So far this season, Span has arguably been the team’s best player, hitting .292 with a .358 on-base-percentage and 4 steals. He covers a lot of ground in centerfield and plays with a fire and passion that some of his more heralded teammates lack.

Because of that and his relatively modest contract, he’s likely to be traded by season’s end. With Mauer’s contract and Morneau’s health issues, Span is one of the few Twins with any value on the open market.

The 28-year-old took some time out to talk with me following batting practice during the last homestand.

DZ: I’ve got some hard-hitting stuff right away; have you been watching the NBA playoffs and what do you think so far?

SPAN: I’ve been paying attention a little bit, not as close in the first round. The first round gets kinda boring; you kinda know who is going to win for the most part. The second round is about to start heating up. Boston looks tough; Miami is the team I am rooting for. Boston is going to give Miami a little problem, but I am hoping it’s Miami and OKC.

DZ: Have you met Lebron or D-Wade at all?

SPAN: No, I have never met those guys.

DZ: Onto the Twins stuff. Obviously the team isn’t playing the way you guys would like to – I know you’re a guy who hates losing – what’s it been like for you so far?

SPAN: It’s been tough, man. We went through this last year, but the majority of the time I felt disassociated with the team because I was hurt and dealing with my own problems at the time…it’s still early in the season, I am still confident we can turn it around. So far it’s been tough, but we are a better team than we’ve showed.

DZ: It’s your 5th year now, you are a veteran, have you stepped up to be a leader and taken on that role now?

SPAN: Yeah, somewhat I have. By nature I am not a vocal person. I’ve never been the type of person that will just talk just to be talking. Whenever I say something, I want it to be profound, I want people to listen because I want people to know that when I do say something, it’s meaningful. I try to open my mouth when it’s the right time.

DZ: Last year you had the concussion, missed a lot of time. Obviously, that’s frustrating, what did you learn that? What do you know now that you didn’t know a year ago?

SPAN: I learned how lucky and blessed I am just to be in the position I am playing this great game. I believe I was a humble person before the injury, but it definitely humbled me more and made me appreciate the smaller things of waking up every day, feeling good like I feel now. It made me just appreciate being healthy and doing what I love to do.

DZ: Your first three or four years here it was pretty stable in the outfield – Cuddyer, Delmon – this year it’s a whole different ball game. What’s that been like for you?

SPAN: It’s been a little different trying to get used to the different guys next to me, but it’s nothing I can control. They are great guys that have been put out there, so I am just trying to do the best I can to help those guys out and help the team out, really.

DZ: Every year you do a (charity) bowling tournament, what’s your bowling average?

SPAN: Actually, I don’t have one because I don’t even bowl at my event.

DZ: You don’t bowl at your event?!

SPAN: I am being Mr. PR guy. I am walking around, shaking hands and thanking everybody for coming out and showing their support.

DZ: I noticed have a Delmon Young bat there (used for batting practice), what’s the story behind that?

SPAN: I weigh probably about 205, Delmon probably anywhere from 210 to 250 (laughs), so he’s a little bit bigger and stronger than I am and so he swings a bigger bat than I do. So, for BP and pregame, I like to swing his bat so when game time comes and I pick up my bat, my bat feels light.

See more of David Zingler’s interviews with Twins players:

May 1: Jared Burton
April 28: Alex Burnett
April 21: Chris Parmelee
April 17: Sean Burroughs
April 13: Jeff Gray

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced after tonight’s game that they have placed catcher Ryan Doumit on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain.

To replace Doumit on the 25-man roster, the Twins will recall outfielder Ben Revere from Triple-A Rochester in time for tomorrow’s game vs. the Tigers in Detroit.  Revere started the season with the Twins, batting .278 (5-for-18) with one double in six games.  In 23 games with the Red Wings, he batted .330 (31-for-94) with one double and six rbi.

It’s time for the Twins and their fans to come to this realization. As bad as this team seemed last year, they are worse this year. Cuddyer, Kubel, Young and Nathan are gone…and even though Mauer is in the line up every day, he’s been nothing more than a slap hitter, incapable of power numbers. Justin Morneau with his injury riddled career, may be on the verge of making his last stand as a baseball player. Denard Span, probably their most consistent every day player,  is the subject of daily trade rumors…and the only bright spot on the horizon,  rookie shortstop Brian Dozier,  already finds himself batting 5th for a major league team. Let’s remember that Dozier split last year between Ft Myers (Class A) and New Britain (AA).

Yes, it’s hard to be optimistic these days if you’re a Twins fan. The farm system is bare of any future stars (they’ve all been playing for the Twins the last two years). And it appears that despite big money rolling in because of the cash cow known as Target Field, the Twins are reluctant to spend any significant money in the free agent market.  They did go out and add Ryan Doumit and Josh Willingham this year, but in typical Twins fashion they are both second tier free agents…and don’t even cover the losses of Cuddy and Kubel.

And the pitching staff? Let’s not even go there.  The starters have the worst combined ERA in baseball. Yikes.

Look on the bright side. At least they play at a nice ballpark.

TWINS NOTES: ¬
• The Twins finished their nine-game homestand with a record of 3-6.
• The Twins were shutout for the fourth time this season, first time at Target Field in 2012…first time by the Indians since June 7, 2011 at Progressive Field.
• The Twins defense turned one more double plays today giving them 43 on the season…they entered today ranking second in the American League in double plays turned, behind Toronto’s 48.
• Minnesota grounded into four double plays today giving them 38 GIDP’s in 36 games this season…the four GIDP’s were their most since April 22, 2010 vs. Cleveland when they also had four.
• Jason Marquis fell to 0- 3 in his last three start, posting a 7.20 ERA…the three homers allowed by Marquis were his most in a start since allowing three, August 14, 2010 vs. Arizona…he entered today, having allowed a total of four homers this season and none in his previous two starts.
• The three home runs allowed by Marquis in the fifth inning were the most in one inning off Twins pitching since the Tigers hit three in the fourth inning, September 25, 2010 at Comerica Park (Don Kelly, Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila) off Carl Pavano.
• Brian Dozier celebrated his 25th birthday today, going 3-for-4 with a double…prior to this today he was 6-for-9 with one run scored on his birthday, in two minor league seasons.
• Dozier recorded his fourth multi-hit game of the season and set a new career-high with three hits…he is batting .438 (7-for-16) with two doubles, one homer, one rbi and three runs scored in his last four games.
• Anthony Swarzak has posted a 2.63 ERA (13.2 ip, 4 er) as a reliever this season with opponents batting .167 (7-for-42) off him in that role.

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced that they will reinstate first baseman Justin Morneau from the 15-day disabled list prior to tonight’s game vs. the Tigers in Detroit.  Morneau was placed on the disabled list May 7 (retroactive to May 1) with a sore left wrist.  In 20 games this season, he is batting .230 (17-for-74) with five doubles, four home runs and nine rbi.

To make room for Morneau on the 25-man roster, the Twins have optioned first baseman Chris Parmelee to Triple-A Rochester.  In 27 games with the Twins this season, Parmelee batted .179 (15-for-84) with five doubles, one triple and three rbi.

· The Twins walked a season-high nine time in tonight’s game…the last time they walked 9+ times was September 2, 2011 at LAA.

· Nick Blackburn won for the first time since August 10, 2011 vs. Boston.

· With two more rbi tonight, Ryan Doumit has 19 total rbi since April 16…coming into tonight’s game, the 19 rbi in that span is tied with Edwin Encarnacion for the third-most in the AL, behind Josh Hamilton and Adam Dunn.

· Darin Mastroianni collected his first career Major League hit and rbi in the fifth inning when he hit a two-run single to center with the bases loaded…he had three rbi in the game and it was the fifth time this season that a Twins player has had three-or-more rbi in the game (Doumit, Mauer, Morneau, Willingham each once).

· Joe Mauer tied his career-high with three walks in the game, done 12 times previously, last September 14, 2011 at K.C.

· Josh Willingham has reached base via hit, walk or hit-by-pitch in 27 of his 29 games played this season.

· After pitching another clean inning tonight, Jared Burton has not allowed a run or a hit in 11 consecutive appearances (11.1 ip) dating back to April 13…opponents are 0-for-their last-34 with 12 strikeouts in that span.

· The game tonight started at 9:01pm (CT) which was a one hour and 51 minute delay…it was the second weather-affected game this season and the 10th in Target Field history (2010-2012).

TWINS NOTES: ¬
• The Twins are now 3-20 when their opponent scores first…they have a record of 4-11 at Target Field this season.
• Twins offense grounded into multiple double plays for the 10th time this season…they now have grounded into 31 total on the season, including six in their last three games.
• Jason Marquis allowed two runs to score in the first inning, giving him six runs allowed in his first innings this season, the most of any inning.
• Jason Marquis lost his first home start since July 9, 2011 vs. Colorado, at Nationals Park while with Washington.
• Denard Span (1-for-3) is batting .368 (21-for-57) at Target Field this season, hitting safely in 12 of 14 games here.
• Joe Mauer grounded into his seventh double play in the sixth inning…he entered today tied for second in the AL with six (Markakis - seven).
• Josh Willingham has reached base via hit, walk or hit-by-pitch in 26 of his 28 games played this season.
• Willingham (1-for-3) is batting .476 (20-for-42) at Target Field compared to .185 (10-for-54) on the road…five of Willingham’s seven home runs have come at Target Field.
• The Twins bullpen has allowed just one run in their last three games (12.0 ip), for an ERA of 0.75.

WINNING PITCHER: Alvarez (3-2, 2.61)
LOSING PITCHER: Marquis (2-2, 6.26)
SAVE: None
FIRST PITCH: 7:11 pm GAME TIME TEMP: 73, winds from S at 10 mph TIME OF GAME: 2:45 ATTENDANCE: 31,438

HOME RUNS: Willingham (7, off Alvarez, sixth inning, nobody on, two outs, 1-0 pitch, 354 feet to left field)

PITCHING LINES:
TORONTO IP H R ER BB SO HR WP PITCHES/K
Henderson Alvarez (W) 7.0 7 2 1 3 2 1 0 101/67
Luis Perez 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 10/9
Jason Frasor 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 14/10

MINNESOTA IP H R ER BB SO HR WP PITCHES/K
Jason Marquis (L) 4.0 7 6 5 3 2 0 1 86/47
Anthony Swarzak 3.0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 34/23
Glen Perkins 1.0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 17/12
Jeff Gray 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 14/9

BLUE JAYS NOTES:
• The Blue Jays improved their all-time record in Target Field to 7-1…they are 11-2 in their last 13 games against the Twins.
• Henderson Alvarez’ scoreless inning streak was snapped at 16 after allowing a third inning run tonight (19 straight without an earned run)…his previous run allowed was in the first inning, April 29 vs. Seattle…he tied a career-high with three walks tonight.
• Alvarez has posted an ERA of 0.82 (22.0 ip, 2 er) in his last three starts.
• Brett Lawrie has four multi-hit games in his last nine contests…he now has a team-leading 10 multi-hit games on the season…tonight marked his fifth multi-rbi game of the season.
• Kelly Johnson’s third inning error allowing the Twins to score their first run was his sixth fielding miscue this season…five of his six errors have come in his last 12 games.
• Yunel Escobar’s three runs scored tied Colby Rasmus (April 21 at Kansas City) for most in a game this season by a Blue Jay…Escobar tied his career-high with four hits tonight, previously done nine times, last on April 18 vs. Tampa Bay.
• With two more rbi tonight, Edwin Encarnacion has recorded seven multi-rbi games and has driven at least one run in 16 games…he entered play today, second to Josh Hamilton (36) in rbi in the American League with 26.
• Encarnacion has driven in 12 runs in eight career games at Target Field.

    SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has re-signed defenseman Clayton Stoner to a two-year contract extension.

    Stoner, 27 (2/19/85), collected five points (1-4=5), a plus-3 rating and 54 penalty minutes (PIM) in 51 games with Minnesota this season. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound native of Port McNeill, B.C., led team defensemen and ranked third on the club in plus/minus rating and penalty minutes. Stoner was also nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Minnesota Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. He recorded nine points (2-7=9) in 57 contests with the Wild in 2010-11 and ranked first on the team with a plus-5 rating and third with 96 PIM. Stoner ranked tied for third among NHL rookie defensemen in PIM and sixth in plus/minus amongst rookies that played more than 50 games. He made his NHL debut at Montreal on Dec. 17, 2009.

    Stoner has totaled 16 points (3-13=16), a plus-9 rating and 170 PIM in 116 career NHL games during three seasons with Minnesota. He was selected by Minnesota in the third round (79th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Photo by Brad Rempel

To replace Valencia on the 25-man roster, the Twins will recall outfielder Darin Mastroianni from Rochester prior to Thursday night’s game vs. the Blue Jays at Target Field.  Mastroianni began the season at Double-A New Britain, batting .143 (5-for-35) with one double in nine games, before being promoted to Rochester on April 14.  In 19 games with the Red Wings, he batted .346 (27-for-78) with two doubles, two triples and 11 rbi.  Mastroianni will wear uniform number 19.

To replace Maloney on the 25-man roster, the Twins will select the contract of right-handed pitcher P.J. Walters from Rochester.  In six starts for the Red Wings this season, he was 3-1, 2.70 (33.1 ip, 10 er), allowing 33 hits with six walks and 25 strikeouts.  Walters will wear uniform number 39.

Photo by Brad Rempel