Posted March 1, 2010

Hello again everyone. I just reported for spring training, but I enjoyed my last few weeks of the offseason, seeing family, playing golf, and I even made it down to Miami to catch some of the Super Bowl festivities. I spent some time down in Ft. Meyers, FL, before the pitchers and catchers began our workouts on February 22. If you live anywhere near Minnesota, you’ll agree that spending time in Florida this time of year is never a bad thing. I always look forward to the start of spring training, but this year I am a little more excited than usual. We finished our last season so strong, and I think there is a huge sense of optimism amongst both the players and the fans as we begin preparations for this year. Also, we have some new faces that should prove to be integral parts of another successful season, and I am looking forward to getting to know guys like Thome, Hardy, Hudson, and Condrey. It’s a great time to be a part of the Minnesota Twins, and I hope fans are excited about this year, especially because we get to play in the new stadium.

My body feels good for the start of spring training. I feel good about my back and my knees as we begin practice, and I am looking forward to starting out the year pain-free. With all of the success of last year, I would imagine that the coaches will be pushing us even harder this year. They will put us through harder workouts and longer practices, but one thing that the coaches and trainers emphasize as soon as we get back is to focus on stretching to avoid injury. Most players keep to an offseason workout routine that helps build strength and speed, but no matter how many sport-specific exercises you do, there really isn’t a substitute for the real thing. And, being in good shape doesn’t mean you won’t be sore the first couple days of training. Plus, no workout you do on your own can compete with one that also involves your teammates—simply because it’s hard to mimic the energy of working out with the rest of the team when you are by yourself. No matter how intense you try to be, it is always better to have another person with you, pushing you to get better, and vice versa. If you have a lifting or running partner, you know what I mean.

It’s an exciting time of year, not just for me, but for everyone. Usually when baseball players start returning to the field, you know spring isn’t too far away. If any of you get a chance to catch your favorite team (which hopefully is the Twins) in a spring game this year, I would encourage you to do so. The atmosphere is usually more relaxed than during the regular season, and most times you can get really close to the action. I’ll check back in again soon and let you know things are progressing. In the meantime, keep hitting the gym and training hard.