A good indication of what the Twins are thinking in terms of their starting rotation is how it’s set up after the off day.

And here’s what Ron Gardenhire had for us Sunday:

Tuesday: Glen Perkins against Boston and Ramon Ortiz against minor leaguers. Wednesday: Sidney Ponson. Thursday: Boof Bonser. Friday Johan Santana. Saturday: Carlos Silva.

Looking ahead to Opening Day, that means this: Santana, Silva, Ortiz, Ponson, Boof.

Under that arrangement, the sinkerballers - Silva and Ponson - are separated. It also suggests that Ponson has made the rotation.

It also suggests that Perkins is the one young arm knocking on the door if someone else falters. Let’s remember that Matt Garza only threw two innings on Friday, Kevin Slowey was cut today and Scott Baker hasn’t been heard from. The former Gopher has definitely impressed and is being stretched out in the big league camp.

A lot of things (injuries, blow ups) could happen over the last 12 games, so nothing is final. But this says a lot…..

The Twins, after cutting Denard Span in the morning, cut Slowey, Carmen Cali, Jason Miller and Jeremy Cummings in the afternoon. And, no, Slowey wasn’t cut because of his outing on Sunday. The Twins have to look at other pitchers, and this is not Slowey’s time. But he’ll be up soon. He doesn’t throw hard but, man, I like the movement on his pitches, he uses both edges of the plate and is willing to throw any pitch at any time in the count. He’s got a future..

 

The Twins on Sunday optioned outfielder Denard Span to Class AAA Rochester. Span batted .306 this spring, and his seven RBI were tied for second most on the team.

The move was expected, but Span impressed the coaching staff during his time in the big league camp. He’s got good speed (although he needs to steal more bases) has a sold arm and plays a solid center field. He’s made progress offensively, but his next step will be an important one: learning the drive the ball more.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has had nothing but praise for Span this spring. With Torii Hunter’s future with the Twins unclear after this season, the Twins have someone nearly ready to play center in 2008. Span will never have the power Hunter has, but he’s a different type of player anyway.

Lineups:

Phils: Shane Victorino, Michael Bourn, Wes Helms, Jayson Werth, Dusty Wathan, Carlos Ruiz, Abraham Nunez, Danny Sandoval,  Brent Abernathy. Pitching: J.A. Happ

 

Twins: Castillo, Punto, Mauer, Cuddyer, Morneau,  Hunter, White, Cirillo, Bartlett. Pitching: The best in baseball.

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Don’t know how the updates will work today. The wireless setup in Fort Lauderdale was purchased from Flintstone and Rubble Technologies…..

 Lineups

Twins: Castillo, Tyner, Batting Champ, LeCroy, Kubel, Jones, Span, L-Rod, Bartlett. Pitching: Sir Sid (and, boy,  did he get booed!).

Orioles: Brian Roberts, Corey Patterson, Melvin Mora, Tejada, Jay Gibbons, Ramon Hernandez, Paul Bako (run on him!), Jason DuBois, Steve Trachsel - the slowest pitcher in baseball, timewise.

 

First inning, the Twins have the bases loaded, LeCroy is up and the wind is blowing out hard to center-left center.

 

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 Remember the scene in Beverly Hills Cop when Inspector Todd is mad at Axel Foley, and Foley tells him he’s going, `deep, DEEP, undercover.’ That’s me today.

I’m headed to a undisclosed location as I try to get my arms around a massive project that my baseball editor has been on my case about ever since I’ve landed here. I won’t have internet. And, hopefully, I won’t have cell phone service where I’m at either (just only when I try to reach Kenny Williams of the White Sox).

One quick thing. I can see why the Twins remain supportive of Carlos Silva. They know what he can do when he’s confident and just letting the ball go. And sometimes it takes baby steps to rebuild someone’s confidence. Right now, they are ignoring the bad and are praising him for anything he does well.

Johan Santana is looming large, too. Check out this quote from Silva last night.

“My last bullpen, Santana was there watching and he said, `Forget where you’re going to land. Forget what your mechanics are going to be. Just look at the glove and throw the ball.’

“The last inning, after I walked Posada, I said, `Come on, let’s go.’ I just saw Mauer’s glove and let it go. I didn’t try to throw a perfect pitch. Just let it go and ground ball, ground ball.” 

It’s slowly coming. During his first meeting against the Yankees, Silva kept missing with sinkers low and inside to left-handed hitters. Rick Anderson told me that’s what happens when a pitcher is nervous and is holding the ball too tight - he pulls it down and in. At least that didn’t happen Wednesday.

A sinker is as much of a feel pitch as a change up. The right pressure yields the right response. I have not seen a sinkerballer as good as Arizona’s Brandon Webb. Seriously, his looks like a splitter, it moves so much. There was a time where Silva had a top-five sinker. And he can get back to that if he just looks at the glove and lets it go. 

 

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I’ve been in Tampa for 30 minutes, and I already have heard Torii Hunter’s name mumbled by New York writers a few times. That means only one thing:

Media blitz.

Torii is a free agent after this season, and I foresee the Yanke scribes all over the,`Torii to the Yanks in 2008,’ angle. Hunter has said several times during the offseason and this spring that he would like to re-sign with the Twins, but may throw in the obligatory: `If the Yankees want me next year, I’ll listen.’

Only in New York can a team with Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Bob Abreu and Melky Cabrera not have enough outfielders to satisfy the local hacks.

[UPDATE] The New York indeed approached Hunter before the game, but the future Yank angle never came up. I’m kind of surprised….Here’s tonight’s lineups:

Twins: Bartlett, L-Rod, Batting Champ, Current Twin, Kubel, Rondell, LeCroy, Garrett Jones (batting .069), Glenn Willams. Pitching: Carlos Silva.

Yankees: GOOD LUCK CARLOS! Damon, Jeter, Giambi, A-Rod, Matsui, Posada, Cano, Melky, Dougie Baseball. Pitching: Jeff Karstens.

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