The DL shuffle

The Twins news from a rainy Tuesday:

Justin Morneau's left hand/wrist is being immobilized (amid chatter that it was injured in a display of ill temper after a strikeout; he told the Pioneer Press he doesn't know how it happened), and the first baseman is going on the disabled list. Tsuyoshi Nishioka (and Glen Perkins) are scheduled to return to the Twin Cities today. Both are to be re-evaluated today and are expected to be activated no later than Thursday.

Justin Morneau's
batting average is 120
points lower than
last year.

Nishioka for Morneau isn't a straight-forward swap, however, because Nishioka is coming off the 60-day disabled list, which means he isn't currently on the 40-man roster. Somebody has to be removed.

Brian Dinkleman is a possible target; he may be more useful than Rene Tosoni, but he's probably more likely to pass through waivers unclaimed. But designating Dinkleman for assignment would open another spot on the 25-man roster, and there aren't many position players left on the 40 to fill that spot.

More likely is waiving Dusty Hughes, which would open a spot on the 40 for Nishioka, while disabling Morneau will open a spot on the 25 for Nishioka.

Reactivating Perkins is considerably more straight forward. Seth Stohs reported Tuesday night that Jose Mijares and Phil Dumatrait are both out of options, but Chuck James isn't. While I have more confidence in James right now than in the other two, it is also true that Ron Gardenhire is using Mijares and Dumatrait in game situations, but not James. So James returns to Rochester.

Brian Dinkleman's
time in The Show is
probably running out.

Stohs also says that Rene Rivera and Jason Repko have options left, which has roster implications as more A team guys come off the disabled list in coming days. Either can be sent to Rochester without going through waivers.

Rivera (or Drew Butera, who also has options) isn't going anywhere until Joe Mauer returns, which may come this weekend. And like Nishioka, Mauer isn't on the 40-man roster. This may be where Dinkleman gets waived -- especially if somebody else is ready to come off the DL at the same time. Mauer replaces Dinkleman on the 40, replaces Rivera or Butera on the 25, and whoever is ready by Friday replaces Dinkleman on the 25.

Confused yet?