Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Mid-day talker: Ranking Minnesota's 13 superstars since Kirby Puckett retired. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 1 Hicks making friends; full squad nearly complete. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 2 Day at Twins camp: Pelfrey uses new technology to aid conditioning. Star Tribune (Neal and Miller) p. 2 Twins pitcher Stauffer puts injuries behind him. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3 Twins' Ricky Nolasco plans to 'shut some people up' with bounce-back year. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4 Twins: Nearly all present and accounted for. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6 Twinsights: Ricky Nolasco feels ‘a lot better’ than in his Twins debut season. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6 Twinsights: A Jason Kubel update from brother-in-law Michael Tonkin. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7 Twinsights: Alex Meyer leaves camp after grandfather’s death. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7 Twinsights: Paul Molitor pleased to see a bulk of position players report early. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7 Stiff neck leads to startling discovery for Milone. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 8 Meyer leaves camp for family funeral. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9 Stauffer eager to help, as starter or reliever. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9 Molitor prepping to address full squad Friday. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9 Not so fast: Twins assessing options to back up Suzuki at catcher. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 10 Kurt Suzuki wants to show his best season was not a flash in the pan. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 11 Meyer to take a few days off to attend grandfather’s funeral. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 11 Zulgad: Twins banking on Arcia’s ability to make transition to left. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 12 Wetmore: 5 thoughts on that pesky buzzword ‘leadership.’ 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 13 ‘Everyday Eddie’ brings work ethic to new job as Twins bullpen coach. Fox Sports North (Winter) p. 15 Torii Hunter Sends Kevin Garnett A Message From Spring Training. WCCO p. 16

Mid-day talker: Ranking Minnesota’s 13 superstars since Kirby Puckett retired

Michael Rand | Star Tribune | February 26, 2015

Kevin Garnett is back. You already knew that. So is Torii Hunter. Adrian Peterson could be on the way out.

Those three things got us thinking about a list of the superstars who have played in Minnesota since I’ve been an adult — more or less, since Kirby Puckett’s final regular-season game in 1995.

It’s unscientific, but it’s thought out. Patrick Reusse was consulted. There are 13 in all, and they are measured both by their on-field impact and how they resonated with fans.

1) Kevin Garnett: For the combination of longevity (12 years the first time), greatness (MVP award, a top-10 player in the league for many years) and the intangible of being the face of the franchise, nobody tops KG. Some came close, but nobody tops him.

2) Randy Moss: Rookie Randy is about as crazy as it gets for sports fan mania here, and his entire (first) seven-year run was electric.

3) Adrian Peterson: I thought he had a great chance to wind up at No. 1 on this list someday. Now, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

4) Joe Mauer: Say what you want about the rise and fall of Mauer, but the St. Paul kid still has a mighty imprint on the state. Oh, and he also has three batting titles and an MVP award (with the chance to write a better ending and move up this list with some improved seasons in 2015 and beyond).

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5) Lindsay Whalen: She galvanized the state with the Gophers women’s basketball team’s Final Four run in 2004. And she brought pro women’s basketball to prominence in Minnesota, helping the Lynx to two WNBA titles. She embodies exactly how the vast majority of Minnesotans want an athlete to play: with charisma, grit, selflessness and modest flash.

T-6) Brett Favre/Bobby Jackson: I lumped these two together because their tenures were remarkably similar: both had two seasons (sure, Jackson played with the Wolves for a bit, but let’s stick with the Gophers here). One of those years was irrelevant. And one of those years was among the best Minnesota has seen in the past 20 years — Favre with the Vikings in 2009 and Jackson with the Gophers’ Final Four run in 1996-97.

8) Johan Santana: He didn’t quite resonate with fans the way other superstars have, but his greatness (two Cy Young Awards) constantly had fans in awe of his ability.

9) Torii Hunter: When someone asks, “Who was the identity of the Twins when they turned it around in the 2000s,” Hunter is the name and face that comes to mind. The stats weren’t other-worldly, but the flashy glove, improved hitting and affable smile won him many fans.

10) Zach Parise: Another athlete who still has time to move up this list. Like Whalen, Parise embodies how we want our star athletes to play.

11) Justin Morneau: Averaged 30 HR and 118 RBI per year from 2006 to 2009 and won an MVP award. His reception at Target Field for the Home Run Derby left no doubt about how fans feel about him.

12) Maya Moore: The 2014 WNBA MVP’s best years are still ahead of her, which is a scary proposition.

13) Kevin Love: He’s not at the bottom as a cheap shot. Love’s ability is not in question, and his numbers say he was a star. But he accomplished less, team-wise, than any other Minnesota superstar of this era. It wasn’t all his fault, and he made sure we knew it.

Hicks making friends; full squad nearly complete

Phil Miller | Star Tribune | February 25, 2015 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Aaron Hicks has been spending each morning in the batting cage, working on his swing with Tim Doherty, the Rochester Red Wings’ hitting coach.

But during his down time in the clubhouse, I’ve noticed Hicks crossing the clubhouse and sitting down next to a pitcher, usually one of the new guys on the roster. Each time, he spends 20 minutes or so chatting with someone different.

Mining for some extra info? Discussing pitch selection?

“No, we’re usually talking about golf,” Hicks said.

But that’s a good thing, too. Hicks said the whole point of his sit-downs is to bond with his teammates, to learn who these guys are. Pitchers and hitters tend to segregate themselves in clubhouses — it’s only natural, since they have different schedules and different workouts — but Hicks, who is battling for the starting center field job, doesn’t like not knowing his teammates. “We’re together for a long time all season,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I want to know more about them?”

It’s not a big deal, he said, and there is plenty of camaraderie in the clubhouse, but Hicks has been actively looking for openings to sit down and catch up with other Twins, particularly the new guys. A lot of players, especially those new to the team, simply sit at their lockers and read their phones and tablets, but Hicks figures he can better spend that time. “Just making friends,” he said.

The Twins are about to take the field for their third day of training camp, and it appears that almost 100 percent of the roster has arrived. Eduardo Nunez unpacked this morning, non-roster infielder Eric Farris arrived, and Joe Mauer (who was here for the Hammond Stadium open house on Sunday) was in the batting cage for the first time this week. Among the 40-man roster, that leaves only Kennys Vargas — who was here last week, but went home to Puerto Rico for a few days — and Max Kepler still to arrive ahead of Saturday’s first full-squad workout.

Day at Twins camp: Pelfrey uses new technology to aid conditioning

La Velle E. Neal III and Phil Miller | Star Tribune | February 26, 2015 Some players have joked that righthander Mike Pelfrey has found a way to get out of working longer.

“What’s the old saying? Don’t work harder, work smarter,” Pelfrey said.

Pelfrey spent the offseason using an altitude training mask, and he feels he’s at peak cardiovascular condition.

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The mask makes him resemble the character Bane from the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.” In addition to wearing it around his offseason home in Wichita, Kan., and frightening his children, Pelfrey got a lot out of the device.

“It said it was for higher trained athletes. That’s definitely me!” Pelfrey said. “Seriously, it’s supposed to take your workouts to the next level. Instead of working out here, I can put that mask on and adjust it anywhere from 3,000 feet altitude to 18,000 feet, which makes it really hard to breathe.

“The holes go from the size of your mouth to your nose to really, really tiny. It’s pretty hard. You’re supposed to work out for 20 minutes and it’s supposed to have the same effect as a 60 minute workout.”

Pelfrey brought the mask to camp and has been seen running in the outfield with it on.

“I put it on and you totally have to suck in air in order to breathe,” Twins righthander Kyle Gibson said.

Now Pelfrey has to figure out a way to crack the Twins rotation, as he’s one of a handful of candidates for the fifth spot.

He’ll keep the day job

In between informal workouts this week, Brian Dozier has been getting plenty of camera time.

The Twins second baseman spent part of Monday filming a commercial for the Twins — six of their popular ads are being filmed this week, including one in Spanish — and on Sunday, he was in uniform all day as part of his new role as a spokesman for Pepsi in the Upper Midwest. That campaign will begin shortly after the season does.

In addition, the Twins had a cameraman following him around for a behind-the-scenes web profile this week, Dozier said, and a CBS Sports crew will be here next week to film an interview.

“It’s a good thing,” Dozier said. “It’s time-consuming, but it means people are excited for Twins baseball.”

Family first

Alex Meyer threw his second bullpen session on Wednesday, then headed for the airport. The Twins’ top pitching prospect is back in Greensburg, Ind., where his grandfather, Don Meyer, died Monday at 76. Meyer will attend the funeral of his grandfather, who owned Ford and Mercury dealerships, on Friday and return in time for Sunday’s workouts.

Twins pitcher Stauffer puts injuries behind him

Phil Miller | Star Tribune | February 26, 2015 FORT MYERS, FLA. – For nearly all of his nine major league seasons, Tim Stauffer has had a manager he could relate to. Bud Black, in charge of the Padres since 2007, is a former pitcher, after all.

Now that he has changed teams, Stauffer will play for another manager who understands him. Paul Molitor, you see, once endured a string of injuries that both frustrated and tested him.

And that’s been the story of Stauffer’s career. Or at least, it once was.

“You can’t let that define you,” the righthander said Wednesday. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot within the game itself. It’s been good — I’ve gotten the opportunity to play for a long time.”

Now he will play for a manager who lost more than 300 games to injury during his first seven seasons. A manager who knows what it’s like to spend your days watching baseball instead of playing it.

“I like when guys persevere,” Molitor said of the 32-year-old pitcher, the least-known of the Twins’ three free-agent signees over the winter. “There are times when you’re rehabbing, and injuries start backing up, and they’re relatively frequent — it’ll challenge you mentally. But hopefully, in the long run, it makes you better.”

That’s Stauffer’s attitude, too, and good thing. He has been dealing with injuries since the day he was drafted. When the Padres selected him fourth overall in 2003 after an All-America season at Richmond, they hoped they had drafted a tentpole for their rotation. But Stauffer’s shoulder was bothering him, and a doctor found some weakness.

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When San Diego offered him $2.6 million to sign, the pitcher and his agent, Ron Shapiro (whose client list includes Joe Mauer), chose honesty and informed the Padres of his condition, a disclosure that reduced his bonus to $750,000.

“He’s one of those guys whose character shows up right away,” Molitor said.

Stauffer was able to pitch, albeit with minor pain, for three seasons before finally needing surgery on the labrum in his shoulder, a procedure that cost him all of the 2008 season. An appendectomy knocked him out for two months in 2009, and elbow surgery meant he was sidelined for all but one start in 2012.

In between all the DL stints, though, Stauffer was becoming a pretty good pitcher. He owns a 3.37 ERA since returning from his shoulder problems six years ago, and while that was aided by pitching in Petco Park, his ERA is a reasonable 4.31 away from home.

Stauffer was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2011, but after his elbow surgery, Black decided to ease him back into the mix by moving him to the bullpen. Stauffer has pitched — injury-free — in 87 games the past two seasons, but 84 were in relief. The Twins promised him a chance to start again when he signed a one-year, $2.2 million contract on Dec. 23, but he understands he’ll most likely remain a reliever.

“I’ll get the pitch count built up in spring training and see how things work out. I’m not concerned about my role at th is point, I just want to go out and pitch,” he said. “Whatever role that is, if it helps the team, so be it.”

A former teammate believes he can be a big help. Blaine Boyer pitched in the Padres bullpen last year, too, and was convinced that Stauffer has the stuff to escape that role.

“You look at his repertoire, he doesn’t necessarily pitch like a reliever. He’s got a lot of different ammo he can throw at you, and he throws them very well,” Boyer said. “He’s kind of got a starter’s mentality.”

And a decade’s worth of stick-to-itiveness.

“You know the hours will be massive and the odds may not even be in your favor, but you’ve got to persevere through it,” said Molitor, who observed Stauffer’s throwing session Wednesday. “It’s been a road for him, but he found his way, found a little bullpen niche out there. … It’s impressive.”

Twins’ Ricky Nolasco plans to ‘shut some people up’ with bounce-back year

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In the newly configured Twins spring training clubhouse, a wall was extended that provides a modicum of privacy to a single corner locker.

That locker, which also happens to be closest to the renovated workout room, was assigned to Ricky Nolasco, who is more than happy to have a little space to himself.

"Yeah, I love it," the Twins' right-handed pitcher said this week with a smile.

That smile may have been on display more in the first three days of spring training than in Nolasco's entire injury-marred debut season with the club.

Consistent results were hard to come by after he signed a four-year, $49 million deal that ranked at the time as the richest in Twins free-agent history.

Health was elusive until Nolasco, 32, spent six weeks on the disabled list at midseason with a strained throwing elbow.

As he begins Year 2, however, Nolasco seems noticeably more at ease.

He won't have the added pressure of fronting the rotation. Phil Hughes will get the nod on Opening Day.

Ervin Santana is drawing the media attention this spring, having signed a four-year, $55 million free-agent pact in December.

Nolasco? He can hang out behind his wall and conduct his business in relative peace.

"It's a lot easier coming in, knowing the guys," Nolasco said.

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“It was kind of tough last year not knowing (anybody), although that didn't have anything to do with it. You come in, you know the attendants, you know the staff, you know everybody that works here. It definitely helps."

Adding to his comfort level is a renewed commitment to conditioning that saw him drop at least 15 pounds this offseason.

"Honestly, I haven't really been looking at the scale," Nolasco said. "There's definitely a difference. There was a goal I had in mind, and that was just to get leaner and stronger and not really worry about the weight."

Along with former Miami Marlins teammates Giancarlo Stanton and A.J. Ramos, Nolasco worked with two different personal trainers.

A male trainer who focused on strength would come to the house the three friends shared.

A female trainer worked with the group at the gym and supervised cardio sessions at a nearby track.

"They were both different," Nolasco said. "We had some really good workouts. They both did really good work."

So did the live-in female chef who cooked for the group, Monday through Friday.

"We ate clean for a solid three months," Nolasco said. "Saturdays were our cheat days, but we still kept it pretty decent.

We didn't go eat doughnuts or anything like that."

The biggest addition to Nolasco's revamped diet?

"Vegetables," he said. "I don't eat too many vegetables as a Mexican. It was good just to stay away from a lot of Mexican food."

The toughest dish for Nolasco to give up?

"My mom's food," he said with a smile. "I didn't spend much time at home this offseason. I'd just go home for the weekends and see my family. I was just trying to keep it clean and not waste the hard work that we'd been doing."

It helped to have close friends putting themselves through the same physical and dietary sacrifices.

"We helped each other a lot," Nolasco said. "We'd tell each other no or agree one day a week we can just kind of do whatever."

The results have been apparent. After Monday's bullpen session, Hughes raved about the quality of Nolasco's sinking fastball.

"It was one of the best sinkers I've seen," Hughes said. "That was encouraging to see. I think he's really going to have a bounce-back year."

Nolasco has been throwing bullpen sessions for a few weeks, and he already can feel the difference in his elbow. Having that extra finish on his pitches would explain the increased movement.

"It's been good these last couple of weeks ... being able to let things go a tad bit more (with) a little more extension," Nolasco said. "I think that will help to know I'm not restraining anything. I feel a lot better."

Physically and mentally, it seems.

Sometimes it comes down to embracing your situation.

"I can look at things any way I want to," Nolasco said. "I'm always going to be hungry, I'm always going to be fighting and being competitive, no matter where I am, no matter what my situation is. Obviously there's a little more to it this year, so I'll just use it to my advantage."

After posting a 2.93 earned-run average in five September starts, Nolasco is poised to atone for a lost 2014.

"I'm definitely past what I did," he said. "I felt pretty good last year when I came back. Just being able to pitch and not think too much helps. I'm not really trying to think about that. I'm just worried about what I can do from here on out and ... "

Here he paused and smiled before adding the kicker.

"Shut some people up."

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Twins: Nearly all present and accounted for

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Typically general manager Terry Ryan and the Twins manager will address the entire clubhouse on the morning of the first full-squad workout.

This year, however, Major League Baseball will use Saturday morning to deliver a 90-minute presentation on domestic violence, so the Twins will have to adjust. Ryan and first-year manager Paul Molitor will deliver their closed-door address on Friday morning, the mandatory report date for Twins position players.

Friday will remain an optional workout day for position players, per the collective bargaining agreement, but nearly every Twins invitee to big-league camp has already hit town and done some work.

On Wednesday morning, utility man Eduardo Nunez and Triple-A utility man Eric Farris joined the clubhouse mix. Joe Mauer, who lives in the area and has popped in and out, did some hitting drills with batting coach Tom Brunansky at the indoor cages.

"It's good to see them all here, obviously," Molitor said. "I think sometimes when you get various changes that have taken place, it kind of lights a fire for a few people. The bulk of our position players are here with a few days to spare. That's a good sign. I don't even know how many are missing."

Of those on the 40-man roster, only designated hitter Kennys Vargas has yet to report, although Vargas did some hitting at the complex last week.

Latin American minor-league infielders Argenis Diaz, Jose Martinez and Heiker Meneses are expected to arrive in time for Friday's meeting.

New first-base coach Butch Davis, who will handle outfield and baserunning instruction, had a large group of position players out on a back field Wednesday. They worked on taking primary and secondary leads, tagging up on fly balls and the like.

Molitor has been concentrating on the pitchers and catchers through the first three days but said he has received good reports on the position players.

As for Friday's talk, Molitor said he planned to keep it brief.

"We'll try to set a tone as best we can and see where it goes," he said. "I'm cautious about being too long-winded. Guys are going to be anxious to get going."

Twinsights: Ricky Nolasco feels ‘a lot better’ than in his Twins debut season

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Ricky Nolasco’s name was conspicuously absent from Wednesday’s bullpen schedule, but there’s no cause for alarm.

As it turns out, the Twins right-hander threw on Monday morning when he wasn’t supposed to throw for another day.

“Somebody told me that I was in their group, so I was just following them,” Nolasco said Wednesday morning. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to throw. This will get me back on schedule, and I’ll throw (Thursday).”

Nolasco was informed of the mixup on Tuesday, but it’s no big deal. Monday’s session actually gave Phil Hughes a chance to watch a few of Nolasco’s pitches from the next mound, and the Twins’ expected Opening Day starter came away raving about the quality of Nolasco’s sinker.

“He was throwing some two-seamers that were just falling off,” Hughes said. “It was one of the best sinkers I’ve seen. That was encouraging to see. I think he’s really going to have a bounce-back year. If he gets back on track and obviously having Ervin (Santana), we’ll be in good shape.”

Nolasco has been throwing bullpens for a few weeks, and he can already feel the difference in the way his elbow feels after last year’s injury-marred first half.

“It’s been good these last couple weeks, just kind of toning things up a little bit, being able to let things go a tad bit more (with) a little more extension,” Nolasco said. “I think that will help to know I’m not restraining anything.”

Having that extra finish on his pitches would explain why Nolasco is able to produce more late movement on his sinker.

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“I feel a lot better,” he said. “I could get all the way out there and not have to think twice about it. It’s a good feeling for now. Just keep getting stronger.”

Twinsights: A Jason Kubel update from brother-in-law Michael Tonkin

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Former Twins outfielder Jason Kubel hasn’t officially retired, but he has yet to secure a contract for 2015.

“He’s not actively seeking anything,” said Twins reliever Michael Tonkin, Kubel’s brother-in-law.

Kubel, 32, hit just .224 in 45 games (176 plate appearances) for the Twins last season before being released after the June signing of Kendrys Morales.

Along with Jason Bartlett and Matt Guerrier, Kubel was brought in for 2014 in hopes to providing a veteran presence in the Twins clubhouse. Bartlett retired in April. Guerrier was released in July and has yet to hook on anywhere.

Kubel spent his winter back in Southern California with his young family. He served as a volunteer assistant for his son Owen’s coach-pitch team.

“He was the designated pitcher,” Tonkin said.

That meant Kubel had to get down on one knee and lob pitches to 7- and 8-year-olds.

Tonkin only attended one game to watch his nephew.

“One kid asked if we were winning, and then one of the dads said, ‘Everyone’s a winner,’ “Tonkin said. “They don’t really keep score. Apparently they went undefeated.”

Did Kubel try to coax his brother-in-law into taking over some of those coach-pitch duties?

“No,” Tonkin said. “I didn’t want to hit any kids.”

Drafted by the Twins in the 12th round in 2000, Kubel went on to enjoy a 10-year big-league career. He posted a career .330 on-base percentage and hit 20 or more homers four times.

Twinsights: Alex Meyer leaves camp after grandfather’s death

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins pitching prospect Alex Meyer left camp on Wednesday afternoon to travel home to Greensburg, Ind., after the death of his paternal grandfather.

Don Meyer, 77, died this week. He was the eponymous founder of Don Meyer Ford, the family’s auto dealership now run by Dave Meyer, Alex’s father.

Alex Meyer, 25, will attend a memorial service for his grandfather later this week in his hometown outside Indianapolis and plans to return to workouts with the Twins by Sunday morning.

Meyer threw his second bullpen this week on Wednesday, working this time with all-star catcher Kurt Suzuki. Meyer is among five top starting candidates to win the final spot in the Twins’ big-league rotation.

Twinsights: Paul Molitor pleased to see a bulk of position players report early

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Typically general manager Terry Ryan and the Twins manager will address the entire clubhouse on the morning of the first full-squad workout.

This year, however, Major League Baseball will use Saturday morning to deliver a 90-minute presentation on domestic violence, so the Twins will have to adjust.

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Ryan and first-year manager Paul Molitor will deliver their closed-door address on Friday morning, the mandatory report date for Twins position players. Friday will remain an optional workout day for position players, as the Collective Bargaining Agreement states, but nearly every Twins invitee to big-league camp has already hit town and done some work.

Wednesday morning, utility man Eduardo Nunez and Triple-A utility man Eric Farris joined the clubhouse mix. Joe Mauer, who lives in the area and has popped in and out, did some hitting drills with batting coach Tom Brunansky at the indoor cages.

“It’s good to see them all here obviously,” Molitor said. “I think sometimes when you get various changes that have taken place, it kind of lights a fire for a few people. The bulk of our position players are here with a few days to spare. That’s a good sign. I don’t even know how many are missing.”

Of those on the 40-man roster, only designated hitter Kennys Vargas has yet to report, although Vargas did some hitting at the complex last week.

Latin American minor-league infielders Argenis Diaz, Jose Martinez and Heiker Meneses also have yet to report, but they are all expected to arrive in time for Friday’s meeting.

New first-base coach Butch Davis, who will handle outfield and baserunning instruction as well, had a large group of position players out on a back field Wednesday. They worked on taking primary and secondary leads, tagging up on fly balls and the like.

Molitor has been concentrating on the pitchers and catchers through the first three days, but he said he has received good reports on the position guys.

As for Friday’s talk, Molitor said he planned to keep it brief and to the point.

“We’ll try to set a tone as best we can and see where it goes,” he said. “I’m cautious about being too long-winded. Guys are going to be anxious to get going.”

Stiff neck leads to startling discovery for Milone

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Once the 2014 season ended, Twins left-hander Tommy Milone received a cortisone shot in his neck to help him with the stiffness that bothered him late in the season, and figured his neck would feel better with rest.

But instead of getting better, the neck never improved and got to the point where Milone couldn't even turn his head. He figured something wasn't right and saw a specialist that discovered a benign tumor in his neck, requiring surgery on Dec. 4. Milone felt a difference right away after the surgery, and was able to get back to throwing roughly two weeks later.

"I felt like 20 times better immediately," Milone said. "I couldn't even move my neck before the surgery. So I'm grateful the issue is behind me and that I can move forward and compete for that fifth spot."

Milone started his throwing program a bit later than usual, but said it caused him to improve his focus this offseason and that he feels he was able to get ready for Spring Training without any issues.

"I'm ready to go," Milone said. "I'm prepared this year more than the last couple years. I don't know if it was just getting a late start on working out or throwing this year because of the neck issue. So I felt like I needed to turn it on double-time once I got healthy."

Milone, 28, is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation along with Mike Pelfrey, Alex Meyer, Trevor May and Tim Stauffer. He's considered the favorite in that race, but said he knows not to take it for granted.

"I don't ever come into Spring Training thinking I have a spot in the rotation," Milone said. "So I'm just going to treat it the same way. And obviously I don't and it's not a lock. There are a few guys going for it. So you just have to compete."

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Meyer leaves camp for family funeral

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins prospect Alex Meyer left camp on Wednesday to fly home to Indiana to attend his grandfather's funeral and won't return to the club until Sunday. Meyer's grandfather, Don, died this week at age 77.

Meyer, 25, will attend the memorial service in his hometown of Greensburg, Ind., which is roughly 50 miles southeast of Indianapolis.

Meyer threw his second official bullpen session of the spring on Wednesday and was scheduled to throw again on Friday. Meyer is competing for a spot in the rotation along with Tommy Milone, Mike Pelfrey, Trevor May and Tim Stauffer.

Meyer, a 6-foot-9 right-hander, is ranked as the No. 29 overall prospect by MLB.com.

Stauffer eager to help, as starter or reliever

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When Tim Stauffer was going through his options as a free agent for the first time in his career this winter, he wanted to find a team that was open to him starting or pitching in high-leverage roles.

He found the Twins to be a perfect fit -- signing a one-year deal worth $2.2 million in December -- and the club has followed through on its promise, as Stauffer is competing for the fifth spot in the rotation along with Tommy Milone, Mike Pelfrey, Alex Meyer and Trevor May.

But given Stauffer's success in the bullpen with the Padres the last two seasons, he's still more likely to open the year as a reliever. Stauffer, 32, posted a combined 3.21 ERA over the last two seasons pitching in relief, while giving up nine runs in eight innings in two spot starts.

"I like both but obviously there's a difference," Stauffer said of starting versus relieving. "I probably prefer to start, but there are things I like about the bullpen, too, such as being in the game every day. At this point in my career, I'm open to whatever the team needs."

Stauffer said he believes the fact his mixing of pitches as a starting pitcher has helped him as a reliever, because he's able to keep hitter's off-balance. Stauffer's fastball averages roughly 91 mph, but he's been able to strike out 131 batters in 134 innings over the last two years because he also uses a two-seam fastball, a curveball, a changeup and a slider.

"It's just a mix and it varies game-to-game," Stauffer said. "I'm not a guy who blows fastballs by guys. I try to get the ball to move, keep it down, and get ground balls. But when I need to get strikeouts, I feel like I have some pitches I can use that help me be able to do that."

Twins manager Paul Molitor also praised Stauffer for his perseverance, as he underwent surgery as a Minor Leaguer to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in 2009 and also had surgery to repair the flexor pronator mass in his elbow in '12.

"He's one of those guys whose character shows up right away," said Molitor, who met with Stauffer at the Winter Meetings in San Diego. "Obviously it takes those kind of personality traits to be a guy and persevere. You know the hours will be massive and the odds may not even be in your favor, but you've got to persevere through it."

Molitor prepping to address full squad Friday

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins manager Paul Molitor said he plans to address all 61 players in camp in a meeting Friday morning on the day the full squad is set to report to the CenturyLink Sports Complex.

Molitor had to push up the meeting a day, as Major League Baseball will be holding a mandatory meeting covering domestic violence on Saturday. But he said it shouldn't be an issue, considering nearly every player invited to Spring Training is already here and will be in attendance Friday morning. Molitor, though, said he doesn't expect to address the team for too long. Twins general manager Terry Ryan will also talk to the players and will open the meeting.

"I'm cautious about getting too long-winded," Molitor said. "Guys are going to be anxious to get going. We'll try to set a tone as best we can, and see where it goes."

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Molitor, along with bench coach Joe Vavra, will also meet with a representative from Major League Baseball to go over the new pace of play rules Friday afternoon. He said he also expects Ryan to go over those changes with the players on Friday.

"I'm not expecting any big issues," Molitor said. "Like all the comments you have read, there are certain players it's going to affect a little bit more, but we have an acclimation period here, springtime and the first month of the season, so I don't expect any big problems with that."

Not so fast: Twins assessing options to back up Suzuki at catcher

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Kurt Suzuki is locked in as the starting catcher. His backup, though, is up for grabs.

Paul Molitor said the team has debated the relative merits of having a catcher with strong offensive skills or strong skills behind the plate. It is possible, although probably unlikely, that Minnesota would carry three catchers on the 25-man roster.

So the second spot behind Suzuki is an open competition, Molitor said Tuesday.

"That's going to be an interesting competition. There's different criteria you can consider," Molitor said. "Do you want the guy that is going to be your best defender for 30 or 40 games or do you want to have the offense and hopefully have enough defense?

"I'm open minded."

The candidates appear clear enough.

Josmil Pinto had an incredible September with the bat two seasons ago when he was called up with the Twins. He hit well in stretches last season and tore it up in the Venezuelan winter league, but he spent a good chunk of the 2014 season in the minors and was awful at times behind the plate. Opposing base stealers were a perfect 20-for-20 against Pinto.

He said he worked on his defense this winter with Raul Chavez while playing in the Venezuelan winter league. Chavez played 11 years in the big leagues. Mostly, Pinto said, it was up to him to improve his throwing to bases, which he practiced two or three times a week.

He appears to be the all-bat-and-hopefully-just-enough-glove candidate.

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Chris Herrmann is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. He has hit all right in the minors, but in his big league career he just has not had any success at the plate. He's out of options, so this is a critical spring training for him.

If he can hit, he adds versatility because he can back up first base and play outfield. That flexibility works for and against him at times, he thinks.

He'd prefer to be thought of primarily as a catcher, rather than a do-everything utility player who can catch.

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Eric Fryer is not on the 40-man roster, but he's in major league camp with the Twins and certainly has a chance to make the club as the defense-first backup catcher.

He spent parts of last year with the Twins but was taken off the 40-man roster and cleared waivers. People with the Twins regard him for his ability behind the plate, and he hasn't hit much in his big league career. Like Pinto, Fryer too was bad at throwing out opposing base stealers last season.

He said his mentality is the same as last year, when he was still on the 40-man roster. Even though he had a spot he said he felt like he had to prove he should stay a year ago. Now, he'll try to prove he belongs, that he's worth adding back.

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Stewart Turner is a prospect well regarded for his glove. He's not on the 40-man roster, but might be seen as a candidate for the job if he impresses in camp. More likely he'll be stashed in the minor leagues to continue to develop and serve as an option to call up if injuries arise in the big leagues.

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Molitor was noncommittal so early in camp, as he waits to see how his roster shakes out this spring.

"We all know Pinto had a pretty good winter we see it swing it pretty well at times up here in short stints. Herrmann didn't get a chance to catch up here last year but we know he's improved a lot back there [behind the plate]. He's a lefthanded bat. We've got Fryer, who a lot of people

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have a lot of confidence in defensively. You watch him do drills and he's got that side of the game down pretty well. We got some people to look at and see how it shakes out as we try to put together our team.''

Kurt Suzuki wants to show his best season was not a flash in the pan

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | February 25, 2015 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Kurt Suzuki has heard the critics. He says he doesn't pay them much mind.

Suzuki signed a one-year contract with the Twins after a couple down years offensively. Those two seasons he bounced between Athletics and Nationals, but he seems to have found a home in Minnesota. The Twins extended him to a two-year contract that kicks in this year and has an option for a third year.

He may not have been the primary catching target of the offseason for the Twins or other teams, but he got to work and earned the starting job and put together his best season at the plate. He earned an All-Star nod for the first time in his career at age 30.

Suzuki is well-liked by his pitchers as a receiver behind the plate. The question has become whether or not Suzuki can sustain his offensive production.

"I don't see why not," Suzuki said. "I know there's a lot of people say, 'Oh, he had a lot of luck,' or whatever. I don't pay too much attention to that stuff. I think that this is who I am, you know? That's the player I was last year and that's who I plan on being again this year. In my mind, I feel like that's kind of the player I was. I just got to go out do it again."

He said there are several factors that lined up to help him have his best season in the big leagues. The first thing he mentioned was that he was "in a good place mentally." He also brought up a full season in which he was mostly healthy - for a catcher, anyway. He also said the Twins helped him feel at home from the get-go.

"I was with an organization that -- they really made me feel comfortable right from the start. It starts from learning the organization, learning pitchers and stuff like that. Coming in they made me feel comfortable," Suzuki said. "Working in the [batting] cage a lot with Bruno [hitting coach Tom Brunansky], talking to Mollie [then-coach Paul Molitor], he was an assistant coach always there to talk, and I think that helped a lot."

He'll once again be the starter, and it's apparently something of an open competition to find his backup.

Despite taking a beating some nights behind the plate from foul tips and the assortment of nicks that come from crouching behind the plate, his relative health also must have helped.

"Yeah, it does. Feeling good plays a part. I'm not saying my other years I wasn't healthy, I'm just saying feeling better makes a big difference," Suzuki said.

He's 31 years old now. Some say it's unusual for a player to go seven seasons before experiencing his best year offensively. Some say catchers don't last through their thirties. Others, like Suzuki, contend it's possible that hitters mature as they age and 31 isn't too far beyond one's athletic prime.

"That's what I say, I say I'm reaching my prime right now and really learning myself as a hitter, as a player," Suzuki said. "I feel like I'm reaching that point in my career where I feel like I'm ready to take off. I feel like I'm ready to be consistent and have a good year."

Meyer to take a few days off to attend grandfather’s funeral

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins top pitching prospect Alex Meyer will be away from the team for a few days to attend his grandfather's funeral, the team announced Wednesday.

Don Meyer passed away recently. He was 77.

Alex Meyer threw a bullpen session during Wednesday morning's workout. Now he'll head home to be with his family and to attend his grandfather's funeral. He was born and raised in Greensburg, Indiana, before attending the University of Kentucky.

The Twins expect he'll be back in camp on Sunday.

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When he returns he'll resume his competition for a spot in the rotation. He may have one of the best fastballs in Twins camp and he has a good breaking ball, too. If he can further develop his changeup he'll have a good three-pitch mix, which many believe is important for a starting pitcher to get out righthanders and lefthanders alike.

Another option would be to put Meyer, 25, in the bullpen, where his velocity and breaking ball could work as an above-average two-pitch mix. The downside to that is he might not be forced to develop his third pitch, the changeup.

For a few days, the focus will not be baseball.

Zulgad: Twins banking on Arcia’s ability to make transition to left

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Any discussion of the Twins' decision to sign Torii Hunter this offseason has been closely followed by a mention of the fact the veteran is viewed as a liability in right field.

The defensive metrics say Hunter no longer can get to balls that once became routine outs if they came near his vicinity. What isn't mentioned is that the 39-year-old Hunter might be able to compensate for some of these shortcomings, at least at Target Field, by becoming an expert at how to play the various ricochets off a wall that is 23 feet from right center to the foul pole and also contains an overhang.

Oswaldo Arcia, who played 100 games in right for the Twins last season, had issues dealing with the challenges presented by the fact the wall has three different surfaces. There were times the strong-armed Arcia looked lost on the fielding end of things.

And that gets us to a storyline that hasn't been discussed much.

While Hunter's defense has been dissected, the fact Arcia is going to take over in left field has been largely ignored. Arcia will only have one surface to deal with in left when it comes to the wall, but anyone who watched Josh Willingham look like a statue out there in recent seasons is justified in wondering if Arcia will be an upgrade.

This concern was expressed to Twins general manager Terry Ryan during an interview this week on 1500 ESPN.

"I've seen Arcia play in the minor leagues a lot," Ryan said. "I saw him play center, left, right, it didn't matter. He was a pretty good minor league outfielder. We got him up underneath that darn overhang out there (at Target Field), and he just didn't read that very well and, of course, the ball is bouncing all over and that made him look bad.

"He lost confidence as a fielder, there's no question in my mind. We're going to move him to left to get him away from the overhang. Now, he's not probably ever going to be a gold glove guy. He can throw, he can run enough. I think his routes and jumps and angles are OK. I believe that ultimately he'll gain confidence and experience in left and be a very adequate left fielder."

Anyone who watched the Kansas City Royals' athletic outfielders track down fly balls and cut off hits before they got to the gaps last season knows, the importance of outfield defense when it comes to helping make pitchers look good.

But the Twins want to keep Arcia's bat in the lineup because of his power potential. He hit .231/.300/.452 with 20 home runs and 57 runs batted in in 103 games last season. His home run total was second to Brian Dozier's 23 and he drove in the fourth most runs on the team.

Since it is likely Kennys Vargas will end up as the Twins' designated hitter, the team might be willing to put up with any shortcomings Arcia has in left as long as he's swinging well.

The only thing is new manager Paul Molitor has made it clear he wants the little things done right and that would include avoiding defensive miscues. Molitor did note that Arcia appears to be in "pretty good shape" and thus that should help his mobility.

"Left field is a little more generic, but it's very spacious," Molitor said in discussing Arcia's transition. "There's going to be some work to try to make sure he understands depth and angles and all those things. But I've heard his transition to left this winter went fairly well. Like anything, he does something different, it's going to take a little while, (while) his comfort and confidence grows. But he swings the bat, he'll be out there."

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Wetmore: 5 thoughts on that pesky buzzword ‘leadership’

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | February 25, 2015

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In the Minnesota sports media landscape, we've seen a lot of talk about leadership recently. This, of course, has plenty to do with the respective returns of Kevin Garnett and Torii Hunter, many years after their athletics primes, to the state in which their careers began.

Since there was so much time in both cases between the time his comeback became known and the time he did anything of consequence with is new (old) team, the talk about 'leadership' has perhaps been a little saturated.

We've heard a lot about leadership and intangibles and immeasurables.

I'm not ashamed to say that's a little unsatisfying to me, a person who likes to see the world kept in tidy order, where acts can be quantified or at least measured and weighed, where decisions can be made based on an overwhelming amount of information.

But even though I care zilch about the nostalgia angle, I've begun to soften my stance on the pair of signings.

This column presents 5 thoughts on Torii Hunter, leadership and value:

(For those new the column -- Timberwolves fans, maybe -- this is a regular feature during the baseball season.)

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1. The topic of leadership has come up on more than a few occasions in Fort Myers this week, considering this is Hunter's first spring training back with the Twins. I think manager Paul Molitor might have had the best overall assessment of that difficult-to-define concept that I've heard since Hunter re-signed in Minnesota.

"It's a complicated issue," Molitor said, contemplating a reporter's question about improving clubhouse "culture" and "chemistry."

"Culture and chemistry are hot-button words these days in professional sports and really down through the amateur level. I have to preface it by saying I don't think we have bad culture [last year]. Obviously when you lose, it's always going to be challenging for how guys are able to go day to day with their focus and be present. I think when you make changes obviously it gives you an opportunity of a fresh start, as far as my opinion of things I'd like to see in terms of how guys commit themselves. The whole team concept is just not something that you can be halfway on. Either you're in or you're out, and we're going to try to get everybody in."

I like Molitor's point about how it's more difficult to be present and engaged when things aren't going well. It's those times that seem to separate the truly driven athletes from the rest. That's why things like grit are an important part of being successful.

"You know," Molitor continued, "you've heard many people in many sports talk about players being able to police themselves, and we had some guys who emerged last year who began to get the feel of how to do that, and when you add someone with [Hunter's] resume and track record and certainly deserved reputation of being able to be a leader, it's a welcome sight. I'm kind of a believer in the whole horizontal leadership. I think today's players respond to that very effectively, and when it comes from their peers it's always very effective."

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2. Hunter, Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton all have their lockers nearby each other in the Twins clubhouse at Hammond Stadium.

I spent maybe 30 minutes in the Twins clubhouse Wednesday morning, conducting a series of interviews with various players. Each time I finished a conversation to head to the next one, there was the trio of Hunter, Hicks, and Buxton chatting in the far corner of the locker room.

As I mentioned, I'm somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of trying to define leadership in this sense, because it's not tactile in any way. It can be as simple as chatting with a younger peer about the pressures of daily life, whether or not it's work related, or cracking jokes to develop a bond. Once that trust is in place, it's presumably easier to seek or to give advice.

Rod Carew made an appearance Wednesday in the Twins clubhouse. When he talks, young hitters listen. Or, in Hunter's case, even not-so-young hitters listen. Carew spent a few minutes chatting in that corner, and it was something to see the attention of Hicks and Buxton glued to whatever Carew was saying.

This speaks to another important point: accomplishment in one's field leads to credibility in the eyes of those aspiring to similar goals. Carew has that cachet. Hunter has that cachet, too.

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3. Don't think the clubhouse seating arrangement was on accident.

"We talked about clubhouse arrangement this year," Molitor said. "We're integrating pitchers and position players a little bit more and, of course, you want to take advantage of leadership. I don't know exactly how much time they actually spent sitting next to each other but you hope they say, `Hey, I'm next to Torii Hunter, this is going to be a good thing for me.'"

"Byron, I don't have any doubts, is going to try to take advantage of that. I think Aaron already has begun to do that," Molitor said.

If Hicks becomes a successful big leaguer, we'll literally never be able to deconstruct how much credit Hunter deserves. Or perhaps it would have happened all along, and Hunter was merely a character acting in the play, who had no real impact on Hicks. If Hicks doesn't become a quality big leaguer I think it's safe to say nobody would blame Hunter.

What if Hunter does help, though? We can't measure it and we can't prove it, but what if he alters Hicks' path in some way that leads to the latter being an important contributor for the Twins? Would that incremental improvement be worth a one-time $10.5 million investment?

Buxton may not need the help, but it'd be hard to argue that Hunter's presence will hurt his chances.

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4. Joe Mauer doesn't think the leadership angle is overplayed. He said it's smart that Buxton and/or Hicks can frequently be found in Hunter's back pocket. Mauer joined the Mackey & Judd radio show on 1500ESPN on Wednesday morning.

"Torii's had a great career and he's still performing at a high level, so what better guy to learn from than Torii?"

"Not just the centerfielders but the [other] everyday players: Keep an eye on him. He's been here for a long time and it's for a reason," Mauer said during the interview. "He does a lot of things right, that's why we wanted to bring him back. He's a very vocal and very colorful character. He's always got a smile on his face."

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5. When Hunter left the Twins, I think everyone would have been surprised to eventually learn that Hunter would be so productive at age 38. Ditto for Garnett, I guess, when he left the Timberwolves in a trade with the Boston Celtics.

Neither player appears to be the final piece to a championship puzzle. It's a little odd that both agreed to join non-competitive teams (in terms of the playoffs) for what might be the final season of their respective careers. Garnett could be back next. Hunter might play another season. But the point is they're in the twilight and chose a place they may not win it all - and what's more is that each team chose to eschew other additions that would have prevented The Great Minnesota Reunion Tour.

One of our 1500ESPN.com Timberwolves writers, Steve McPherson, wrote a column about Garnett's return and in it he explained the origin of the name of his regular feature, "Feelings Aren't Numbers."

"When I first casually uttered the phrase, I just meant it as a way to say that we shouldn't equate these two things [feelings and numbers], not to privilege one over the other," McPherson wrote. "[NBA] Front offices need to concern themselves primarily with numbers -- with salary caps and statistics and ages and lengths of contract and wins and losses. But they also can't just ignore the feelings -- both public and private -- about their team. They are, ultimately, selling entertainment. Winning, almost definitively in basketball, makes for good entertainment. But there are many paths that lead there."

Maybe Hunter isn't the final piece on the Twins. Maybe he does and maybe he does not help Hicks, Buxton and any other player willing to listen. Maybe he sells a few extra jerseys or tickets along the way. Heck, maybe the Twins fall out of contention and he agrees to waive his no-trade clause and the Twins trade him, making his second tour in Minneapolis rather short-lived.

I still don't believe 'leadership' -- or in Hunter's case, what I think we should more accurately described as charisma -- is the critical ingredient to winning baseball games.

But as someone who once dismissed the notion out of hand, I'm no longer rolling I'm my eyes at the thought. I'm curious to see how this thing works.

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‘Everyday Eddie’ brings work ethic to new job as Twins bullpen coach

Abe Winter | Fox Sports North | February 25, 2015 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- His nickname became Everyday Eddie, but he didn't really pitch every game.

Eddie Guardado said the nickname was given by a Minneapolis writer.

"I pitched in 11 or 12 games in a row, so he named me Everyday Eddie. It just stuck," the smiling Guardado said during a break in Wednesday's drills at the spring training camp of the Minnesota Twins. "Hey, when you get a nickname, that means you did something, right?"

That he did. During his best seasons as a reliever with the Twins, the popular Guardado appeared in 68 games while recording 45 saves in 2002 and 66 games in 2003 when he had 41 saves. Those were his best two seasons before departing for a richer contract with Seattle, but his success, at least in terms of numbers of saves, didn't approach his figures with the Twins.

Today the left-handed reliever with 17 seasons of major-league playing experience is serving as the bullpen coach with the Twins, who completed their third day of spring training.

"He's a good addition, he really is," said Phil Roof, who at 73 is also on the coaching staff during spring training and is a former manager of Guardado in the minor leagues. "He had no fear of throwing strikes and loved to challenge hitters.

"His whole career, he went after them. In the bullpen he's going to offer the experience of having been there."

Roof said Guardado's advice to the Minnesota relievers would be to stay calm, focus and "get them out with your good stuff."

No matter the situation, Roof believes Guardado will be able to help the bullpen staff.

"He'll be able to relate to that because he went through it for so many years," said Roof, whose playing career spanned 15 years.

Alex Meyer, who is trying to make the team as a starter but might be used as a long reliever, agreed.

"He has the resume," the 25-year-old Meyer said. "I grew up watching him. He's not afraid to let you know what he thinks and that's what I need."

Guardado is happy to hear such praise from young players.

"Absolutely," he said. "Sometimes we don't like hearing the truth, but I'm not a tapper on the back when things are going bad. It made me a better person. It is what it is and, hopefully, they can be as successful as I was.

"This is an opportunity to give back to the young guys. I was that young guy once. It's fun to give back, no question about it. And I'm having a blast."

Guardado was a starter with the Twins in 1993 at age 22. He made 16 starts as a rookie, going 3-8. Two years later he was primarily a reliever, appearing in as many as 83 games (1996) and no fewer than 63 between 1997 and 2003. He then played three seasons with Seattle, two with Cincinnati and portions of two years with the Rangers and Twins before retiring in 2009.

"You know the old saying 'Baseball been very, very good to me.' Well, baseball has been very, very good to me," Guardado said.

He figures to be asked his opinion on pitchers when it's time to determine the 25-man roster, but the final decisions won't be his.

"It's too early, but they're all working hard and we have a good core," Guardado said. "I wish everybody could make it. But whoever we go north with, I'm sure it will be the right guys."

He also hopes to see the players display the same work ethic that made his career successful.

"Some people say you need a little luck, but you make your own luck by working hard. My father taught me that," Guardado said. "My life has been great. I have a wife and three wonderful children. Things couldn't be better."

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Torii Hunter Sends Kevin Garnett A Message From Spring Training

WCCO | February 24, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It was Kevin Garnett’s day in the Twin Cities as he was re-introduced as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

But word of his arrival spread fast, all the way down to Fort Myers, Fla., where the Minnesota Twins are in the middle of Spring Training workouts. WCCO-TV’s Mark Rosen had a chance to talk with one of the team’s newest members this season, who is in a very similar spot to Garnett in his return to Minnesota.

Torii Hunter, 39, is back with the Twins after leaving the team for Los Angeles in free agency and eventually coming back into the division with the Detroit Tigers. He signed with the Twins in the offseason and will spend the season in right field and mentoring the franchise’s younger players.

Hunter was excited to hear of Garnett’s return to the Twin Cities and wanted to welcome him back during a break from workouts Tuesday in Florida. He was won of Garnett’s biggest fans when the two shared the Twin Cities spotlight in professional sports.

“I’m glad to see him back. I’ve always had respect for you man, and Minnesota you know that’s our love, that’s where we grew up,” Hunter said. “It’s nice to see both of us come back where our true love is, and KG – congratulations baby. I’ll see you at Seven (Steakhouse).”

Fans have responded to Hunter’s presence with the Twins much the same way Timberwolves fans have reacted to Garnett’s return to the Timberwolves: With a ton of excitement.