Twins have crop of rising stars

Phil Roof, who has managed in the Twins' minor league system for 14 years, said young players he managed at Class AAA Rochester, N.Y., who are now with the Twins are without a doubt the best crop he has been around.

That group includes pitchers Jesse Crain and J.D. Durbin; outfielders Jason Kubel, Lew Ford and Michael Restovich; and infielders Justin Morneau, Terry Tiffee and Jason Bartlett.

Morneau has 17 homers and 52 RBI in 65 games for the Twins. When asked about Morneau's potential, Roof said, "How much space do you have in your column?"

"Todd Walker was the best hitter I managed in the minors until Kubel came along, and Marty Cordova was the best power hitter until Morneau came along," Roof said. "Morneau is well ahead of anyone we've had in our system. He's got a bright future. He is 25-30 home run, 100-RBI guy with the big club for years to come."

Kubel hit .343 in 90 games at Rochester after a promotion from Class AA New Britain, where he was hitting .377.

"He's going to be a hitter that can hit from the left field foul line to the right field foul line with power," Roof said. "Two years from now he'll be a .300 hitter in the majors."

Tiffee was playing well at third base, replacing injured Corey Koskie, until Tiffee injured his shoulder last weekend. He hit .307 with 12 homers in 82 games at Rochester.

"Tiffee is going to hit. He's got decent hands with a strong arm," Roof said. "He lacks a little bit in range, but he makes up for it in his hitting and his throwing. He's a solid hitter. Better hitter from the left side, but he'll improve on the right side."

Crain had 19 saves for Rochester, with 64 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

"What a unique individual," Roof said. "He can walk to the mound, throw 94, 95, 96 mph and throw an 85-, 86-mph slider. He's working on his two-seam fastball. And he can throw a changeup, and he can throw a curveball. It's just that his power slider is so effective, he really doesn't need it right now."

Durbin's season was interrupted by arm surgery, but the Twins like his potential.

"He's another unique, talented individual," Roof said. "And a very confident young man. He's got two power pitches right off the bat -- fastball and slider. Then he's got a pretty decent changeup because he throws to lefthanders. If he keeps walks down and keeps his breaking ball down and builds his arm strength up, he'll be fine. I think after his operation, his arm strength hasn't fully come back yet."

Restovich almost made the Twins out of spring training but didn't and struggled for part of the season at Rochester. He had 20 home runs but hit only .247.

"I think he was disappointed he didn't make the big club," Roof said. "As all youngsters are, six or seven years in the minor leagues, he's still got a bright future. This young man is strong. I just think someone needs to give him an opportunity."

Ford was called up at the start of the season when Torii Hunter was injured and almost made the American League All-Star team. Ford is hitting .299 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI and is one of the big reasons the Twins are running away with the AL Central title.

"I knew then the makeup of Lew and the hard-nosed player that he is, that he was going to survive at the major-league level and be a regular," Roof said.

Bartlett, a .331 hitter at Rochester, needs to improve his fielding to play in the majors.

"But if you give him quality at-bats, he's going to hit," Roof said. "He's going to be able to steal some bases. He just needs some improvement in confidence and his defense at shortstop. And he can run."

Jottings

There will not be any off days in the first five-game playoff series for the Twins if they finish ahead of Oakland in win percentage.

Twins President David St. Peter said that the team could break even financially this year if it has a couple of playoff series.

There are no plans for the Twins to have rookie catcher Joe Mauer play winter ball to get in shape for next year.

No sport has a better collective bargaining agreement than baseball. Joe Mays of the Twins, who pitched in 31 games last year and none this year, will still get paid his salary of $5.75 million.