Quick update from Fort Myers...  

 

Stopped by the ballpark today around 9AM and watched a number of players taking batting practice under Hammond Stadium.  If you've been here before you probably know the spot.  You can stand right behind the chain link fence only a few feet away from the players while they hammer the ball in the batting cages.  Stood directly behind Buxton for about 10 minutes.  A couple of take aways:  He does look stronger and bigger and he is not employing a leg kick...Also, Cuddyer walked up to Buxton and asked him how his hand was doing, Buxton replied just fine.  

 

I spoke a little bit with Dick Bremer too.  I asked him why MLB insists on having the Twins start playing regular home games as soon as the end of March and he replied that no team wants to start the season on a two week road trip (regardless of crappy, cold weather).

 

Watched Gibson throwing today as well.  He looked more slimmed down than from previous seasons.  

 

Kepler went deep quite a few times today during BP and was really hitting the ball hard.  The other guy that was just spraying the ball around the ENTIRE field was Austudillo.  Really was fun watching him hit under the stadium and in the adjacent ball field.  He has a lot of punch to his swing!

 

Morneau was in the batting cages with a number of players working on their form along with Cuddyer.  

 

Spent some time with Tommy Watkins dad today as well.  Asked him what his son thought about coaching under Rocco (Tommy is the 1st base coach). He said its been a lot of fun and really likes Rocco's approach to players and the game.  They are really striving to create a close knit group and having some fun.  His son thinks they have a much better team than is given credit for in the national media.

 

That's my report from the Fort.  Get down here if you can.  Gotta fly back home to snowy Minneapolis tomorrow.  Uggh.

Great report - thanks for sharing.

 

As far as Gibson looking slimmed down, isn't he recovering form a nasty bout of e.coli?

Gibson is still down about 15 pounds.Practice ended early today as the players had to be here at 6am for photographs.