Quick note, as I get ready to wade back into TwinsFest: Mentioned in today’s story that Nick Blackburn was charged with 15 unearned runs last year. That actually tied him for second most in the majors and was a sign of the defense the Twins played behind him.

Here’s the list, as compiled by Gerry Fraley, of The Sporting News:

Gavin Floyd, White Sox – 19 unearned runs
Jason Bergmann, Nationals – 15
Nick Blackburn, Twins — 15
Mark Buehrle, White Sox – 14
Scott Feldman, Rangers – 14
Greg Maddux, Padres-Dodgers – 14
Luis Mendoza, Rangers – 13
Sidney Ponson, Rangers-Yankees – 13

Blackburn went 11-11 with a 4.05 ERA. Here’s a look at the run-support average for the Twins’ starters last season — (how many runs the Twins scored per nine innings pitched for each individual):

Glen Perkins — 7.45
Livan Hernandez — 6.32
Scott Baker — 5.80
Kevin Slowey — 5.58
Francisco Liriano — 5.33
Nick Blackburn — 4.98
Boof Bonser — 4.34

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said today that the goal is to have catcher Joe Mauer ready for Opening Day, but the skipper hinted that Mauer might not play exhibition games until the middle of spring training.

Mauer had surgery to remove a kidney obstruction on Dec. 22 and hasn’t been cleared to do serious lifting or conditioning exercises.

“Obviously we’re going to take it easy with him,” Gardenhire said after the team’s annual media luncheon in Minneapolis. “The goal is Opening Day.”

“Catchers get a lot of work in spring training,” Gardenhire added. “We’re going to have to protect him early. All the bullpen sessions and all those things. We’ll just take it easy on him and see how he feels, and hopefully by mid spring training we’ll get him in there playing and go from there.”

Radke, Brophy honored

The Twins announced today that former pitcher Brad Radke and former farm and scouting director George Brophy have been elected to the team’s Hall of Fame.

Radke was elected in a vote by a 55-member committee, consisting of local media members, club officials, fans and other members of the team’s Hall of Fame. Brophy was elected by a 15-member veteran’s committee.

Both will be inducted on July 11, before the Twins play the White Sox at the Metrodome.

After nearly four months of talking about all the things the Twins don’t have, last night’s Diamond Awards showcased what they do have: Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Joe Nathan, Denard Span, Alexi Casilla, Ben Revere and Anthony Slama accepted various awards, displaying their various personalities.

Tom Kelly offered a tribute to Carl Pohlad. Kent Hrbek, who lost his father to ALS in 1982, was honored with the Kirby Puckett Alumni Community Service Award, and continued talking about the big party he wants to hold — perhaps at Target Field — when we finally find a cure for ALS.

Dick-n-Bert were the MCs. And bunch of the local baseball writers were decked out in tuxes as presenters.

More than 500 people turned out and raised $263,000 for neurology research through the Minnesota Medical Foundation.

La Velle pours a lot of effort into this, as chairman of the local chapter of the BBWAA, and he should be very proud. The organizers are tremendous. This was the fourth annual event and it gets better every year.

TwinsFest starts at 5:30 tonight at the Metrodome, so the festivities continue. Yes, there are numerous things this team hasn’t done this offseason. (According to the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are now close to deals with relievers Brandon Lyon and Scott Williamson.) But when you give the Twins a chance to celebrate all they do have going for them, it’s pretty impressive.

Note: The Diamond Awards is a formal affair, but I’m hearing wonderful things about the Hot Stove Banquet and Charity Auction, which will be held again at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul. That event is in its 28th year. I’m told it’s more of a beer-and-burger affair and always a good time. Featured guests this year include Corey Koskie, MLB umpire Tim Tschida and La Velle. Our own Howard Sinker will be the host. Advance tickets are $25 for kids 16-and-under, and $30 for adults. Proceeds benefit St. Paul’s Dunning Field Little League. For more info: Call 651-227-3437 or e-mail ballparktours@qwest.net.

First, I want to say thanks for all the congratulatory remarks on the birth of Baby Noe. A few of you had me laughing out loud with references to her arbitration status, revised zone rating and slugging potential. Mom and baby are doing great.

With TwinsFest and the Diamond Awards upon us, I had hoped to return with a flurry of insight and analysis, but the best I could think of is this: I’m going to miss the Big Sweat.

Former Twins LHP Dennys Reyes (aka Big Sweat) remains a free agent, reportedly drawing interest from the A’s, Mets and Dodgers.

It would be impractical for the Twins to re-sign Reyes, of course, since they already have LHPs Craig Breslow and Jose Mijares returning to their bullpen. Reyes, who posted a 2.33 ERA in 75 games for the Twins last year, probably would have commanded a three-year, $12 million deal in a better economy.

Now, he’ll probably get a two-year deal for about half that price. Still, it wouldn’t make sense for the Twins to sign him. If they spend money on a reliever, he should be an eighth-inning specialist.

It’s been a foregone conclusion that Reyes is gone, but I should mention that he’s been one of my favorites in the Twins’ clubhouse. Reyes hails from Mexico and would routinely greet me by saying, “Que pasa?” What’s up? What’s happening? He wanted to know what Twins news I was hearing behind the scenes.

I know some German but almost no Spanish, so it became our running gag, the way I would grapple for a proper response in Spanish. “Nada,” I’d usually say. Nothing. Fortunately, Reyes’ English is excellent, and he tells some great stories about pitching for Jack McKeon’s Reds.

(Funny, we could have had that same conversation every day this offseason, and it would have been the same. Any Twins news? Nada.)

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