Minnesota Twins center fielder Denard Span went out with a bang -- if, that is, he is actually going out.
Span has been the subject of trade rumors for the past few weeks. The 28-year-old is hitting .290 with a .356 on-base percentage on the season. He may have increased his trade value by hitting .438 in his last eight games.
But it was more than his bat that made an impression on Monday. Span had a leaping catch in the fifth that robbed what looked to be a potential two-run, go-ahead homer by Alex Rios. He received a standing ovation for his efforts. As an encore, he made a sliding catch on a would-be base hit by A.J. Pierzynski in the seventh.
The Twins are reportedly asking a lot for Span, so it's far from certain that he'll be traded. But after Monday night's game, he told reporters that, if a trade does go through, he wanted his last game as a Twin to be memorable.
From ESPN1500.com:
"I told myself tonight, if this is my last game (in a Twins uniform), I want to go out and have fun, and go out in style," Span said. "It was a lot of fun. We'll see what happens."
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Asked about Tuesday's 3 p.m. trade deadline, Span said, "It's on my mind."
Span was the subject of trade rumors last season, as well. There was speculation that the Twins might send Span to the Washington Nationals, but that deal never materialized.
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