Arrival of 2004 IL top rookie means Alex Romero heads back to Double-A

Kevin Oklobzija
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Jason Kubel didn't waste time getting to Rochester.

Assigned by the Minnesota Twins late Sunday afternoon, Kubel was scheduled
to fly into town Tuesday night. Red Wings manager Stan Cliburn is hoping
the 2004 International League rookie of the year starts in right field
today.

Kubel batted .188 (3-for-16) in seven games with the Twins. He missed all
of last season recuperating from a badly injured left knee.

Kubel's arrival forced the Wings to send outfielder Alex Romero to
Double-A New Britain, where he was an Eastern League All-Star a year ago.

Romero appeared in eight games, batting just .192 (5-for-26) with a double
and three strikeouts.

Last season he batted .354 with 15 homers and 77 RBI in 139 games.

"Sometimes players don't realize that taking a step backward is for your
future," Cliburn said. "We do have a lot of veteran outfielders; the
outfield situation is crowded."

Cliburn pointed out that Torri Hunter, Lew Ford and Dustan Mohr are
outfielders from the Twins system who went back to Double-A before
graduating to the majors.

Not "big-leaguing" it: Second baseman Kaz Matsui may have an $8.033
million salary with the New York Mets but when he was asked to bunt in the
third inning on Tuesday, he laid down a perfect sacrifice.

The bunt pushed the runners to second and third and the next batter, Jeff
Keppinger, followed with a sacrifice fly to drive home a run for a 2-0
Tidewater lead.

"The situation we're in, we've been having trouble scoring runs. It's
expected as a fundamental ball club that you have to manufacture runs,"
interim manager Tony Tijerina said. "That's part of his game, part of his
role."

Matsui, with Tidewater on a rehabilitation assignment, went 1-for-3 with
an RBI double and scored one run.

Matsui is very likely the highest-paid player ever to take part in an
official regular-season game at Frontier Field.

Better in the pen? Pitcher Henry Bonilla is always willing to make
emergency starts, and he prefers to start, but the numbers say he's best
in the bullpen.

In 8 1/3 innings of relief over four games, Bonilla hadn't allowed a run
and gave up just four hits. In his first start Tuesday, he yielded five
runs on five hits.

In his final three starts of 2005, he was 0-3 with an 8.88 earned run
average, giving up 40 hits in 25 1/3 innings.

Streaks end: The shutout streak for Wings pitchers ended at 28 innings
when Norfolk scored a run in the second.

Game day

The matchup: Red Wings vs. Norfolk Tides (Triple-A affiliate of the New
York Mets).

Time/place: 1:35 p.m. today/Frontier Field.

Tickets/promotion: $6, $8.50, $10. Business person's special and Knot Hole
game. The previous Tuesday's Democrat and Chronicle has a $2 off tickets
coupon.

Where to park: The Red Wings Express starts at the Genesee Crossroads
garage and works its way east, making stops at the East End garage (Main
and Chestnut streets), Midtown garage (gate 2 behind Midtown Plaza), and
South Avenue garage (corner of Broad Street and South Avenue). The three
buses run continuously from 12:30 p.m. through the end of the game.

Radio: WYSL-AM (1040).

Web site: www.redwingsbaseball.com. Click on "Sports" all season to check
out Jim Mandelaro's baseball blog — Extra Bases.

April 19, 2006

Jim Mandelaro
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

A deep bench has allowed Rochester Red Wings manager Stan Cliburn to
tinker with his lineup daily, but one constant is coming.

Meet Jason Kubel: playing right field and batting third.

"That's where we'll put him every day," Cliburn says. "He's going to add a
lot to this club."

Kubel, the 2004 International League Rookie of the Year and batting
champion, was optioned Sunday night from the Minnesota Twins to make room
for veteran Ruben Sierra.

He has 72 hours to report but could well be here tonight.

"Knowing him, he'll want to get in the lineup as soon as he can," Cliburn
says.

Kubel missed the 2005 season recovering from major knee surgery. He hit
3-for-16 (.188) this month with the Twins.

Cliburn has been using third baseman Terry Tiffee in the "3" hole of late
but plans to move him to fifth in the lineup.

Bad timing: Red Wings left fielder Josh Rabe entered Monday leading the
International League with a .439 batting average, but with just one run
batted in.

And he has been in the No. 5 hole more times than not.

"I haven't had a lot of chances (to drive runs in)," Rabe says.

He doubled his RBI total on Monday, grounding to shortstop to drive in a
run in Rochester's four-run fourth against Richmond. He flied to left in
the sixth with Tiffee at second.

Rabe is 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position this season, including
two infield hits.

Bonser honored: Red Wings right-hander Boof Bonser has been named the
International League's Pitcher of the Week.

In three starts this season, Bonser has allowed two runs on eight hits in
18 innings. He has walked six and struck out 18.

Bonser led the IL with 168 strikeouts last season. He is scheduled to
pitch Friday night at Frontier against Norfolk.

New manager: Mets minor-league field coordinator Tony Tijerina has been
managing Norfolk in place of Ken Oberkfell, who underwent surgery on Feb.
15 to remove blood clots in his leg.

Photo contest: In celebration of Frontier Field's 10th season, Mitchell
Pierson Jr. Realtors is sponsoring a "Name That Wing'' contest in the
team's yearbook, on sale at the ballpark.

Page 103 shows 32 players, managers or coaches who have worn a Wings
uniform between 1997 and 2005.

Fans can go online to piersonrealtors.com and match the names listed with
the photo.

Get all 32 correct and win a VIP outing for 10 at a Wings game, including
parking, a pregame tour of Frontier Field, ceremonial first pitch, photo
with Wings mascots Spikes and Mittsy, seats behind home plate and dinner
at a Wings concession stand.

Two runner-up prize winners will receive VIP parking, four premium seats
and dinner to a game. The deadline is June 1.

Winners will be notified by phone. If there is more than one "winner," the
Wings will draw one name from the correct entries.

Kaz Matsui here

New York Mets second baseman Kaz Matsui will be with the Norfolk Tides on
a rehab assignment when the Tides roll into Frontier Field for a four-game
set tonight.

The native of Japan has been on the disabled list with a right knee
sprain.

Red Wings media relations director Chuck Hinkel says between five and 10
Japanese media members are expected tonight.

Game night

Matchup: Red Wings vs. Norfolk Tides, Triple-A affiliate of the New York
Mets.

When/where: 6:35 at Frontier Field. Gates open at 5:30.

Radio: WHTK-AM (1280).

Starting pitchers: Red Wings RHP Henry Bonilla (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Tides
RHP Jeremi Gonzalez (0-1, 3.65).

Promotions: Purchase four reserved tickets, four hot dogs, four 12-ounce
Cokes and a 2006 Wings yearbook for $25.

April 18, 2006

Associated Press

The Minnesota Twins purchased the contract of veteran Ruben Sierra on
Sunday and optioned rookie outfielder Jason Kubel to Triple-A Rochester.

Sierra stayed behind for extended spring training in Florida while he
rehabilitated a strained quadriceps, and went 3-for-12 with a double and
one RBI in three games with the Single-A Fort Myers.

He will be available for Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles
Angels. His primary role will be as a bat off the bench, but manager Ron
Gardenhire said he also could platoon in right field.

Kubel, a promising rookie on the mend from a serious knee injury last
year, appeared in seven of the Twins' first 12 games, going 3-for-16
(.188) with one RBI.

"We're really happy with where he's at," Gardenhire said. "He needs to go
down and get some consistent at-bats on an everyday basis."

Last update: April 16, 2006

The Twins on Sunday sent outfielder Jason Kubel to Class AAA Rochester and
called up outfielder Ruben Sierra. Sierra will be in uniform Tuesday when
the Twins play host to the Angels.

By La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

The Twins on Sunday sent outfielder Jason Kubel to Class AAA Rochester and
called up outfielder Ruben Sierra. Sierra will be in uniform Tuesday when
the Twins play host to the Angels.

Sierra, who has recovered from a sore left quadriceps, was 2-for-4 with a
double Saturday in his final tuneup game with Class A Fort Myers. Sierra
mostly will pinch hit but could be used in the outfield if needed.

Kubel, who singled in his only at-bat Sunday, hit .188 in seven games. He
missed all of last season because of a knee injury but showed an
impressive bat in spring training and made the club when Sierra went down.
The Twins believe Kubel is better off playing every day at Class AAA
Rochester than staying with the major league team and sharing time in
right field with Lew Ford and Michael Cuddyer.

"He was out a year-plus of baseball and is doing very good," Twins manager
Ron Gardenhire said. "He just needs to go and play."

Kubel is not expected to spend the rest of the season at Rochester.

"I knew it was coming," he said. "I knew it since I've been up here.
Couldn't relax and get it out of my mind."

The Minnesota Twins purchased the contract of veteran Ruben Sierra on
Sunday and optioned rookie outfielder Jason Kubel to the Rochester Red
Wings.

Sierra stayed behind for extended spring training in Florida while he
rehabilitated a strained quadriceps, and went 3-for-12 with a double and
one RBI in three games with Single-A Fort Myers.

He will be available for Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles
Angels. His primary role will be as a bat off the bench, but manager Ron
Gardenhire said he also could platoon in right field.

Kubel, a promising rookie on the mend from a serious knee injury last
year, appeared in seven of the Twins' first 12 games, going 3-for-16
(.188) with one RBI.

"We're really happy with where he's at," Gardenhire said. "He needs to go
down and get some consistent at-bats on an everyday basis."

— The Associated Press

April 17, 2006

By Jim Mandelaro
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

The Rochester Red Wings' offense could be about to receive a major shot in
the arm.

Barring an unexpected setback, veteran outfielder Ruben Sierra will join
the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, and the Twins will send rookie Jason Kubel
to Rochester.

Kubel was the 2004 International League Rookie of the Year and batting
champion, hitting .343 in 90 games for the Wings. He hit a combined .352
with 22 home runs and 100 RBI between Rochester and Double-A New Britain
that season, then batted .300 in 23 games for the Twins.

He is a major prospect in need of seasoning after missing the 2005 season
recuperating from major knee surgery.

Kubel is 2-for-14 (.143) in spot duty for the Twins. Manager Ron
Gardenhire suggested last week that Kubel might need time in the minors to
find his stroke.

Sierra is recovering from a strained left quadriceps muscle and has played
for Class A Fort Myers the past few days.

Red-hot Rabe: Wings left fielder Josh Rabe went 4-for-5 in Saturday's 6-5
win over Richmond and is batting .444.

"I'm usually terrible in April," he says. "I played all winter (in
Venezuela) and didn't have much time off. I think it's carrying over."

Heating up: The Wings continued to shine in the clutch at home, hitting
5-for-13 Saturday with runners in scoring position. They were 5-for-11 on
Friday after going 6-for-43 the previous five games on the road.

Temper, temper: Frontier Field's first flare-up involving a replacement
umpire took place in the eighth inning Saturday. Richmond center fielder
Cesar Crespo was incensed that he was called out on what seemed to be a
delayed strike three call from the home-plate ump.

Crespo slammed his bat to the ground — an automatic ejection in normal
circumstances — and Braves manager Brian Snitker heatedly gave the ump a
piece of his mind.

The replacement umpires' names are being withheld by Minor League Baseball
while the real umps are on strike.

Perkins disciplined: Double-A New Britain left-hander Glen Perkins,
Minnesota's No. 4 prospect according to Baseball America magazine, was
removed after the second inning of Wednesday's game by manager Riccardo
Ingram after Perkins balked at catcher Jose Morales' attempt to visit him.
Perkins later apologized.

Game day

Matchup: Red Wings vs. Richmond Braves, Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta
Braves.

When/where: 1:35 p.m. at Frontier Field. Gates open at 12:30.

Radio: WHTK-AM (1280).

Starting pitchers: Red Wings RHP Boof Bonser (1-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. Braves
RHP Anthony Lerew (0-0, 7.88).

Promotions: A pregame Easter egg hunt, with one egg containing a golden
ticket to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Kids 14 and under can run
the bases after the game.

April 16, 2006

By La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

CLEVELAND - Barring a setback, outfielder Ruben Sierra is expected to join
the Twins by the end of the week, meaning the club will have a decision to
make. Who goes when Sierra is ready?

Outfielder Jason Kubel hit his way onto the Opening Day roster after
missing all of last season following a knee injury. But he is 1-for-12
after two series, going 0-for-2 with a walk in Sunday's 3-2 loss to
Cleveland. Kubel has made eight outs to the right side of the infield --
including seven groundouts to second base.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire will give Kubel more playing time this week.
As much as he likes the look of the lineup with Kubel's lefthanded bat,
Gardenhire might send Kubel down to sharpen his swing at Class AAA
Rochester. That would open up more time for Michael Cuddyer in right field
while adding Sierra's experienced bat to the bench for late-inning
situations.

"I want to see Kubel and see how he reacts to a lot of situations early
here," Gardenhire said. "We have a roster move [coming up], and if he
looks like he's pressing a little bit, then when I bring Sierra up here in
a week I can send Koob out and let him get swinging.

"You can see he's pressing. That's fine because he's been out a long
time."

Gardenhire spoke as if he anticipated Kubel struggling early. While the
stability of Kubel's knee was monitored during spring, hit rustiness at
the plate was also a concern.

"In spring training, you saw a guy swinging and you're seeing young
pitchers," Gardenhire said, "This is the real deal. This is the time I can
get a real feel for what he's doing."

Sierra is playing in extended spring training games in Fort Myers. Fla.,
he already has tried to steal a base, a good sign he feels comfortable
with the left quadriceps that bothered him late in camp.

As for Cuddyer, Gardenhire is considering starting him Tuesday in the home
opener against Oakland.

Liriano a starter?

There is evidence that the Twins are considering using lefthander
Francisco Liriano as a starter. How soon is not known.

Liriano has made two appearances out of the bullpen. The Twins want
Liriano, one of the game's top starting pitching prospects, to build up
stamina to start. His 22/3 innings of shutout relief -- during which he
hit 98 miles per hour on the radar gun -- impressed scouts in attendance
as well as the Twins.

"He's like [Johan] Santana was, but he's ahead of Santana," Gardenhire
said, "He has better pitches right now than Santana did at that age.
Eventually, sure, you don't want to leave that out there in the bullpen.
You want to use that. We'll see how it goes along."

Someone would have to leave the rotation to make room for Liriano, which
would make for a tough decision. Kyle Lohse didn't pitch well Friday but
he's making $3.95 million. Scott Baker couldn't get through five innings
Saturday -- but he did manage to escape a couple of jams without much
damage.

"You can start [Liriano] and let him go three or four innings and someone
else has to [come] in, which is fine," Gardenhire said. "You're going to
build his arm strength up as you go along. We want to make sure his feet
are grounded."

Etc.

* Twins outfielder Lew Ford was held out of the lineup Sunday because of a
sore left hamstring. He will test his fitness today and could be available
Tuesday for the home opener.

* The last time Santana started a season 0-2 was his rookie year of 2000.

* Cleveland's Jake Westbrook has won seven of his past nine decisions.

* Indians slugger Travis Hafner lined out to center in the fourth inning,
ending a streak of reaching base 11 consecutive plate appearances. The
ball was hit hard, and Torii Hunter playfully took his glove off and shook
his hand after throwing the ball back in.

Last update: April 09, 2006

From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: Veteran outfielder Ruben Sierra
(strained right quad) could come off the disabled list and join the
Minnesota Twins by this weekend. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has
mentioned Jason Kubel, the 2004 International League Rookie of the Year
and batting champ, as possibly being sent back to Rochester.

Both feel honored to play, even against a tough pitcher

BY TOM POWERS
Pioneer Press

TORONTO — By 1:30 in the afternoon, Jason Kubel was rattling around Rogers
Centre, trying to keep busy. He put on his baseball pants. He watched some
of the endless hockey highlights shown on the Canadian sports networks.

"Mostly I've been sitting around doing nothing," he said a couple of hours
before the Twins-Blue Jays season opener. "I'm nervous. I'm getting
anxious."

A couple of weeks ago, Kubel, 23, seemed convinced he was headed to the
minors. He was coming off a devastating knee injury that caused him to
miss the 2005 season. Twins management didn't appear convinced he was 100
percent healthy this spring. So Kubel figured he was a goner.

"I don't think it's looking good," he said at the time. "I've got a gut
feeling."

As it turns out, that gut feeling might have been the result of a bad
burrito. Not only did Kubel wind up going north with the team, but he also
was in the Opening Day lineup, batting eighth and playing right field.

"I just feel honored to be here," he said.

A few locker stalls down sat another unlikely Opening Day starter, Juan
Castro. Unlike Kubel, Castro, 33, always was assured of making the team.
But the talk over the winter was that he would be filling in all over the
infield.

Then Castro injured his wrist in the World Baseball Classic and couldn't
play until the last week of camp. The more he sat, the more Jason Bartlett
played. And the more Bartlett handled the baseball as if it were a live
hand grenade.

When Castro returned to the field, the double plays started to flow. It
was as if everyone had forgotten just how smooth he was at the position.
So there he was in the lineup against the Blue Jays. With Bartlett in the
minors, the position is his to lose.

Like Kubel, Castro experienced one overriding feeling: "It is an honor to
be a starter on Opening Day," he said.

And although you couldn't tell by looking at him, Castro also was
experiencing some nerves.

"I get nervous before every game," he said. "It's normal for me. But maybe
a little more on Opening Day because there is more adrenaline."

All they were asked to do, incidentally, was to go out and try to hit
against Toronto ace Roy Halladay. Castro managed one of the Minnesota's
five hits off him. Kubel was 0 for 3. Still, hitting against anyone, no
matter how tough, beats sitting on the bench or playing in the minors.

Kubel found out he was starting when manager Ron Gardenhire posted his
lineup about 3 p.m. Asked what he thought about it, Kubel replied with a
chuckle: "A little scared. No, no, not scared. Nervous."

He earned his spot on the team. He got more of a chance to play when Mike
Cuddyer, considered the regular right fielder, suffered a strained oblique
muscle with a couple of weeks left in camp. But Cuddyer was pronounced
healthy several days ago.

Castro also wasn't sure what was in store for him in 2006. He came to camp
with the idea of doing his best at whatever they asked him to do.

"I wanted to start," he said. "This year I am getting the chance. I always
go out to do good things. Any time I'm at shortstop and a man is on base,
I want that double play. That's my goal. I want the ball hit to me."

It's no fun trying to hit against Halladay. But it easily beats not
playing at all.

Posted on Wed, Apr. 05, 2006

Jason Kubel has impressed everyone with his rehabilitation from injury and
his quick bat and strong arm, earning him a spot on the major league
roster..

By La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

FORT MYERS, FLA. - After watching a series of line drives fly out of the
cage during an early-spring batting practice, Rondell White wanted more
information.

Who's the kid?

"That man's got a nice swing," said White, the Twins' new designated
hitter. "A nice, smooth stroke. It was impressive."

Jason Kubel opened White's eyes while reminding everyone else at camp of
the stroke that has made him one of the Twins' best hitting prospects in
recent years. The prospect that in 2004 jumped from Class AA New Britain
to the AL playoffs against the Yankees. The kid that appeared certain to
land a major league job in 2005, before a serious knee injury sidelined
him the entire season.

White, who has played with the likes of Moises Alou, Vladimir Guerrero,
Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and Ivan Rodriguez during his career, had plenty
of praise for Kubel just a couple weeks into spring training.

"He's a guy you look at and you know he's going to be in the major
leagues," White said. "He just has that look like he belongs, like a
Chipper Jones."

The Twins believe that Kubel, 23, belongs in the majors right now. The
youngster is heading north to start the season, a product of a good spring
and having a spot open up when veteran Ruben Sierra pulled a right quad.

"I think he's convinced all of us that he's one of the best players here
in camp," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's moving around fine.
We've seen him run out a triple. We have seen him do just about
everything."

He earned a job this spring after recovering from a massive knee injury
suffered in October of 2004 during an Arizona Fall League game. He had
surgery to repair a torn ACL, PCL and LCL in December of that season, and
spent most of 2005 in the near solitude of the trainer's room in Fort
Myers, rehabilitating the knee. Instead of spending the year in the
majors, Kubel was busy doing mundane drills, such as stepping up on and
down off boxes.

Lanning Tucker, the Twins rehabilitation coordinator, was impressed. He
said Kubel never pushed himself too hard during his rehab, never skirted
his duties and didn't need monitoring.

"He was totally compliant," Tucker said.

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan called several times during the year to
make sure Kubel wasn't feeling neglected.

"I wanted to make sure he wasn't out of our thoughts," Ryan said. "I felt
horrible for him, just like I felt horrible for Joe Mauer [after his 2004
knee injury]. It's a tough thing for a young kid, especially your first
serious injury. Hopefully it will be the only one."

Kubel insisted all spring that his knee wasn't a problem. Gardenhire has
noticed a little "hitch" when Kubel runs, but speed never has been a major
asset for him. Kubel's best skills are his bat and strong throwing arm.

Gardenhire wanted to ease Kubel into outfield action this spring, but has
played him regularly in the field since March 7. Some in the organization
felt all along that Kubel was the best candidate for right field among a
group that included Lew Ford and Michael Cuddyer. Others wanted to be
cautious and ease him into regular playing time by starting him at Class
AAA Rochester.

"He's pretty much ready," Gardenhire said. "He's one of our best 25."

Kubel was too competitive to embrace the concept of needing time in the
minors, anyway.

"I've been doing fine out there," he said. "Everything is where it should
be, so we'll see. I hope that's [a stint in the minors] not the case. I
feel like I've been able to prove my knee is fine."

What looked rusty early in spring games was his bat. Kubel was batting in
the low .200's early in camp but recently raised his average to .268 by
smacking line drives all over Southwest Florida.

Physically, he said he feels, "awesome," and his surge at the plate has
brought out a bigger smile in the clubhouse.

"I don't think he's missed too much of a beat with the bat," Gardenhire
said. "He had a little lull there where his bat got a little heavy but
he's come back and is snapping the baseball out pretty good."

Kubel had a nervous grin in the clubhouse Friday because he hadn't been
told that he was on the Opening Day roster. It was just a formality, as
Gardenhire already had informed the media of his decision.

Players sometimes are never told that they've made a team. Some have been
known to sneak on the bus leaving camp for the airport and nervously hope
that they can sneak their way onto the Opening Day roster. Kubel has no
reason to be nervous.

"The hardest part has been all the stress, trying to figure out where I'm
going to go," he said. "Trying to stay within myself and try to do what I
need to do to show somebody something."

He has. And he'll get to show it in Toronto this week.

SEASON OPENERS

Today: Cleveland at Chicago White Sox, 7:05 p.m. (ESPN2)

Monday: 13 games scheduled

Tuesday: Twins at Toronto, 6:15 p.m. (FSN); Johan Santana vs. Roy Halladay


Last update: April 02, 2006 – 6:29 AM

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

Joe Christensen
Star Tribune

FORT MYERS, FLA. - With Michael Cuddyer injured and Lew Ford struggling,
Jason Kubel has pretty much taken over right field.

And the move might not be temporary.

"I would not be uncomfortable if I started [Kubel] Opening Day against
[Toronto pitcher Roy] Halladay," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said
Wednesday. "I would not be uncomfortable with that at all."

Kubel has started three consecutive games for the Twins in right field,
and four of the past five, showing no signs of trouble with his surgically
repaired left knee. Including an additional pinch-hit appearance, he is
5-for-15 in his past six games with a home run, two walks, two doubles and
five RBI.

Kubel drilled a two-run homer in Wednesday's 5-4 victory over the
Baltimore Orioles and added a sacrifice fly.

"It's time for me to show something," Kubel said.

This is exactly what Gardenhire had been looking for in the three-way
battle for right field.

Cuddyer was hitting .500 until he strained an oblique muscle March 20.

After rehabbing the injury, Cuddyer will get at-bats as the designated
hitter in a minor league game today. He said he's determined to break camp
with the team Sunday, but the Twins want to be sure he won't injure
himself again.

"As I've told him, we really have to slow this thing down," Gardenhire
said. "This is something that could come back in a heartbeat."

Meantime, Ford is batting .233. Gardenhire watched him play in a minor
league game Wednesday and noted both his base hits and his popups.

Batista's job security

Even though Tony Batista continues to struggle at third base, Twins
General Manager Terry Ryan said he can foresee no reason why he won't make
the team.

Batista went 0-for-3 with a walk against Baltimore, lowering his average
to .216. He also mishandled a potential double-play ball, getting only one
out.

Ryan said he's seen several veterans who have struggled in spring training
and done well once the season starts. He's hoping that's the case for
Batista as well.

Injury update

As Juan Castro started his third consecutive game at shortstop, Jason
Bartlett did some running drills to test his left hamstring. Staying
cautious, Gardenhire said Bartlett will run the bases again today.

Ruben Sierra (strained quad) took batting practice from both sides of the
plate and has asked to DH in a minor league game. But Gardenhire indicated
Sierra won't break camp with the team if he's unable to play defense.

"I've started the season with people less than 100 percent, and I don't
like it at all," Gardenhire said. "It's very, very scary. It's not fair to
a lot of people who have worked hard down here."

Roster moves

The Twins trimmed their spring roster to 29 players with a flurry of
moves:

* They placed pitcher David Gassner on the 15-day disabled list because of
an elbow strain.

* They returned Rule 5 pick Jason Pridie to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who
assigned the outfielder to their Class AAA Durham roster.

* They lost catcher Rob Bowen, when the Detroit Tigers claimed him off
waivers. The Tigers must keep Bowen on their major league squad or expose
him to waivers again.

* They reassigned pitcher Dennys Reyes, catcher Shawn Wooten and
infielders Luis Maza and Glenn Williams to minor league camp.

With the Williams move, Terry Tiffee appears to be the favorite to make
the roster as the 25th man -- if Cuddyer, Bartlett and Sierra are
unavailable to start the season.

Last update: March 29, 2006 – 11:17 PM

With lingering uncertainty over whether Michael Cuddyer (strained oblique)
and Ruben Sierra (strained quad) will be ready to start the season,
Gardenhire mentioned the possibility of right fielder Jason Kubel making
the club in a platoon roll.

In that scenario, Kubel, coming back from knee surgery, would probably get
starts against righthanders, with Lew Ford starting against lefties. If
Kubel took over, he would probably play every day, Gardenhire said.

Hello Twins Fans!

I've started a new spring training website which also includes a
Minnesota Twins fan listing.  This is the official Minnesota Twins Fan
Listing as sanctioned by thefanlistings.org

What's a fan listing?

A fanlisting is simply an online list of fans of a subject, such as a
TV show, actor, or musician, (or baseball team) that is created by an
individual and open for fans from around the world to join. There are
no costs, and the only requirements to join a fanlisting are your name
and country.

It's also a great way of showing your support for Jason Kubel, the
Twins right fielder of the future!

Why do I want to join it?

The entire idea is just to have a bit of fun and see how many Twins
fans we can find.

How many fans are there?

Authorized fanlistings by thefanlistings.org currently show 1 Detroit
Tigers fan, 4 Milaukee Brewers fans, 29 New York Yankee fans, 60
Chicago Cubs fans and 146 Boston Red Sox Fans.

Let's just way we could really use some help overwhelming the Cubbies
and the Bo-Sox!

So if your a Twins fan, please stop by and sign up!  The address is
http://www.freewebs.com/twincities/fanlisting.html

Hey Joe!

If you're also a Joe Mauer fan, please stop by
http://speedychick42.tripod.com/joemauerfanlisting/ and sign up for
the Joe Mauer fanlisting as well!

Please join us and get yourself listed!

Dianna

DOUBLE TROUBLE: The Minnesota Twins Fanlisting!
http://www.freewebs.com/twincities/fanlisting.html

Kubel, Ford to duel with Cuddyer injured

BY JASON WILLIAMS
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The position battle in right field could intensify
during the next few days.

An examination Tuesday determined Michael Cuddyer has a strained abdominal
muscle, and the front-runner to be the Twins' Opening Day starter might be
out until at least the weekend.

"It's nothing serious," general manager Terry Ryan said. "We'll give him a
few days off, then see where we're at."

Cuddyer began to feel pain in his left side last weekend and aggravated
the area while making a throw during Monday's game against Philadelphia.
He said he feels pain only while throwing and running, and he could
benefit from a break in the spring training schedule. The team was off
Tuesday and will play tonight against Cincinnati.

But such injuries have a tendency to linger, and this is a critical
roster-deciding time with less than two weeks remaining until the season
opener.

Cuddyer, hitting .500 (14 for 28), has clearly set himself apart from
Jason Kubel and Lew Ford in the competition to replace departed veteran
Jacque Jones.

If Cuddyer's injury lingers into next week, he might have to start the
season on the disabled list. Kubel would seem to be next in line, although
the organization's top hitting prospect has hit a lull in his comeback
season from knee surgery. He is hitless in his past three games, dropping
his spring average to .222 (8 for 36).

The organization views Ford mostly as a fourth outfielder. He is batting
just .226 (7 for 31).

Another player the Twins view as an extra outfielder almost certainly will
begin the season on the disabled list. Ruben Sierra, who was signed mainly
to be a pinch-hit specialist, injured his right quadriceps Sunday, and
Ryan said he wasn't optimistic the aging slugger would be ready to return
by the April 4 opener at Toronto.

Spring debut: Top pitching prospect Francisco Liriano is scheduled to make
his much-anticipated spring training debut tonight. He is expected to
throw at least one inning of relief.

Scott Baker, competing with fellow rookie Liriano for the fifth spot in
the starting rotation, is scheduled to start. Baker, the front-runner, is
1-0 with a 2.84 earned-run average in four Grapefruit League starts.

Liriano is back in camp after missing 2 1/2 weeks to participate in the
World Baseball Classic. He has little time to prove himself for an Opening
Day roster spot but should get at least one start.

Posted on Wed, Mar. 22, 2006

BY JASON WILLIAMS
Pioneer Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Twins can't anoint Michael Cuddyer their Opening
Day right fielder just yet.

Cuddyer strained his left oblique muscle while making a throw during
Monday's game against Philadelphia. Cuddyer, scheduled to be evaluated
today, said the injury is minor and shouldn't cause him to miss much time,
if any.

But with only two weeks remaining until Opening Day, Cuddyer's injury
might afford Jason Kubel and Lew Ford the opportunity to close a wide gap
in the competition for the starting job.

"That does make it a little more interesting," manager Ron Gardenhire
said.

Fresh from signing a $1.3 million contract during the offseason, Cuddyer
has seemed to have overcome the disappointment of failing at third base
last year. Having entered camp as the right field favorite, Cuddyer
separated himself from the pack in 11 games, batting .500 (14 for 28) with
two home runs and six runs batted in.

Cuddyer said he began feeling stiffness in his side over the weekend. The
injury, he said, bothers him when he throws and runs but not swinging a
bat. Cuddyer experienced pain in his oblique while throwing to the infield
after making a diving catch in the second inning. He remained in the game
until the sixth.

If Cuddyer has to start the season on the disabled list, the Twins likely
would turn to Kubel. Having missed last season after undergoing knee
surgery, Kubel has forced the coaching staff to take notice. Gardenhire
said Kubel was making the competition interesting after he got two hits
Thursday against Cleveland.

But the Twins' top hitting prospect has gone 0 for 10 in three games
since, dropping his average to .222.

"I feel like I'm not showing anybody anything," said Kubel, who started in
left field Monday. "I need to start hitting the ball hard again. I'm not
feeling horrible, but I'm probably trying too hard."

Sierra update: It appears aging slugger Ruben Sierra will begin the season
on the disabled list, forcing the Twins to look at other options to fill a
key bench spot. An evaluation Monday determined Sierra strained his right
quadriceps while fielding a ball the previous day.

"He'll be down for a while," general manager Terry Ryan said. "I can't put
a timetable on it. But it's not like he's 20 years old, so you have to
take (age) into consideration."

Ryan said switch-hitting corner infielders Terry Tiffee and Glenn Williams
would be looked at to fill the role of left-handed pinch-hit specialist.
Either player also could fill the backup first baseman role, a position
Sierra is being considered for despite never having played there in his
big-league career.

Getting ready: At least one of the Twins' starting pitchers returned from
the World Baseball Classic feeling on track to be ready for the season.
Despite a so-so first Grapefruit League start Monday, Johan Santana said
he feels ahead of where he normally is at this time of year.

Santana stepped up his offseason training regimen to prepare to pitch for
Venezuela, then threw more than 60 pitches in each of his two WBC starts.
He gave up four runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings of a 70-pitch outing,
but he was battling a mild cold. He still struck out seven batters and
used the outing to throw his signature changeup several times.

"I'm seeing my fastball and my changeup going down, and that's what I want
to see," Santana said. "I feel good."

Sunday, Carlos Silva struggled with his pitch command in his first spring
start, blaming his struggles on not pitching enough in the WBC.

Briefly: Reliever Juan Rincon (elbow) remains on track to make his spring
debut early next week after he threw a pain-free eight-minute bullpen
session Monday.

* Infielder Juan Castro was diagnosed with a mild sprain in his right
wrist after results of a magnetic resonance imaging test on his hamate
bone Monday were negative, Gardenhire said. Castro is scheduled to swing a
bat Wednesday and is expected to be ready for the opener.

* Brad Radke pitched four scoreless innings in a Class A game against
Boston.

* The Twins are down to 40 players in camp after optioning Boof Bonser,
Chris Heintz and Garrett Jones to Class AAA Rochester.

Three-man battle for job in right field intensifies

BY JASON WILLIAMS and GORDON WITTENMYER
Pioneer Press

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Ron Gardenhire came to a realization Thursday:

The Twins' manager is going to have to give serious consideration to
keeping Jason Kubel on the Opening Day roster.

Kubel continued to build his case to be the starting right fielder in
Thursday's 12-5 split-squad victory over Cleveland. He was 2 for 3 with a
double and two runs batted in.

"That second base hit he got with a man on third, I said right away, 'This
young man is going to really, really make it interesting as we go along in
spring,' " Gardenhire said. "He's swinging pretty good, and he's moving
good in the outfield. And let me tell you, if he's the best player out
there, that's who will be playing out there."

Entering camp, the Twins had low expectations for Kubel, who missed last
season after undergoing knee surgery. But he has viewed himself as having
just as much of a chance at winning the starting role as the other players
in the mix — Michael Cuddyer and Lew Ford. Kubel started in left field
against Cleveland; Cuddyer, the favorite, was in right.

"I'm getting a lot more confidence," said Kubel, who is batting .308 (8
for 26) with two doubles and six RBIs in 12 games. "I'm feeling better
every day. It's time to show something."

Kubel, a left-handed hitter, felt particularly good after whacking a
run-scoring double into the right-center gap off Cliff Lee to tie the
score 2-2 in the fourth inning. He was encouraged to get a hit off a
left-hander, especially one of the best in the American League. The Twins'
left-handed hitters struggled mightily against lefties in 2005.

Gardenhire has been careful not to push Kubel, and he plans to continue to
try to protect the top hitting prospect's health.

"I still think he runs a little ginger at times," Gardenhire said. "But
he's doing everything he has to do. I'm never going to say never until we
get down to the end of spring training. I think you just leave your
options open."

Kubel said he appreciates Gardenhire being cautious, but that no longer is
necessary.

"I'm ready to go," said Kubel, who will start the season in the minors if
he doesn't win the starting job. "I don't feel myself doing anything
different. It may look like that, but my knee feels fine. I don't even
think about it."

Radke retools: Why does an 11-year veteran who is among the team career
leaders in almost every pitching category and has talked openly about
retiring after this season spend spring training working on a new pitch?

"Because I'm getting old," said Twins right-hander Brad Radke. "I can't go
out there with the same slop every five days."

Actually, it's not so much a new pitch as a new way of using his cut
fastball more often against lefties. It's still a work in progress, but
Radke, who needed a hefty 64 pitches to get through three innings against
Boston on Thursday, said he plans to stick with it into the season.

He gave up two runs on six hits in the 4-3 split-squad loss to the Red
Sox, lowering his spring earned-run average to 6.75, and is scheduled to
make his next start Monday on the minor league side of camp. The plan is
to taper back to between 50 and 60 pitches in that start, then come back
with an extra day's rest in his next start and go up to 70 pitches,
putting him on track for his first start of the season, April 5 in
Toronto.

Briefly: Clubhouse ringleaders Johan Santana and Carlos Silva have
returned to Fort Myers following Venezuela's elimination Tuesday from the
World Baseball Classic. Both showed up in the clubhouse Thursday morning
before a split-squad group headed across town to play the Red Sox. "It's
going to get pretty loud in there now," Radke said.

Silva is scheduled to start Sunday against Tampa Bay. Santana is slated to
go Monday against Philadelphia.

* Jesse Crain continued to look sharp with two more scoreless innings
against the Red Sox, striking out three and allowing just two singles
without a walk. In two appearances since returning from a scoreless WBC
tournament last week, Crain has three shutout innings without a walk and
Thursday's two hits allowed.

* Pitching coach Rick Anderson said reliever Juan Rincon (elbow) continued
to make progress during Thursday's bullpen session. Rincon, coming back
from offseason surgery, is scheduled to throw again Saturday and remains
on track to be game ready by late next week.

* Fox Sports Net North will re-broadcast the Kirby Puckett memorial
service at 2 a.m. Monday.

Posted on Fri, Mar. 17, 2006

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire keeps preaching caution in the case of Kubel.
But he can no longer keep the excitement out of his voice after watching
the outfielder play.

Kubel, recovering from reconstructive knee surgery, is tentatively slated
to start the season at Class AAA Rochester.

But ...

Thursday, Kubel, a lefthanded hitter, went 2-for-3 with two RBI, including
a double off Indians lefty Cliff Lee. Kubel is hitting .308 for the spring
and said the past couple of games have renewed his confidence in his
ability to hit big-league pitching, especially lefties.

"I'm starting to hit them hard," Kubel said. "I'm excited to get that
swing back, and get going."

Said Gardenhire: "He got that second base hit with a man on third, and I
said right away, 'This young man is really going to make it interesting as
we go along here in spring.'

"Your thought is on the cautious side, but let me tell you what, he's
swinging pretty good, and he's moving pretty good, and if he's the best
player out there, that's who will be playing out there."

The Twins will probably choose between Michael Cuddyer and Lew Ford as
their Opening Day right fielder if they send Kubel to the minors.

By Andy Kent
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — At least Scott Baker knows when his next start will be.

The 24-year-old Cape Coral resident made his second start Wednesday
against the Cincinnati Reds at Hammond Stadium and lasted three innings in
a 3-2 loss, giving up a solo homer to Edwin Encarnacion in the top of the
third, striking out one, walking two and giving up four hits.

"Without a doubt this spring training has felt totally different coming
in," said Baker, who was moved around in the rotation last spring, but now
is in the five-man rotation. "I think once you've been up there it's just
a different feeling, and plus last year I didn't know exactly when I was
going to start, so this year is kind of nice. Knowing the exact date helps
you prepare a little bit better and get into a little better routine."

Baker's next start should be next Monday in Sarasota against Cincinnati.
He took a positive out of working his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the
first inning by getting Chris Denorfia to ground out to second after
giving up a leadoff double to DeWayne Wise. He faced 15 batters and kept
his ERA at 1.59, but he feels he needs to work on his location a little
more and keep his pitches down.

"(Baker) just couldn't make an adjustment and get the ball down, although
his last inning he finally got some pitches down," Twins manager Ron
Gardenhire said. "But a lot of his stuff was up and that's something
they've been working on in really trying to get him to keep the ball down.
But he got through it and didn't implode."

STICK TO TENNIS: Jim Courier, the former No. 1 men's tennis player in the
world, threw out the ceremonial first pitch — and showed why he was much
better with a racket. The lefty threw wide inside to catcher Rob Bowen,
who had to lunge to his right to prevent the ball from going to the
backstop. Courier smiled and then appeared to try to give Bowen a tip on
which way to hold the glove on that type of pitch.

Courier is in town participating in his Champion's Cup senior tennis
event, which is being held at The Players Club and Spa at Lely Resort in
Naples starting Friday and going through Monday. In addition to Courier,
the legendary John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Mikael Pernfors, Petr Korda,
Michael Chang, Pat Cash and Aaron Krickstein will be competing. For
tickets, call 649-7171.

TWINS NOTES: Jason Kubel batted in the leadoff spot and went 1-for-3 with
a single left while starting in left field for the Twins. Gardenhire said
he's trying to get Kubel as many at-bats as he can early on while Kubel
continues his comeback from a devastating knee injury that sidelined him
the entire 2005 season.

Thursday, March 9, 2006

Joe Christensen
Star Tribune

TAMPA, FLA. - Brad Radke decided to experiment with a new pitch Tuesday.

After all, when you're an 11-year big league veteran, that's what spring
training is for.

Last year, Radke seemed to have no answer for lefthanded hitters. They hit
.291 against him (compared to .252 for righthanded hitters), and lefties
were responsible for 22 of the 33 team-high home runs he allowed.

So pitching coach Rick Anderson encouraged Radke to try a new variation of
his fastball, one specifically designed to foil lefthanders. The pitch is
supposed to sink and move back over the plate.

Radke tinkered with the pitch in a recent side session. Then, against the
New York Yankees, he let it fly.

And Jorge Posada belted that pitch for a two-run, first-inning homer.

"When I came in," Radke said, "I told [Anderson], 'I ain't throwing that
pitch.' "

Radke got through the next two innings without giving up a run, and the
Yankees cruised to a 5-0 victory.

He is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA after two spring starts, but considering his
track record, the Twins aren't worried.

To them, the most important thing is that Radke feels healthy, and so far,
so good.

Kubel's defensive debut

In the sixth inning, manager Ron Gardenhire inserted Jason Kubel as a
defensive replacement in right field.

This was significant because Kubel had yet to play defense in a game since
tearing up his knee in the 2004 Arizona Fall League.

"We wanted to put him out there in a situation where nothing would be hit
to him," Gardenhire said. "And they hit like eight balls in a row out
there. But he did fine."

Gardenhire said he plans to play Kubel in right field again today against
the Cincinnati Reds.

"I've been waiting for that," Kubel said. "It's good to be back out there
and see what it's like again."

On deck

Righthander Scott Baker will start for the Twins today. The Reds will
counter with lefthander Dave Williams in Fort Myers.

Last update: March 08, 2006 – 1:03 AM

Outfielder Jason Kubel is trying to prove his left knee is fit enough to
go north with the team.

Kubel passed one test on Wednesday when he slid for the first time in more
than a year during a game against Concordia.

Gardenhire said he will take it easy with Kubel early on, using him as a
DH instead of playing him in the field. That brought a frown from Kubel,
who said he's fit to play.

The hardest part is behind young Twin

BY JASON WILLIAMS
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jason Kubel couldn't move.

And it had nothing to do with his knee.

Autograph seekers and well-wishers crowded around the
Twins right fielder as he tried to make his way to the
clubhouse after Wednesday morning's exhibition game
against Concordia-St. Paul. After spending almost 1½
years in obscurity to rehabilitate from a major knee
injury, Kubel soaked in the moment.

"I like it when people know who I am," he said. "It's
a good feeling. It's good to know people care. A
couple of years ago, nobody knew who I was. You work
to get to this spot."

Did Kubel ever work.

His commitment to the rehab program has him in a
position to compete for a starting job, although the
Twins see no need to try to rush their 23-year-old top
hitting prospect. Kubel, who received full medical
clearance in December, said he has not experienced any
pain or swelling during spring training.

"It's been a long road back," he said.

Kubel blew out his left knee when he collided with a
teammate during an Arizona Fall League game in October
2004. Two major ligaments were shredded. A doctor told
Kubel that he usually sees such injuries occur during
car accidents, when hundreds — sometimes thousands —
of pounds of metal crush a person's knee.

Kubel, quiet and unassuming, never flinched.

"I knew I would be back," he said.

Manager Ron Gardenhire wasn't so certain. He
accompanied general manager Terry Ryan to Florida in
October to watch Kubel play in the Instructional
League. Kubel was wearing a cumbersome brace, which he
no longer has to wear. He was crushing the ball as the
designated hitter but struggled to run the bases.

"It didn't look good," Gardenhire said. "I'm really
happy that he's back out there running around, because
when (the injury) happened, there was a lot of talk
that some guys never come back from this. It looks
like he's beating the odds right now."

Kubel, who likely would have been the Opening Day
right fielder in 2005 had he not been hurt, embarked
on an aggressive rehabilitation program, splitting his
rehab time last year between Fort Myers and his home
in Southern California. He said the monotony of the
rehab program mentally drained him at times, but there
were positive diversions.

Kubel married his high school sweetheart, Blake
Tonkin, in December. They had a 3,800-square-foot home
built in the hills of Palmdale, Calif., about 50 miles
north of Los Angeles. The house was finished in
November.

"I had a couple of things happen that were good,"
Kubel said. "It took my mind off of (the rehab) quite
a bit."

Kubel is now focused on rebuilding his career. He
passed another big test Wednesday when he slid for the
first time since coming back. He popped right up after
sliding into second base during the exhibition game.

"I did it right on the knee, too," said Kubel, who was
the DH in the scrimmage. "It felt really good. I don't
have any tests left. My knee's going to hold up."

Kubel is competing with Lew Ford and Michael Cuddyer
to fill the vacancy left by Jacque Jones, who signed
with the Chicago Cubs. Cuddyer, who received a raise
of almost $1 million this season, is the favorite to
win the job. Offensively, Kubel could have an edge,
but the Twins have no urgency to appoint him their
Opening Day starter. If he doesn't win the job, he is
expected to start the season in the minors.

Gardenhire plans to use Kubel as a DH in early
Grapefruit League games. The manager said he has no
timetable for when he might insert Kubel into the
outfield.

"I'm guarded," said Gardenhire, adding that there has
been no mandate from the medical staff to be cautious.
"If you watch him run around, he's a little guarded
himself. I want to take it easy. I want the whole
player back."

Posted on Thu, Mar. 02, 2006

The Twins begin the spring training season tonight
against the Boston Red Sox (6:05 p.m., FSN TV). As you
settle into the daily baseball routine, here are nine
innings worth of things to watch:

La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

1 The bullpen Two spots are open. The Twins would like
one of them to belong to a lefthander. Dennys Reyes is
working on mechanics with pitching coach Rick
Anderson. Gabe White is trying to prove he's got
something left. Darrel May is versatile but lacks the
90-92 mph velocity you'd like to see going against
Jason Giambi in the eighth inning. Righthander Willie
Eyre is intriguing. He's coming off a very good year
at Class AAA Rochester and an outstanding season of
winter ball. The Twins claim they'll take two
righthanders if the lefties don't impress, but there's
not much after Eyre in terms of readiness.

2 justin morneau The consensus during camp is that
Morneau is fit and focused, and the Twins can't wait
for the games to begin to see Morneau swing.
Unfortunately, they'll have to wait until after the
World Baseball Classic to see him in a Twins uniform.
They want Morneau to begin to reach his power
potential, and showing up for 7:30 a.m. sessions in
the batting cage -- as he's done this spring -- is a
great start. The addition of Rondell White will allow
Morneau to move down to sixth in the lineup, where it
might be easier for him to regroup. Keep an eye in his
new batting style -- a no-step approach to the pitch.

3 offense Frankly, the Twins have to prove that they
aren't a 688 runs a year team, as they were in 2005.
Even GM Terry Ryan, right, said a playoff team should
score at least 750 in a season. So will the additions
of White, Batista and Luis Castillo be enough? Will
the maturation of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Jason
Bartlett be enough? Will Hunter and Shannon Stewart
bounce back? Will the sum of all these parts equal or
surpass 750? This is where the club has the most to
prove, especially later in camp when games are more
meaningful.

4 the ankle Torii Hunter estimates that his left ankle
is at about 90 percent after surgery to repair a break
last season. He's expected to experience some soreness
for a few more months. He says he will go all out this
spring, but if there's a ball headed for a wall,
Hunter will not play the Spiderman card and climb it.
With a return to the playoffs and possible free agency
looming, there's too much at stake for Hunter to
attack a wall during spring training games.

5 baker vs. liriano Scott Baker is a change of speeds
guy with decent velocity. Francisco Liriano is a
flat-out power guy who is considered one of the top
prospects in the game. The competition for the No. 5
spot in the rotation should be fun to watch because
the Twins will be looking at two pitchers who could be
very good. Baker has a leg up because he spent a
little more time in the majors last season, and he'll
be in camp while Liriano starts for the Dominican
Republic in the World Baseball Classic. But what if
Liriano excels in WBC play and returns to camp full of
confidence? The Twins also consider Boof Bonser, J.D.
Durbin and Dave Gassner to be in the running, but we
all know who the class of the group is.

6 tony batista There's no doubt that this is a gamble.
Batista doesn't have much range at third base and is a
home run-or-strikeout type hitter. And he's returning
to the majors after a year in Japan. Who knows what
the Twins will get out of him. Will they panic if he
has one homer heading into the last week of camp? Will
the Twins, mainly the pitchers, become uneasy when
they see reachable ground balls get by him? Of course,
20 homers and 80 RBI from a No. 7 or No. 8 hitter
isn't that bad.

7 shortstop "There will be competition," Jason
Bartlett said when it was suggested that he had the
shortstop job locked up. And he's right. The Twins
don't feel comfortable just handing the job to the
26-year-old, so Juan Castro and Nick Punto are going
to get good looks. Both can field well, but the Twins
would love to see Bartlett's bat in the lineup every
day.

8 right field This could be one of the intriguing
battles of camp. Michael Cuddyer needs a home or he's
going to be a $1.3 million utility player. Lew Ford
needs a home. Then there's Jason Kubel, who missed all
of last season after tearing three ligaments in his
left knee. He's looked very good in batting practice,
but the Twins want to see how he deals with running
and sliding. Kubel could begin in the minors, but that
could change if he hits liners all over Florida and
looks mended.

9 wbc anxiety Every day for the next couple of weeks,
Ron Gardenhire will guide his team through a spring
training game, go home and cross his fingers. Players
get hurt in spring games, so it's a given that someone
will be injured during a WBC game. If Johan Santana
comes back with even a cold it will be viewed as a
catastrophe. And who knows how the extra work will
affect players in September with pennant races going
on.

Last update: March 01, 2006

The college kids got a taste of major league pitching,
but the pros had a hard time hitting on their way to a
modest scrimmage victory.

Joe Christensen
Star Tribune

FORT MYERS, FLA. - The first feel-good story of the
spring turned a little embarrassing for the Twins on
Wednesday, as Concordia University -- a Division II
squad from St. Paul -- gave them all they could handle
in a six-inning exhibition.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire rested most of his
regulars in what was supposed to a simple tuneup for
tonight's Grapefruit League opener against the Boston
Red Sox.

But on a back field at the Lee County Sports Complex,
under a hot Florida sky, Concordia hung right with the
Twins in a 2-0 loss, facing the likes of Francisco
Liriano, Joe Nathan and Justin Morneau.

"This," Concordia freshman Alex Kubal said, "is every
kid's dream."

Concordia is 6-0 on its annual spring trip, but this
exhibition was a little different than Tuesday's
doubleheader sweep over Wheeling Jesuit.

Last year, the Twins faced Concordia in something that
could only be called a scrimmage. Twins pitchers faced
Twins hitters, and Concordia pitchers faced Concordia
hitters.

The Twins technically lost 7-1, and Gardenhire vowed
revenge against his good friends on the Golden Bears
coaching staff.

Concordia head coach Mark (Lunch) McKenzie and
assistant Jim Wiesner were longtime clubhouse
attendants for the Twins before taking over the
program seven years ago.

"Everything we do is patterned after the Twins,"
Wiesner said. "Tom Kelly's philosophy. Ron
Gardenhire's philosophy. It's been a building
process."

The Golden Bears are picked to finish second in the
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference this season --
one spot behind Wayne State.

But this was something entirely different. Concordia's
hitters struck out 13 times against the Twins, and
many would return to the dugout smiling.

After missing a slider from Liriano in the second
inning, junior Andy Judkins marveled: "It moved like
six inches under my hands."

Later, after whiffing at a curve ball from Twins lefty
Dennys Reyes, sophomore Nate Hammes said, "It took a
90-degree turn on me -- right in the middle of the
plate."

The Twins sent Jesse Crain to the mound for the fifth
inning.

"What's this guy throw?" someone on the Concordia
bench asked.

"Fastball/slider," shortstop Jake Waldman said,
utterly convinced. "That's what he does in my video
game."

The Golden Bears were out of their league but
certainly not out of their element.

The Twins owed their victory to two unearned runs,
both coming on missed fly balls by Concordia's
fielders.

The Twins finished with three hits. That's no
misprint. Concordia had two.

"Our goal was not to get anybody killed," Gardenhire
said. "Those were our first swings [in a spring
contest]."

Morneau's first at-bat came with two aboard in the
first inning, and Jacob Schmidt, a freshman from
Oakdale, looked as if he was in trouble.

But in a sight all-too familiar for Twins fans,
Schmidt got Morneau to lunge at a changeup and ground
into an inning-ending double play.

The Concordia bench, and about 250 fans, erupted.

"Everything changed after that," Schmidt said "We knew
we could do it."

They might have tied it had they not twice stranded a
runner on third base. Kubal, a speedy center fielder
from Minnetonka, came up in the third inning against
Nathan, a two-time All-Star.

With a sharp ping of his aluminum bat, Kubal lined a
single to left-center field. He stole second and third
base before Nathan reached back for a strikeout to end
the threat.

Afterward, Kubal was doing TV interviews, holding a
baseball with Nathan's signature.

But it's not like Kubal went and asked the pitcher he
had just victimized for an autograph. His mother got
it for him.

Last update: March 02, 2006

By Andy Kent
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — No left knee has been more scrutinized by
Minnesota Twins fans and media than outfielder Jason
Kubel's since, well, exactly one year ago when star
catcher Joe Mauer's left knee was a hotter topic than
"American Idol."

Kubel, 23, missed the entire 2005 season after tearing
the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and the
lateral collateral ligament in his left knee while
playing in the Arizona Fall League on Oct. 12, 2004.
The devastating injury came right on the heels of his
most successful season on the diamond, during which he
hit .300 in 23 games with Minnesota while on a
September call-up and appeared in two games of the
2004 ALDS against the New York Yankees.

"It was tough because I knew I did well and I was
shooting for maybe grabbing a starting spot in the
outfield or at least making the 25-man roster out of
the spring and then this happened," said Kubel, who
will be the Twins' designated hitter this morning in a
10:30 scrimmage against Division II Concordia (Minn.)
on one of the practice fields at the Lee County Sports
Complex.

"So I had surgery in December and I couldn't really do
anything for like six months. I gained a little weight
and then started rehab, doing it back and forth
between here and back home in California, but now it's
done with and I can play again."

In 2003, Kubel and Mauer were teammates for half a
season on the Fort Myers Miracle, Minnesota's Class A
affiliate in the Florida State League, then Mauer
continued his rapid ascent up the organizational
ladder, making his major league debut behind the plate
in 2004.

The 22-year-old Mauer tore the medial meniscus in his
left knee on the second day of the season and had to
have surgery the next day, after which he was hobbled
the rest of the year. How he was going to recover
heading into last season was the dominant question of
spring training, as it is to a lesser extent with
Kubel this time around.

"The issues you have with him is that he hasn't played
baseball in a year and a half, and he's going to have
to get out there and run around in the outfield and
you're going to see if his knee swells up, so we're
guarded," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Kubel.
"He's got a long ways to go here in spring training
and it's not going to be easy for him because he's had
this knee problem, but we just don't know. The element
of not knowing is there right now and we'll just wait
and see."

Kubel, who is battling with Michael Cuddyer and Lew
Ford for the right field spot vacated by Jacque Jones,
who signed with the Chicago Cubs, was on crutches for
three straight months. He described the pain of the
scar tissue breaking up upon bending as more painful
than the actual injury. But he once he was able to
swing a bat again, even with a brace, he was confident
in his swing.

After some quality at-bats during instructional
league, Kubel carried over his confidence to the
winter and said he doesn't feel like he's lost a step.
Conditioning has been this biggest challenge,
especially since his position involves a lot of
running, but Jones' departure gave Kubel an extra
motivation this spring.

"It's good to know that there's a spot open because
after this, I'm happy to even have an opportunity to
do something," Kubel said. "And if I end up playing in
(Triple-A) Rochester (N.Y.) again that's not the end
of the world, because I'm still playing. I try not to
think about what might have been, I just dealt with it
when I hurt it and started moving on."

Both Kubel and Gardenhire concur that the experience
he got in 2004 and the potential he showed is
invaluable, as well as the example Mauer set by
returning to form a year after his injury, even though
it wasn't as serious.

And Kubel is not putting any added pressure on himself
in this three-way battle, he's more concerned with how
his knee holds up than how he will perform. He's
confident about his knee and about his talent, which
he should be after posting a .343 batting average with
16 homers and 71 RBIs in 90 games for Rochester two
years ago and being named the International League
Rookier of the Year.

"I made it up to the big leagues once," Kubel said. "I
know I can make it there again."

Wednesday, March 1, 2006

From the Naples Daily News:

Outfielder Jason Kubel will play designated hitter in
Wednesday's scrimmage with Division II school
Concordia (Minn.) as he begins the latest chapter of
his comeback. Kubel is competing for a starting job in
right field after missing the entire 2005 season with
an injured left knee. Liriano and Nathan also are
scheduled to pitch in the Concordia game, which is
scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on one of the practice fields.

From Today's Pioneer Press:

Jason Kubel is slated to be the designated hitter in
Wednesday's exhibition game against Concordia-St.
Paul. Kubel, who missed last season with a knee
injury, has not slid in camp. But he said he is not
concerned about that. Manager Ron Gardenhire wants
Kubel to DH as much as possible early in Grapefruit
League games to ease him back into playing.

ive got literally no 'game' as they say, haha, so have alot of trouble in the
clubs tryin to pickup. im sure there is a few of u'se here just like that. so
anyway,      when i found this thing http://www.gettingaroundit.info/oiho i was
shocked, actually amazed that it was as good as it is. if u've got no game,
checkout this place, it's like a meat market, all the finest!

I've started a spring training website which also
includes a Minnesota Twins fan listing.

A fanlisting is simply an online list of fans of a
subject, such as a TV show, actor, or musician, (or
baseball team) that is created by an individual and
open for fans from around the world to join. There are
no costs, and the only requirements to join a
fanlisting are your name and country.

So if your a fan, please stop by and sign up!  The
address is http://www.freewebs.com/twincities/fanlisting.html

Dianna

Gulf Coast League Twins
http://www.freewebs.com/gcltwins/
Double Trouble: The Minnesota Twins Fan Listing
http://www.freewebs.com/twincities/

Right fielder Jason Kubel has spent almost three weeks
working out in Fort Myers and said he has not
experienced any pain or swelling in his surgically
reconstructed left knee. Kubel, who missed last
season, has not slid during his recovery, but that
test should come soon after Saturday's first
full-squad workout.

"I haven't had the opportunity to slide, but that's
not going to be a problem," said Kubel, who has a
chance to win a starting job. "I can pretty much do
what everyone else is doing."

Kubel has been icing his knee after every workout as a
precaution. The Twins' top hitting prospect, Kubel
said he has been feeling comfortable in batting
practice.

"I've already got my coaches going, 'Oh my goodness,
you should see him swinging,' " Gardenhire said. "I'm
going, 'Easy guys, it's been like a couple days of
spring.' He's going to run around in the outfield and
see if his knee swells up. We're guarded. I'm just in
a wait-and-see (mode)."