VAMPIRE TALES: The Twins' first baseman of the future, Justin Morneau, was promoted from Double-A to Triple-A Rochester this week, and he's expected in the majors by the end of the season. Prior to his promotion to the big club, allow me to bestow upon Mr. Morneau his only logical nickname: "Nosferatu."
Yes, in the Twins' not-so-imaginitive history of nicknames (Herbie, Aggie, Lombo, etc.), "Nosferatu the Vampire" will likely, sometime in 2004, take over Kent Hrbek's old position from its current occupant, "Your Olympic Hero" Doug Mientkiewicz.