Hughes might not miss much time with injured shoulder
--INF Luke Hughes has a minor strain in his right shoulder but should be able to participate in most of spring training. Hughes on Feb. 10 had a magnetic resonance imaging test taken of the shoulder, injured during an Australian Winter League game earlier this week. He was trying to avoid a tag at home plate when he was hurt. The Twins immediately flew him to the Twin Cities to be examined by a team doctor. General manager Terry Ryan said Hughes will fly to the team's training facility in Fort Myers, Fla., Saturday and is expected to rehab the shoulder through the rest of February. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training next Friday, and the first full workout is scheduled for Feb. 24. "This was the best possible news I could have gotten (regarding Hughes)," Ryan said. Hughes is a leading candidate to earn a utility spot and play his first full major league season this year.
--RHP Scott Baker said the Twins' woeful performance last season allowed him to get entirely healthy before the offseason. The Twins' best starter last season -- he had a 3.14 ERA in 21 starts -- was limited to 134.1 innings by elbow problems. He was shut down for much of August and September before coming back to pitch twice in relief. "I think I would probably have treated it a little bit differently if we would have been playing competitive baseball at the time, shooting for the playoffs," Baker said. "I think that second time, I really attempted to let it go properly, really do a proper rehab as far as one, letting it calm down completely and then building back up. It was kind of a long process to throw two or three innings, but it was something that I probably didn't have to do -- that I wanted to do just for the peace of mind going into the offseason."
--The Twins on Thursday claimed OF Darin Mastroianni off waivers and put him on the 40-man roster. To make room, they designated right-hander Esmerling Vasquez for assignment, Ryan said. Mastroianni, 26, made his major league debut last season, going 0 for 2 at the plate. He's a career .279 hitter in four minor league seasons but more strikingly has stolen 150 bases the past three season, including 70 at high-A and Class AA in 2009.
--The Twins and IF Alexi Casilla were still without a deal on Feb. 10 and possibly headed toward an arbitration hearing. Hearings are scheduled through Feb. 17, the day before Twins pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. Casilla, who made $865,000, filed for $1.75 million. The Twins have offered $1.065 million. Limited to 97 games because of a hamstring injury, hit .260 with 21 RBI in 2011. The Twins expect him to start at second base this season.
--OF Denard Span, recovering from a concussion and migraines that limited him last season, has been doing eye exercises this offseason. He works on a computer program. "I do it three or four times a week for about a half hour," he said. "It's just strengthening up my focus, keeping my eyes focused on the target, stuff like that. That's definitely been good."
BY THE NUMBERS
15 -- Saves for RHP Matt Capps last season, which led the Twins.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"He kept pitching all year long. He never complained about anything. He's game-on. We'll take our chances with him. He knows how to do it and hopefully he'll get it done at the end. We have a lot of confidence in him and we're happy to have him back." -- Manager Ron Gardenhire on re-signing RHP Matt Capps to be the closer. Capps went 4-7 with a 4.25 ERA in 2011 but threw 65 2/3 innings, most of all relievers.
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