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Ponson makes Twins debut vs. Yankees

Apr 9, 2007 - 2:14 PM NY Yankees (2-3) at Minnesota (4-1) 7:05 pm EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Not much is certain in the Minnesota Twins rotation after ace Johan Santana.

The Twins will find out what they have with Sidney Ponson on Monday as he takes the mound to face the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game set.

The defending American League Central Division champion, Minnesota is missing two-fifths of its starting rotation of a year ago. Brad Radke retired and phenom Francisco Liriano is out for the season recovering from "Tommy John" surgery.

Santana was brilliant on Sunday, limiting the Chicago White Sox to just one hit over seven innings in a 3-1 win.

Ponson will try to ease some of the uncertainty in the rotation with a good start against one of his former teams.

He will be opposed by Carl Pavano (0-0), who struggled on Opening Day, allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

A nine-year veteran, Ponson signed to a minor league contract in spring training. The burly righthander went 4-5 with a 6.25 ERA in 2006 with Cardinals and the Yankees, both of which released him during the year.

New York has rotation problems of its own. Kei Igawa is the only Yankees starter to throw at least five innings, and even he did not fare well, giving up seven runs in Saturday's 10-7 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

The Yankees are hoping for a good outing from Pavano to help ease the burden on their bullpen. Andy Pettitte was forced to make his first relief appearance since 1998 in the Yankees' 6-4 loss to the Orioles on Sunday.