MLB | News & notes

October 5, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Twins: For the second straight year, the Minnesota Twins will play the postseason without Justin Morneau. The 2006 AL MVP hasn’t played since July 7 because of post-concussion symptoms stemming from an inadvertent knee to the head during a slide into second base at Toronto. Morneau has begun to improve and hasn’t had any recent setbacks, but general manager Bill Smith said Monday the team doesn’t want to rush back its four-time All-Star first baseman. Already ruled out for the first round of the playoffs, Morneau had hoped to be ready for the AL championship series or the World Series. But Smith said there’s not enough time for him to return to full strength.

Rays: The Tampa Bay Rays have set the pitching rotation for their first-round playoff series against the Texas Rangers, with 19-game winner David Price getting the ball in Game 1 on Wednesday. James Shields will start Game 2 on Thursday at Tropicana Field. Matt Garza will be on the mound when the series shifts to Texas for Game 3 on Saturday. If Game 4 is necessary on Sunday, rookie Wade Davis will get the start at Texas. If the series goes the distance, Price would start Game 5 at home Oct. 12.

Dodgers: General manager Ned Colletti says he doesn’t know how much money he can spend to improve the debt-riddled team in 2011, but he doesn’t expect major upheaval of the roster. Colletti met Monday with incoming manager Don Mattingly and the baseball operations staff to discuss the recently concluded season and look ahead to next year. Colletti says the Dodgers will have a budget that will allow them to compete, as he said they did this season, but owner Frank McCourt has yet to let him know how much it is. “I’ll wait and find out what it is rather than guess,” he said. “We don’t have to put the team together today. “We’ll have a good core back and hopefully we’ll be able to add to it.” Asked if he was bothered by the indecision, Mattingly replied, “Not at all.” McCourt was booed by fans on Sunday when outgoing manager Joe Torre publicly thanked him.

Associated Press