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Oh boy, I never get enough of these Concordia-Twins throwdowns. I always love how the Concordia fans hang on every pitch. They rode home plate umpire Rick Stelmaszek throughout Tuesday’s exhibition.

“I made the right calls,” Stelly argued. “I was 98.5 percent on QuesTec. I’m going to the playoffs.”

Concordia appeared to pull off a perfect hit and run to put runners on first and third in the second inning. That is, until I went over to Concordia dugout after the inning to get a media guide.

“Anyone notice what went wrong out there,” Concordia Coach Lunch McKenzie said to his team while he walked back and forth. “Anyone? There was nothing on for that play but he went anyway. That’s O.K. You made me look good.”

There was no truth to the rumor that Twins fans were chanting for Phillip Hughes as Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra all had their moments on the mound. Humber’s results were the worst: A two run-double followed by a two-run homer in the second inning (I think it was the second, there was no official scorekeeper). I can still hear the pings - although the home run would have went out if it was hit with a bat…and a nerf ball.

Again, it’s way to early to get nervous.

The Twins won 7-5. Tommy Watkins and Randy Ruiz homered. Rincon was shaky. Carmen Cali gave up a homer but argued that it bounced over the fence. Gardy, the first base umpire, checked with the center fielder “Home run,” Gardy ruled.

Peter Greenberg, the agent for a former Twins Cy Young winner, also is Guerra’s agent and was at the game. He told me the story of how Guerra hit 87-88 on the gun at age 17 then jumped to 92-93 at 18. He said Guerra called him in shock, trying to figure out what he did to throw harder.

“You got a year older,” Greenberg said to him.

Wednesday is review day at camp, as the Twins go over everything they worked on the past several days as they prepare to face Cincinnati on Thursday in Sarasota.

Scott Baker will start and pitch two innings, followed by two innings from Glen Perkins. Matt Guerrier, Pat Neshek and Casey Daigle are also scheduled to pitch.

The Twins are working out before their late morning controlled scrimmage against Concordia. Infielders are practicing going back on pop ups shot out of a pitching machine.

“I think I’m faster than Justin Morneau,” one pressbox observer said after Morneau lumbered after a pop up.

It did look bad. In defense of Morneau, it’s unfair when we watch Nick Punto and Alexi Casilla chase down balls before his turn comes up.

The Concordia game is always a light-hearted affair since it gives Twins manager Ron Gardenhire a chance to needle his buddy Lunch McKenzie for a couple of hours.

But I’m looking forward to seeing Nick Blackburn throw. After chatting with him a couple of times, I can tell Blackburn’s confidence is sky high this spring after getting a taste last year.

Blackburn, Phil Humber and Kevin Slowey should have a nice battle for the back end of the rotation spots. Glen Perkins, too.

Various equipment companies show up throughout spring training to sell their goods to players. It just so happens this morning that Jim Anderson of MaxBat - a Minnesota-based baseball bat company - is at camp.

I profiled his company a few years ago and chat with him whenever he shows up at the park during the season. His company continues to grow. He handed me a slick color catalogue that listed 22 models he sells, including a BR1 (Brian Roberts) and a TH48 (some former Twins outfielder). Jim’s company now sells gloves and other equipment. Good for him. He’s a nice guy.

Batting practice just begun. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are clobbering balls all over the park. Poor Nick Punto. He’s in the same group with the M & M boys and the ball just doesn’t make the same sound off the bat.

Livan Hernandez warmed up and is now throwing b.p. Morneau continues to lace line drives. I know the Twins wanted an innings eater in their rotation but I just don’t know if Hernandez’s 85 mph fastball is a good fit for a DH league. Mauer is getting some shots in too. Man, his swing is vicious this spring…

Spoke with a Twins official who said Francisco Liriano twice hit 97 miles an hour during a recent bullpen session and pitched consistently at 92-95.

That shows that the arm strength is there. Twins GM Bill Smith said Liriano was at the consulate in Santo Domingo this morning, presumably to pick up documents. He’s still expected to travel Tuesday and be in camp on Wednesday.

That’s  when the Twins will see if Liriano’s command of his fastball and other pitches is just as encouraging as the radar readings.

For those of you coming down to Florida, keep in mind that the three Boston home games and the one Yankees game are sold out. Twins president Dave St. Peter said today that over 100,000 tickets have been sold for spring games at Hammond Stadium.

It’s Twins vs. Concordia on Tuesday at 10:30 eastern on a back field here. The Twins will use 10 pitchers - three will pitch for Concordia. Gardy indicated that righthander Nick Blackburn will start for Concordia against the Twins.

Today is photo day, so players were scattered all over the ballpark, which stinks. Joe C., Jim Souhan and I barrelled into the clubhouse between 7:45 and 8 a.m. ready to work but couldn’t find the people we were looking for.

I walked out to the batting cage, and saw one player - Craig Monroe - working with Rod Carew and Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra.

Carew mentioned during TwinsFest how he wanted Monroe to use more of the field after being very pull-happy last season. Monroe was all ears on this morning (who wouldn’t be?) as Carew walked him through some mechanical tips. Vavra jumped in at times to show Monroe what he was doing right, with Carew nodding his head in agreement. It looked like Vavra and Carew work well together.

Adam Everett showed up, so Vavra took him to another tee to work on his swing. As Carew talked with Monroe minor league hitting instructor Bill Springman showed up and joined in the conversation. Springman, if you remember, was the Class AAA hitting coach in 2000 who motivated Torii Hunter when he was sent down.

It seems like Carew has a good working relationship with the other hitting coaches. The influence he has with them may be just as important as his dealings with players.

Bob Watson, MLB’s czar of discipline, is scheduled to visit the coaching staff after the workout. Wonder if he has to collect any outstanding fines from Gardy?

Don’t know if there will be an afternoon post. If that Bonds signing happens, I’ll let you know….

(just kidding)