PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Twins center fielder Denard Span stayed back at the club's Spring Training complex on Monday to take some swings in the cage and see a chiropractor after missing Sunday's game with neck stiffness.
Span said he tweaked his neck during outfield practice before Saturday's game and started to feel stiffness in his neck early in the game. But Span said the injury is not related to the concussion-like symptoms that plagued him last year upon suffering a concussion in a home-plate collision on June 3.
"It feels better than it did [Sunday]," Span said. "There's a lot more range of motion. So I'm staying back, and I'll try to take some swings in the cage and see how it feels. So I'll also go to the chiropractor and get checked out. But hopefully I'll be back in there [Tuesday]. I'd like be on the field, but I'll leave that up the trainers."
Span has fared well, with a .385 batting average and .467 on-base percentage in five games this spring. He's also pleased that he hasn't suffered from any concussion-like symptoms.
"I feel like it's still early in spring, but I've felt good up there," Span said. "I've been able to keep up with the speed of the game and I feel all right."
Plouffe making smooth transition to outfield
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Trevor Plouffe, making the conversion from shortstop to outfield, made his fifth Grapefruit League appearance in left field against the Rays on Monday.
Plouffe has looked comfortable in the outfield -- he reached over the fence in foul ground to make a nice play against the Rays in the second inning on Monday and made a running catch at the warning track against the Pirates on Wednesday.
He's only played in left field this spring, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Plouffe will get some starts in right field later this spring. He's also expected see some time at shortstop, as he could be used in a utility-type role this season.
"He's doing fine," Gardenhire said. "I think he can go to either corner pretty easily. We're not afraid to stick him out in right, either."
Gardenhire also said that Josh Willingham hasn't had any issues playing right field despite his inexperience. Willingham has played in 693 career games in the outfield, but has only played in right field 35 times.
"He's seeing the ball good and seeing all the angles and the way the ball slices," Gardenhire said. "He hasn't misplayed a ball, so he's been fine."
Hollimon appreciates opportunity to play
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Twins infielder Michael Hollimon has been turning some heads early in Spring Training, as the infielder is hitting .667 (4-for-6) with a home run, four RBIs and a walk in five games.
Hollimon, a former top prospect in the Tigers' organization, split time at Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester last year, hitting .231/.326/.416 in 126 games. He fared better at Triple-A, with an .830 OPS in 29 games.
It came after he had surgery to repair a torn right labrum in 2009 and played independent ball in '10.
"Hollimon can hit a little bit," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He blew out his arm. Last year, he came back and got a chance in Spring Training. They kept him, and as the season went along, he put some good swings on the ball. He didn't hit much for average, but he put some swings on it. His arm strength's getting a lot better. He's a good athlete."
Gardenhire added that Hollimon is best at second base, but can handle third base as well. Hollimon was drafted as a shortstop and said he's open to playing the outfield.
"Getting to be here is just fantastic," Hollimon said. "I got the opportunity with these guys last year and they were gracious enough to invite me to camp. So it's all about opportunity, and so I'm just trying to play as hard as I can for as long as I can. I'm just trying to make the best of the opportunity. It's all I can do."
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