Transcripts

JIM BICKAL: With the tractor pull season winding down, it's time for baseball to return to the Metrodome. With the start of a brand new season, the best part is that the Twins haven't lost any games yet. This year, they'll be playing in new uniforms on new, less spongy artificial turf, and they'll have a new manager.

Tom Kelly took over the team in the middle of last season after Ray Miller was fired. The former third base coach, who managed many of the current Twins when they were in the minor leagues, will now have a chance to show what he can do as a big league manager. Most of the players are glad that Kelly was named to manage the team. Kent Hrbek, who's paid $1 million a year to play baseball, says Kelly makes it fun to play.

KENT HRBEK: Well, it's just the idea that guys like coming out here and playing. I mean, when we come to the ballpark now, we want to play. I mean, we want to go out there and have some fun. Last year, guys wanted to come to the ballpark, but as soon as the game was started, it just seemed like there wasn't any fun going on around.

And right now, and even in spring training, it's hard to get it up and hard to have fun out here because you're working all the time. It's so much more relaxed. I mean, we're having fun. We're moving here and there and just getting our work done, and guys are doing the work and having fun doing it. And that's why you got to play baseball.

JIM BICKAL: Hrbek is part of the nucleus of the Twins that's been with the team since 1982. Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky, and Frank Viola have run out of excuses for not putting together a winning season. They've got the manager they wanted, and they don't have perennial scapegoat Ron Davis to kick around anymore.

The role of late inning relief pitcher is now in the experienced hands of Jeff Reardon. Virtually every member of the team has shown great excitement at the arrival of Reardon, who has been one of the top relievers in the game over the last five seasons. Especially excited are starting pitchers like Frank Viola.

FRANK VIOLA: I think looking back over the last two years, being a starting pitcher, I think I tried pacing myself a little too much. I tried saving a little bit early in the game have that at the end of the game, and that's when you get yourself in trouble. And now having one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, you could go hard six, seven innings, know there's going to be somebody back there for you and he's going to finish it off.

JIM BICKAL: Despite earning 35 saves last year, Reardon gave up a lot of runs and has been plagued by chronic injuries. But if he can pitch like he has in the past, it will have a big impact on the team. None of the other changes that have been made will make much of a difference.

Mickey Hatcher, Ron Washington, and Neal Heaton are gone. They've been replaced by Dan Gladden, Al Newman, and Les Straker. Howard Fox will no longer be making important front-office decisions. His job now belongs to Andy MacPhail.

All of these moves appear to be steps in the right direction, but they won't make much of a difference as the Twins try to change their position as one of the worst teams and one of the weakest divisions in baseball. For the Twins to become competitive, they must hit at least as well as they did last year, and their pitching must be much better.

Last year, the Twins allowed more runs than any team in baseball. Assuming Jeff Reardon has a good year finishing games, the key will be whether the starting pitchers can do the job. Manager Tom Kelly.

TOM KELLY: We'll just see. If we pitch, we'll be OK. If we don't pitch, well, it's going to be tough.

JIM BICKAL: Tomorrow night at the Dome, Bert Blyleven of the Twins will pitch against Oakland's Curt Young. I'm Jim Bickal reporting.