Jim Mandelaro
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Jason Kubel accomplished a lot in 2005.

He oversaw the building of a new home in Palmdale, a suburb in southern
California.

He helped plan his wedding to Blake Tonkin, and the two were wed on Dec.
3.

And he spent lots of time in sunny Florida and California.

All of which would be great if Kubel were a traveling salesman. But when
you are one of the hottest baseball prospects in America and you don't
play baseball the entire year, it's not a good thing.

"I had a lot to keep me busy," Kubel says, "but it was really a very long
year."

Kubel is competing for a spot on the Minnesota Twins this spring. If he
doesn't make the 25-man roster, he'll begin the season in Rochester.

The fact that he's playing at all is a testament to his determination.

In 2004, Kubel enjoyed the kind of season players dream about: The
sweet-swinging left-handed hitter batted a combined .352 with 22 home runs
and 100 RBI in 127 games between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A
Rochester, then hit .300 in 23 games with the Twins.

"We knew he could hit," farm director Jim Rantz says. "His track record
was that he would be an offensive guy, and he sure was. He stood up to all
our expectations."

Red Wings legend Joe Altobelli called Kubel "a young Roger Maris." The
International League called him its Rookie of the Year and batting champ
(.343 in 90 games with Rochester).

"It was an incredible year," Kubel says. "I was just feeling it all
season. It was like a one-week hot streak, except it lasted the entire
season."

But everything came crashing down one ill-fated day in October 2004. While
playing right field for the Grand Canyon Rafters of the Arizona Fall
League, Kubel crashed into second baseman Ryan Raburn.

He did not get up.

Kubel had torn three ligaments in his left knee, a devastating injury to
any athlete. He underwent surgery on Dec. 2 and couldn't walk without
crutches for two months. He had been in line to replace free agent Jacque
Jones in right field for the Twins, but instead the Twins re-signed Jones
for another season and Kubel bided his time while rehabbing at home and at
the Twins' complex in Fort Myers, Fla.

"I watched some games on TV," he says. "It was good to see the guys (on
the Twins) play, but it was tough to watch at times."

When Twins manager Ron Gardenhire saw Kubel at the team's instructional
camp in October, he was very concerned.

"I didn't think he was moving well at all," Gardenhire says. "But he came
in here this spring and looks so much better. His swing is behind a bit,
of course, and his speed isn't the same. But in the realm of things, he's
ahead of where I thought he would be."

Kubel, 23, is hitting just .240 this spring but could make the big-league
roster due to an oblique injury to right fielder Michael Cuddyer. There
are 29 players in camp, and the final roster will be announced Sunday.
Kubel pronounces himself "100 percent healthy," but there are times when
the effects of his injury are apparent.

"You can tell he's missed some time," Gardenhire says. "His swing isn't
there yet. But it's just rust. He still has bat speed and still can crack
the baseball. He's going to be a great hitter."

Kubel, obviously, would like to start the year in Minnesota.

"I feel I've proven I've recovered in the weeks I've been down here (in
Florida)," he says.

"If I have to go to Rochester, that's fine too, but playing in the majors
is my goal."

Gardenhire says Kubel's status has been talked about at length.

"If he looks like he's one of our best guys, we'll take him north right
now and put him in a platoon situation until someone takes over," he says.
"We've talked about starting him in the minors and getting him plenty of
at-bats, but that's not necessarily going to happen with our injuries."

Either way, Kubel will be in a baseball uniform when the regular season
begins next week. To him, after everything he's been through, that beats
choosing ceramic tiles for his new home or china for his wedding registry
any day of the week.

The Kubel file

Name: Jason James Kubel.

Age: 23.

Height/weight: 5-11, 200.

Roots: Born in Belle Fourche, S.D., but moved to Palmdale, Calif., at age
2.

Favorite baseball teams: Dodgers, Angels and Padres.

Did you know? Kubel has been an all-star every year of his professional
career.

Wings, Sox tie

Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer and Tony Batista each had two hits for Rochester
as the Red Wings tied the Pawtucket Red Sox, 4-4, in exhibition baseball
Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla.

Twins reliever Juan Rincon pitched one scoreless inning for Rochester
(3-5-1). The Red Wings have two exhibition games remaining, including this
afternoon's game with Pawtucket.

Coming up

Jim Mandelaro profiles first baseman Jason Hart in Saturday's Democrat and
Chronicle. Hart was the 2000 Minor League Player of the Year but missed
the '04 season recovering from brain surgery to remove a non-cancerous
tumor.

March 31, 2006