Slowey to Undergo 'Touch' Examination

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has scheduled a 10 a.m. press conference to disclose results of an early morning medical "touch" examination to determine whether bullpen pitcher Kevin Slowey has a hernia, a condition that likely will require surgery.

Slowey, a reliever who possibly would have been ticketed to be converted into a starter for the Triple A Rochester Redwings if he had been healthy, has been complaining of discomfort in his lower torso, which initially led his physicians to suspect he may have strained or torn his oblique or other lower rib muscles or groin.

A magnetic resonance imaging exam, however, clarified that was not the case, leaving a hernia as a probable cause of his complaints, though nothing is certain. Whatever it is, doctors so far have missed it, but will seek clarification with a simple visual inspection and "touch" examination.

Hernias, especially in the pelvis area, can be subtle to detect, but likely will be more apparent once doctors focus on the question, having narrowed down the possibilities.

Many people with hernias lead relatively normal lives, as long as they avoid serious exertions that would aggravate the condition. But baseball and other sports activities pose significant risk of worsening the problem.

The condition occurs when a weakness or hole in the outer abdominal wall -- perhaps as large as a 50-cent piece but probably much smaller -- allows fat or organic tissue to be pressured into or through the hole, causing discomfort, outright pain or even organ malfunctions.

The cure requires relatively simple surgery, so a relatively quick return to play, after a month or so of rehabilitation, would be reasonable. His sidelining would make it difficult, but not impossible, for the Twins to consummate a trade for Slowey, which evidently is being discussed behind closed doors.

'Yogi Berra Plan' a Cure for Mauer's 'Cyberchondria'

Whether sidelined Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer suffers from so-called 'cyberchondria' the early stages of arthritic knee or merely a virus, one thing is for certain: There is no cure better than the 'Yogi Berra Plan.'

The plan -- being advanced by Minneapolis Star-Tribune columnist Patrick Reusse -- brings to mind the creativity of the New York Yankees some 50 years ago when the team wanted to work emerging young catcher Elston Howard into the lineup.

Because Howard was blocked by Yogi Berra behind the plate, Berra was moved to left field. The Twins could do likewise with Mauer, who has undergone invasive knee surgery and currently is out of the lineup due to "bilateral leg weakness,' potentially linked to neurological and spinal complications involving structural deficiencies related to an arthritic knee.

Because Mauer's contract binds him to the club for the next six years, his absence from the lineup set off a round of blogosphere 'cyberchondria,' a newly termed phenomenon in which commentators, pundits and prognosticators peruse online medical texts to determine his pronosis.

 Look, take it from Doctor X, a licensed physician: Joe Mauer suffers from the advanced manifestations of a trauma-induced arthritic knee, a condition that will grow worse and worse until is fairly safe to predict that barring a miracle, if Mauer finishes his career in a Twinkies uniform, he certainly won't be wearing it behind the plate.

 Does that mean he can't finish this season as a catcher?  No. What it means is that Mauer's time is running out, and the sooner he stops spending a couple hours a day squatting the better off he'll be.

It also means that because outfielder Delmon Young's contract is coming up, a potentially costly negotiation, it is time to trade Young in a deal that will bring back a young catcher, and to move Mauer to Young's spot in the outfield.

 For the Twins, it's a matter of health.

Small Sample Enough to Bench Royals 1B Ka'aihue

Royals first baseman Kila Ka'aihue was given only 13 at-bats against left-handed pitchers before being benched against them by manager Ned Yost; it was a small sample,  but evidence abounds that Ka'aihue  up until now has been greatly overmatched in such assignments at the major league level.

Having flailed helplessly against marginal Tigers lefty Phil Coke in three, recent successive plate appearances, it was clear Ka'aihue needed time off to gather himself and find a way to demonstrate that he has the potential to be anything more than a platoon player at best.

Yost sat Ka'aihue with the excuse of giving him "a break" against Twins lefties Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano,  but with the Royals playing with surprising competiveness,  it's likely Yost wanted to avoid having a rally killer clogging the offense in the middle of the lineup.

 Though he has a walk-off homer,  Ka'aihue is hitting just .176 overall and .154 against lefties. Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer,  a master at the plate during his career,  has taken Ka'aihue under his wing.  In the meantime,  Royals top prospect first baseman Eric Hosmer awaits at Triple A Omaha.

Trial Continues for Punchless 1B Kila Ka'aihue

The Kansas City Royals trial by immersion continues for struggling prospect Kila Ka'haihue -- whose vulnerabilities have been laid bare by left-handed pitching as evidenced by his .154 average against them over the first eight games of the season.

Ka'aihue, a late bloomer at age 27, was made to look ridiculous in a recent confrontation with Tigers lefty Phil Coke, who fed him a dozen curve balls that held the so-called "Hawaiian Punch" punchless with three swinging strikeouts, all on pitches that cut the plate. Not a fastball in the bunch, and all from a hurler who is not exactly Sandy Koufax.

Now the six-foot-four, 235-pound first baseman's challenge intensifies as he must face three lefties this week, Brian Duensing and Francisco Liriano of the Twins, and Eric Bedard of the Mariners. By the time they get through with him, he might be happy to see a righty except for one thing: It will be Bedard's teammate Felix Hernandez, the fireballing ace. Though Ka'aihue has impressive minor league numbers, he put them up in the hit-happy Pacific Coast League, where today rival Eric Hosmer is off to a hot start, hitting 3-6 in the early going. The 50th state native must turn it up now if he wants to be considered anything more than a place-keeper until Hosmer arrives around June 1.

Twins C Joe Mauer Closer to Return

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, rehabbing from back inflammation, remains on the disabled list but is making progress toward rejoining his teammates on the field.

Mauer took batting practice and worked behind the plate Wednesday night, both firsts in his recovery from the back problems that have his sidelined. The batting and catching sessions took place at the Twins' minor-league camp in Florida.

Mauer hit one ball out of the park in the batting practice session, which was his first since September. Mauer's biggest issue remains with running, an activity that causes much pain and which he hasn't been able to do comfortably since December.

Disregard Reports About Twins Closer Joe Nathan

Unless Twins closer Joe Nathan was recently clubbed by a baseball bat, fell down a flight of stairs or was in an automobile accident, his complaints of shoulder soreness likely can be largely discounted.

Reports of his condition center around supposed tenderness or sensitivity at the acromioclavicular joint -- the relatively stout, swiveling skeletal connection between his collar bone and shoulder. Though his soreness is real, if it were serious it would almost have to be the result of blunt trauma.

Blunt trauma -- resulting from potentially crippling impact -- accounts for nearly all manifestations of severe joint failure regarding the "AC joint." Because no blunt trauma has been reported, Nathan's injury almost certainly is more likely attributable merely to a mild strain after the offseason layoff.

Nathan likely will respond favorably to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, cold pacts and a carefully measured regimen of rest and mild excercise, including throwing. Various camp reports indicate Nathan is throwing with a normal motion, an activity he must keep up to prevent stiffness.

Expect Nathan to be fully ready to throw without limitation before opening day.

Twins Inspect Joe Crede's Damaged Goods

Having so far spurned a low-ball offer from the San Francisco Giants, free agent third baseman Joe Crede now is marketing his wares for the Minnesota Twins.

So far, Crede looks good in workouts, but buyer beware!

Crede's declaration to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire that he is 100 percent healthy sounds all too familiar. Suffering from chronic spinal problems for much of the past three seasons -- Crede made the same claim to the White Sox last year when he arrived at camp in Tucson, and backed it up with limber workouts and energetic play, including violent slides at the plate during spring games.

The White Sox broke camp with a supposedly healthy Crede at third, only to see him miss some 300 plate appearances when he went down during the season.

Crede, 30, has accomplished little since his career year in 2006, when he hit .283 with 30 homers. If he seriously thinks one good year out of four will bring him anything close to the supposed $8 million annual contract he is seeking, he should prepare himself for the shock of receiving half that -- if he is lucky -- from the Twins.

Then the amount should be halved again, with the total being attainable only with 50 percent incentives. Times are tough. Teams must protect themselves.

Frank Viola Fiddling with Jeremy Sowers' Motion

Retired Twins ace Frank "Sweet Music" Viola arrived in Cleveland Indians camp with the express purpose of revitalizing the career of the once-promising Jeremy Sowers.

Sowers, like Viola a left-hander, formerly was a top prospect but has spent the last few seasons bouncing back and forth between Cleveland and Buffalo. Most recently, he turned in a dismal 4-9 record with a 5.58 ERA and nearly 1.5 WHIP in 22 games with the Tribe.

Sowers remains in the mix for the No. 4 or No. 5 rotations spot, but will be kept on a very short leash. The Indians are very serious about a playoff berth this season, and if Sowers is to help the team, Viola must help him find the plate.

Transactions Report - 2/7/09

(Readers: Add your insight into today's transactions via comments.)

Baltimore Orioles: Agreed to terms with pitcher George Sherrill on a one-year contract. Sherrill got $2.75 million and the deal nixes the pending arbitration hearing. Sherrill is a poster child for why closers are overrated and overpaid. He's a mediocre pitcher, but bring him into the game in just the right circumstances and he can record 31 saves.

Minnesota Twins: Signed free agent pitcher Luis Ayala to a one-year contract. Worth $1.3 million with another $600,000 in incentives. He'll compete for the setup role. If he pitches like he did from 2003-07, it's good value.

Toronto Blue Jays: Agreed to terms with pitcher Shawn Camp on a one-year contract. After signing Ken Takahashi yesterday, the Jays decide to double-down on ineffective - but cheap! - relievers.

White Sox to Add Ken Griffey Jr.

The Reds and White Sox have reached a tentative deal that would land Ken Griffey Jr. in Chicago.

The Chisox, clinging to a 1.5 game lead over the Twins in the AL Central, uncrossed their fingers when Griffey signed off on the deal. As a 10 and 5 player, Griffey has veto rights over any trade, but the 38-year-old is in his 19th season and may see this as his last best chance to play in a World Series.

While hitting only .245 this year, Griffey would bring an impressive resume and a veteran presence to the Chicago clubhouse, along with his 608 career home runs. Junior has been hot of late, extending his hitting streak to 12 games on Wednesday with a home run.

Francisco Liriano Not Happy

Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano and his agent have asked the players union to "investigate" why Liriano has not been called up from Triple A. What a jackass!

Liriano, an All-Star during his rookie year of 2006, is 7-0 with a 2.73 ERA over his past nine games. But he missed all of 2007 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and began the year in the big leagues by going 0-3 with a piss-poor 11.32 ERA, so its understandable why the team is being cautious.

Not to mention the fact that they don't need him. The team is currently 1.5 games behind the first place White Sox, in large part due to its rotation.  Scott Baker, Glen Perkins, Nick Blackburn, and Kevin Slowey have anchored a rotation that also includes veteren Livan Hernandez. Of that group, Hernandez is the only one close to losing his spot, but he is an innings eater and has won nine games.

If and when the Twins decide to recall Liriano, he may be headed to the bullpen, according to ESPN.com.

Joe Mauer Passes Jason Veritek in All-Star Voting

It has been no small accomplishment for the Twins to wage a political campaign on behalf of a relatively obscure catcher in a forgotten prairie backwater like Minneapolis in an endeavor to overtake Red Sox captain Jason Veritek, who has the distinct advantage of playing in the cosmopolitan baseball hotbed of Boston.

Yet here it is with just three days left to tally the totals, and young Joe Mauer has parlayed his recent hot streak into a tenuous but tangible lead, a shocking misdeed achieved through devious, sinister, underhanded and borderline corrupt (gasp!) BALLOT BOX STUFFING!

Yes, the "Vote for Mauer" mantra has been repeated so often and so ubiquitously that rumor has the young Minnesota native overtaking even Gov. Tim Pawlenty on presumptive presidential nominee John McCain's vice presidential short list.

Dishonest? Sure! Cynical? Most definitely! Republican? Well, let's not go that far. But at any rate, is it Joe Mauer's fault that he finds himself riding the crest of a tidal wave of love, admiration, loyalty and devotion? And whom, after all, is more deserving?

In the best tradition of late broadcaster and National Baseball Hall of Fame board member Tim Russert, an examination of the public record shows Mauer has hit nearly .360 over the past two months, raising his season average to more than .330 while playing outstanding defense, an All-Star qualifying resume if there ever was one.

The All-Star game will be held at Yankee Stadium -- one of the last contests before it is demolished -- on July 15, with voting to be concluded Wednesday via the Monster online ballot at MLB.com, and the winners to be announced July 6.

Barring a filibuster in New England, expect Mauer to be named the starter, and deservedly so.

Starter Carlos Silva Hardly a Bargain at $48 million

Sure it's just one game, and maybe starter Carlos Silva was just wasting a few innings of exhibition play to try to get his newly developing cutter to cut more like a cutter. Still, he gave up a lofty 13 hits and 10 runs in the Mariners recent 17-3 loss to the Brewers at Peoria, Ariz., and has a little explaining to do.

One cannot draw too many conclusions from one spring outing, but a cloud hangs over the head of the Mariners $48 million, No. 4 starter not only because of his more than 9.00 spring ERA, but because questions linger as to why Silva was unable to re-sign with the Twins when he practically begged them for a contract renewal at a fraction of the Mariners cost.

Silva offered the Twins a sweetheart deal because he married a Twin Cities woman and only recently completed building a multimillion-dollar home in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area. But as a finesse pitcher who all too frequently has been unable to hit his spots with his sometimes shaky sinker, the Twins said thanks, but no thanks.

The Mariners willingness to spend $52 million over five years to sign pitcher Jerrod Washburn and his now 18-29 Seattle record was one thing; Silva's four-year deal is quite another considering Silva's 24-29 mark and more than 5.00 combined ERA over the past two years.

Twins Joe Mauer, Trick Knee, Arrive With Bravado

The good news is that Twins catcher Joe Mauer has arrived in Fort Myers, Fl., reassuring friends and teammates that his knee is "100 percent" healthy and that he expects no setbacks for 2008.

The bad news is that Mauer said virtually the same thing last year, when -- just a month into the season -- he went on the disabled list for 32 days with a strained quadricep before having to be reassigned to Class A for a rehabilitation.

For the record, in addition to the quad strain, Joe Mauer's 2004 meniscus cleanup is well behind him, and technically meniscus surgery is the best kind of knee surgery to have. That is to say, if you must have knee surgery, maniscus repair offers a full chance of recovery in time, and Mauer has had more than enough time to feel confident about his durability.

And yet, anyone -- let alone a 6 foot five, 220-pound man who squats for a living -- remains highly vulnerable to arthritic repercussions as the result of any invasive trauma at the knee joint. So for Mauer, arthritis is more a question of when, rather than if.

Mauer's bravado and the Twins willingness to keep Mauer behind the plate instead of moving him to designated hitter, first base or third indicates that no such arthritic condition is on the horizon for now, and with any luck might not appear until after Mauer retires.

In the meantime, fans can enjoy watching one of the best young catchers in the game, and see that he still offers outstanding play behind the plate, can continue to his for average, and hopefully not only stay healthy but maybe even begin to hit with power.

Fans fear not; Twins Owner Carl Pohlad Has a Plan

It couldn't have been uglier than if it had been a scene out of Frankenstein: an angry mob of townsfolk converging on the Edina, Minn., mansion of Twins owner Carl Pohlad, waving torches, pitch forks, sickles and clubs.

Fools! Don't they know Carl Pohlad has a plan?

Yes, Pohlad failed to improve his team prior to the non-waiver trade deadline; and yes, he traded away .300-hitting infielder Luis Castillo and has little to show for it. But the aging tycoon didn't acquire his vast wealth by being stupid.

Word about Pohlad's plan has yet to be announced, but sources close to the venerable chain saw manufacturing magnate hint that he believes he is close -- very, very close -- to a special, ingenious, arrangement whereby upon his death, he will miraculously be enabled to take his money with him!

Twins Kevin Slowey Pressing for Return to 'Show'

Having been demoted from Minneapolis to Triple A Rochester, Twins prospect Kevin Slowey refuses to be forgotten. He's still knocking at the door.

Though he has lost his big-league rotation spot to rival prospect Matt Garza, Slowey showed he still has what it takes to finesse minor league hitters, throwing a complete-game, three-hitter in a 1-0 win over Syracuse in his most recent outing. As a control specialist, Slowey is a marked contrast to Garza, who relies primarily on a more than 95-mph heater.

Both look to pitch side by side in the Twins rotation eventually, perhaps before the end of the year.

Slowey, 23, who has been compared to former Twins ace Brad Radke, was hammered during his brief call-up to Minneapolis, but he bettered his minor league record to 8-2 while striking out eight with his typical array of off-speed offerings.

Slowey's Triple A ERA stands at 1.59. Slowey leads the International League with four complete games in just 11 starts, though he has been kept at a 100-pitch limit.

Justin Morneau's 'Lung Contusion' an Exaggeration

Forget most of what major news outlets have published recently about Twins first baseman Justin Morneau's chest injury. It appears its seriousness has been greatly exaggerated.

Morneau was carried off on a stretcher last Friday after a homeplate collision with Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo. But though he was spitting blood and was reported as having sustained a potentially serious lung contusion, the diagnosis now appears to have been either utterly mistaken or a result of doctors or trainers deliberately erring on the side of caution, though don't expect anyone to admit it.

Morneau has now completed yet another round of tedious medical tests and examinations at University Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he is an outpatient. Knowledgable sources in Minnesota and elsewhere are openly scoffing at the original injury analysis, noting that lung contusions as a result of homeplate collisions are extremely unlikely.

Repeated tomographical examinations of Morneau's chest injury have shown almost beyond a doubt that Morneau was not seriously harmed, with his brief bleeding episode perhaps attributable to minor trauma to the tongue, mouth, throat or post-nasal passage.

Lung contusions can be very serious, resulting in various pulmonary complications and even death in rare instances. But they usually are associated with high-speed automobile collisions, air crashes or a falls from great heights. They are most often colateral to violent fractures, and X-Rays show conclusively that Morneau has no broken bones.

Normally lung contusions would require a month or more of rest and rehabilitation. If such injuries were so common as to result from everyday homeplate contact, half the skill position players in the NFL would likely finish each football season on the disabled list.

Morneau has been protesting for days that he is well and able to return to the field. He is right. Morneau will be in uniform well before the end of the week.

Twins Physicians Await Return of Justin Morneau

A team of four physicians headed by Dr. John A. Steubs are awaiting first baseman Justin Morneau's return flight to Minneapolis-St Paul, where the injured slugger's progress will continue to be monitored through the week to determine when he can retake the field.

Potentially inconclusive medical tests at Memorial Hospital in Miami so far point to Morneau's lung contusion as being minor -- at least in relative terms. However, doctors will take no chances with the budding slugger, who may be vulnerable to pulmonory complications as a result of his violent homeplate collision with Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo last week.

The doctors' charge has been complicated by Morneau's stubbornly positive attitude, which perhaps could be characterized as too much of a good thing. The scrappy former hockey player would want to play even if he had an arrow through his head, so doctors must do his thinking for him.

Though various examinations indicated unmistakable symptoms of a lung contusion -- including internal bleeding -- computerized tomographical scans indicated no severe trauma. Whether the findings tell the whole story likely will become clear in three or four days.

If Morneau is healthy he can be expected to return to action by the weekend. But if his condition is serious enough to warrant a trip to the disabled list, he will likely miss the better part of month or perhaps more, according to sources familiar with the nature of his injury.

Early Indications Dubious for Twins Justin Morneau

Though initial X-Rays of injured Twins first baseman Justin Morneau's lungs came back normal, a decision to keep him hospitalized in Florida over the weekend raises a red flag.

That Morneau suffered a bruised lung in a homeplate collision Friday is of little doubt, considering he was raising blood and experiencing other symptoms when he was taken to the hospital on a stretcher. The question is, how serious is the bruise?

Tissue scans point to perhaps a mild injury relatively, as these injuries go. But normal test results and normal health are not necessarily the same thing, and further examinations seem to have indicated Morneau was unready to return to the dugout.

If he continues to improve, Morneau may miss as few as three or four days. The unfortunate thing for the team is that normally a bruised lung would be expected to keep him out three or four weeks. If Morneau goes on the disabled list, experts familiar with his type of injury warn that it's likely he won't return much before August.

Matt Garza Expendable in Mark Teixeira Dealings

It's be a bit harsh to label hard-throwing Twins prospect Matt Garza uncoachable, but clearly his resistence to developing off-speed offerings has cost him not only a promotion to The Bigs but perhaps some friends in the Minnesota organization.

Garza -- who throws in the mid-90s -- has pitched reasonably well for the Triple A Rochester Red Wings, but has had moderate control problems, blaming them on the coaching staff' pestering him to improve his change-up and other off-speed pitches.

The 23-year-old Garza prefers to do things his way, an attitude that would make him a very expendable but still valuable in any potential dealings for a Twins upgrade at third base.

In one of the Twins versions of the myriad scenarios for the trade of slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira by the Texas Rangers, Teixeira is envisioned going to the Boston Red Sox, allowing Kevin Youkilis to move to third base, Mike Lowell and cash to be shipped to the Twins and a Garza and other top Twins prospects to go to Texas.

This is a tremendous upgrade at the corners for the Red Sox, while helping the team to get younger and acquire some value for Lowell in his last year of a $9 million contract. At the same time the Twins receive a major third base rental in the team's ongoing charge for a playoff spot.

On the surface the free-falling Rangers would appear to have the most to lose in the deal, as the team would kiss off "Big Tex," the guy they signed for a $10 million bonus and the one player who more than any other embodies the face and future of the franchise.

But then again, this is the same team that was foolish enough to trade away starting pitcher Chris Young and upcoming star first basemen Adrian Gonzalez and Travis Hafner -- just to name a few -- and now has virtually nothing to show for it.