Champs to face Twins reserves

BY GORDON WITTENMYER
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins open their exhibition season tonight against right-hander Matt Clement and the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox, but they're not taking their A team to City of Palms Park across town because their spring home opener is a day game Friday.

Among projected Opening Day starters, only outfielder/designated hitter Lew Ford is scheduled to play tonight. Right-hander Kyle Lohse starts on the mound for the Twins, with right-handers J.D. Durbin and Willie Eyre also scheduled to pitch.

"Now we're getting into the games," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's the fun part of spring."

Unless, of course, it rains. A 70 percent chance of rain tonight is forecast.

If they play, the 6:05 p.m. CST game is scheduled to be broadcast on WCCO-AM 830.

Injury updates

First baseman Justin Morneau had precautionary blood tests done Wednesday to confirm that the lung infection he suffered in recent weeks is out of his system. If the tests come back clear, as expected, he will join the rest of the squad for full workouts.

Infielder Nick Punto, a favorite in the shortstop battle until suffering a back strain taking batting practice before camp opened, had a precautionary magnetic resonance imaging test, with results expected today.

"He's taking ground balls, but he's still not able to do too awful much," Gardenhire said of Punto, "so it's better to get it checked out and make sure there's not any kind of problem in there before we really get him working."

Reliever Grant Balfour continued to progress in his throwing program and appears close to full strength after arriving in camp with a sore forearm.

Non-roster infielder Glenn Williams was shut down because of the groin pull he suffered in fielding practice Tuesday.

In the House

When told the Red Sox were visiting President Bush at the White House on Wednesday, Gardenhire wished the Red Sox well.

"They can go to all the White Houses they want to. When we finish up here today, I'm going out to the clubhouse to tee it up. I'll say hi to the president of Miramar Country Club."

Briefly

A change in ground rules at the Metrodome this season will take the speakers hanging from the ceiling in foul territory out of play. Unlike previous seasons, a ball hitting any of those speakers will be considered dead. Speakers hanging over fair territory will be in play as in the past.

Gardenhire said pitchers Ryan Rowland-Smith, Scott Tyler, Boof Bonser and Travis Bowyer looked good during the team's scrimmage against Concordia-St. Paul at the Fort Myers complex. Twins pitchers pitched to Twins hitters, and Concordia pitchers to the college hitters in the game won by Concordia.