Healthiness

Both Scott Baker and Joe Mauer are looking to return soon, which will certainly give a boost to the (currently) first-place Twins. Baker is scheduled to pitch this Wednesday, which likely means R.A. Dickey will head right back to AAA (although it's possible it will be Brian Duensing). Mauer, meanwhile, is no longer feeling any pain and will start running this coming week, which is what was giving him the most pain before. Lavelle is guessing that he'll be back shortly before the end of the month, and I think that's an accurate, and encouraging, estimation.

Also, A.J. Pierzynski is not playing today for the White Sox, but a former Twin is still manning the catching duties: Corky Miller. Sadly enough, the career .176/.264/.290 hitter already has a hit in the game. Last year he had five hits in sixty at bats, equalling a .083 average. But, compared to a 3-year span in which he went 1-55 with three different teams (including his 0-12 season with the Twins), that's earth-shattering.