with Santana’s agent, but the lefthander, who missed both the 2011 and 2013 seasons after undergoing shoulder surgery, is not ready yet to begin a throwing program.

“He’s going to take his time,” Ryan said. “It’s going to be into the summer before he’s ready to pitch.”

Still, the Twins had a similar let-us-know-when-you’re-ready arrangement with Rich Harden last spring. Setbacks in his own recovery from shoulder surgery derailed Harden’s comeback, but “I don’t regret that at all,” Ryan said. “That was a gamble that made a lot of sense. We’re willing to be patient.”

Sano puts on the pounds

His sore elbow kept him from doing his normal workout for six weeks, so Miguel Sano put on a few extra pounds.

“I weighed myself today and I was 250,” the 20-year-old Dominican slugger said. “When spring training starts, I’ll weigh like 245, I think.”

But if his body has gotten bigger this offseason, so have his expectations. Sano may have only 67 games of experience above , but he made it clear this weekend that he intends to play here this season — and right away.

“I have a fairly [large] amount of expectation to make the team” this spring, said the minor leagues’ top power-hitting prospect.

His expectations are higher than that, actually. When it was pointed out that his home run totals have jumped from 20 in 2011 to 28 in 2012, and to 35 last year, Sano didn’t need an interpreter to explain what’s next.

“I hit 45 this year. More games,” he said. “Maybe 55, you never know.”

Such is the exuberance of a power hitter who just received a clean bill of health. Sano was examined by Twins doctors Saturday, the fourth such exam he’s undergone since he began feeling pain in his elbow shortly after the season ended, and no structural damage was found. The pain has ceased after his six-week break from training, too, so it appears he will avoid surgery.

Hicks learns painful lessons

Aaron Hicks figures he learned more in the major leagues last year than he would have at Class AAA, even though he didn’t like what he learned: that he wasn’t ready.

~ 11 ~

“I’ve had the worst of it all,” Hicks said of his .192 batting average in 81 games last summer. “I understand failure. I’d rather go through that, the fact that I’ve actually dealt with it. Now I know what I have to do to prepare.”

He knows he’s projected to spend this summer in Rochester, as the Twins try to draw out the talent that earned him his major league job last spring. But “I’m expecting to try to win a job here, just like last year,” Hicks said. “Hopefully it’s in the big leagues. If I do go to -A, I’ll do what I can to get back here.”

~ 12 ~