Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Suzuki's fine with splitting time at catcher for Twins. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 1

Souhan: With Mauer's health, the outlook is always a bit blurry. Star Tribune (Souhan) p. 2

Twins day at camp: Pitchers try out new protective headgear. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 3

The Twins' Opening Day lineup? Submit your batting order here. Star Tribune (Carr) p. 5

In his words: Joe Mauer talks about concussion symptoms. Star Tribune (Stensaas) p. 8

Joe Mauer wants to move on after blurred vision comments. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 9

Twins’ Joe Mauer: ‘I’m not going to lie. There were times it was difficult.’ Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 9

Twins pitcher Casey Fien waiting for the call from expectant wife. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 11

Twins’ Michael Tonkin’s dog named after six-time all-star. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 11

Mauer stresses message: 'I feel great now.' MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 12

Healthy Hughes hopes to return to form in '16. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 13

Can Byung Ho Park be the Twins’ everyday designated hitter? Bring Me the News (Ziemer) p. 13

Minnesota Twins, Pitchers and Catchers Open Spring Training. Naples Herald (Mosher) p. 14

Joe Mauer: ‘I feel great now and I think that message got lost.’ 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 15

S. Korean stars looking to win big league jobs at spring training. Korea Times (Jee-ho) p. 16

Suzuki's fine with splitting time at catcher for Twins

La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | February 24, 2016 FORT MYERS, FLA. – Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki was enjoying his offseason when manager Paul Molitor interrupted it with an unexpected phone call. Another catcher was coming to town. The Twins traded for John Ryan Murphy on Nov. 11, and Molitor called Suzuki right before the deal went down to make sure he was not blindsided. “I told Molly it is what it is,” Suzuki said. “I believe I still have a lot left.” So let the catcher controversy commence, right? Nope. Not going to happen. Despite coming off a season in which his production dipped and opponents had success stealing bases against him, Suzuki will head into the season as the clear No. 1 catcher. “I’m heading into camp thinking that Kurt is going to be our starting catcher,” Molitor said. “And to think that you try to make some kind of an assessment that John Ryan Murphy is ready to be more than someone who backs up Kurt. At least it gets things started.” Suzuki, 32, says he had no trouble understanding the reasons behind the deal. He has played in 131 games each of the past two seasons, and his production in 2015 was down in most offensive categories.

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“To have someone come in and help our ballclub I thought was great,” Suzuki said. “And it wasn’t about, ‘I’m this or I’m that,’ and playing time. It was about helping the team.” Suzuki batted .288 with 61 RBI in 2014, earning an All-Star selection and a midseason contract extension through 2016. Last season he slumped to .240 with 50 RBI while throwing out only 15 percent of runners attempting to steal. The Twins believed they needed to provide Suzuki with some help, so they sent outfielder Aaron Hicks to the Yankees for Murphy. “Initially, I was shocked,” Murphy said of the trade. “I didn’t know it was going to happen. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got about it.” Murphy, 24, actually introduced himself to the Twins on July 25, when his three-run homer in the ninth inning off Glen Perkins capped an 8-5 comeback Yankees victory. Little did Twins fans know then that Murphy would play a role in solidifying the Twins’ catching spot. With Suzuki only signed through this season with a $6 million vesting option for 2017, the Twins needed to bridge the gap to the future. They feel good about prospects Stuart Turner, who was at Class AA Chattanooga last season, and Mitch Garver, who was at Class A Fort Myers. Turner is strong defensively and working on his hitting; Garver came into the organization with his offense ahead of his defense but has made strides behind the plate. Murphy, who hit .277 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 67 games with the Yankees last season, can be that bridge. Or he could take the job and not give it up. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan told fans at TwinsFest in January that Murphy could be as good as former All-Star Jonathan Lucroy. One edge Murphy might have on Suzuki is he threw out 28 percent of runners attempting to steal last season. Molitor cited Murphy’s lack of experience as a reason why he’s not ready to make the catching spot a timeshare. He also won’t handcuff Murphy to one starter. “There’s a lot of likable things there,” Molitor said. “I think he knows he has to earn anything he gets.” Twins righthander Phil Hughes likes working with Suzuki but knows Murphy from when both were with the Yankees organization. “If he provides anything with his bat, that’s great,” Hughes said of Murphy. “He handles a staff real well. That was his background coming over here. He’s a good catch-and-throw guy and knows his pitchers.” Suzuki continues to work on his footwork and throwing to improve his chances of throwing out base stealers, but that’s a team-wide issue. The club wants its pitchers to hold runners on base better to help out the catchers. Murphy’s presence makes it easier for the Twins to reduce Suzuki’s role if they choose. While Molitor won’t reveal his hand as far as how he’ll use both catchers, Suzuki understands playing less might keep him fresher during the season and lead to more production. “I’m not getting younger but I feel like I’m in great shape still and that I can catch however many games they need me to catch,” Suzuki said. “Obviously, the wear and tear of catching throughout a season grinds on you and the fresher you stay, the better you feel and the more you may produce. “You look at it that way and it might help the team. If instead of catching 130 games you’re down to 110, 115, I don’t know, whatever it plays out to be. I’m just throwing a number out there. I’m always ready to catch.” Souhan: With Mauer's health, the outlook is always a bit blurry

Jim Souhan | Star Tribune | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, FLA. – Joe Mauer says he has been plagued by blurred vision. Does that mean we need to view his past two seasons through corrective lenses? Mauer confirmed Tuesday that the concussions that caused him to move to first base after the 2013 season affected his vision the past two seasons, as the one-time MVP and three-time batting champ hit like a utility infielder. If you believe blurred vision is the sole reason for his regression, this sounds like a wonderful story. That’s how Mauer spun it Tuesday, after reporting to

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Twins spring training. He acknowledged his vision problems, and ended just about every sentence with a version of “The message we’re trying to get out there is how good I’m feeling and how far I’ve come.” Here’s where things get blurry. When the subject is Mauer and health, things always get blurry. Mauer is a proud stoic. He rarely has acknowledged injuries. When his career veered off course in 2011, someone close to him chose to incorrectly describe his ailments as “bilateral leg weakness,” applying a ready-made punch line to every muscle strain Mauer would suffer the rest of his career. Mauer never satisfactorily explained the mysterious injuries that limited him to 82 games and three home runs that year. Now he’s coming off the worst season of his career, the worst two-season stretch of his career, he’s about to turn 33, and he’s explaining his woes on vision problems related to his concussions. It’s logical. We watched a knee brush against Justin Morneau’s helmet and destroy his career when he might have been baseball’s best hitter. (Morneau asked the Twins this winter if they had interest in signing him, and General Manager Terry Ryan told him that with Mauer and Byung Ho Park on the roster, there was no room for him.) Concussion symptoms offer the simplest explanation. For the Twins, they are the ideal explanation, because they would ease so many other concerns. When you’re a homegrown former MVP making $23 million a year, every year feels pivotal, but this one might tell us more than most. Mauer is saying the problem that ruined his hitting for two years is gone, or at least alleviated. Now he’ll have to hit well enough to prove his problem isn’t a lack of strength or adaptability. Mauer isn’t just polarizing among Twins fans, some of whom will revere him no matter how he plays and some of whom blame him for every loss. He’s polarizing within the Twins organization. Those close to him rave about his diligence and Everyman persona. Those who care more about results wonder why a full-time first baseman nearing the end of his prime doesn’t add more muscle to his frame or adopt an approach that would beat the defensive shifts that nullify so many of his line drives. While Mauer’s lack of power never will satisfy those who equate salary with home runs, Mauer recovered from his 2011 woes to produce two consecutive, productive seasons. He hit .319 with a league-best .416 on-base percentage in 2012. In 2013, he hit .324 with an .880 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). Mauer was never going to hit 28 home runs again as he did in his MVP year of 2009, especially not playing in Target Field, but he had again become an All-Star and an artist. Then came the concussions and his regression. Mauer was mediocre in only 120 games in 2014, and worse in 158 games in 2015. He said he never told his bosses his vision was blurred because he wanted to play. Last season, of the 16 first basemen who had 460 or more at-bats, Mauer produced the lowest OPS. In other words, if you produced as little as Mauer did last year, you did not get to be a full-time first baseman unless your name was Joe Mauer. For once, Mauer has come clean about an ailment, maybe just in time to polish his reputation. If he starts hitting again this season, the past two seasons will become associated with concussion recovery instead of career apocalypse. If that happens, the nice boy from St. Paul might wonder why he didn’t come clean more often. Twins day at camp: Pitchers try out new protective headgear

La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | February 23, 2016 Getting protection from comebackers Ervin Santana held something resembling a helmet with the top sawed off Tuesday, but it was the latest in technology to protect pitchers from serious injuries Santana is one of many pitchers at spring training who are trying out new protective headgear designed to soften the blow if a line drive strikes them in

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the head. The effort is spearheaded by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association. According to the New York Daily News, 20 pitchers have been selected to try out the headgear. It looks like a helmet, except there’s no top. There’s a visor and an earflap on the right side, because Santana is a righthander. The headgear weighs about 10-12 ounces and is manufactured by a company called Boomerang. The ear area, forehead and temple are covered. Santana said the headgear felt light enough not to interfere with pitching. “The only thing is, when a line drive comes back at you, you put your head down,’’ said Santana, who was concerned about the lack of protection for the top of the head. But the Twins righthander is willing to try it out. He was going to wear it Tuesday during his bullpen session, but changed his mind because of rainy conditions. He said he plans to wear it later in the week when pitchers throw live batting practice. Santana normally throws live batting practice without the protection of an L-screen in front of him so, in the unfortunate event that a line drive comes back at him, the headgear could help protect him. The headgear, according to reports, easily passed impact tests at 85 miles per hour. Twins General Manager Terry Ryan said there’s a chance the headgear will be approved for use during the regular season. “If [pitchers] are comfortable with it, and [the headgear gets] favorable reviews, yes,” Ryan said. Return of the Hawk LaTroy Hawkins, who pitched for the Twins from 1995-2003, is in camp as a special instructor. Among his duties are to help pitchers with holding runners on base. The Twins are making that a huge priority in camp this year, employing slide steps, pickoffs throws, the works. But as pitchers warmed up Tuesday, Hawkins looked like he wanted to join in. “This doesn’t bother me,’’ said Hawkins, who pitched for Toronto in the postseason last year before ending a 21-year career. “It’s when they throw in the bullpen.” Hawkins pitched in 1,042 games for 11 different teams during his career. Let’s meet engelb vielma Position: Shortstop Age: 21 2015 stats: .270 average, one home run, 29 RBI, 35 stolen bases in 120 games at Class A Fort Myers. Acquired: Signed as a free agent out of Venezuela in 2011. Role: Starting shortstop at Class AA Chattanooga. Did you know? Vielma is listed at 150 pounds and might not be that heavy, but he doesn’t play that way. He’s learning how to hit, but it’s his standout defense that makes him a decent prospect. He’s so good that he often doesn’t warm up before innings while everyone else throws the ball around. Why? “I’m ready,” he said.

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The Twins' Opening Day lineup? Submit your batting order here

Chris Carr | Star Tribune | February 23, 2016 Paul Molitor and the Twins have 41 days to figure out their Opening Day lineup. You get three minutes – go! Let’s hear it: what are your predictions and opinions for their April 4 lineup in Baltimore? Jim Souhan batted around (what, too early in the spring for baseball puns?) some ideas about the lineup in his column this morning. That created a little chatter, and now we’re fully invested in devoting a chunk of our Tuesday to toying with the Twins lineup. We asked a few of our Star Tribune staffers what they would do with that April 4 lineup, and their responses are below. Souhan bats lead-off, since he started this whole thing. Put your lineup and thoughts in our comments section and let’s see what comes of this. Jim Souhan, columnist 1. Byron Buxton 2. Brian Dozier 3. Miguel Sano 4. Trevor Plouffe 5. Byung Ho Park (Oswaldo Arcia) 6. Eddie Rosario 7. Eduardo Escobar 8. Joe Mauer 9. Kurt Suzuki (John Ryan Murphy) Comment: Once Buxton starts hitting like he should, move him to lead off. Stack the best hitters at the top, and put Mauer where his 2015 numbers indicate he should be. This lineup is too right-handed, but a left handed bat that doesn't produce is no help. Souhan: Promising Twins lineup lacks hitters for traditional roles Dennis Brackin, Twins editor 1. Byron Buxton 2. Eddie Rosario 3. Miguel Sano 4. Trevor Plouffe 5. Oswaldo Arcia (Byung Ho Park) 6. Joe Mauer 7. Brian Dozier

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8. Kurt Suzuki (John Ryan Murphy) 9. Eduardo Escobar Comment: The biggest problem? The lack of contact hitters in this lineup. La Velle E. Neal III, Twins beat reporter 1. Brian Dozier 2. Joe Mauer 3. Miguel Sano 4. Trevor Plouffe 5. Eddie Rosario 6. Byung Ho Park 7. Eduardo Escobar 8. Kurt Suzuki 9. Byron Buxton Comment: None. *mic-drop* Patrick Reusse, columnist 1. Brian Dozier 2. Joe Mauer 3. Miguel Sano 4. Trevor Plouffe 5. Eddie Rosario 6. Eduardo Escobar 7. Oswaldo Arcia 8. John Ryan Murphy 9. Byron Buxton Comment: I was trying to figure out a way to bat Mauer seventh, so his GDPs kill fewer rallies. Couldn't do it, because my other potential '2' hitters -- Escobar and Rosario -- aren't exactly on-base guys. Good news: By June, Buxton will be hitting first, Dozier second, Mauer down in the lineup, and Byung Ho Park will have 14 home runs at Rochester. Chip Scoggins, columnist 1. Joe Mauer 2. Brian Dozier

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3. Miguel Sano 4. Trevor Plouffe 5. Byung Ho Park 6. Eddie Rosario 7. Eduardo Escobar 8. Kurt Suzuki 9. Byron Buxton Comment: Mauer is not a prototypical leadoff hitter, but he gets on base and is a smart base runner. He would likely balk at the idea, but I’d be willing to give it a shot to start the season. Once Buxton improves his approach and shows that he’s capable to handling big-league pitching, I’d move him into the leadoff role and re-think the rest of the order. Howard Sinker, digital editor, blogger 1. Brian Dozier 2. Joe Mauer 3. Trevor Plouffe 4. Miguel Sano 5. Eddie Rosario 6. Byung Ho Park 7. Eduardo Escobar 8. Kurt Suzuki 9. Byron Buxton Comment: This would be easier if I was convinced Buxton would bat leadoff on Opening Day. I don’t think he will if there’s even a bit of doubt. So Dozier bats first with a goal of showing more plate discipline; Plouffe bats third by default. In a perfect world, with players improving as much as I’d like, I’d go Buxton-Mauer-Rosario-Sano-Park-Dozier-Plouffe-Suzuki-Escobar. But that’s an order based on hope (Opening Day 2017) rather than reality (Opening Day 2016). Michael Rand, writer, blogger, deep-thinker 1. Byron Buxton 2. Joe Mauer 3. Eddie Rosario 4. Miguel Sano 5. Brian Dozier 6. Trevor Plouffe

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7. Byung Ho Park (Oswaldo Arcia) 8. Eduardo Escobar 9. John Ryan Murphy (Kurt Suzuki) Comment: The Twins' lineup is built for the future, and their young players are already their most promising hitters in the present. Turn over the top of the lineup to the kids and Mauer, while stuffing the bottom with established home run power. Jason Gonzalez, digital reporter 1. Byron Buxton 2. Brian Dozier 3. Joe Mauer 4. Miguel Sano 5. Eddie Rosario 6. Trevor Plouffe 7. Byung Ho Park (Oswaldo Arcia) 8. Eduardo Escobar 9. Kurt Suzuki (John Ryan Murphy) Comment: Buxton appears to be more confident at the top of the lineup and deserves a chance to own the leadoff spot. Mauer’s numbers have been down the past two seasons, but his overall consistency can’t be overlooked by opposing pitchers if sandwiched in the middle of speed (Buxton and Dozier) and power (Sano and Rosario) bats. In his words: Joe Mauer talks about concussion symptoms

Brian Stensaas | Star Tribune | February 23, 2016 Joe Mauer on his concussion symptoms and outlook: • “I’m excited about the progress I’ve made in the last two years. I’m feeling great and I’m excited to get out there and prove that. I feel great. It was a struggle at times but I guess the message we’re trying to get out there is how good I’m feeling and how far I’ve come.” • “I’m not going to lie, there were times it was difficult, but I feel great now and I think that message got lost. And I don’t want that message to get lost because I’ve come a long way and worked too hard to focus on that.” • “It wasn’t just day games. It was unpredictable. That was part of the frustration. There were some good days, too.” • “[Justin Morneau and I] are very close, and he was a good person to lean on with some of the things that I experienced. When he experienced it, I was trying to relate and couldn’t really relate. Well, I [now] know a lot of what he was talking about.” • “If I had felt [the Twins] needed to know something, I would have went and told them, but you’re out there and the season is a grind and you try to go out there and compete and that’s what I do coming to the park every day.” • “At some point I’ll give [sunglasses] a shot. I don’t know if that’s the answer or anything but I’m definitely looking at all different aspects to get better, to be better.”

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Joe Mauer wants to move on after blurred vision comments La Velle E. Neal III | Star Tribune | February 23, 2016 Joe Mauer on Tuesday talked about the blurred vision he occasionally dealt with last season. While he maintains that he feels good now, he will experiment with sunglasses during spring training. Mauer, who reported to camp three days before Twins position players are required to, wanted to make it clear that he's currently experiencing no problems and is in good spirits heading into the season. ``I said what I said. I think there are times where people take things and run with it,'' Mauer said. `` I'm not going to lie, there were times it was difficult but I feel great now and I think that message got lost. And I don't want that message to get lost because I've come a long way and worked to hard to focus on that.'' Mauer batted a career-worst .265 last season with 10 home runs, 66 RBI, 67 walks and a career-high 112 strikeouts. It was his second season at first base since giving up catching because of concussion concerns. Yet the Twins and Mauer did not experience the desired effect from being in the lineup for 158 of 162 games. It was pointed out to Mauer that his good friend, Justin Morneau, won a batting title in 2014 - three years after he suffered a concussion. Mauer is headed into his third season following his episode in 2013. ``It's the same case. It would be great to have a good year here,'' he said. ``We talk quite a bit. We are very close, and he was a good person to lean on with some of the things that I experienced. When he experienced it I was trying to relate and couldn't really relate. Well, I (now) know a lot of what he was talking about. He's a good friend and he's helped me out a lot and a feel pretty good going into this year.'' What gives Mauer hope that his troubles are over: His workouts this sesson have not been affected like they were a year ago. ``It's like night and day,'' he said Mauer will experiment with sunglasses at some point this spring, although he said the problems also occurred at night. But he said he's had a good offseason and feels he can put last season behind him. My take on this is that he said something he thought was harmless and it blew up on him more than he anticipated. But he took ownership of it. He never thought it was a big enough problem to alert the medical staff. As someone who has had multiple eye surgeries, I can't believe he would put himself at risk by digging into the batters box if he couldn't pick up the ball. If it was serious, he would have shut himself down. Mauer, by the way, has worn contacts since he was a sophomore in high school. ``My natural vision is terrible,'' he said. ``I don’t know. I’ve had corrective lenses and my eyesight has not changed in that sense. in a long time. i don’t have readers yet, if that’s what you’re asking.'' Twins’ Joe Mauer: ‘I’m not going to lie. There were times it was difficult’

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins star Joe Mauer on Tuesday attempted to clarify recent comments about periodically experiencing blurred vision over the past two seasons as he made his way back from a serious concussion in August 2013. “I think I said what I said,” Mauer said Tuesday of the Feb. 12 story in the Pioneer Press. “Obviously, sometimes people take things and run with it.” Mauer, who turns 33 in April, did not claim he was misquoted or attempt to distance himself from any of his characterization of intermittent vision problems at the plate in 2014-15. “I’m not going to lie,” the former three-time batting champion said. “There were times it was difficult. But I feel great now, and I think that message got lost. I definitely don’t want that message to get lost because I’ve come a long way and worked too hard to focus on that.”

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Signed through 2018 at $23 million per season, Mauer spoke of increased sensitivity to light in the Feb. 12 story. Those issues didn’t just crop up during day games, when his statistics suffered even more than they have overall since the concussion that forced him to give up catching. “It wasn’t necessarily just day games,” Mauer said. “It was unpredictable. That was part of the frustration. There were some good days, too.” Indeed, Mauer broke Bob Allison’s 54-year-old franchise record by reaching base in 43 consecutive games last August and September. “If there’s a message today, it’s (that) I want to tell people how good I feel and how far I’ve come,” Mauer said. “I’m just trying to move forward. There’s a lot of things to be excited about. For me, personally, I’m real excited about my year moving forward.” Both Twins general manager Terry Ryan and manager Paul Molitor said they were never informed last season about any vision issues for Mauer. That doesn’t mean they didn’t exist on at least some level. “If I felt they needed to know something, I would have went and told them,” Mauer said. “You’re out there, the season’s a grind, and you try to go out there and compete. That’s what I do coming to the park every day.” Molitor said he appreciated his first baseman’s willingness to play through vision issues. “I don’t have any problem with the fact he kind of kept it private,” Molitor said. “I think he kind of looked at it as a minor injury he was trying to overcome and keep himself on the field. In some way, it speaks to a guy’s competitiveness that he wants to try to find a way to contribute even if he’s not 100 percent.” Mauer called the idea of wearing sunglasses during day games “a little part of the thing I might try to see if it helps.” He has experimented briefly in the past with hitting in sunglasses. “I’ve toyed with it a little bit,” he said of something that has become common in the majors for day games. “Maybe I haven’t given it a fair shake.” Mauer, whose natural eyesight is admittedly poor and who has worn contact lenses since he was a sophomore at Cretin-Derham Hall High School, isn’t even sure if sunglasses will become a regular part of his spring training routine. “At some point, I’ll give it a shot,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s the answer or anything, but I’m definitely looking at all different aspects to get better and to be better. There’s a lot of things I’ve learned over the last two years to help me stay right.” After averaging just 116 games over the previous four seasons, Mauer played a career-high 158 games last season despite posting career lows in on-base percentage (.338) and batting average (.265) while striking out 112 times, another career worst. Justin Morneau, one of Mauer’s closest friends in the game, won a batting title in 2014 in his third full season after recovering from serious concussion issues. That also happened to be Morneau’s age-33 season. When that parallel was mentioned to Mauer, he smiled. “I hope that’s the same case,” he said. “It would be great to have a good year here.” Morneau, who remains unsigned, has been a valuable sounding board for Mauer throughout his post-concussion journey. “We talk quite a bit. We’re pretty close,” Mauer said. “He was a good person to lean on (during) some of the things I experienced. And when he would experience it, I was trying to relate and couldn’t really relate. Well, now I know a lot what he was talking about.”

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Twins pitcher Casey Fien waiting for the call from expectant wife

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. — These are nerve-wracking days for Twins reliever Casey Fien and wife Joann, but it has nothing to do with bullpen competition. Instead, it’s about the anticipated arrival of the couple’s second child, a son due Feb. 29. The couple already has made two emergency trips to HealthPark Medical Center since flying here straight from TwinsFest on Feb. 1. Both times, Fien’s wife was sent home, but the couple is still expecting the baby to be born any day now. Jordan Fien, the couple’s 2.5-year-old daughter, was an early arrival. Now she’s a very excited expectant big sister. “She knows where the baby is in (Joann’s) tummy and she knows she’s going to be a big sister, so it’s kind of cool,” Casey Fien said Tuesday. Both of Fien’s parents are in town from southern California along with his mother-in-law, which helps with preparations, but it can still be tough to juggle all the roles of a ballplayer at this stage in his season. “I’ve been compartmentalizing,” said Fien, 32. “When I’m here, I’m focused, and when I’m there, I’m focused on the task at hand: Daddy duty, making dinner, cleaning toys, amusing, being the entertainment for the toddler. That’s pretty much my job.” After giving strong consideration to Niko and Jacob as potential baby names, the Fiens have made a 90 percent commitment to Shane. No, the boy isn’t being named after former Twins outfielder Shane Robinson, but the Fiens said all the Shanes they have known have been “good people.” After watching former Twins reliever Brian Duensing sweat out his son Boston’s arrival just as the 2014 season opened, Fien is thankful for the timing of Baby No. 2. “I’d be more concerned if it were the middle of March,” Fien said. “I wouldn’t want a couple of days off then, but now? The first week? Ten days into camp, I might want those two days off so I can rest my arm.” When the moment arrives for real, Joann Fien has been instructed to text Mike Herman, Twins director of team travel. “He’ll come get me out on the field,” Fien said with a smile. “I told her, ‘You’d better be at the hospital. This had better be coming because I’m not going to leave practice for a scare.’ ” Twins’ Michael Tonkin’s dog named after six-time all-star

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins reliever Michael Tonkin, who missed TwinsFest to marry Becky Feeney, already has won their first big battle since tying the knot. They agreed to name their 60-pound chocolate lab “Kevin Brown” after the former big-league pitcher instead of Becky’s choice, Kevin McCallister, after the young boy in the “Home Alone” movie series. “He’s brown, so I wanted to get a little bit of input,” Tonkin said. “I said, ‘You can’t have it all your way.’ So Kevin Brown has a little double meaning.” Growing up in Palmdale, Calif., Tonkin was a big fan of Brown, a six-time all-star who won 211 games in the majors. “When he was with the Dodgers (1999-2003), that was my guy,” Tonkin said. “I liked him. He was good.” Notoriously competitive on the mound, Brown led the league in hit batters three times and never apologized for his willingness to pitch inside. Did Tonkin ever emulate his boyhood hero? “I was so young, probably 7 years old,” Tonkin said. “I know he was fun to watch and he was super intense, that’s for sure. I don’t know if I’m that angry of a person. I get a little angry at times, but not that much. He was something else.”

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Briefly The Twins haven’t scheduled any “B” games yet. They will wait to see how much they are affected by weather issues in the early going. … Reliever Fernando Abad, signed to a minor-league deal this offseason, said he would make $1.25 million if he makes the big-league team with a chance to earn another $100,000 through incentives. … Veteran slugger Carlos Quentin arrived in camp, three days ahead of the report date for position players. Mauer stresses message: 'I feel great now'

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Joe Mauer arrived at Twins camp on Tuesday and attempted to clarify his statements about his vision issues the past two seasons after suffering a season-ending and career-altering concussion in 2013 that forced him to give up catching and move to first base. The former American League Most Valuable Player didn't deny that he had suffered from blurred vision at the plate at various times over the past two years since suffering the concussion, but he felt the story from the St. Paul Pioneer Press that initially broke the news focused more on the vision issues than on the fact that he's feeling much better heading into this season. "I'm excited about the progress I've made in the last two years," Mauer said. "I'm feeling great, and I'm excited to get out there and prove that. I feel great. It was a struggle at times, but I guess the message we're trying to get out there is how good I'm feeling and how far I've come." Mauer added he didn't want to retract any of his statements about his sporadic vision issues at the plate, but he wanted to make it clear that he didn't want to use it as a catch-all excuse for his decline in production since suffering the concussion. Mauer was a six-time All-Star and three-time batting champion before the concussion, with a career slash line of .323/.405/.468, but he hit a combined .270/.348/.376 with 14 homers and 61 doubles over the past two seasons. "I said what I said," Mauer said. "I think there are times where people take things and run with it. I'm not going to lie, there were times it was difficult, but I feel great now, and I think that message got lost. And I don't want that message to get lost because I've come a long way and worked too hard to focus on that." Twins manager Paul Molitor also met briefly with Mauer on Tuesday to discuss the situation, and he said he understood why Mauer never told the training or coaching staff about the blurred vision. "My take is: I don't have any problem with the fact he kept it private," Molitor said. "I think he kind of looked at it as a minor injury and that he could keep himself on the field. You can argue whether having vision issues and how that compares to playing with a strained hamstring -- they're probably apples and oranges -- but in some ways speaks to a guy's competitiveness and trying to find a way to contribute even though he wasn't 100 percent." Mauer, who turns 33 on April 19, said the biggest difference came in the way he felt this offseason compared to the past two when working out with his trainer, Roger Erickson. "It's been night and day," Mauer said. "I guess I would notice it a lot in the leg workouts and some of the heavier lifting [before]. And it's been a lot better, so I'm excited for that." Mauer added he does still plan to try to wear sunglasses at the plate to see if it helps reduce glare and cut down on the vision issues. But he also indicated that the vision problems weren't limited to when the sun was out. "It wasn't just day games," Mauer said. "It was unpredictable. That was part of the frustration. There were some good days, too. If there is a message today, I want to tell people how good I feel and how I've come. I'm just trying to move forward, and there are a lot of things to be excited about." Mauer also said he's been in contact with his former teammate Justin Morneau, another former AL MVP who has struggled since a concussion. But one positive parallel is that three years after Morneau suffered his season-ending concussion with the Twins, he won the National League batting title with the Rockies. "I hope it's the same case," Mauer said. "It would be great to have a good year here. We talk quite a bit. We are very close, and he was a good person to lean on with some of the things that I experienced."

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Healthy Hughes hopes to return to form in '16

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Twins right-hander Phil Hughes estimated he lost roughly 15 pounds this offseason after changing his diet and eating healthier, but he wouldn't quite take the bait on saying one of the bigger cliches often heard in Spring Training. "I'm definitely not in the best shape of my life," Hughes said with a laugh. "I'm not going to throw that out there. But I did work pretty hard this offseason to be in a good position this spring, so hopefully it pays dividends for me." Hughes, 29, is coming off a disappointing season, as he posted a 4.40 ERA in 155 1/3 innings after posting a 3.52 ERA in 209 2/3 innings in 2014. Hughes saw his homers allowed spike from 16 to 29 despite throwing more than 50 innings fewer than the previous year. But Hughes also dealt with various injuries and pitched with a lower fastball velocity than last season. Hughes is hopeful now that he's healthy and in better shape so he'll be able to revert to his form in 2014, when he broke baseball's single-season record for best strikeout-to-walk ratio. "Last year was a struggle for me," Hughes said. "Even when I was on the field, I wasn't at my best, and then you throw the injuries on top of it. It was a frustrating year. Hopefully, I can get back to the way I was two years ago, when I was healthy and strong." Twins manager Paul Molitor said he's pleased to see Hughes is doing whatever he can to try to get back into form, as he remains a critical piece to the club's rotation and was last year's Opening Day starter. "Two years ago, what he gave us was impressive, leading the staff and all the things he did," Molitor said. "We've talked about the things we need to do to get to the next level, and it's going to start with our pitching and our rotation more than anything. The more we get out of veterans is going to be big for us. I think he's highly motivated after the struggles he went through last year. He's healthy, and we're optimistic. I'm not going to bank on what we got in 2014, but we'd like to see something similar." Worth noting • The Twins had their second day of workouts for pitchers and catchers with Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios, Randy Rosario, Alex Meyer, Jake Reed, Kyle Gibson, Kevin Jepsen, Brandon Kintzler, Logan Darnell, Mason Melotakis, Trevor May, Pat Dean, Fernando Abad, Ryan O'Rourke and Hughes throwing bullpen sessions. It rained early during practice, but the Twins were able to get all of their workouts in. • Santana is one of several pitchers in the Majors who will be testing out a new helmet-like hat to wear on the mound as added protection from comebackers. He planned to wear it on Tuesday, but he didn't because the top of the hat isn't covered and he didn't want his dreadlocks to get wet in the rain. • Molitor said the Twins haven't scheduled any "B" games just yet, as they'll wait a bit if they need to schedule any. He did say that the reports have called for a wet spring, so he didn't rule out the possibility of "B" games being added to make up for rainouts. • Veteran outfielder Carlos Quentin arrived at camp on Tuesday, which is three days before position players are required to report. Quentin came out of retirement to sign a Minor League deal with the Twins and is competing for a spot as a backup outfielder. Can Byung Ho Park be the Twins’ everyday designated hitter?

Aaron Ziemer | Bring Me the News | February 23, 2016 The Minnesota Twins’ biggest splash into free agency during the offseason was the signing of Korean slugger Byung Ho Park. But will the powerful right-handed hitter be ready to be the Twins everyday designated hitter when the team opens the regular season April 4 in Baltimore? That question is a little tougher to answer. There’s no debating there will be a learning curve for Park, who has crushed 105 home runs combined over his last two seasons in the Korean Baseball

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Organization. The Pioneer Press’ Mike Berardino notes that it’s likely Park will see an offensive downturn in Minnesota. But how significant will that be? Berardino points to some former Major League Baseball washouts dominating in Korea. “In Korea, he was a terror, batting .381 thwacking 47 home runs and amassing a 1.288 OPS last season that would make Barry Bonds look cleaner than a green tarp. He led his team to a deep playoff run and was named the league’s most valuable player. In MLB, he was a nobody – a prototypical Four-A player who tore up the minors but never stuck in the big leagues before washing out after two seasons at age 25 and heading overseas. That’s Eric Thames, a one-time Blue Jays and Mariners outfielder who took a star turn in the Korean Baseball Organization.” But there’s also the story of Pittsburgh’s Jung Ho Kang, who was Park’s teammate with the Nexum Heroes, but played last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kang posted similar numbers to Park in the KBO, and hit .287 with 15 home runs last season for Pittsburgh. Knuckleballs blogger, Jim Crikket, thinks its entirely possible that Park won’t be ready for major league pitching on opening day. Crikket even suggests that he believes either Kennys Vargas or Oswaldo Arcia will demonstrate during spring training they are more likely to generate runs for the Twins than Park. Minnesota Twins, Pitchers and Catchers Open Spring Training

Tyler Mosher | Naples Herald | February 23, 2016 Hammond Stadium, the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins, was decked out in blue and red on Sunday—fans, coaches and players meeting in Fort Myers. Spring Training was in full swing, with all 38 pitchers and catchers reporting. The Twins also invited fans to partake in their annual open house event Sunday, which celebrated the start of the new season with fan-to-player interactions. Those in attendance were able to meet current Twins players, engage with them in health-related clinics, and learn how to hit and pitch from some of their favorite pros. In addition to the pitchers and catchers reporting, the Twins also welcomed early arrivals from the following position players: OF Miguel Sano, 1B Byung Ho Park, OF Eddie Rosario, SS Eduardo Escobar, SS Danny Santana and OF Oswaldo Arcia. Here is the Minnesota Twins Spring Training rundown: Manager Paul Molitor Enters Year Two: When Paul Molitor took over for longtime Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire in 2015, he knew it would be an uphill battle, but the first-year boss ended up leading the club to a second-place finish in the AL Central Division. The Twins finished 83-79 overall, 12 games behind the World Series Champions in the Kansas City Royals. It was better than most expected, a building block for 2016. “The second one is different than the first,” Molitor said in regards to his pending follow-up season in charge. “There aren’t going to be major overhauls,” he added. However, the Twins will see some reshuffling at some key positions. At the forefront will be slugger Miguel Sano, having played third base for the entirety of his Twins tenure thus far, now set to compete for a spot in right field. “I have a lot of outfielders I have to try to find at-bats for. Sano is going to have to play a lot with the new position,” Molitor told Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. The pieces are in place, including the No. 2 overall prospect in Byron Buxton, now it’s time for the Twin players, alongside Molitor, to continue what was started.

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Ervin Santana, Cast of Pitchers Step up to the Mound: Last year’s offseason acquisition of pitching ace Ervin Santana accrued a great deal of hype, reasonably so, but that got squashed before Santana could even make a difference in the Twins’ pitching corps. Due to a half-season suspension for PEDs Santana rode the pine for his first 80 games with the club, but now he’ll join Kyle Gibson and Phil Hughes as a starter. “Defending baserunning wasn’t fantastic, so that’s what we’ll talk about with the pitchers. But I’d rather them get guys out than be overly consumed with those things,” Molitor told Bollinger. While there’s still a lot to be determined about the Twins pitchers and whether or not they can be a strength this season, having Santana back in the fold will be an added boost. Along with Gibson and Hughes, and the remaining cast of talent that vies for two remaining starting spots, Santana and the Twins should be better in ’16. Having all hands on deck is a good start. Joe Mauer: ‘I feel great now and I think that message got lost’

Derek Wetmore | 1500 ESPN | February 23, 2016 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Joe Mauer said this winter in an interview with Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press that his concussion symptoms affected him at the plate at times the past two years. Tuesday, Mauer arrived in Fort Myers, a few days ahead of when position players are required to report. He said he wanted to make sure that people got the whole message of what he was trying to say. Here’s Mauer talking about the progress he’s made since the concussion (August, 2013), and his ‘blurred vision’ comments. “I’m excited about the progress I’ve made in the last two years,” Mauer said Tuesday, not so much walking back from his comments earlier this month as he was attempting to contextualize what he had said. “I’m feeling great and I’m exctied to get out there and prove that. I feel great. It was a struggle at times but I guess the message we’re trying to get out there is how good I’m feeling and how far I’ve come.” He continued: “I said what I said. I think there are times where people take things and run with it. I’m not going to lie, there were times it was difficult but I feel great now and I think that message got lost. And I don’t want that message to get lost because I’ve come a long way and worked too hard to focus on that.” Later, Mauer elaborated on the part of the Pioneer Press report that he had never alerted the team’s medical staff. “If I had felt they needed to know something I would have went and told them,” Mauer said, “but you’re out there and the season is a grind and you try to go out there and compete and that’s what I do coming to the park every day.” Manager Paul Molitor, for his part, didn’t seem to take exception to the fact that Mauer wasn’t forthcoming about his occasional vision problems. “What he has given me is that he feels really good,” Molitor said. “Last year, he told me felt really good and last year was an improvement on the year before. And he says this year coming in it’s better than last year. “My take is I don’t have any problem with the fact he kept it private. I think he kind of looked at it as a minor injury and that he could keep himself on the field. You can argue whether having vision issues and how that compares to playing with a strained hamstring, they’re probably apples and oranges, but in some ways speaks to a guy’s competitiveness and trying to find a way to contribute even though he wasn’t 100 percent.”

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S. Korean stars looking to win big league jobs at spring training

Yoo Jee-ho | Korea Times | February 23, 2016 (Yonhap) — Four South Koreans with All-Star resumes in Asia will look to win their first Major League Baseball (MLB) jobs as spring training gets underway. The 30 big league clubs have different reporting dates, with pitchers and catchers reporting a few days before position players. They will all have their first full workouts later this week. It was a hectic offseason for South Korean stars who made their jumps from the domestic Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) or the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. Former Nexen Heroes’ first baseman Park Byung-ho signed with the Minnesota Twins in December via posting. After he got the ball rolling, ex-Doosan Bears’ outfielder Kim Hyun-soo followed suit, joining the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent two days before Christmas. Those two went from the top South Korean league to the majors. Reliever Oh Seung-hwan, a former KBO All-Star who’d pitched the previous two seasons in the NPB, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in January. Then Lee Dae-ho, a hulking first baseman/designated hitter who’d spent the past four years in the NPB after 11 years in the KBO, joined the Seattle Mariners earlier this month on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. In between, two South Koreans were involved in relatively smaller transactions. Former Mariners’ prospect Choi Ji-man first signed with the Orioles and then was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the Rule 5 Draft in December. One-time Tampa Bay prospect Lee Hak-ju signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants in November and has been invited to spring training.