--RHP Matt Guerrier had vowed that last summer's meltdown would not recur this season, but after three scoreless appearances to start the season, he has now allowed runs in two straight games. He faced six Blue Jays on Thursday, and four of them collected hits, including a two-run home run by Marco Scutaro that turned a one-run game into a 4-1 deficit. He ended up allowing four runs in two-thirds of an inning, ballooning his ERA to 8.44. If Guerrier isn't dependable this season, another bullpen collapse becomes far more likely.
--RHP Luis Ayala hasn't been using his sinker enough, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, but has been working on trusting the pitch more. "He's got a really, really good sinker," Gardenhire said. "His bread and butter, especially with our infield like it is, should be the sinker. He's going to spin some on some guys, some sliders and so forth, but it shouldn't be about tricking them. It should be about going in there and getting them to roll over on the ball."
BY THE NUMBERS: 41 -- Temperature in Minneapolis at first pitch on opening day, the Twins' last inside the 70-degree comfort of the Metrodome. The Twins will have to live with several games in 40-degree weather, and worse, once they move into Target Field next April.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I (thought), 'Oh, (shoot), he did it again.' Then, seeing him run the bases, I remembered it counts for us this time. So it was kind of fun." -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, on watching 3B Joe Crede hit his first home run as a Twin in his old home park, Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field
