Twins notes: Foot problem is dead issue with Stewart

La Velle E. Neal III
Star Tribune

FORT MYERS, FLA. -- Twins outfielder Shannon Stewart has arrived at camp with a ring on his finger and no worries about his right foot.

Stewart, the Twins leadoff hitter, spent the offseason resting an rehabbing his right foot. He got married on Jan. 15 and honeymooned in Maui.

Consequently, he has arrived at camp in a good frame of mind.

"I got a lot accomplished," he said.

Stewart, who turned 31 on Friday, was limited to 92 games last season because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. The foot never fully healed, but Stewart was able to play the second half of the season and the playoffs.

He rested the foot until December, then treated the foot with ultrasound and did several exercises. Surgery was determined to be necessary.

"The offseason was to get it right," said Stewart, who hatted .304 with 11 homers, 47 RBI and a career-high .380 on base percentage. "I did want I needed to do. I just had to make sure I gave it time to rest."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was pleased to see Stewart. "He means a lot because he has very professional at-bats," he said.

First full day

The Twins got through the first day of full-squad workouts with no problems. Gardenhire addressed the team at 8:45 a.m., and the players took the field about a half-hour later.

"We had a good day out there today," Gardenhire said.

Lefthander Johan Santana was worried before throwing live batting practice.

"You may not want to watch," he said.

But he was smooth once he took the mound.

"The ball came out of his hand nice and easy," Gardenhire said of Santana. "He felt better after batting practice than he was going into it."

So late

The Twins are the last team to begin full-squad workouts this year. But they normally start late.

"We have a 10-day program," Gardenhire said. "We have a nice program set up. Spring training is long, and you know and I know that when you get down here and are playing the last week of spring training, guys are dying. The fields are smoking hot. It is hot. We feel you get down here too much, you get burned out. We have a nice 10-day program that we work out before the games start and we move smoothly into the season and hopefully it works out."

Ouch updates

Shortstop Nick Punto continues to be shut down until his sore lower back improves.

"This is no good coming in here trying to play through an injury and have it carry into the season," Gardenhire said, "We're not going to have it. So slow progress. That's what you will hear every day. 'Progress' being the big word."

Reliever Grant Balfour remains on his throwing program while recovering from a strained right forearm. Reliever Jesse Crain is making good progress in coming back from a strained right hamstring.

Outfielder Michael Restovich did some on-field activities Saturday as he recovers from a broken collarbone, and first baseman Justin Morneau continues to ride a bike and hit off a tee as he recovers from pneumonia.

Etc.

Former Twins manager Tom Kelly arrived at camp.

Rain is in the forecast today, so the Twins may do some drills in the batting cages.