The team summoned former first-round draft pick Michael Cuddyer to the majors when New Britain's AA Eastern League playoff series was cancelled because of the terrorist attacks. Cuddyer, the Twins' final September call-up, is easily the most intriguing.

The 6-2, 202-pounder was drafted as a shortstop, switched to third base in the minors, learned to play first base at New Britain this season and could wind up as the Twins' starting right fielder next season. Cuddyer, 22, has one thing the Twins crave: righthanded home run power.

After hitting just six homers and 61 RBIs at New Britain in 2000, Cuddyer was sent to the Florida instructional league, where he was schooled in the art of turning on inside pitches. Cuddyer also bulked up physically, and the result was a breakthrough season at New Britain: .301 average, 30 homers and 87 RBIs.

Cuddyer played several games in left field at New Britain, but is getting a crash course in right field this September from Twins coach Jerry White. He'll see limited duty unless the Twins are eliminated by Cleveland.

Cuddyer didn't see any action in right field at New Britain because the position belonged to Michael Restovich, the organization's other highly touted prospect. The 6-4, 233-pound Restovich, also 22, had 23 homers and 84 RBIs at New Britain and led the team with 15 stolen bases. While Cuddyer is expected to challenge for a major-league spot next season, Restovich is considered a year away from cracking the Twins' roster.

Right field continues to be a headache since the July 30 trade of Matt Lawton to the Mets. Twins manager Tom Kelly gave John Barnes and Dustan Mohr chances to win the job, but both were overmatched. Bobby Kielty is now sharing the job with Brian Buchanan, and neither is the complete package. Kielty is struggling to get his average over .220 while Buchanan is limited defensively. If Buchanan's 2001 numbers were prorated over 600 at-bats, he would have 34 homers and 106 RBIs. But he's also have just 58 walks and 177 strikeouts.

If Buchanan, 28, can't win a regular job this season with the players being auditioned in right field, he probably never will with the Twins. With Kielty, Cuddyer and Restovich waiting in the wings, Buchanan's future with the team is questionable. Twins manager Tom Kelly clearly wants more outfield defense than Buchanan is capable of supplying. But his power has made him a plus for the club this season and might intrigue other teams. . . .

Eric Milton had a streak of four straight quality starts snapped when he lasted just five innings in a 6-2 loss to Detroit Sept. 19. Milton after the game revealed that a close high school friend, Jonas Panik, a 26-year-old Navy lieutenant, was among those killed at the Pentagon in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

Milton had a difficult time controlling his emotions in the loss to Detroit. His fastball hit 97 miles an hour, but he left a couple of his fastballs up in the strike zone. Detroit's Bobby Higginson hit two of them for homers. Milton was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his four previous starts. . . .

Joe Mays has been the club's most consistent pitcher this season, and with better run support would be closing in on a 20-victory season. Mays improved his record to 16-13 with a 3-0 victory over Detroit Sept. 20, but the Twins have scored a total of 24 runs in his 13 losses. Mays has lost seven games in which the opponent failed to score more than four runs in the game.

The righthander has been on a roll of late, pitching at least seven innings in six straight starts, and at least eight innings in five of those six games. Mays is 4-2 with a 1.99 ERA in the six games, allowing just 33 hits in 49 2/3 innings. Mays' key: excellent control and exceptional movement of his fastball and slider. His fastball moves so much, it looks like a slider. . . .

Barnes, the Pacific Coast League batting champ in 2000, was dropped from the 40-man roster to make room for Cuddyer. Barnes was quickly claimed off waivers by Colorado. That's a good gamble by the Rockies. Barnes impressed Twins officials after a September call-up in 2000. His 2001 season was derailed by a spring knee injury that required surgery and delayed the start of his season until June. He never appeared to get in sync this season, and a fresh start might help him. . . .