While the season is winding down for the Twins' minor leagues, it's just starting for outfielder Jason Kubel.

 

Kubel has missed the season because of torn anterior, posterior and lateral cruciate ligaments suffered in his left knee last October in an Arizona Fall League game. He's spent the year rehabilitating the knee in Fort Myers, Fla., and recently got the go-ahead to begin running. He has not run the bases yet but is running without a brace at 75 percent effort. He takes batting practice with a brace on,

 

Kubel is home in California, where he will be examined on Sept. 19 by Dr. James Tibone, who repaired the knee last December. If things go well, Kubel will return to Fort Myers to begin baseball-related running activities and hopefully play in some fall instructional league games.

 

"His work effort has always been very good," said Jim Rantz, Twins director of minor leagues. "Hopefully everything goes well, and we can get him in some games down below."

 

Then the Twins can begin to determine how much, or whether, Kubel can help them next season. Kubel, 23, batted .352 at Class AA New Britain and Class AAA Rochester last season.

 

 

Rantz was asked for the minor leaguer -- other than lefthander Francisco Liriano -- who has improved the most this season. Rantz immediately offered up New Britain outfielder Denard Span, who batted .267 last season at Class A Quad Cities and was being overpowered daily. He also missed time because of a broken hamate bone.

 

Span helped himself with a strong instructional league stint and won a job at Class A Fort Myers to begin the season. He became one of the league's top hitters, batting .339 in 49 games to earn a promotion to New Britain. He entered Friday batting .283 for the Rock Cats. Span, 21, is a slap-and-dash hitter who is an excellent center fielder.

 

"We were almost at the stage where we though he might have to go back to Quad Cities [to begin the season]," Rantz said. "He really hadn't played his way out of it because of injuries. You know what got him over the hump? Instructional League. He was the talk of the league. He added some strength and now looks good."

 

Span, the Twins' first-round draft pick in 2002, will play in the Arizona Fall League this year,

 

 

Remember when one of the top pitching prospects in the organization was righthander J.D. Durbin? He is finishing up a disappointing season at Rochester (4-5 with a 4.55 ERA).

 

Durbin struggled during spring training while posting a 7.88 ERA. His season has been marred by walks, a trip to the disabled list because of a sore shoulder and then a cortisone shot for the same shoulder when discomfort returned.

 

"I don't think he's real sharp," Rantz said. "He shows a good arm. He is still sound. He's sat out so much that his stuff, command-wise, isn't there. He needs to pitch a little bit."