ATLANTA - Jonah Bride knows he may hear some catcalls at Target Field, some jokes at his expense. He's used to it.

"It's baseball. I kind of laugh along with it," the Twins' new infielder said Friday. "I've been wearing glasses since my freshman year [at South Carolina], and it's kind of become my signature look."

Oh, right, the glasses. Yeah, the black-rimmed spectacles are unusual on a big-leaguer, especially since Bride doesn't generally wear them off the field. When Bride tried contact lenses, as many players wear: "I hated them, I hated the feel of them," he said. "So I wear these instead."

He'll wear them in a Twins uniform for now. Bride, acquired from the Marlins after Miami cut him last week, can play first and third base and last year was a reliable hitter with the Marlins, batting .276 in part-time play, with 10 doubles and 11 home runs.

He was off to a terrible start this month, though — 4-for-40, with 15 strikeouts and five walks — so the Marlins let him go. The decision took him by surprise.

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"This early in the season, it definitely did. But in the end, you've got to perform in this game. I wasn't hitting," Bride said. "I had some good at-bats. I wasn't as bad as [the numbers] look. I have confidence in my approach."

He went home to Oklahoma while awaiting his next assignment and "had a really good session in the batting cage," Bride said. "I've had some good talks with the coaches here about some adjustments, so I feel ready to go."

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is eager to find out.

"He's a pretty versatile guy, he has good at-bats. He's not afraid to wait for his pitch," Baldelli said. "He's a great teammate, and he can play a pretty good third base and first base. That fits our group right now, and he can find some ways to contribute."

Maybe that will cut down on the taunts he hears from the crowd. But it's not his glasses that figure to be the issue.

"I lived in Wisconsin until I was 8," Bride said, "and I've been a Packers fan ever since."

Stewart says he's ready

Brock Stewart is in the Twins clubhouse for the first time this season, and he worked out in the weight room before Friday's game. He will be activated Sunday.

The 33-year-old righthander is eager to get started.

"I'm 100 percent. I [pitched] in back-to-backs in Fort Myers, felt good the next day," Stewart said. "Played catch from 120 feet. Did everything they wanted. Upper half feels good, lower half feels good. Yeah, I feel terrific."

Stewart has pitched only 43 ⅓ innings in his two years with the Twins, a series of injuries constantly knocking him out of action. Even his rehab has been affected; minor tightness in his right hamstring two weeks ago canceled his scheduled rehab assignment with St. Paul.

"It actually only felt bad for a day, then went away," Stewart said. "I kept rehabbing [in Florida], and it's in a way better position now. Stronger, more stable."

Stewart has a workout regimen designed to keep him healthy, but he said there should be no limitations on how the Twins use him.

"I told them to throw me to the wolves," Stewart said. "I'm a wolf, so let's go."

Etc.

• Baldelli called a meeting of the Twins' non-player staff Friday to present Mike Herman, the team's director of travel, with an MLB gold card in recognition of his 25 continuous years of work in the major leagues. The card is good for free entry into all MLB ballparks for life.

• Carson McCusker hit his third homer in three games and drove in four runs, Anthony Prato went 3-for-4 with two RBI and the St. Paul Saints defeat the Iowa Cubs 11-8 in Des Moines.