Morneau's ready ... for rest

La Velle E. Neal II
Star Tribune

FORT MYERS, FLA. -- A weary Justin Morneau showed up at Twins training camp Thursday carrying three large envelopes containing X-rays.

Instead of spending the offseason working out in Arizona, Morneau went from one misadventure to another that likely will keep him out of several early spring games. Morneau dealt with appendicitis, chicken pox, pleurisy and, finally, pneumonia.

"And I thought I had a bad offseason," joked catcher Joe Mauer, who had a wisdom tooth removed and continued rehab on his left knee.

Morneau is still shaking off the effects of pneumonia, causing some Twins to joke about staying away from him.

Pitcher J.D. Durbin wasn't afraid, running up to hug his friend.

"Toe!" Durbin barked as he approached, a reference to the broken toe Morneau suffered before camp opened in 2003.

"He's the only one who calls me that," Morneau said, sighing.

Morneau, who has lost only five pounds during the offseason, said he weighs between 220 and 225 but feels weak. His immediate goal is to make sure he kicked the pneumonia and then work on his stamina through walking and riding a bike.

"I had a long flight yesterday, and I got up early today," he said. "I feel dead. If I don't take care of this now it will come back and drag on me. I've got to get rid of it now."

His offseason of suffering began in late October, when he had an appendicitis attack in Fort Myers. After a day of vomiting, he went to a hospital and was diagnosed. His appendix was removed.

"They did it the old way," Morneau said. "They can go through your belly button and get it, but they didn't do that."

A large scar across the lower part of his stomach marked the spot.

"I couldn't do anything for all of November," he said. "Then in December, I did all rehab because they cut through the abdominal wall."

Morneau began baseball-related workouts in January. For a while.

"I got the chicken pox," he said. "I think I got it when I was coming back from Mexico during New Year's.

"I didn't do anything for another two weeks. Then a couple days later, I started to get pleurisy [inflammation of the tissues surrounding the lungs]. I guess it's what you have before pneumonia."

Morneau refused to feel sorry for himself.

"There are a lot of people who are a lot worse off than I am," he said. "I saw a lot of people in the hospital, and I realized that my stuff is pretty mild."

Morneau, 23, is a major reason the Twins are optimistic about their offense. In 74 games with the Twins last season he hit .271 with 19 home runs and 58 RBI; he also hit .306 with 22 homers and 63 RBI at Class AAA Rochester.

"He could be a force in the middle of the lineup," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who is relieved Morneau should be 100 percent healthy at some point during camp. "He's been sick all winter, and it's going to be a process to get him ready. At least he's here."

Morneau will benefit from not having to fight for a job in camp. He's the Twins' first baseman, one with the potential to be as good a power hitter as Kent Hrbek, or better.

"I think that helps the situation," he said. "It won't force me to rush to come back. I know I just need to be ready for the start of the season. I know I won't be ready for the start of games. I just want to get enough at-bats for the start of the season.

"Usually, I don't feel like I need 100 at-bats to be ready for the start of the season. It's hard to put the right number on it. It's just whenever you get your timing down."

Just then, first base coach Jerry White and designated hitter Matthew LeCroy walked up to welcome him to camp.

"You all right?" White asked.

Morneau then picked up his bat.

"I'm always all right," he replied, "as long as I've got this."