Matt Kinney was in Des Moines, Iowa, when he received word that he was headed back to the big time.

“We had just got back from the game when the manager told me,” the Bangor native said Friday.

Kinney, who was the last pitcher cut by the Minnesota Twins at the end of spring training, had been recalled by the big league club. And there was a cherry on top. He was told he would be starting this afternoon’s game with the Cleveland Indians.

“It felt pretty good. I’m excited about this,” Kinney said.

Kinney was a bubble player in the Twins’ spring training camp, battling for the fifth starting pitching position. He appeared in seven games for the Twins compiling a 1-0, record with a 5.06 earned run average.

In the end, he lost out to Kyle Lohse after giving up four home runs in his final spring training outing.

“I had a decent spring,” Kinney said of being sent to the minors. “But some other guys had a good spring. I felt I belong here. Obviously you’re a little disappointed. But it wasn’t a horrible thing.”

Horrible came later. Kenny was shelled in his first start for the Edmonton Trappers, the Twins’ Triple-A team in the Pacific Coast League. In four innings against Tucson, the 6-foot-5 righthander gave up nine earned runs on 11 hits while striking out just two.

“The first game was just one of those games. In the second game, I threw against the same team and I did real well. The important thing is that my arm felt good,” Kinney said.

Five days after his first start, Kinney struck out eight in 6? innings and allowed just three runs on seven hits in beating Tucson.

An injury to pitcher Joe Mays, prompted the Twins to recall Kinney. Mays was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15 when last year’s 17-game winner developed inflammation in his right elbow.

After graduating from Bangor High School in 1995, the 25-year-old Kinney was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the free agent draft.

Kinney was traded to Minnesota in 1998 when the Red Sox sought to strengthen their pitching staff as they fought to qualify for the playoffs. Boston obtained lefthanded pitcher Greg Swindell in the deal.

“It was my dream to play for the Red Sox. So, I was disappointed but at the same time I was excited. I was going to a team that wanted me. They traded for me,” “Kinney said.

Kinney had a taste of life in the major leagues in 2000 when he started eight games, earning a 2-2 record and a 5.10. Now the big club is hoping Kinney is ready to fill a void created by the injury to Mays.

“You hate to see someone get hurt. At the same time it’s an opportunity,” Kinney said.

That opportunity comes this afternoon against one of the American League’s best offensive teams, the Cleveland Indians.

“You can’t worry about that. Like I told my dad. To pitch up here you can’t worry about who you’re facing. You have to go out and do the job,” Kinney said.