Spring Training Notes

With opening day a week away, the Twins find themselves with several unresolved questions.
None of them are major, but they're enough to make a guy a little nervous.
Firstly, the leading candidates to win the two open jobs in the starting lineup both appear in danger of starting the year on the DL.
Michael Cuddyer, whose .500 avg this spring made him the runaway winner for the RF job, has a strained muscle that could mean Lew Ford will open the year in right.
One good thing that could come of it, though, is Jason Kubel making the team. If he plays well he could maybe be the everday guy by midseason, and let's face it, that's what we all want.
SS Jason Bartlett may also start the year on the DL, which would leave the job to Lil' Nicky Punto and Juan Castro - a somewhat dire situation.
At the very least Castro will be outstanding in the field, and to be honest, even if Bartlett was healthy there really hasn't been any reason to think he's going to be any better than Pat Meares ever was.
PH Ruben Sierra will not be ready for opening day, probably opening a spot for Luis Rodriguez or perhaps Terry Tiffee or Jason Tyner.
*In other news it looks like the two open bullpen spots are going to go to lefties Francisco Liriano (yes!) and Dennys Reyes.
Reyes will be the face-one-lefty guy, while Liriano (pictured) will be a second long man to go with Matt Guerrier.
Assuming Liriano does indeed make the team, it'll be the best thing to happen this spring. The Twins pen needs another power arm, and regardless of how they end up using him, he just gives them added depth.
*Tony Batista is batting .222 with a .255 OBP. I've tried to keep an open mind about Batista, but he's gonna have to hit 40 homers to tolerate a .255 OBP. His fielding has been okay and he can still get in better shape, but I wonder how much rope the Twins are gonna give him.
Guys like Jeff Cirillo, Tony Graffanino, Russ Branyan and others could probably be had fairly cheap.
*Kyle Lohse is 4-0 with a 2.15 ERA this spring. Ignore that 9-13 record he had last year - Lohse could be on the verge of becoming a major factor in the rotation. I know we've been hearing that for years, but he's coming off a season in which he lowered his ERA over a full run. He'd be a No.1 or No.2 on several teams.