--C Joe Mauer has not been able to do any weight-lifting or conditioning since undergoing surgery Dec. 22 to remove an obstruction in one of his kidneys, so the Twins no longer expect him to be ready for the start of spring training. Mauer will miss the spring drills and at least two weeks of exhibition games as he works on regaining his strength for a season behind the plate. "The goal is Opening Day," manager Ron Gardenhire said of Mauer's new target date for a full return to action.
--RHP Matt Guerrier became the Twins' lone arbitration case when DH Jason Kubel reached an agreement on a multi-year contract. Guerrier, who earned $950,000 last season and went 6-9 with a 5.19 ERA, is seeking a raise to $1.75 million from an arbitrator, while the Twins have proposed a salary of $1.2 million. --2B Alexi Casilla was left off the Dominican Republic's provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic in favor of New York's Robinson Cano and Detroit's Placido Polanco, so the second-year infielder will spend all of spring camp with the Twins. That leaves seven players on the Twins' major league roster tentatively scheduled to take part: RHP Joe Nathan (USA), 1B Justin Morneau and RHP Jesse Crain (Canada), SS Nick Punto (Italy), LHP Francisco Liriano (Dominican Republic), LHP Jose Mijares (Venezuela) and Class AAA 3B Luke Hughes (Australia).
--RHP Russ Springer, a free agent this winter after 16 major league seasons, has been contacted by the Twins about a one-year contract. Springer went 10-2 the past two seasons with the Cardinals with a 2.24 ERA. The Twins have so far been unable to acquire an eighth-inning specialist this winter and might elect to sign a one- or two-batter specialist, like the 40-year-old Springer, instead.
--RHP Brad Radke, whose 148 victories rank third in Minnesota history, was elected by a 55-member media panel to the Twins Hall of Fame. Radke, who spent his entire 12-year major league career with the Twins before retiring in 2006, will be inducted along with longtime scouting director George Brophy before the Twins' July 11 game.
BY THE NUMBERS: 20 -- Home runs hit by Jason Kubel in 2008, a career high that ranked second, behind Justin Morneau, on the Twins.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We've been working really, really hard all winter and have absolutely nothing to show for it." -- Twins general manager Bill Smith, on the team's lack of transactions this winter.
