Morneau optimistic day after first action

SARASOTA, FLA. - Twins first baseman Justin Morneau on Wednesday was the most upbeat he's been since arriving to camp as he talked about how good he felt after his first game action in eight months following a concussion.

So are you playing Thursday?

"All signs are pointing to playing in that game tomorrow," he said.

But that was before the club spoke with Morneau's doctors, who have other ideas.

They have recommended a more gradual transition to playing games again. So Morneau will play Friday against Boston instead.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire would not reveal the playing schedule doctors have prescribed for Morneau. He's made it clear to them that he likes to write out his spring training lineups a few days in advance, so he needs to have an idea of when he can put Morneau's name down.

"Letting the doctors tell me the days," Gardenhire said. "They give me a schedule and I'm going to follow the schedule."

Morneau was 1-for-2 with a three-run double Tuesday during a B game against Pittsburgh. As important as it was for him to get back on the field, it was just as important how he felt later in the day, overnight and the next morning.

But Morneau reported Wednesday morning that, just like the previous several weeks, he experienced no setbacks.

"Actually I was pretty pleased -- I wouldn't say 'surprised' is a good word -- with how it went," he said. "Obviously, I was sitting around all night waiting for something. It went well. Took a little nap. Had some dinner. Watched a movie. Went to bed. Everything was positive.

"Woke up today feeling pretty good."

Gardenhire spoke with Morneau before leaving for a game in Sarasota.

"He looked great this morning," Gardenhire said. "We're on the up and up. We're just moving forward."

Morneau expressed a desire to play every other day through an off day on Tuesday, then play in back-to-back games after that. That was before he spoke with Gardenhire -- and he learned of the doctors' wishes.

"I was excited writing out my lineup for [Thursday]," Gardenhire said, "then I got my note saying I could not do that."

Morneau would have faced Blue Jays righthander Jesse Litsch on Thursday. Now he's headed for a matchup against Boston's Jon Lester on Friday.

Lester throws lefthanded, which could be a big test for the lefthanded-hitting Morneau. Morneau has stood in for one of Francisco Liriano's bullpen sessions just to get used to tracking the baseball from that angle.

"The only way to get comfortable is facing them and getting at-bats against them," Morneau said.

Morneau looked and sounded like someone who is ready to prove he's over that final hump and has distanced himself from that concussion.

And he's looking forward to other players like Michael Cuddyer, Delmon Young and Joe Mauer returning to the lineup in time for Opening Day.

"Hopefully we get all our guys back soon and get that lineup together," he said. "It's a pretty exciting lineup when it is healthy. Hopefully we get that on Opening Day."