System awaits testing

BY JASON WILLIAMS
Pioneer Press

The drug-testing police haven't made their way through the Twins' minor league system.

But they will.

'They'll come through the minor leagues unannounced,' said Jim Rantz, director of the Twins' minor leagues.

There have been 63 players suspended this year, as of Friday for testing positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs under the minor league policy, which is overseen by the major league commissioner's office. Five players have been suspended for violating the major league testing policy. Some of the players suspended for violating the major league policy are minor leaguers, because the testing policy applies to players on the 40-man roster.

That means it is possible some Twins minor leaguers already have been tested, because some Minnesota players were tested in March.

Several teams' minor leaguers were tested during spring training, and 11 more minor leaguers were slapped with 15-game suspensions Thursday. The farm systems of the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, among others, have been tested.

Springman returning

The organization is getting some help from an old friend. Bill Springman, who was the Twins' Class AAA hitting coach from 1997-2000, is slated to join Rochester as the interim hitting coach.

Springman served as the hitting coach for Salt Lake City, then the Twins' Class AAA affiliate. With his wife expecting the couple's third child at the time, Springman left to become a high school baseball coach and teacher in Tulsa, Okla.

Springman, 48, is expected to join the Rochester staff soon after his high school team is eliminated from the state tournament.

The coaching staff has been spread thin because manager Phil Roof is on an indefinite leave of absence to be with his wife, Marie, who is battling cancer.

Corky gets a hit

Corky Miller snapped his season-long slump at the plate in Rochester's win over Columbus on Tuesday. His solo home run was his first hit of the season — at any level.

Miller, who was 0 for 12 in five games with the Twins before being outrighted to Rochester earlier this month, was hitting .111 (1 for 9) through three games with Rochester.

Miller's lack of productivity at the plate has kept him from sticking in the majors, because he is a solid defensive catcher. He has a .193 career big-league batting average over parts of five seasons.

Briefly

It might not be long until Class A Fort Myers pitcher Glen Perkins is promoted to Class AA New Britain. The former Gophers All-American seems to be getting stronger with each start since beginning the season on the disabled list with a sore left wrist. Perkins (1-0, 1.13 earned-run average) allowed just one run on three hits and struck out eight in five innings in Monday's victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals. Through four starts, the former Stillwater High School star has 20 strikeouts in 16 innings.

Boof Bonser, honored as the organization's minor league player of the week May 1-7, suffered his first loss of the season Wednesday against Columbus.