Just checking in before heading to the KC airport. Joe C. will be at the Dome tonight to bring you Twins coverage. Tomorrow is his birthday, so you might want to send him a b-day greeting.

It’s not who you play but when you play them.

It’s not who you play but when you play them.

It’s not who you play but when you play them.

Still…..the Twins are 4 1/2 games back in the A.L. Central with three games against the beatable Orioles before the Rangers come to town for a weekend series.

The division-leading Tigers have three games this week at the Angels before they come home for a four-game series against Tampa Bay.

The second-place White Sox begin a potentially make-or-break road trip with a four-game series at Boston and a three-game series at New York, during which they are scheduled to face Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, C.C. Sabathia and Joba Chamberlain.

After that, the Sox have three games at the Dome.

This weekend will be massive, with Twins-Rangers, Tigers-Rays and Sox-Yankees. But the Twins need to carry the momentum from their weekend sweep of the Royals into the series against Andy MacPhail’s Orioles.

If the Twins can pitch a little bit. they have more than enough offense to get by. I still don’t consider the Twins rotation to have stabilized yet.

Monday: Can,`Big Spot Scott,’ return?

Tuesday:  What a time for Armando Gabino to make his major league debut.

Wednesday: Has Nick Blackburn figured things out?

Will Joe Crede be able to play? And the Twins are waiting for word about Justin Morneau’s recovery from a right inner ear infection. They were able to win five of their last six games without him, but how much longer can they go without him? If he hasn’t made enough progress when they check on him today, he might land on the DL.

It’s definitely a week worth watching. So hang up your Favre jerseys and read our baseball blogs here for great Twins coverage!

Well, it was a good thing I was little late with the lineups. Joe Crede was in the original lineup but has just been scratched with a tight back. The man just can’t catch a break.

That means the Twins are down, again, to Nick Punto and Mike Redmond on the bench.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said this morning that righthander Boof Bonser, who was expected to miss the whole season due to shoulder surgery during spring training, is doing so well that he might return in September. That’s good news for the Twins, who will have a lot of options for the 2010 pitching staff.

Bonser has been working out regularly in Fort Myers, Fla.

I’d like to take this time to apologize to anyone who was sitting in the section below the press box here. Last night, the largest praying mantis I’ve ever seen landed on the ledge in front of Twins PR maven Dustin Morse. Morse and I were amazed by the size of the thing.

Someone else in the press box suggested that we shoo it away. I grabbed my cup of water and meant to splash a little water on it. I forget I double-stacked the cup (plus I used way too much force). The top cup, water and ice flew out of the window and tumbled over the ledge and onto the section below. Everyone was laughing. I felt terrible. I was waiting to hear a scream from below, but it never happened.

Sorry…

Anyway, Twins fans have arrived…with brooms.

Lineups

Twins (60-63)

1. Denard Span, RF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, DH
5. Michael Cuddyer,  1B
6. Joe Crede Brendan Harris, 3B
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. Carlos Gomez, CF
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

Pitching: Carl Pavano, RHP

Kansas City (47-75)

1. David DeJesus, LF
2. Brayan Pena, C
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Mike Jacobs, DH
5. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
6. Mark Teahen, 3B
7. Mitch Maier,CF
8. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS
9. Josh Anderson, RF

Pitching: Brian Bannister, RHP

Joe Crede turned his left ankle while running to first base on Friday so the Twins are holding him out of tonight’s lineup. Crede told me he can play, but the Twins are taking it easy.

It still looked bad last night to see Crede walk out of the trainer’s room with ice on his shoulder, back AND ankle.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said this might be the first time Joe Nathan really is unavailable for a game. Nathan threw 53 pitches on Friday, the most in his Twins career. Gardy will go with matchups in the late innings - that sounds like Guerrier and Mijares…

Matt Moses is in the Twin Cities to have a middle finger examined. It doesn’t sound good for the former first round pick.

Lineups

Twins (59-63)

1 .Denard Span, RF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, DH
5. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brendan Harris, 3B
8. Carlos Gomez, CF
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

Pitching: Brian Duensing

Royals (47-74)

1. David DeJesus, LF
2. Brayan Pena, DH
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Miguel Olivo, C
5. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
6. Mark Teahen, 3B
7. Mitch Maier, CF
8. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS
9. Josh Anderson, RF

Pitching: Kyle Davies, RHPÂ

Class AAA Rochester righthander Armando Gabino was pulled from his start against Pawtucket after three innings. Add in the fact that the Twins haven’t named a starter for Tuesday against Baltimore and I have a strong suspicion that he’s being called up.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said earlier tonight that they were working on a starter for Tuesday’s game.

So I’m calling it. Gabino up. Swarzak or Humber down. Don’t know if it will happen after tonight’s game….but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Twins first baseman Justin Morneau will not play in this series after seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist in Edina today,

Morneau was given more medication and advised not to travel. He will rest for the next few days as he fights through a right ear infection.  If he’s not better by Monday the Twins might have no choice but to put him on the DL. Who knows who would come up then. Would it really matter?

It just gets worse and worse for the Twins.

Meanwhile, Nick Blackburn will try to a three start losing streak tonight at the `K’

I expect lots of Twins fans here tonight. Some were tailgating in the parking lot when I arrived here at 2:30 p.m.

Lineups

Twins (58-63)

1. Denard Span, RF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, DH
5. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
6. Joe Crede, 3B
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. Carlos Gomez, CF
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

Pitching: Nick Blackburn, RHP

Royals (47-73)

1. David DeJesus, LF
2. Mitch Maier, CF
3. Billy Butler, 1B
4. Mike Jacobs, DH
5. Alberto Callaspo, 2B
6. Mark Teahen, 3B
7. Miguel Olivo, C
8. Josh Anderson, RF
9. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

Pitching: Hochevar, RHP

Just checked in at my Kansas City hotel. Today is going to be a big scramble as I crank out Sunday stuff.

But I wanted to serve up a story I read while I was on the airport shuttle at 5:30 a.m. The Wall Street Journal presented a very interesting tale about Max Kepler, the German prospect the Twins signed for $800,000 last month. He’s definitely blessed with the athletic gene and is used to disciplined training. It will be interesting to see how it translates to baseball. 

Check back later today with lineups and updates.