--RHP Nick Blackburn, the understudy for LHP Francisco Liriano, tuned up for a potential opening-week start with a strong outing Thursday. He held the Reds to three hits and one run in five innings, lowering his spring ERA to 2.25. Blackburn would get the call if Liriano, coming off Tommy John surgery, isn't ready to pitch at the beginning of the season.

--CF Carlos Gomez's sore left hamstring kept him out of action again Thursday. He remains day-to-day.

Gomez will provide some great moments and some ugly ones, manager Ron Gardenhire concedes, but the 22-year-old's raw talent is too tantalizing for the Twins to pass up. In a decision he called one of the toughest he's had to make, Gardenhire informed Denard Span and Jason Pridie that they will open the season in Class AAA Rochester, anointing Gomez as Torii Hunter's successor in center field.

--RHP Kevin Slowey retired the first 11 hitters he faced in Tuesday's victory over Pittsburgh, and though he ended up surrendering four runs, it was enough to convince the Twins that he's a major-leaguer. Slowey will start one of the Twins' games in the opening series against the Angels, manager Ron Gardenhire said, essentially ending the competition for the vacancy in Minnesota's rotation. Slowey, who threw five shutout innings in his previous start, refused to contemplate his new status, however, saying, "It's not official until I get on that plane."

--INF Nick Punto lost his third base job due to a .210 average late last season, but he had been promised a chance to remain in the lineup this year by trying out for the second base job. But Punto's slump got even deeper this spring, and when his average bottomed out at .125, Gardenhire informed Punto that Brendan Harris, acquired in November from Tampa Bay, will be the second baseman. Punto will pinch-run, play late-inning defense and get an occasional start at any of three infield positions.

--RF Michael Cuddyer doesn't want it to become a regular occurrence, but he agreed to his manager's request to act as the Twins' backup first baseman whenever Justin Morneau needs a day off. Ron Gardenhire had expected Mike Lamb or Brian Buscher to play the position, but Buscher was demoted to Class AAA Rochester, and Lamb is still getting his first chance to play every day at third base, "so I don't want to do anything to disrupt that," Gardenhire said. "Cuddy can do a fine job out there, but we don't plan to use him much."

--RHP Scott Baker threw 49 pitches against the Twins' Class AAA team on Wednesday and showed few effects of the illness that has lingered for more than a week. The performance -- with another scheduled for March 30, also against a minor league lineup -- was enough to convince the Twins that Baker should be ready to open the season by April 4. Former general manager Terry Ryan will observe Baker's final tune-up; if Baker is unable to reach 70 pitches or so, the Twins will put him on the disabled list for the season's first week while he tries to regain his strength. Baker lost 12 pounds while bedridden with the sickness.

BY THE NUMBERS
110 -- Runs scored by the Twins through their first 22 spring games, ranking 12th in the American League -- an ominous sign for a team that also ranked 12th during the 2007 regular season.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He had another 'variety' night out there. There's a lot of variety with Carlos Gomez." -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, on the aggressive (and mistake-filled) play of his center fielder.

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