More help in rotation? Ervin Santana says bring it on

"I'd be happy," Santana said at TwinsFest. "I would be more than happy. That means our pitching staff is getting better. I'm going to be happy because we're going to have another great pitcher in our rotation."

Santana, who had never fronted a staff until joining the Twins, pointed out he had to wait until 2016 for the chance to start an opener.

"Let me tell you something," he said. "Before I was the Opening Day (starter) here, I never did it before. I'm happy anyway."

Santana had a long talk with Twins general manager Thad Levine at a Diamond Awards reception on Thursday, Jan. 18, but laughed off a suggestion the Twins were ready to pick up his $14 million option for 2019. Of course, that option also includes a vesting provision if Santana reaches 200 innings again in 2018 and passes a physical after the season.

"I feel great but I'm not thinking about it," he said. "I'd be happy to be in the Twin Cities again (in 2019). It's my second home."

Santana said he had not spoken with Dominican countryman Miguel Sano since freelance photographer Betsy Bissen made public accusations against the young third baseman on Dec. 28.

"He will be fine," Santana said. "Let's see how the case goes and we'll go from there, but I think he will be fine."

Santana did talk last week with former Twins pitcher Bartolo Colon, who turns 45 in May but wants to supplant Dennis Martinez as the winningest pitcher from Latin America. Santana mentioned Colon, whose 240 career victories are five behind Martinez, has drawn interest from the New York Mets about a potential reunion.

"He just wants to win six more games and then he will retire," Santana said.

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Daniel Adler, Twins director of baseball operations, will miss the final two days of TwinsFest to attend the AFC Championship Game in Foxboro, Mass.

Adler, who previously held positions with both the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots, will attend Sunday's game as a guest of Jaguars senior vice president Tony Khan, son of team owner Shahid Khan. That should clear up the knotty question of which team Adler is rooting for to reach Super Bowl LII.

"I spent a lot more time with the Jags," Adler said. "I'm really close to people there. Tony and I are still close. I still talk to a decent number of the scouts. The coaching staff has mostly turned over, but I know a couple guys there as well."

The younger Khan oversees football technology and analytics for the ascendant NFL franchise.

Adler, who joined the Twins in August after receiving a law degree from Harvard, spent 2 1/2 years working for the Jaguars. He had two different stints with the Patriots, but those were lower-profile roles, including a summer internship in which he shuttled players, coaches and their families to their airport.

"My freshman year of college I handed out stuff in the press box on game day, and (as an intern) I drove the van," Adler said.

He continued to help the Jaguars with a few special projects while pursuing his law degree. So, is Adler, who grew up near Cleveland, more of a football guy or a baseball guy?

"When I was working in football, I was all football," he said. "Now I'm all baseball."