Baseball writers learn not to take some injuries lightly. There have been too many times that a sprain or a pull has been diagnosed as a day-to-day situation but has turned into a two-week absence from the lineup.

So I cringed in the pressbox at U.S. Cellular Field last night when it was announced that Denard Span was O.K. after getting hit in the head by a Randy Williams’ fastball in the sixth inning. Then I grew more concerned after talking with Span, who clearly was still out of it after the game.

I think his quote, “I don’t even want to think about baseball after getting hit like that,” influenced me. I also was influenced when he told us that doctors told him that he had a mild concussion.

Twins beanball history suggests Span will need some time off. That’s a huge development because the Twins have just 12 games to make up 2.5 games on Detroit in the division race and Span is their only true leadoff hitter and most versatile outfielder.

Alex Ochoa, May 5, 1998: The Twins were in Boston. Ochoa was warming up with teammates when Darren Lewis lined a foul ball into the group.

There were two noises, the ball off Lewis’ bat and the ball hitting Ochoa squarely in the back of the head. Ochoa let out a blood-curdling scream and fell to the ground. Ugh. Fortunately, he was hit in the thickest part of the skull. He missed two games. It helped that he was down the line in foul territory and not closer.

Matt Lawton, June 9, 1999: A Dennys Reyes fastball smoked Lawton in the face, causing two fractures in his right eye socket. He missed six weeks and it took even longer for him to feel fully comfortable in the batter’s  box.

(Funny side note: Dick Martin, the Twins’ trainer at the time, ran out of the field to help Lawton right after the beaning. “I can’t see! I can’t see!” Lawton yelled. “Open your eyes!” Martin replied. Lawton did, and realized he could still see.)

Justin Morneau, April 6,2005: Morneau was hit on the temple by a Ron Villone fastball in Seattle. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion and landed on the 15-day disabled list. It was the fifth concussion for the former hockey player. Some believed it affected him the rest of the season.

Torii Hunter, March 2, 2007: Hunter was hit in the head by a Kyle Lohse pitch during a spring game against the Twins and Reds.  Hunter missed three days (although I remember Hunter claiming he could have returned sooner).

Torii Hunter, April 26, 2007: Tough year for Hunter. He was hit in the mouth by a Zack Greinke pitch and needed three stitches to close a laceration on the inside of his lip. Somehow, he played the next day and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Conclusion: What helped Span on Monday was that 1) He turned his head and 2) It hit the helmet and not his head. It doesn’t help that he’s already been dizzy once this year, when he had vestibular neuritis in June.

The way he looked and sounded last night, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him on the bench tonight.  Especically against lefty John Danks. I will be impressed if he can play.

But Span’s worth to his lineup can’t be taken lightly. He’s easily the third most valuable hitter behind Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau - and Morneau is already out with a stress fracture in his back.  Even a few games off puts the Twins at a big disadvantage as they are running out of time in the playoff chase.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said the rotation will be set up to so everyone not named Jeff Manship will face the Tigers next week in the big four-game at Comerica Park. Manship will start tomorrow against the White Sox then Sunday at Kansas City.

Justin Huber took 23 swings (don’t ask why 23 because I don’t know) today and felt great. He hopes to lick his strained oblique muscle in time to be available before the road trip ends.

As part of the annual rookie hazing, the Twins made them dress up as Teletubbies for the trip to Chicago. And they weren’t allowed to run to their rooms and change, as everyone went out to the Grand Lux Cafe for dinner.

Just heard from the Jim Mandelaro in Rochester. Stan Cliburn and Rich Miller won’t return. Here’s his story.

It’s Oktoberfest at U.S. Cellular Field tonight. They just opened the gates and welcomed fans to the park -  in German. Whoowee, that really has me in the spirit. Ich bin so aufgeregt.

The Yankees scouts have followed the Twins here.

Lineup

Twins (76-73)

1. Denard Span. CF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, RF
5. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Jose Morales, DH
8. Matt Tolbert, 3B
9. Nick Punto, 2B

Pitching: Nick Blackburn, RHP

White Sox (73-77)

1. Scott Podsednik, CF
2. Gordon Beckham, 3B
3. A.J. Pierzynski, C
4. Paul Konerko, DH
5. Mark Kotsay, 1B
6. Jermaine Dye, RF
7. Carlos Quentin, LF
8. Chris Getz, 2B
9. Alexei Ramirez, SS

Pitching: Daniel Hudson

Joe C. is covering the game today, but here’s a few notes from yesterday’s win over the Motown Cats:

Denard Span and Carlos Gomez were on their own yesterday when they attempted to steal second base. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was disappointed because he wanted to get into a hit-and-run count or at least make Justin Verlander throw more pitches. Verlander is pretty quick to home plate and catcher Gerald Laird can throw - as Span and Gomez found out.

Scouts here felt yesterday’s game was the key game of the series - that was before the first pitch. One predicted that the Tigers would lose the division if they didn’t win Saturday. It will be interesting to see if that prediction comes true.

The Yankees, by the way, have FIVE scouts here. They are breaking down both the Twins and Tigers as potential postseason opponents.

Fans already were hanging out around the Dome this morning when I got here. Scalpers are in position. I laughed at one of them because he was selling tickets below face value when Oakland was in town but cleaned up yesterday.

Twins president Dave St. Peter said yesterday that the club expected around 36,000 fans for today’s game. It will be interesting to see if winning the first two games of the series will bring even more fans.

Gardy just said on his radio show that Brendan Harris will DH today. He’s 7-for-17 (.412) against Nate Robertson. O-Cab is 8-for-19 (.421).

Check me out tonight as I’m scheduled to appear on Rosen’s Sports Sunday. We’ll talk plenty of Twins but I’m sure we’ll also spend a little time on the Bears victory over the Steelers. YES, I’M CALLING IT NOW!

Finally, I realize I might have to write several times over the next few weeks that I was wrong about this team. I’m prepared for that. If they pull off this comeback, I will give the Twins their props. Besides, it’s always fun to cover postseason ball.

Does Carl Pavano have any more spells left to cast over Detroit hitters. It would be pretty impressive if he could go 5-0 against the Tigers in one season.

He enters today’s game on a run of five straight quality starts. (At least six innings, no more than three runs given up).

Relatively new Tiger Aubrey Huff is batting .294 against Pavano with a homer and 4 RBI.

Big crowd expected here today. The Twins print an attendance estimate on the back of the lineup sheet. Their estimate for today was 36,000.

But I just got off the phone with Twins president Dave St. Peter, who indicated that there’s been a late spike in ticket demands. The Twins now expect to approach 42,000 today, which means it could get a little loud in here.

St. Peter, while being grilled by KSTP’s Patrick Reusse this morning, said it looks like Target Field will hold about 39,800 seats but standing room only tickets could push a full house attendance to around 41,000. A final seat total will be known by the end of the year.

Not only would the Twins move within two games of Detroit with a win, it would be a season-long six-game winning streak and their high water mark for the year.

Lineups

Tigers (78-69)

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Carlos Guillen, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Aubrey Huff, DH
6. Magglio Ordonez, RF
7. Brando Inge, 3B
8. Gerald Laird, C
9. Adam Everett, SS

Pitching: Justin Verlander, RHP

Twins (75-72)

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Jason Kubel, RF
5. Michael Cuddyer, 1B
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Jose Morales, DH
8. Brian Buscher, 3B
9. Nick Punto, 2B

Pitching: Carl Pavano. RHP

Detroit manager Jim Leyland praised Twins lefthander Brian Duensing after the rookie went 6.1 innings during 3-0 loss to the Twins.  Detroit was 26-19 against left-handed starters before the game, but Duensing was solid, working in and out and changing speeds like a polished pitcher.

 “The combination of that and us not swing very good, he was excellent,” Leyland said.

That led to his main concern, the season-long troubles with the Tigers offense.

They entered the game 11th in the AL in runs scored  - they actually are sixth in the league this month in runs scored with 73, nine runs more than the Twins.

But the Tigers were shut out for the fourth time this season, the last two times by the Twins. The other came Aug. 8, when Carl Pavano made his Twins debut in an 11-0 win. Friday’s game probably had Leyland flashing back to many games this season in which the Tigers offense sputtered.

He pointed out how two of their four hits off Duensing didn’t get out of the infield.

“We haven’t hit a lot this year,” he said. “Time for the stars to shine. That’s the way it is down the stretch. Have to step it up. It’s going to take everyone contributing.”

The chances of things turning around Saturday don’t look good. Pavano is 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA against the Tigers this season.

Detroit will start ace Justin Verlander, who’s 16-8 with a 3.34 ERA. But he’s 0-1, 5.11 against the Twins this season and 4-5, 4.08 against them in his career. Verlander is winless in his last two starts and gave up five runs, including two homers, in his last start on Monday against Toronto.

Joe Mauer is a career .400 hitter against Verlander with 2 homers, 7 RBI and six walks. A healthy Justin Morneau will be missed. He’s .300/.400/.633 against Verlander with 2 homers and 4 RBI.
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