--3B Joe Crede signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with the Twins, who hope he can stay healthy and regain his power stroke. Crede hit 30 homers in 150 games for the White Sox in 2006, but he had just 21 homers in a combined 144 games the past two seasons as he has been bothered by persistent back problems. Upon his arrival in the Twins' camp, Crede said he was completely healthy. His contract could be worth as much as $7 million if he earns all incentives.
--RHP Pat Neshek, who will miss the entire season after having Tommy John surgery in November, was placed on the 60-day disabled list. The move cleared a spot on the Twins' 40-man roster for 3B Joe Crede. --C Joe Mauer sat out the first week of workouts, and declined to place a timetable on when he might return. Mauer is still feeling the effects of December surgery to remove a blockage in a kidney. He hasn't swung a bat since the season's final game in September, nor run since mid-December. The Twins remain hopeful he can be in the lineup on Opening Day.
--1B Justin Morneau played all 163 games last season, but manager Ron Gardenhire said he hopes to avoid that this year by identifying an adequate backup. Morneau seemed to wear down in September, slugging only .398, his worst month by far. "I offered it to him plenty of times. At least take a DH day," Gardenhire said. "He said, 'If I'm going to play, I'm going to play.'"
--RHP Luis Ayala formally signed a one-year contract worth $1.3 million, and said he would like to earn the vacant role as setup man to closer Joe Nathan. "I have experience at that job," said Ayala, who saved nine games for the Mets last season. "If that's the job they ask of me, I hope to do it."
--RHP Bobby Korecky, the only pitcher in Twins history to collect a hit in the Metrodome, was claimed on waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks. "I'm sorry to see him go. He was a big help," said manager Ron Gardenhire. But Korecky, who saved 61 games over the last two seasons at Class AAA Rochester, was removed from the roster and sent through waivers in order to make room for free agent signee Luis Ayala.
--RHP Boof Bonser had a cortisone injection in his pitching shoulder, but a week later was still unable to throw without pain. Bonser, hoping to earn a long-relief job in the Twins' bullpen, was scheduled to undergo a second MRI exam on Feb. 23, in hopes of uncovering a cause of the lingering soreness. A first MRI exam found no structural damage.
BY THE NUMBERS: 35 -- Number of Twins, of the 55 invited, who arrived in camp three days before the mandatory reporting date, giving the team an early jump on workouts.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The one thing I just hate is, if guys do get caught, I don't want people to think that if they 'fess up like a man, that it's OK now. Well, that doesn't make it right." -- RHP Joe Nathan, on Alex Rodriguez's confession that he used steroids.
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