Minnesota Twins Daily Clips. Thursday, March 14, 2013

Transcription

1 Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Thursday, March 14, 2013 Upbeat developments for Nick Blackburn. StarTribune.com (Neal) pg. 1 Twins get superb defense, big rally; then give up 6 in 9 th vs. Orioles. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 2 Morneau, with Canada, misses out on chance to taunt in WBC. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 3 Postgame: Olmedo saw his home run coming. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 4 Escobar works at catcher, impresses in infield. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 4 Souhan: The bullpen is a mess. StarTribune.com (Souhan) pg. 5 Twins waste great defense and a late rally. StarTribune.com (Miller) pg. 6 Minnesota Twins: Deolis Guerra transfers hospitals, awaits surgery. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 7 Minnesota Twins: Anthony Swarzak ready, finally, to return to mound. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 7 Minnesota Twins: Justin Morneau returns from WBC with lasting memory. PioneerPress.com (Berardino) pg. 8 Carlos Gomez: Former Twin signing extension with Brewers. PioneerPress.com (Rosiak) pg. 9 Spring training attendance slipping; weather, WBC, cost factors. CBSSports.com pg. 10 Guerra scheduled to undergo rib procedure. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 10 Correia enjoys starting success against O s. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 11 Morneau returns from successful Classic stint. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 11 Worth noting. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 12 Mastroianni engaging in battle for center-field job. Twinsbaseball.com (Bollinger) pg. 12 Olmedo helps Twins power up late against O s. twinsbaseball.com (Drellich) pg. 13 Justin Morneu goes 0-for-3 in first game back from WBC as Twins lose. 1500ESPN.com (AP) pg. 14 Upbeat developments for Nick Blackburn La Velle E. Neal III / StarTribune.com 3/14/13 FORT MYERS, FLA. Righthander Nick Blackburn is spending spring training working on his conditioning and testing the range of motion in his surgically repaired wrist. He is several weeks away from a return to the mound, and even longer from getting into a game. Spring training, for Blackburn, is a test of patience. It is already weird, seeing those guys over there, Blackburn said earlier this week, sitting in front of his stall in the minor league facility, and seeing the highlights from games. At the same time, it s making me more excited about being healthy and getting back out there. He looks and sounds relieved. He has two reasons to feel that way. In January, Blackburn had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, and he s hopeful it will put an end to the arm problems that have led to four surgeries since the end of the 2010 season. The other reason he s in good spirits is that his wife, Alicia, is pregnant with twins and is in the clear after battling complications. ~ 1 ~

2 It wasn t an easy offseason for the family. Blackburn made several trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to visit Dr. Richard Berger, the specialist who discovered the problem in his wrist and developed the surgery. Blackburn is the second major league player to have the surgery. The other is Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth, who has said the surgery saved his career in Blackburn also made several trips to Houston with his wife to visit her specialist, after she was diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a condition in which one twin doesn t develop as well as the other because of an unbalanced blood supply. She underwent surgery to correct the problem on Feb. 14. We had to talk about if everything doesn t go right, having to save one of them or if something takes a turn for the worse, do we terminate both? Blackburn said. It didn t hit us how serious it was [until then]. The surgery was successful. The twins will be children Nos. 3 and 4 for the Blackburns. Blackburn could be ready to pitch in a game by the end of May which is about the time Alicia is expected to give birth. She has responded well, Blackburn said. The babies have responded well. Things are balancing out. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan regularly checked on the Blackburns. I worried about [the pregnancy] more than anything right now, Ryan said, because she s gone through all kinds of complications. She seems to be all right now. Blackburn, who never set foot in major league camp this spring, appreciated that Ryan made time to ask about his wife. I talked to him a lot, Blackburn said. It says a lot about Terry. Blackburn is still in a soft cast until he regains more range of motion in his wrist. Then he will begin strengthening exercises until he s ready to play catch. He didn t throw a baseball for most of the offseason, so he will be starting from square one in building arm strength. That s why he might not pitch in a game until late May. Blackburn, with a 4.85 ERA over six major league seasons, will have to pitch well to earn another shot at the bigs. He isn t on the 40- man roster and was going to be a spring training invite if he would have been healthy. He said he might need the whole minor league season to get back to where he wants to be. He could be a free agent by then. He s making $5.5 million in 2013, the final year of a four-year, $14 million deal. The Twins hope he can contribute this season, but Blackburn also knows his next pitch in the majors might come while wearing a different uniform. It would be great to pitch on the major league level this year, Blackburn said. I don t expect to. I m not ruling it out, but I m not counting on it. I m going to work as hard as I can, then whatever happens once I m healthy happens. If it doesn t work out with the Twins, he will hit the market and look for a place to continue his career. If I m in Triple-A this year and don t have a major league job next year, I m not going to shut it down, he said. He laughed softly, adding: I m going to have to keep going. With four kids, I ll have to play as long as I can. Twins get superb defense, big rally; then give up 6 in 9 th vs. Orioles Phil Miller / StarTribune.com 3/14/13 FORT MYERS, FLA. He didn t walk or strike out a batter, so Kevin Correia needed some help from his teammates on Wednesday. Boy, did he get it. ~ 2 ~

3 Some unbelievable defense, the Twins starter said after Chris Parmelee and Brian Dozier made sparkling plays in the Twins eventual 9-4 loss to the Orioles in Hammond Stadium. That s kind of what I need when I m pitching out there. No strikeouts, no walks, so the ball s coming out there. Parmelee, in his first game after missing nine days because of a strained groin, backpedaled on Rob Flaherty s first-inning fly ball, then almost nonchalantly jumped and snatched a home run back from over the right field fence. I thought that one was getting out, said Correia, who gave up two runs, one earned, in 4⅔ innings, the longest start by a Twins pitcher this spring. But he stayed with it, went back and got it. So did Dozier, over and over. Correia induced nine ground-ball outs five to Dozier, who three times Wednesday left his feet to knock down grounders and converted them into outs every time. But the defense and an amazing Twins comeback were wasted when the Orioles struck for six runs in the ninth. The Twins, who struck out seven times in four innings against Orioles starter Brian Matusz, trailed 3-1 entering the eighth inning. But Class AA shortstop James Beresford, who has one career home run in six professional seasons, smashed a Todd Redmond pitch over the right-field fence to tie the game. Joe Benson followed with a bloop double, and second baseman Ray Olmedo put the Twins in front with a long home run to right. That comeback only set up an offensive explosion by Baltimore, which piled up six runs on five hits off relievers Josh Roenicke and Caleb Thielbar. Morneau, with Canada, misses out on chance to taunt in WBC Phil Miller / StarTribune.com 3/14/13 FORT MYERS, FLA. Justin Morneau will never live it down. He faced two of his closest friends in a big World Baseball Classic moment, and though his ground ball off Glen Perkins found a hole, Team Canada lost to Perkins, Joe Mauer and the Americans. The teasing must be relentless, right? There s no real trash-talking, Morneau said with a shrug Wednesday, shortly before he returned to the Twins lineup. Probably the three guys who talk the least amount of trash would be me, Joe and Perk. We re respectful. Well, unless Canada wins. That would have been a huge deal, Morneau grinned. Maybe there would have been a little bit more trashtalking from me. Still, Morneau said the WBC was a good experience. When you re there and you re caught up in it, it s like playoff baseball. It s a lot of fun. Except for the fight. Morneau said he regretted that the brawl between Mexico and Canada was what most people will remember of Canada s participation, but we don t feel like we were in the wrong. The Mexicans took exception when Canada, mindful that WBC tiebreakers can come down to cumulative runs, kept trying to score with a 9-3 lead. When Arnold Leon hit former Twins outfielder Rene Tosoni in the back with a pitch, both benches emptied and I was in the middle somewhere, Morneau said. We had to stick up for ourselves. Emergency backstop Eduardo Escobar played third base Wednesday, but he spent part of his afternoon trying out something else. For a half hour, Escobar squatted in a batting cage, receiving baseballs from a pitching machine. That s part of his training to be an emergency catcher, one of Ron Gardenhire s pet projects this spring. ~ 3 ~

4 Gardenhire is determined to add better hitting, and perhaps some power, to the Twins bench this spring, but roster spots are few. One way to free up a spot is to carry only Mauer and Ryan Doumit at catcher, but that plan requires someone on the roster able to fill in for a few innings in an emergency. Escobar is that guy. Why? White Sox manager Robin Ventura had the same idea last summer, and asked his least-used utility man, Escobar, to give it a try. The 24-year-old infielder practiced in the bullpen but never caught in a game. In fact, he s never caught in a game at any level. But I m utility man. I like it, the Venezuelan said. In Chicago, I say, I play everywhere. I play outfield, too. I ll catch. Guerra update Deolis Guerra was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital in a medical helicopter, General Manager Terry Ryan said, standard procedure for transporting patients with blood clots. Guerra will remain hospitalized until doctors are ready to remove his first right rib in a couple days, Ryan said. But he definitely expects the Venezuelan righthander to pitch again this summer. On deck Mike Pelfrey, who has pitched six consecutive scoreless innings, faces Ryan Dempster and the Red Sox at Hammond Stadium. Postgame: Olmedo saw his home run coming Phil Miller / StarTribune.com 3/13/13 Wednesday's game was so strange, Ron Gardenhire invented a new word for it. "We ambushed them," the Twins' manager said, "and they re-ambushed us back." Re-ambushed is a good word for it, considering the Twins looked a little like Custer by the end. The only one who wasn't shocked by the eighth and ninth innings, apparently, was Ray Olmedo. The Twins entered their half of the eighth trailing 3-1, having mustered very little against Orioles starter Brian Matusz and two relievers. But up stepped Class AA shortstop James Beresford, who had homered once in six professional seasons. Make it two. Beresford, just back from playing for Team Australia in the WBC in Taiwan, smashed a Todd Redmond pitch over the right-field fence to tie the game. Joe Benson followed with a bloop double, and second baseman Ray Olmedo put the Twins in front with a long home run to right. "Olmedo told us he should be batting fourth tonight. About three innings earlier," Gardenhire said. "Then he hits that homer. Then he goes, 'I told you so.' My bad." But nearly as surprising was how the Orioles responded, by scoring six runs in the ninth, five of them off reliever Josh Roenicke. The righthander, claimed off waivers from Colorado last November, had been pitching reasonably well this spring, allowing a few too many baserunners -- eight hits and four walks in seven innings -- but giving up only two runs. Roenicke is out of options, so his chances of making the team are relatively good, but he couldn't put the ball where he wanted to this time. He allowed three hits, walked two, and ballooned his ERA to 8.22 before being removed after retiring only two hitters. "I don't know [what happened]. Walking the leadoff guy is never good," Gardenhire said. "It looked like he was misfiring -- he was flying wide open with his left side, his chest was facing home every time he released the ball, so he wasn't staying back.... Just was out of whack, it looked like." Escobar works at catcher, impresses in infield ~ 4 ~

5 Phil Miller / StarTribune.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Ron Gardenhire shook hands with Alexi Casilla as the former infielder walked by a little while ago. Then he discussed his own infield, which sounds eerily similar to those that Casilla played in: A lot of maybes. Gardenhire tends to drop hints into his answers about players, so it was interesting to hear him discuss his options at third base if Trevor Plouffe -- out for a few days with a strained calf -- is injured again during the regular season. "It would be one of the utility guys right now, [like Jamey] Carroll," Gardenhire said of Plouffe's backup. Then he mentioned another utility candidate, Eduardo Escobar, but added a telling caveat. "Escobar, but if he's playing every day, we'd figure out somebody else." Maybe it's overthinking it. Or maybe Brian Dozier and Pedro Florimon aren't so secure in the middle of the infield. Gardenhire went out of his way to compliment the 24-year-old Venezuelan, acquired from Chicago in the Francisco Liriano trade last July. "He's playing really well. Wherever I put him, he's playing really well," Gardenhire said. "So we'll just figure out what happens with the rest of them, and plug him in wherever we need to as we go along in the spring." Something to keep in mind, anyway. Escobar is batting.367 this spring, has more hits (11) than anyone but Aaron Hicks, and is a smooth fielder. Florimon is at.222, Dozier at.226, for what that's worth. Admittedly, one 0-for-3 and 3-for-4 day, and their stats would reverse. Escobar spent a half-hour this afternoon catching pitches from a pitching machine, getting ready for the grand super-utility experiment. It's clear Gardenhire is considering Escobar as an emergency catcher, on hand only in case Joe Mauer or Ryan Doumit get hurt during a game. That would free up a roster spot, the one held last year by Drew Butera, for a stronger pinch-hitter, which definitely appeals to the manager. "Another catcher is only a phone call away," he said. "He would only have to get you through nine innings, or whatever." A couple of other notes: -- Deolis Guerra was transferred to Tampa General Hospital today, in preparation for surgery to remove the first rib on his right side. That should give the artery more room, and the Twins hope will prevent further blood clots. No word yet on when the surgery will take place. -- Justin Morneau is back from the World Baseball Classic, and sounds eager to get back to work. Had a good time, he said, and "I'll always remember" the moment when he was facing the USA battery of Glen Perkins and Joe Mauer. -- As expected, Chris Parmelee is back in the lineup after a week off with a groin strain. Gardenhire is also still feeing Oswaldo Arcia at-bats before he heads to minor-league camp. -- Kyle Gibson will pitch in relief today, after throwing in the bullpen on Monday. He lost his start to the Twins' off day on Tuesday. Gardenhire said the Twins will arrange their rotation in order after next Tuesday's off day, so we should know who the Opening Day starter is in a week. By my math, it's whoever starts on Friday, March 22, which would keep him on rotation to face Justin Verlander on April 1. Tonight's lineups for a Fireworks Night game with the Orioles, who are starting three former Twins: Orioles: Alexi Casilla 2B, Ryan Flaherty SS, Manny Machado 3B, Jason Pridie LF, Taylor Teagarden C, Travis Ishikawa 1B, Danny Valencia DH, Chris Dickerson RF, Trayvon Robinson CF. LHP Brian Matusz P. Twins: Aaron Hicks CF, Brian Dozier 2B, Josh Willingham LF, Justin Morneau 1B, Ryan Doumit C, Chris Parmelee RF, Oswaldo Arcia DH, Eduardo Escobar 3B, Pedro Florimon SS. Kevin Correia P, followed by Casey Fien, Kyle Gibson, Josh Roenicke, Caleb Thielbar and Anthony Slama. Souhan: The bullpen is a mess Jim Souhan / StarTribune.com 3/13/13 The Twins have three relievers set to be in their bullpen this season: Closer Glen Perkins, setup man Jared Burton and lefty Brian Duensing. Perkins and Burton are quite good. Duensing is at least a valuable lefty-on-lefty pitcher, and could be more if he can find a way to neutralize righthanded batters. There are four jobs open, and there are no sure things among the other Twins' relievers in camp. ~ 5 ~

6 What else do the Twins have right now? Josh Roenicke got crushed by a mediocre Orioles lineup in the ninth on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium, and he might still be a lock because he has a track record and is out of options. Tim Wood is also out of options, which might give him a leg up, and Ryan Pressly is a Rule 5 draftee. Alex Burnett has been unimpressive this spring but may not have to do much to win a spot. Anthony Swarzak injured himself during horseplay at TwinsFest and is likely to start the season on the disabled list. Casey Fien was expected to be a lock but has struggled. Pedro Hernandez is a lefty who could make the team because of others' failures. Tyler Roberson is another possibility. The Twins' lineup figures to be productive if the health of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau is an indication. The rotation should be at least somewhat better than it was a year ago with the additions of Mike Pelfrey and Vance Worley and the expectation that Kyle Gibson will contribute at some point this season. But the bullpen is a mess. Roenicke figures to survive his meltdown. The staff likes him. And Fien pitched 1 1/3 innings without a blemish on Wednesday. The team may be dependent on Alex Burnett becoming the pitcher they always thought he should be. -Brian Dozier had a remarkable game at second base, making plays all over the field and especially ranging to his right. -Kyle Gibson pitched two innings in relief. Indications are he'll be sent to the minors so he can begin slowly building up his arm strength to prepare him for starting later this season. While the Twins were open to the idea of him starting the season with the big league club, that would have happened only if he had been lights out this spring. At this point, they'll probably ease him into duty and hope he can come up mid-summer and be at his best. Twins waste great defense and a late rally Phil Miller / StarTribune.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Chris Parmelee snatched a home run back from over the fence, Brian Dozier made three diving stops for outs, and the Twins hit a pair of eighth-inning home runs to take a late lead. But Baltimore scored six times in the ninth to rally past Minnesota on Wednesday, 9-4 at Hammond Stadium. Kevin Correia reduced his spring ERA from 6.75 to 4.76 by allowing two runs, one earned, over 4 2/3 innings, the longest outing by any Twins starter this spring. He allowed a home run to Chris Dickerson, and would have given up one to Ryan Flaherty as well, but Parmelee backpedaled to the wall and almost casually jumped and grabbed the ball as it cleared the wall. Correia did not strike out or walk a batter, and induced nine ground-ball outs -- five of them to Dozier, who three times left his feet to knock down grounders and converted them into outs every time. The Twins, who struck out seven times in four innings against Orioles starter Brian Matusz, trailed 3-1 entering the eighth inning. But Class AA shortstop James Beresford, who has one career home run in six professional seasons, smashed a Todd Redmond pitch over the right-field fence to tie the game. Joe Benson followed with a bloop double, and second baseman Ray Olmedo put the Twins in front with a long home run to right. That comeback only set up an even better rally by Baltimore off Twins relievers Josh Roenicke and Caleb Thielbar. Nuiman Romero tied the game with a one-out single to score Buck Britton, and Kyle Hudson's grounder hit third base, a single that scored former Twin Danny Valencia to recapture the lead. Baltimore tacked on four more runs before being retired. The Twins return to action Thursday afternoon at home against the Red Sox, with Twins starter Mike Pelfrey facing Ryan Dempster. ~ 6 ~

7 Minnesota Twins: Deolis Guerra transfers hospitals, awaits surgery Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla.-- Twins pitcher Deolis Guerra was transferred by medical helicopter to a Tampa-area hospital as he awaits rib resection surgery, the team announced Wednesday, March 13. Guerra, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right (throwing) shoulder Friday, had been in intensive care at HealthPark Medical Center in Fort Myers since returning from the World Baseball Classic venue in San Juan, Puerto Rico. "That's a good step," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They told us everything is going along fine. They're prepping him and getting him ready. I think they're in the process of scheduling the procedure and hopefully get him on the right track. I'm sure he's anxious after sitting around long enough." Twins general manager Terry Ryan said the procedure would take place in a couple of days. Guerra, 23, required blood-thinning medication to dissipate the clot. The Venezuelan minor leaguer is expected to miss the first half of the season, but Ryan said "there is no doubt" Guerra will return at some point this year. The pitcher's No. 32 Venezuela WBC jersey was displayed in his locker in the Twins clubhouse as a tribute. Minnesota Twins: Anthony Swarzak ready, finally, to return to mound Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Anthony Swarzak took a key step forward in his return from two broken ribs suffered in late January. "I get to be a big boy and throw off the mound," the Twins right-hander said Wednesday, March 13. "I get to touch that slope for the first time this spring." Swarzak threw a light bullpen session that lasted just a few minutes and wasn't even from regulation distance. Afterward, he gave a fist bump to pitching coach Rick Anderson and a thumbs-up to a group of onlookers. After a few more light bullpens, Swarzak should begin ramping up with an eye toward getting into spring training games as soon as possible. A valuable swingman who threw the fifth-most innings on last year's Twins pitching staff, Swarzak still doesn't know if there will be enough time to break camp with the big-league club. For now, he's just focused on the next challenge before him. "This year is a huge year for me," he said. "I feel great, and I put in a lot of work this offseason to have a bounce-back year. I wouldn't let anything keep me off the field this time of year." Before the freak injury nearly seven weeks ago, Swarzak said, he already had thrown "multiple bullpens" in January and was "ready to go." Instead, a bout of "horseplay" -- to use general manager Terry Ryan's description -- put him on the shelf. Swarzak said the long absence has "absolutely" been annoying. "I put myself in this situation," he said. "Nobody put me in this situation. It was me, and here I am paying for it." As for what exactly happened at TwinsFest, Swarzak offered a few more details Wednesday but again showed no interest in revealing which teammate (or teammates) contributed to the accident. "That's not important," he said. "It was a situation where we all were just kind of hanging out and kind of goofing around a little bit, and I just kind of fell down. Landed kind of awkward and (suffered) a couple broken ribs." ~ 7 ~

8 Swarzak, who drove with third baseman Trevor Plouffe to watch the U.S.-Puerto Rico World Baseball Classic game on the Twins' off day Tuesday, said he values the support of his teammates. "I think everybody in this clubhouse is looking forward to me getting better," he said. "Nobody wants anybody else to be hurt. Once I tell them I'm throwing off the mound, I'm sure they'll be happy." Ryan recently said he appreciated Swarzak's honesty in the wake of the January incident. "He was man enough to call me quick and let me know that he screwed up," Ryan said. "He was embarrassed about it." Although some athletes have been known to try to hide the true nature of offseason injuries, Swarzak did not. "I've never been a person who's believed you could lie yourself out of anything," he said. "That would just make the situation worse." Was the quick call from Swarzak important to Ryan? "For me, and I think even for him," Ryan said. "He's at a point in his career where it's important he now move forward and not backwards. We need to get him out there. The kid's talented. He's got stuff." Swarzak, a second-round draft pick in 2004 out of Nova High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is one of several Twins on track to become eligible for salary arbitration for the first time next winter. With a career big-league record of with a 5.03 earned-run average, he knows he needs to take a big step forward. Swarzak went in parts of eight minor league seasons. Three times Baseball America ranked him among the Twins' top five prospects. "I know what I'm capable of doing," he said. "It's about time we show the world what we're all capable of doing." Minnesota Twins: Justin Morneau returns from WBC with lasting memory Mike Berardino / PioneerPress.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Back from the World Baseball Classic, Justin Morneau said there was one moment he will "never forget." That was his at-bat in the sixth inning of Team Canada's tournament-closing loss to Team USA on Sunday, March 10. It wasn't the single off Twins closer Glen Perkins that Morneau will remember so much as the triangle of teammates -- including U.S. catcher Joe Mauer -- that moment created. "It was cool," Morneau said Wednesday, March 13. "It was something I'll never forget, that's for sure, being in there with Joe catching, me hitting and Perk pitching. Not too often something like that happens, teammates at that current time, facing each other and being involved in a big situation like that." George Morneau, the first baseman's father, was trying to secure a photo of the moment in hopes of having all three principals sign it. "That would be something pretty cool to have," Morneau said. Even after Team USA rallied for a 9-4 win, there "was no real trash talking," Morneau said. "Find three guys that talk the least amount of trash, it would probably be me, Joe and Perk," he said. "It was respectful. They know if we would have beat 'em, it would have been a pretty huge deal. Maybe there would have been a little more trash talking from me if we would have been able to hang on to win that game." Nothing was respectful about the ninth-inning brawl between Canada and Mexico, which erupted over a bunt single by Canada with the game decided. At one point a baseball flew out of the stands and nearly struck Canada's first-base coach Larry Walker, Morneau's boyhood idol. ~ 8 ~

9 "People aren't looking and they're getting stuff thrown at them," Morneau said. "It's dangerous. It's just stupidity. I doubt the people who threw it would want the same thing to happen to them. It's a good thing nobody was hurt. It's unfortunate that's what those three games will be remembered for, but that's life." During the brawl itself, Morneau said he was "in the middle somewhere." He told Perkins he kept his helmet on. Morneau came closer to getting hurt on March 8 against Italy, when ex-twins lefty Dan Serafini let a pitch sail up and in to Morneau. The ball initially appeared to graze his helmet, but it actually struck him on the hand. "It was close," Morneau said. "I talked to him after. He apologized. With two strikes, it was one of those things. It just got away from him. I was just glad he didn't hit me in the head." Carlos Gomez: Former Twin signing extension with Brewers Todd Rosiak / PioneerPress.com 3/14/13 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The smile on Carlos Gomez's face said it all. The energetic centerfielder walked through the Milwaukee Brewers' Maryvale clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, accepting numerous handshakes and hugs from teammates and team employees after word had spread that he would be signing a three-year, $24 million contract extension with the team. Shortly after that, he made his way upstairs and did just that, putting the finishing touches on a deal that ties him to the team through the 2016 season. Gomez, 27, signed a one-year, $4.3 million contract in January in his final year of arbitration eligibility. It was at that point he and his agent, Scott Boras, began discussing the possibility of a longer deal with the Brewers. Gomez had committed to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic but withdrew before it started so as to not jeopardize the extension. The deal will pay him $7 million in 2014, $8 million in 2015 and $9 million in All told, the Brewers now owe Gomez $28.3 million over the next four seasons. "I'm going to spend seven years with this team, and I feel like that's my career," said Gomez. "It feels really exciting to continue my progress. Some people ask me if I'm happy. Yes, I'm happy, but I'm not going to be completely happy in my job until I'm sure I deserve that money. "Money's not going to make me change. I'm a fighter. I'm a winner. I have to continue working hard, and I have to continue to prove I'm a centerfielder for this ballclub for another four years." Gomez had a breakout season in 2012, hitting.260 with 19 home runs, 51 runs batted in and 37 stolen bases in 137 games. He was one of just five players in the major leagues with 15-plus homers and 30-plus stolen bases, joining teammate Ryan Braun, Mike Trout, B.J. Upton and Jimmy Rollins. He's also considered one of the top defensive centerfielders, possessing tremendous range with the ability to make highlight-worthy plays. "He's played well here lately, come into his own," general manager Doug Melvin said. "Always had good physical skills. I think he's good for this ballclub with Ron (Roenicke's) aggressive managing style. That's the game he plays. "So it's a good fit for us, and we appreciate the fact that he recognizes that the Brewers and Milwaukee are a good place for him." By buying out his first three years of free agency, the Brewers are making a calculated gamble Gomez will continue to develop. ~ 9 ~

10 Should he improve upon the numbers he posted in he started just 98 games as the Brewers opened the season with Gomez and Nyjer Morgan platooning in center -- the team will have gotten a bargain. On the flip side, if Gomez fails to become more disciplined at the plate and has already plateaued, the Brewers will have overpaid for a player with physical gifts who never quite harnessed that ability. In three seasons in Milwaukee, Gomez has hit.248 hitter with 32 homers, 99 RBI and 71 stolen bases. His career on-base percentage is low at.294; in 2012 it was.305. "When he does his double flips out there, that's not my style," Roenicke said. "But the way he plays, he creates a lot of problems for the other side. I like the aggressive play. Sometimes you'd like for him to be a little smarter about it. "But I think he's learning and getting better all the time. At 27 years old, I think he'll continue to get smarter in the game, and that tool set that he has I think will get to be used in a more efficient way. He uses it, but sometimes it just gets a little crazy." Entering Wednesday, Gomez led Brewers regulars by hitting.529 in eight games with an on-base percentage of.652. Already a large presence with his outgoing personality and infectious smile, Gomez has taken a larger leadership role in a clubhouse filled with veterans. "He's been more active this year, more vocal this year than he's been in the past," Roenicke said. "Some of that has been because we lost some of the other personalities and the veterans that speak up, so he's kind of taken that on a little bit. "He's one funny dude." The Brewers acquired Gomez from the Minnesota Twins in November of 2009 in exchange for shortstop J.J. Hardy. Gomez said he'd take his wife, Gerandy, out to a "good dinner" to celebrate. Beyond that, he's able to provide financial security for his family over the long term. "I've got a little money, but like people say, 'More money, more problems,'" Gomez said. "I hope it doesn't bring me problems, because I'm looking for safety for my family, and I can give them safety -- especially my son." Spring training attendance slipping; weather, WBC, cost factors CBSSports.com 3/13/13 KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Crowds at spring training baseball games are down this year, with several factors conspiring to cut into attendance. Exhibition games started more than a week earlier this year to help major leaguers get ready for the World Baseball Classic. The games in February were under way before a lot of fans had arrived in Florida and Arizona on vacation and spring break. Overall attendance is down by about 14 percent over last year, according to totals compiled by STATS. Chilly weather led to empty seats in many ballparks. Fans have mentioned they've noticed watered-down lineups that are the result of injuries, players taking part in the WBC and other regulars resting up. High ticket prices also were a factor. It can cost more than $50 a ticket for some exhibition games. Guerra scheduled to undergo rib procedure Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com 3/14/13 ~ 10 ~

11 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Right-hander Deolis Guerra, who was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder last week, was transferred to Tampa General Hospital in preparation for a first rib resection surgery, the Twins announced on Wednesday. The surgery date is yet to be determined, but the removal of his first rib is expected to give the artery more room. "He's in Tampa and will have surgery on that rib in the next couple of days," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "This is something a lot of people have had. We've had four guys have this in the past. A blood clot is certainly a serious situation, but they'll remove that first rib and he'll be back in time." Guerra, who is expected to be out about three months, initially felt numbness in his shoulder while in Puerto Rico, as he was set to pitch for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. But he left the tournament early to get checked out by Twins doctors in Florida. He last pitched in an exhibition game for Venezuela against the Mets in Port St. Lucie on Wednesday -- giving up two runs on three hits in one inning. Correia enjoys starting success against O s Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com 3/14/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Right-hander Kevin Correia turned in his best outing of the spring in the Twins' 9-4 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium. Correia, making his fourth Grapefruit League start, gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits in 4 2/3 innings to his improve his ERA to 4.76 this spring. "It was good," Correia said. "Everything felt pretty good. I was throwing a lot of strikes and getting ahead of guys. It's pretty much everything I'm looking to do at this part of spring." Correia was also aided by a few nice plays from the defense, as Chris Parmelee robbed a potential homer in right field with a leaping catch at the wall, while Brian Dozier made several slick plays at second base. "I was really helped by my defense," Correia said. "Dozier made a couple of great plays. It's kind of what I need pitching out there. I didn't have any strikeouts or any walks, so the ball is going out there and we need to field it. So the pitch count was good and my arm felt probably as good as it's felt since I've been out there." Morneau returns from successful Classic stint Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com 3/14/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After starring for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic for three games, Twins slugger Justin Morneau made his return to the lineup as the club's first baseman and cleanup hitter on Wednesday night against the Orioles. Morneau, who went 0-for-3 in the Twins' 9-4 loss to the Orioles, was impressive in the Classic, hitting.636 (7-for-11) with three doubles, three RBIs and a walk. But Canada was eliminated with a 9-4 loss to Team USA on Sunday at Chase Field in Phoenix, which caused Morneau to head back to Fort Myers earlier than he had hoped to. "The intensity was good and the adrenaline level was high, but there's still a long time until the regular season starts," Morneau said. "But it was still a good foundation to build off of -- to have a few good days of the success at the plate and know my swing is pretty close to where I want it to be. So it's a good confidence builder, and hopefully I can continue it." Morneau said one of the highlights for him was facing Twins left-hander Glen Perkins with Joe Mauer behind the plate for Team USA. Morneau singled in his lone at-bat against Perkins and said his dad took a picture of the at-bat for a keepsake. ~ 11 ~

12 "It was cool," Morneau said. "It was something I'll never forget for sure. Being in there with Joe back there catching, me hitting and Perkins pitching, it's not too often something like that happens with teammates facing each other in a big situation like that." Morneau also added he was uninjured in the bench-clearing incident that broke out between Team Canada and Team Mexico on Saturday, which was a relief to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who was happy to have Morneau back in camp. "It's all good," Gardenhire said. "He's excited. He had fun. He's anxious to get back here and get playing. And we're happy he's back here playing and healthy." Worth noting Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com 3/14/13 Utility infielder Eduardo Escobar got some work at catcher on Wednesday, as he caught fastballs from a pitching machine in the batting cages. Gardenhire said he wants Escobar, who is hitting.367 this spring, to be ready in case he's needed as an emergency catcher this year. "He's fine," Gardenhire said. "He's done that with the White Sox. I talked to him the other day about how he has to do some of that stuff, too. He has no problems with it." The starting rotation could start to take shape next week, as Gardenhire said the official rotation order will begin after the off-day on Tuesday. Gardenhire has yet to name the club's Opening Day starter against the Tigers for April 1 at Target Field. "We're working on it," Gardenhire said. "We'll have it all lined up after our next day off." Right fielder Chris Parmelee returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing more than a week with right groin tightness. Parmelee, who started in right field and batted sixth against the Orioles, initially sustained the injury running the bases on March 4 in Jupiter. Mastroianni engaging in battle for center-field job Rhett Bollinger / Twinsbaseball.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Things couldn't have been going much better for Darin Mastroianni. He was off to a hot start --- hitting.364 in his first five Grapefruit League games -- and with Mastroianni's experience with the Twins last year, he looked like the favorite for the center-field job ahead of prospects Aaron Hicks and Joe Benson. But then, Mastroianni felt some tightness in his left hamstring while checking his swing on Feb. 28, and was shut down for more than a week before returning on March 9. And a lot changed in that time, as Hicks had a breakout week, crushing five homers in a span of three games, including a three-homer performance against the Phillies in Clearwater, and a homer in an exhibition game against Puerto Rico. But Mastroianni said he's tried his best not to be too worried about that race for the center field spot -- even with the way Hicks has emerged over the last two weeks. "I'm not even thinking about it and I'm not going to say I don't care about it because I absolutely do, but I am who I am," Mastroianni said. "I'm going to go out there and play my game every day. My goal is to make this team and be on the flight to Minnesota, and help us any way possible with whatever role that may be. That was my plan last year and it worked pretty good, and so this year I want to continue to help this team win. "So if it's me leading off and playing center, that's great. And if it's me coming off the bench like last year, that's great. We're here to win baseball games. There's no personal agenda for me. It's what's best for the Minnesota Twins. That's what concerns me." Mastroianni's attitude is refreshing, as he knows how hard he's worked to be in the position he's in after joining the club before last season as a waiver-wire pickup from the Blue Jays. ~ 12 ~

13 After starting out the year in Double-A New Britain, Mastroianni emerged as a pleasant surprise for the Twins last season, as he hit.252/.328/.350 with three homers, 17 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts in 77 games last season. Mastroianni also provided stellar defense at all three outfield positions and proved to be a solid fourth outfielder off the bench. And he's continued that this spring by hitting.412 with three stolen bases in eight games, which has impressed Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "He's going to get out there and look to take advantage and run," Gardenhire said. "And he's hit well. He had the little hamstring thing but he's back out there. He's a very aggressive player who brings that spark to the game." Gardenhire added that with a little less than three weeks left until Opening Day on April 1 against the Tigers, it's too early to declare a favorite in center field. But Mastroianni knows what he's up against, as Hicks is having a great spring and is regarded as one of the best center field prospects in the game, as evidenced by his No. 98 overall ranking by MLB.com. Mastroianni, though, had nothing but positive things to say about Hicks, who was his teammate last season at Double-A New Britain for a short while. "He looks like a totally different player," Mastroianni said. "He looks like the kid with all the tools, but he put it all together and he's brought it into the games with the way he's hitting. I'm happy for him with the way he's playing. He's worked hard and deserves that success." But Hicks has yet to play above Double-A New Britain and Mastroianni proved last season he can handle Major League pitching. Mastroianni's not as highly regarded as former Twins center fielders Denard Span or Ben Revere, but has plenty of speed and an acute sense of what his role is on the team. "Throughout my career, I've helped my team by being on base whether it's walking or getting hits," Mastroianni said. "My presence on the bases is obviously my best attribute. Getting myself on base is key for me." So Mastroianni said the goal is to continue to play his game the rest of spring and let the Twins make their own decision about who will be the center fielder come Opening Day. "I've been pretty happy with the way things have gone so far," Mastroianni said. "I usually don't swing the bat well early in spring. So it's been nice to get some barrels on some pitches and do well." Olmedo helps Twins power up late against O s Evan Drellich / Twinsbaseball.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Orioles rallied in the ninth inning with six runs, including a go-ahead RBI single from Kyle Hudson off reliever Josh Roenicke, to hand the Twins a 9-4 loss on Wednesday night at Hammond Stadium. A pair of Twins home runs in the eighth inning had erased a 3-1 deficit. James Beresford and Ray Olmedo hit their first homers of the Grapefruit League season off Orioles reliever Todd Redmond, both to right field, with one out in the eighth. Joe Benson doubled in-between the longballs, making Olmedo's a two-run shot that fully erased the two-run lead Baltimore held at the inning's start. A lefty vying for the Orioles' fifth starter job, Brian Matusz fanned seven -- including six of the first seven he faced -- in four no-hit innings. Five in a row went down on strikes at one point, starting with Matusz's last batter in the first inning. He consistently reached 91 mph and was perfect for his first 11 batters, until Josh Willingham drew a two-out walk in the fourth. ~ 13 ~

14 "I got to think way back," Matusz said, when asked if he had ever struck out six of the first seven before. "For me I don't think about those things, the strikeouts. It's more just making quality pitches and attacking." Batting cleanup, Justin Morneau finished 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in his first game back since Team Canada's run in the World Baseball Classic ended on Sunday. Matusz struck out Morneau swinging to start the second, and Morneau grounded back to Matusz after a long at-bat that followed Willingham's walk in the fourth. "He's one of the best hitters in the league for a reason," Matusz said. "He just kept fighting." Baltimore potentially would have opened the scoring two batters into the game had Twins right fielder Chris Parmelee not robbed O's shortstop Ryan Flaherty of a solo homer with a leap at the wall. The catch was made more impressive because Parmelee had not played since March 4 because of right groin tightness. Orioles right fielder Chris Dickerson put one out of Parmelee's reach with one out in the third, hitting a solo shot for his first homer of the spring and a 1-0 Baltimore lead. That came off Twins starter Kevin Correia, who was charged with one of the two runs that scored in his 4 2/3 innings. Correia had zero walks or strikeouts. The O's went up 2-0 later in the third. "It was good," Correia said of the outing. "Everything felt pretty good. I was throwing a lot of strikes and getting ahead of guys. It's pretty much everything I'm looking to do at this part of spring." Correia had some help from second baseman Brian Dozier, who more than once ranged up the middle. "Dozier made a couple of great plays," Correia said. "It's kind of what I need pitching out there. I didn't have any strikeouts or any walks so the ball is going out there and we need to field it." Minnesota scored its first run on a Flaherty throwing error in the fifth, cutting Minnesota's lead to 2-1. Baltimore went up 3-1 on a one-out Travis Ishikawa single in the seventh. Up next for the Twins: Right-hander Mike Pelfrey is set to make his fourth start of the spring on Thursday against the Red Sox in a 12:05 p.m. CT start at Hammond Stadium on MLB.TV. Pelfrey, who had Tommy John surgery on May 1, has a 3.52 ERA this spring. Right-hander Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start for the Red Sox. Justin Morneau goes 0-for-3 in first game back from WBC as Twins lose AP / 1500ESPN.com 3/13/13 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- With outings like this, Brian Matusz could regain a job in the Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation. Matusz pitched four hitless innings, struck out six of his first seven batters and retired his first 11 before a walk in Wednesday night's 9-4 win over the Minnesota Twins. "My mindset was to attack the zone with authority and come out there and just play the game and pitch," Matsuz said. "Just build enough confidence. Just keep building, building and stay strong all the way through." Matusz had a ERA in 2011, the highest in a season for a pitcher with at least 10 starts. He was 5-10 with a 5.42 ERA in 16 starts last year, then was sent to the minors on July 1 after losing his fifth straight outing. Baltimore brought him back on Aug. 24, and he was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 18 relief outings, holding opponents to a.114 batting average. Chris Dickerson hit a solo home run in the third off Kevin Correia, who allowed two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Baltimore right fielder Nick Markakis returned to the team after an MRI in Baltimore showed he has a small herniated disk in his neck and will be out about another week. ~ 14 ~

15 "I'm confident that I'm going to be OK," said Markakis, who hopes to be able to play in three-to-four consecutive exhibition games. "Whether I'm there opening day or not, it depends on how my body reacts and how I feel." Minnesota's Justin Morneau went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in his first game back after playing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. "He's one of the best hitters in the league for a reason," Matusz said. "He just keeps fighting. I felt like I was making good pitches. He was just putting good swings on it. That last pitch, I just said, I'm going to bury a slider here.' He's such a good hitter, he still put good wood on it. With those tough hitters, you've just got to bear down and throw strikes." Morneau said he benefited from playing in the WBC. "It was something I'll never forget," he said. Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe remains out for at least several more days with a calf strain. Eduardo Escobar, who has just 59 games of big league experience, started at third and went 0 for 2. "We've got all kinds of guys who can play third," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "It's just a matter of how much offense we'll get." Game notes Twins minor league RHP Deolis Guerra remains in Tampa in intensive care for a blood clot in his pitching shoulder. He is expected to have surgery within a few days. "This was precautionary," Ryan said. "This is something that a lot of people have had. We've had four guys ourselves. A blood clot is certainly a serious situation. But I believe he'll be back in time." Ryan said he had no doubt Guerra would pitch again this season.... Twins LHP Scott Diamond, who had offseason surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow, remains slated to pitch in a game Monday. ~ 15 ~