Pitching

As I said yesterday, Ortiz will go north, but not Ponson.

I expect the Twins to start the season with 12 pitchers. The starters are (not in the specific order) Santana, Bonser, Ortiz, Silva and Baker. Garza will also go north, along with Perkins, who will be the second pen lefty. They will be the long men. Joining them in the pen are the familiar Nathan, Neshek, Reyes, Rincon and Crain.

This leaves JD Durbin, the righty in the minors with no options. He'll be traded or released.

Cali, Choate, Ponson, Slowey and Venafro will either go to the minors to start the year, or will be released or traded.

Garza will be there in case any of the starters falter. He needs some major league time. Same with Perkins, but he'll probably stay in the pen as their second lefty, behind Reyes.

Don't look for the Twins to sign any more pitchers; Ryan's run out of ink.