When the schedule sends the Minnesota Twins on the road for an interleague series, manager Ron Gardenhire gets nervous.

Never mind the scenery change brought by unfamiliar ballparks or the added strategy of National League rules. The pitchers will bat and perhaps run the bases, thus increasing their chance of injury, distraction or plain old embarrassment.

Livan Hernandez, however, is the exception.

The Cuban will start for Minnesota on Saturday night in Colorado, taking his 6-1 record to the mound and his nine career home runs to the plate.

“He's the one that I don't worry about,” Gardenhire said. “He's looking forward to this. He's probably got a bat home so he can take swings in front of the mirror.”

During more than a decade in the NL, Hernandez compiled a decent – for a pitcher – .232 average in 789 at-bats with 34 doubles and 73 RBIs. In 2001, he batted a career-best .296 for San Francisco.

“I love to hit the ball,” Hernandez said, “so we'll see what happens.”

His teammates are eagerly waiting.

“It's pretty impressive. It doesn't look like he's trying, and he's putting 'em up in the seats,” said right-hander Nick Blackburn, reflecting on Hernandez's batting practice prowess over the past few days.

The Twins had their pitchers take BP three or four times to prepare for this weekend. Those sessions turn into rousing competitions, usually pitting starters against relievers.

Hernandez, of course, stood out. For heavyset guy who doesn't throw very hard at age 33, the right-hander is noticeably nimble. He's an exceptional golfer, too, a sport requiring the same graceful and powerful swing as baseball.

“It's something I like and something I work on every year,” Hernandez said.

Pitchers who can hit aren't as rare anymore in an age when Arizona's Micah Owings is batting .357 and has gone deep five times in just 88 career at-bats.

For American Leaguers, though, only nine interleague road games – plus a handful in the World Series for the fortunate few – leaves maybe four or five trips to the batter's box per season. Naturally, little time is spent on the skill.

“When we get a hit,” Gardenhire said, “that's pretty huge.”

Blackburn was set for his first official major league at-bat against the Rockies on Friday night, and he sounded like he was simply ready for it to be over. Coors Field isn't too far from his Oklahoma roots, so Blackburn was expecting several friends and family at the park.

“Plenty of people will be making fun of me,” he said.

But what about that thin mile-high air? Wouldn't that be a big boost?

“I'm just trying to make contact,” Blackburn said, shrugging.

Hernandez had predictably higher expectations for himself.

“You've got a chance to bring your runs in, you do it,” he said.

Relying patience, guile and remarkable location, Hernandez has so far been everything the Twins hoped for and more after signing a one-year contract worth at least $5 million plus incentives. He has a 3.90 ERA and Minnesota's record is 8-1 when he starts.

The youngsters in the rotation have not been as reliable. Right-hander Scott Baker was scheduled to leave Friday for Florida to continue his rehabilitation from a strained groin. He'll only be allowed to throw in the bullpen, and not in game situations, until he has no discomfort.

The most-heralded new arrival, left fielder Delmon Young, has also failed for the first quarter of the season to match Hernandez's production. Entering Friday, Young had a paltry .296 slugging percentage – thanks to only four extra-base hits and no homers.

Young's 205 consecutive games played, the second-longest current streak in the majors, was not in question for Gardenhire. At least not yet.

“He likes to play. He's here to play, and we'll see how long we ride with him,” the manager said.