Twins catcher Mike Redmond is having X-Rays of his right forearm after being hit with a foul tip in the fifth inning. X-Rays have come back negative. All Redmond has is a bone bruise.

Infielder Nick Punto is out with a tight lower back after getting upended while turning an excellent double play in the sixth.

Justin Morneau left the game after the sixth with a tight left groin.

We’ll have more on these developments after the game.

Just got back from Ron Gardenhire’s office, and the manager was full of stories today.

But in what was a classy move, Gardenhire called former Pioneer Press writer Phil Miller, who was laid off on Tuesday, to which him luck in the future. Then we started talking about newspapers and beat writers and the time flew by. Phil’s a great guy and a fine writer and it’s too bad he no longer around. But what’s happened to Phil has happened to a lot of my friends in the business…

Ran into John Wathan, former umpire Steve Pallermo and George Brett this morning. Brett was with his son, Jackson,  who has grown five inches over the last year and is 6 feet, 2 inches tall. “He’s worn the suit I wore to my Hall of Fame induction twice,” Brett said. “He can’t wear the shoes because I’m a size 11 and he’s a 14.”

Jackson was four years old when I left K.C. for the Twin Cities. Now he’s 16. And big. I feel so old.

George has Jackson playing third base, the outfield and a little at catcher, too.

Some minor league notes:

Carlos Gutierrez will get one more start at Class AA New Britain before he’s moved to the bullpen. This was always the plan as the Twins watch Gutierrez’s innings pitched this year.

New Britain catcher Wilson Ramos was close to returning to action but had a setback in his rehab from a pulled hamstring and is now headed to Fort Myers, Fla and could miss three more weeks.

Check out Elizabethon catcher Danny Rams’ stats: Five games, .423 average, 5 4 homers, 15 RBI and a 1.647 OPS. And he’s improved behind the plate.

Luke Hughes could wind up at New Britain after he recovers from his oblique strain because Danny Valencia has played well and Steven Tolleson and Alexi Casilla are the starting middle infield at Class AAA Rochester. Actually, as Seth pointed out, Trevor Plouffe is playing short too. Tolleson has played some outfield. By the way, Tolleson needs work catching the ball, so keep that in mind when pondering middle infield options.

Brendan Harris (.154), Jason Kubel (.208) and Delmon Young (.087) have bad numbers against Gil Meche and are out of the lineup. Matt Tolbert is four-for-five against Meche and is in.

Joe Mauer is batting .143 against Meche, but you know he’s not coming out!

Once again, sorry the lineups are late.But we were in Gardenhire’s office for over an hour.

Lineups

Twins (40-39)

1. Denard Span, LF
2. Matt Tolbert, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, DH
4. Justin Morneau 1B
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF
6. Joe Crede, 3B
7. Mike Redmond, C
8. Carlos Gomez, CF
9. Nick Punto, SS

Pitching: Glen Perkins, LHP

Royals (33-43)

1. David DeJesus, LF
2. Willie Bloomquist, RF
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Jose Guillen, DH
5. Mark Teahen, 3B
6. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
7. Brayan Pena, C
8. Luis Hernandez, SS
9. Mitch Maier, CF

Pitching: Gil Meche, RHP

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