Punto is eager to get to work

He needs medical OK to enter fray at short

BY GORDON WITTENMYER
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins infielder Nick Punto hopes to find out today from team doctors that he can start doing light baseball activity for the first time since injuring his back a week ago.

Punto, considered a favorite in the shortstop battle this spring if healthy, suffered a muscle strain in his back taking his first few swings during batting practice early last week and has been shut down since.

The coaching staff and medical staff have allowed him to do only cardio work, such as running, since the injury.

"It's unbelievably tough," he said of getting hurt so early in camp — especially after spending much of last season sidelined by rib-cage and collarbone injuries. "I've been waiting for spring for the last five months, since breaking my collarbone... . Then this mishap."

Punto isn't sure how much time he'll need to prepare for the season, much less get into position to compete for the shortstop job, if the injury drags much more than a few games into the exhibition schedule, which opens Thursday.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has stressed to Punto the value of being patient and making sure he is fully healed before thinking about anything else.

"I'd like to get out there for the whole spring, but I can't go out there if I can't play 100 percent," Punto said. "So I can't worry about that."

He must rein himself in no matter how strong he feels, no matter how tempted he is to push the envelope with what appears to be a mild strain.

"I've never felt better in my entire career," Punto said. "I worked all winter to get in shape, and then this happened. Except for a small part of my back, I'm in great shape."

Rain, rain, go away

For the second time in three days Sunday, the Twins had their schedule abbreviated by early-morning rain and soggy field conditions. But as was the case Friday, the pitchers completed their bullpen work, keeping the most important part of their early-spring business on schedule.

"We missed our fundamentals today, but that's OK," Gardenhire said. "We'll just move them on to the next day. Hopefully, we'll get some sun."

Break a leg

As strange as it might seem, Twins outfielder Michael Restovich said his arrival at camp with an injury makes it easier to deal with the urgency his contract status puts on this spring.

"It's kind of do or die now. I'm going to make the team or I'm going to be gone," he said, referring to the fact that he's out of contract options, meaning the team can't send him to the minors unless he clears waivers, a remote possibility. "I think about it a lot. But I think being hurt has put the focus somewhere else for now."

Restovich, who broke his collarbone over Thanksgiving weekend when he slipped on ice, still can't throw full speed.

"It's put the focus on getting better," he said. "I guess that's not the best way (to ease the pressure), but it's allowed me to come in here more relaxed."

Briefly

Relief pitcher Grant Balfour appears to be nearing full health after completing five-minute and seven-minute throwing sessions from bullpen mounds each of the past two days without aggravating the soreness in his forearm he brought to camp. He still has not opened up with full velocity, but he said he's getting closer.

Right-hander Kyle Lohse is scheduled to start the Twins' spring opener, against the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, at 6:05 p.m. Thursday.