Minnesota Twins News

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s spring training debut featured much less fanfare than last year. Beginning his second big league season, the Japanese star pitched two quick innings to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 8-3 on Friday night. Matsuzaka threw 12 pitches, eight for strikes, while facing the minimum six batters in a scoreless [...]

The Reds’ new-look pitching staff got off to a nice start on Thursday. Matt Belisle and Josh Fogg combined to pitch four scoreless innings and the Reds beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1. Belisle, penciled in to the starting rotation, allowed three hits. Fogg, a free agent signee who helped the Colorado Rockies get to the [...]

When Larry Young looks at his son, he sees two Delmons. The Old Delmon was stubborn. He criticized the front office, clashed with his manager, and once drew a suspension for throwing a bat at an umpire. The Old Delmon wanted success, and he wanted it NOW. The Old Delmon did things HIS way, whether [...]

On the first day of spring training games between major league teams, the Colorado Rockies reminded everyone how they surged to last year’s World Series. Troy Tulowitzki homered on his first swing and Matt Holliday hit a long double and made a nice defensive play as the NL champions beat the Chicago White Sox [...]

Francisco Liriano arrived at Minnesota Twins spring training Wednesday after missing the first nine days because of visa problems in his native Dominican Republic. The pitcher cleared up those issues Monday and hopped a Tuesday morning flight to the United States. The former All-Star is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Nick Punto parlayed a dream season in 2006 into a new contract and the starting spot at third base for the Minnesota Twins. This spring, after a horrendous showing at the plate in 2007, Punto has been moved over to second base and is fighting for a job. “I’ve already put last season behind me. [...]

Denard Span’s phone rang on a late November day, and he immediately picked up after glancing at the caller ID. It was Torii Hunter. The perennial Gold Glover, and Span’s mentor for the last five seasons, had just signed a mammoth free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels, leaving Minnesota with a hole in center [...]

Minnesota Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano said Monday he received his U.S. visa and was preparing to travel to spring training in Florida. The Dominican left-hander had a delay in obtaining the visa because of a Florida drunken-driving plea and missed the team’s Feb. 18 voluntary reporting date for pitchers and catchers in Fort Myers, Fla.

Six years is a lifetime in baseball. Michael Cuddyer knows that now more than ever. Cuddyer made a quick scan of the Minnesota Twins clubhouse when he arrived at spring training this week and came to a humbling realization — he is the only player left from the breakout playoff season in 2002. Torii Hunter, [...]

Francisco Liriano probably won’t arrive at Minnesota Twins camp until next week. Twins general manager Bill Smith said Friday he thinks Liriano will pick up his visa in the Dominican Republic on Monday, which would mean the pitcher likely wouldn’t get to spring training until at least Tuesday. “We were hoping he would be able [...]