Crain throwing despite injury

BY GORDON WITTENMYER
Pioneer Press

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins pitcher Jesse Crain believes he won't miss significant time this spring after suffering a mild hamstring pull Tuesday.

Crain was back on the mound Wednesday, participating at full speed in bullpen work with other pitchers, but was held out of fielding practice and running.

"I should be fine with my arm and throwing program," said Crain, who injured his right hamstring reaching for a ground ball during fielding drills Tuesday. "I have a week or so to get ready for a game. Hopefully, I'll be 100 percent, or close to 100 percent by then."

The hard-throwing rookie reliever is expected to make the Twins' Opening Day staff if he stays healthy and performs as well as he did in his monthlong big-league debut last fall.

Good news, still bad timing

Twins outfielder Michael Restovich got the go-ahead to increase activity after a routine X-ray on his healing right collarbone. Restovich broke his collarbone in late November when he slipped on ice. He has been taking batting practice during unofficial workouts the past two weeks. But his shoulder might not be ready for full-speed throwing for two more weeks.

Restovich faces a more urgent recovery program than others because he is out of contract options. That means if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster but is too healthy to go on the disabled list, the team likely will be forced to trade or release him because he is out of minor league options.

He said that once he gets a little healthier, he plans to ask manager Ron Gardenhire where he stands in the team's plans this spring.

"I think it's just a matter of getting healthy right now," he said. "That's what I'm most concerned with."

Go figure

Twins pitcher Joe Mays has the same salary this year as departing Vikings receiver Randy Moss (both at $7.25 million).

Quotable

Informed that Gardenhire called him a "roadblock" on the bases and said it takes "three singles and a home run" to score him from first base, designated hitter Matt LeCroy grinned and said: "By the end of the season, I'm going to be in the leadoff spot. That's my goal."

It may not be all idle talk. LeCroy entered a spring training game last year as a pinch runner for first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. "This year I'm going for Torii (Hunter)," he said.

Briefly

Left-hander Terry Mulholland's chest X-rays showed clear lungs, but the veteran is expected to miss at least another day of workouts because of a bad chest cold.

Infielder Nick Punto, one of the leading candidates for the shortstop job, has been shut down until at least Saturday because of the back stiffness he developed taking batting practice Tuesday.

First baseman Justin Morneau, slowed all winter by various ailments, most recently pneumonia, is expected to arrive in Fort Myers today. It's unclear how far behind he'll be when full-squad workouts begin Saturday.

Cy Young winner Johan Santana is expected to sign his four-year, $40 million contract as early as today. The team still awaited word that its insurance policy on the contract is completed.