Greenmantle

Twins 4-2 in 10

05/13/2003  8:45 PM ET Notes: Outfielder Mientkiewicz?
(AP) MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins are usually stocked with an ample number of outfielders like some people filled their cupboards with extra food and water for Y2K.
The Y2K bug never brought its wrath on the world, but the injury bug has bitten Minnesota's outfield of late. The club that once boasted three right fielders and not enough playing time for all of them is down to just two regular outfielders.
Left fielder Jacque Jones was out of Tuesday's lineup against the Royals after arriving at the Metrodome with a sore quadriceps muscle from hustling to first base while running out a grounder in Monday's game. Jones' status is day-to-day. Bobby Kielty is still unable to throw a baseball and is limited to DH duty because of a pulled rib cage muscle.
Right fielder Michael Cuddyer was sent to Triple-A Friday to make room for Denny Hocking when he came off the disabled list.
"We're short an outfielder now, of all the things to be short of on the baseball field," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We'll just have to do the best we can."

Dustan Mohr started in Jones' place Tuesday and utility man Hocking was stationed as the starting right fielder. Gardenhire was asked what he would do if he needed an extra outfielder during a game for the next couple of days.
"Good luck," Hocking said as he walked by.
If the manager is caught shorthanded, you could be seeing regular first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz playing right field. Mientkiewicz, a Gold Glove winner in 2001, was on the field early to take fly balls and was enthusiastic about helping out the team.
"Until these guys get healthy, it's a good thing to do," Mientkiewicz said.
Mientkiewicz has about 100 games of outfield experience in Double-A and occasionally played there in Triple-A. He's well aware that playing the position under the white roof of the Metrodome is a whole different animal.
"In the infield during BP, I try to take my eye off the ball and try to pick it back up again," he said. "I tried it out (in right field) and it's a little more difficult. The lights are little lower and right in your face."
If Mientkiewicz does see action in right field during a game, he already has a plan.
"I'm not going to try and be Torii Hunter out there," Mientkiewicz said. "If a ball is hit to me, I'll try and catch it. If I have to take two steps towards center, I'll let Torii take it."
If a roster move is forced, the Twins have outfield depth at Triple-A Rochester. Michael Restovich or Lew Ford could be candidates for a callup.
"It's not an area we're too concerned with if we have to go down and get somebody," Gardenhire said. "We've definitely got them."
Under Major League rules, Cuddyer would normally have to wait a minimum of 10 days before he could come back, but can get an emergency recall before the waiting period if another outfielder is disabled.

(Me) In fact, Doug did play in right field for the latter part of the game, and didn't commit any errors, which is always fun. Bobby Kielty singled in the tying run in the ninth with one outs. AJ Peirzynski kicked a thrown ball into the right field corner and reached third on that error. In fact, he gained three bases on it. Todd Sears then stepped up to the plate. His only previous home-run had been versus Pedro Martinez, one of the top 3 pitchers in the league. He homered to left-center, and the Twins had won.