The Twins have been in camp for a couple of weeks now and things seem to be going pretty much as one might expect. There's been some mild surprises and some minor disappointments but overall, things seem to be progressing nicely. Really, I think this is what you want; a nice, uneventful camp.
Mild surprises: A few young players have turned heads with their performances so far. Right-hander Nick Blackburn has pitched well. Brian Buscher has come to camp ready to play and is showing some ability to play other infield positions besides third. This could make him an option as a utility infielder. Also, Carlos Gomez has demonstrated the athleticism and speed that were anticipated when he came over from the Mets in the Santana trade.
Minor disappointments: Both Francisco Liriano and Dennys Reyes were late arriving to camp because of visa issues. These men are professionals and it's not too much to ask that they have their affairs in order so that they can get to work on time. Livan Hernandez was hit hard his first time out and one wonders if this is a preview of what's to come this season. At some point, his stuff just isn't going to be good enough to get major league hitters out. Has that time arrived? Finally, I'm a bit concerned about Scott Baker's sore lat muscle. He's going to be one of the guys we count on in the rotation. Hopefully the training staff can get this problem taken care of before the start of the season.
All in all, things are going pretty well. Opening day is about three weeks away and there are few things to look forward to. Perhaps the best thing to come out of spring training this year is just having Francisco Liriano pitching again. After trading away Johan Santana over the winter and getting very little in return, it's nice to have another left-handed starter to be excited about.
