Tony Batista

Or shall I say, konichi-wa!

EDIT More from the Strib:

"I don't know if we had any alternatives at the third-base spot," Ryan said. "He's a good person, he's been very durable. He's hit the ball over the fence and has driven in runs."

The Twins have not had a player hit at least 30 homers since 1987.

Batista might provide power, but he also has some head-scratching traits. His career on-base percentage is .298. And he doesn't have a lot of range at third, although he has good hands and a good arm.

"He's got the most unique set of stats," Ryan said. "He keeps driving in runs and keeps hitting the ball over the fence, but there are some things that don't equate. It's not ideal, but you're getting a tradeoff here."

The Twins remain in the hunt for a primary designated hitter. They have shown interest in Mike Piazza and Frank Thomas. Even though Jacque Jones' agent has indicated that Jones will reject the Twins' offer of arbitration and sever ties with the club, Ryan is waiting to be told that directly. As long as Jones still has a chance to be on the payroll, Ryan will wait before pursuing free-agent deals.