FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Brian Buscher has spent nearly his entire career with the Twins listening to rumors about how the team might be close to finding a third baseman -- one, of course, that's not him.

So, recent reports that the Twins are continuing their pursuit of free-agent third baseman Joe Crede haven't exactly come as a shock to Buscher. Nor has it changed the way he's approaching competition for the third-base spot now that Spring Training is officially under way.

"I just feel like I have to prove myself every year," Buscher said Sunday, when Twins pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training. "They signed Mike Lamb last year and it didn't really change anything for me. It just gave me a bit more motivation.

"If it does happen that they think Crede's going to help this ballclub, then it's the road they have to take. It's not going to change anything I do. It just might change the place where I go [to start the season]."

As of Sunday, the Twins still appear ready to head into Spring Training with an open competition for third base between Buscher and Brendan Harris. The club is expected to enter the season with a platoon of the two players. It's the situation Minnesota used last September, with Buscher facing right-handers and Harris batting against left-handers.

Yet, the Twins have continued to monitor the progress of Crede during his workouts in Arizona, and they've remained in contact with his agent, Scott Boras.

The timing is certainly right, as Crede could be close to finding a home for the 2009 season. Boras told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Saturday night that, while there is no urgency to get a deal done, he feels his client could sign a contract soon.

"I anticipate, the way things are going right now, that you might have a solution on where Joe is going," Boras told the paper. "I can't say a definite amount of time, but I think it's a shorter than longer amount of time."

The stumbling block between the Twins and Crede has so far appeared to be a difference in guaranteed money. Crede, 30, is looking for a base salary around $7 million with incentives that could bring his salary to around $11 million. The Twins would prefer a deal that's between $7-8 million, and that's including incentives.

Minnesota has been hesitant to commit too much guaranteed money due to Crede's back problems over the past two years. Boras has played down the injury concerns, saying his client is ready to go for spring.

There are indications the Twins could be leading the race for Crede. The only other team publicly linked to Crede in recent days is the Giants, and there was a report from a San Francisco area newspaper this weekend that the Giants are expecting Crede to end up in Minnesota.

So while the Twins continue their pursuit of Crede, the club's other third-base options just have to wait and see how the situation unfolds, with position players set to report to camp Friday and the first full workout taking place on Saturday.

Although Buscher tries not to pay too much attention to the rumors, he admits that it's not always easy to avoid them.

"It's a little frustrating because it's like, 'What can I do right?'" said Buscher, who hit .294 with 47 RBIs in 218 at-bats last season. "You feel like you are playing pretty good, but it's not enough. Like what do I have to do different? Is it seven or eight home runs more? Is that the only thing that's different? I don't know."

Buscher certainly isn't the prototypical power hitter at third base, something that Crede has shown to be over his career.

Last season, Buscher hit four home runs in his 70 games with the Twins, and he has just six homers in 300 career at-bats. Crede, meanwhile, has 125 career home runs and has hit at least 17 home runs in five of his past six seasons -- including last year when he had just 39 plate appearances after the All-Star break.

"I don't go up there and try to hit home runs," Buscher said. "If there are runners on base, I go up and try to move them over or drive them in. If I hit a home run, it's usually an accident. I just don't think it's a smart idea to try and change my swing to just hit home runs."

Both Twins general manager Bill Smith and manager Ron Gardenhire have said in recent months that they are comfortable having a platoon of Buscher and Harris at third base. Smith has pointed to the fact that the third basemen combined for 91 RBIs last season, and having Buscher and Harris as options gives the club plenty of depth at the position.

But the Twins are still exploring ways to possibly upgrade the position. As for Buscher, all he can do is the same thing he's done in recent years -- compete.

"I'm just going to go out there and do my best," Buscher said. "That's all I can do. I can't do anything about the moves they might make. Like I said earlier, if I had 15 home runs in 200 at-bats then maybe that would have done something. But it didn't happen, and I just have to move on and play the best I can."