Outfielder Span back in action

Denard Span, the Twins' first-round draft pick in 2002, resumed playing on Friday after the team's medical staff cleared him.

Span, a center fielder, injured a bone at the bottom of his right hand on May 19 and had surgery to repair the damage. The speedy Span was playing at Quad Cities of the Class A Midwest League when he was hurt, but for the time being, the Twins will assign him to the rookie Gulf Coast League.

"We've had him hitting off a tee, and he's ready," said Jim Rantz, director of minor league operations. "This is a plus because we thought if he was going to come back before the end of the season, it would be two weeks from now. The way it stands, he'll be able to play for a whole month."

Span was hitting .256 with 11 stolen bases and 18 runs scored. Rantz isn't sure where Span will end his first full season of professional baseball.

"He's still qualified to play in a rookie league, so wherever he can get at-bats, it will be good," Rantz said. "Span is really starting over again. We would like to get him back to Quad Cities, but if it looks like he'll be better off playing in the GCL for a month, then so be it."

The Twins plan on Span playing in the instructional league that begins in mid-September.

Third baseman Matt Moses, the Twins' first-rounder in 2003, is still out with a bad back. He has been sent to Class A Fort Myers of the Florida State League for rehabilitation. Moses, who also was playing at Quad Cities, has been out since May. Rantz planned to go to Fort Myers this weekend to check on his condition.

Forgotten man: Outfielder Michael Ryan is trying to play his way back from Rochester of the Class AAA International League. Ryan, who made the Twins' Opening Day roster, played in the majors until last month, when he suffered nerve damage in his left shoulder while diving into first base.

Ryan had a setback last week when he fell on the shoulder and aggravated the injury.

In 15 games at Rochester, Ryan has batted .200 with three home runs and a double.

Ryan will find it difficult to return to the Twins before the rosters expand in September, unless the Twins suffer another injury.

Going on a tear: Shortstop Trevor Plouffe carried a hitting streak of 20 games into the weekend for Elizabethton of the rookie Appalachian League.

Plouffe, the Twins' first-round draft pick in June, has raised his average nearly 40 points to .280, with three home runs, five doubles, a triple and 17 runs batted in.

Minor league depth: The Twins have plenty of outfield prospects sprinkled through their system, led by Jason Kubel at Class AAA Rochester. Michael Restovich also is waiting in the wings at Rochester.

The Twins have solid pitching prospects at Rochester in reliever Jesse Crain, whom the Twins called up Saturday, and starter Scott Baker, and in starter J.D. Durbin at New Britain of the Class AA Eastern League.

The Twins want to add depth in the middle infield. Their top prospect up the middle, shortstop Jason Bartlett, was called up last week from Rochester to replace the injured Nick Punto.

"Middle infielders are a scarcity in the industry right now," Rantz said. "We're not alone looking. But everyone is always looking for pitching, and we have some good arms in our system."