TWINS INVITE THREE TO SPRING TRAINING

The Minnesota Twins signed three players to minor
league contracts Jan. 8. Left-handed pitchers Kevin
Tolar and Aaron Fultz and first baseman Juan Diaz will
all be invited to the Twins major league spring
training, but are also possibilities to wear Red Wings
uniforms in 2004.

The 32-year-old Tolar spent most of last season with
the International League’s North Division champion
Pawtucket Red Sox. He was 5-1 with a 2.27 ERA in 49
games for the PawSox while also appearing in nine
games for their parent Red Sox team going 0-0 with a
6.00 ERA. Perseverance should be Tolar’s middle name.
His professional career began with the White Sox in
1989, but he didn’t get his first taste of the big
leagues until 2000 with Detroit. The Twins will be the
eighth different organization for which Tolar has
worked, and that includes three separate stints in the
Pirates organization. The Sarasota native has pitched
extensively in Triple A since 1998. Overall in Triple
A, Tolar is 19-9 with 14 saves in 196 appearances
while posting a solid 3.19 ERA.

The 30-year-old Fultz has primarily pitched in the
major leagues the last four seasons since making his
big league debut with San Francisco in 2000. He is
11-8 with a 4.81 ERA in 231 major league relief
appearances with the Giants and the Texas Rangers.
Fultz pitched for the Giants in 2000 through 2002
before signing a free agent deal last year with the
Rangers. The Alabama native was 1-3 with a 5.21 ERA in
64 appearances for Texas in 2003. Texas granted him
free agency at the end of the season. This will be
Fultz’s second time in the Twins organization. After
originally getting drafted by the Giants in 1992,
Fultz was traded to the Twins in August 1993. The
Twins released him in April 1996 and Fultz re-signed
with the Giants.

Diaz is originally from Cuba and has posted tremendous
minor league power numbers in the past. The
29-year-old originally signed with the Dodgers in 1996
only to have his contract voided by Major League
Baseball in 1999. Upon becoming a free agent, Diaz
signed with the Red Sox and quickly moved up their
minor league ladder eventually making the big league
club for four games in 2002 where he was 2 for 7 with
a home run. The Red Sox released him last spring
training, however, and he signed in mid-May with
Baltimore. Diaz spent the 2003 season with the Orioles
Double A farm club in Bowie and batted .274 with 14
home runs and 55 RBIs in just 68 games. From 2000 to
2002, Diaz played in 191 Triple A games with Pawtucket
and slugged 47 home runs. During his minor league
career Diaz has averaged one home run every 16 at
bats.

WINTER LEAGUE WRAPS UP

Baseball’s Winter League season is winding down. The
Venezuela Winter League has moved into the playoffs.
Aragua, featuring a number of former and possible
future Red Wings, made the postseason. Outfielder
Michael Ryan hit .303 with six home runs for Aragua.
Pitcher Carlos Pulido was the ace of the Aragua staff
posting a 6-3 record and a 3.12 ERA. Jeromy Palki
excelled in the Aragua bullpen to the tune of a 1.50
ERA and a 2-2 record over 15 appearances. Newly signed
Kevin Tolar was 0-1 with five saves and a 2.86 ERA in
a whopping 29 games. Additionally, left-hander Horacio
Estrada, who tossed a no hitter last year for the
Twins Double A affiliate in New Britain, held down a
spot in the Aragua rotation and went 3-3 with a 3.47
ERA in 12 starts.

Elsewhere in Venezuela, infielder Alex Prieto hit .308
for Caracas. His Red Wings double play partner Luis
Rodriguez struggled some at the plate for Oriente by
batting just .219 although he did have more walks than
strikeouts (25/24).

The Puerto Rico Winter League’s regular season is also
history. The Carolina team that featured Twins players
did not make the playoffs. However, outfielder Michael
Restovich overcame a sluggish start to post very good
numbers. The slugger from Rochester, Minnesota hit
.298 with three home runs and 16 RBIs. He also limited
his strikeouts to 18 in 84 at bats. Pitcher Grant
Balfour was sent late to Puerto Rico and pitched in
just three games. He fanned nine hitters in just 3.2
innings while allowing five hits and one run.

Few Twins farmhands play in the Dominican Winter
League. However, two pitchers worth noting did
extremely well. Pete Munro, who was signed by the
Twins this offseason from Houston, was 2-1 for
Azucareros while fashioning a sparkling 1.43 ERA in
seven starts. Munro is a Red Wings possibility in
2004. Additionally, former Red Wing and current
Rochester resident Doug Linton once again turned in a
strong winter league performance. The right-hander was
3-1 with Aguilas with a 1.48 ERA.

UP AND COMING: BA'S TOP 20 PROSPECTS LISTS

Baseball America has selected catcher Joe Mauer as the
2003 Minor League Player of the Year. This season
Mauer hit .339-5-85 between Fort Myers and New
Britain, posting the highest average of any minor
leaguer under 21 and the best of any minor league
catcher... Red Wings players Justin Morneau (#2),
Michael Restovich (#12), Jesse Crain (#14) and Grant
Balfour (#18) appear on the Baseball America list of
the Top 20 International League Prospects.

Mauer (#1), RHP J.D. Durbin (#6), SS Jason Bartlett
(#9), and Crain (#11) appear on the BA list of the Top
20 Eastern League Prospects. Mauer, called "a
once-in-a-generation catching prospect" by BA, hit
.341 in 73 games with New Britain. Durbin went 6-3
with a 3.14 ERA in 14 games after his promotion from
Class A. Bartlett, hit .296 with 8 HR, 48 RBI and 41
SB for the Rock Cats. Crain was 1-1 with an 0.69 ERA
in 22 Double-A games before his promotion to the
Wings...Mauer (#1), Durbin (#6) and OF Jason Kubel
(#17) appear on the Baseball America list of the Top
20 Florida State League Prospects. Mauer hit .335 in
62 games for the Miracle before a promotion to
Double-A New Britain. Durbin posted a 9-2 mark with a
3.09 ERA in 14 games before his promotion to Double-A.
Kubel hit .298 with 82 RBI, and has a career average
of .310 in four minor league seasons.

OF Denard Span (#9), RHP Evan Meek (#11), 1B Dusty
Gomon (#15) and C/1B Kyle Phillips (#19) made the BA
Top 20 list of Appalachian League Prospects. Span was
the Twins' top pick in 2002, and made his pro debut
this season batting .271 with 14 steals in 50 games.
Meek, the 11th round pick in 2002 who signed prior to
the 2003 season, posted a 7-1 record and 2.47 ERA in
his first pro campaign. Gomon led the league with 15
home runs in 61 games. Phillips led the league in RBI
with 49 while learning the catching position.

3B Matt Moses (#7) and LHP Alexander Smit (#14) made
the BA Top 20 list of Gulf Coast League Prospects.
Moses was the Twins' top pick in June, and hit .385 in
18 games for the GCL Twins. Smit is a 17-year-old from
the Netherlands, who made his pro debut in 2003 (3-0,
1.18 ERA in eight games) before getting permission to
play for his national team in Olympic qualifiers.


=====
Dianna

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