Twins Enter New Year Same As Old Year

In an offseason thus far dominated by the New York Yankees spending money like they got a government bailout, the Minnesota Twins remain virtually the same team fielded at the end of the 2008 season.

Not that anyone in their right mind expected the tight-stringed Twins to be big players in any kind of market, let alone during an economic recession. Come on: wasn't it odd to even hear the Twins mentioned in rumors surrounding 34-year-old third baseman Casey Blake? [Especially when the other team in the so-called bidding war was the deep pocketed Los Angeles Dodgers of, um, Los Angeles.]

There was strong talk from the Twins front office of going after someone for help on the left side of the infield and in relief pitching. That talk was about as strong as the plot of Twilight -- predictable, yet unsatisfying.

The Twins picked up a knuckleballer they destroyed last season (R.A. Dickey) and solidified the left side of the infield by re-signing Nick Punto. At least the Twins did improve their standing in the division by refusing to listen to the laughable comeback attempt by former pitcher Scott Erickson and releasing SS Adam Everett and somehow getting the Tigers to sign him for $1 million a season (someone explain that salary and its justification when Commissioner Bud Selig asked teams to exercise financial prudence in tough economic times).

I don't hear any talk of the Twins making another pickup. Every other team inquires about one of the Twins starting pitchers who are in the rotation. Billy Smith isn't willing to give one up and here the team sits. My prediction: they will continue to sign players to minor league contracts and invite others to Spring Training, but make very little other noise.

The Off-Season That Could Be

The Twins enter tonight's opening salvos in the free agent market in a surprisingly good position. Unlike last year, the team doesn't have any glaring free agents set to leave, threatening to leave, or pushing the limits of "what should we do with this guy?" (see Carlos Silva).

If all of the Twins free agents left the team for other pastures, it wouldn't break or much hurt this team. Left-handed aging relief pitchers Dennys Reyes and Eddie Guardado are easily replaceable. Middle infielders Nick Punto and Adam Everett represent a glutton of utility infielders the Twins are currently rostering.

Of the group, the only real loss would be Punto, a defensive gem at every position he fields. Punto is a true utility man, able to sub at most positions with clean fundamentals. He also is gritty, scrappy and seemingly well-liked by his teammates. So long as Punto isn't a set starter at one position, he's a cornerstone of the Twins manner of playing baseball.

The major part of the roster is set except for the left side of the infield. Add to this reliever Pat Neshek's pending surgery (he will probably miss the 2009 season) and the roster is ripe for a few helpful fresh faces and possibly a trade. The Twins budget even allows for some roster additions.

No the Twins won't be mentioned anywhere in the bidding for superstar free agents Manny Ramirez, Bobby Abreau, Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, Francisco Rodriguez, A.J. Burnett or Trevor Hoffman. Based on previous history and the uncertainty of Twins fans with the Twins-Rays trade of last season, I'd estimate a small trade from the team and an auditioning of second-tier free agents again. Still, here are a few of the legitimate possibilities of this off-season:

The Twins might be named a bit in the news surrounding the courting of third basemen Joe Crede (Chicago White Sox) and Casey Blake (L.A. Dodgers). According to Minneapolis Star-Tribune beat writer Joe Christensen, the Twins are one of seven teams interested in Blake, a former Twin. Those aren't good odds for the Twins, who don't like to get into bidding wars.

Crede leaves Chicago because the White Sox are going to put Josh Fields back at third base and are heavily favored to win free agent bidding for 19-year-old Cuban phenom third baseman Dayan Viciedos (the Chisox are close to becoming a Cuban landing point with Alexei Rodriguez and Jose Contreras already on the roster).

Fans will recall Crede's 2003-2006 seasons, during which he averaged .260, 23 home runs, 75 RBI a season). But Crede is a poor option, having suffered two straight injury-plagued seasons (he played 97 games last year, mostly due to a bad back), his dimishing defensive skills (20 errors in 2008) and his sagging career on-base percentage of .306. Add to that, the unspoken: Crede's numbers seemed to drop and his injuries increased the same year MLB began it's steriod/HGH crackdown (for further evidence see Luis Gonzalez, Todd Helton, Brian Roberts, Randy Johnson, Jason Giambi, et al). I'm sure the Twins would do some vetting on Crede's past to find out if the un-talked about is true, but his depreciation as a fielder might be too much for the team to take.

The Twins could make a trade, given its plethora of outfielders and starting pitchers. A dearth of adequate third base, shortstop and relief pitching makes for obvious speculation. Many names and teams are being bandied about with Colorado Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins and Milwaukee Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy the most interesting possibilities.

The Rockies just traded away star outfielder Matt Holliday so they might be in the market for a trade option the likes of Michael Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Delmon Young or Denard Span. The Rockies would need much more, though. It would cost the Twins something like a package of Cuddyer, Boof Bonser and Nick Blackburn.

The Brewers, on the other hand, are moments from losing C.C. Sabathia to free agency. They would want a starter like Kevin Slowey or Nick Blackburn. In addition, they would land either Boof or Phil Humber (both are out of options) and a prospect the likes of minor league LHP phenom Tyler Robertson.

The Twins just don't seem to pull these deals very often and when new GM Bill Smith did last season, it looked like the Tampa Bay Rays laughed him all the way to the World Series.

When pressed, Bullpen Catcher would offer this advice to the Twins: make both the aforementioned trades, but only if they can be done losing just one starter from the current rotation of Baker/Slowey/Blackburn/Liriano/Perkins. The Brewers just had their sometime closer Solomon Torres retire, so offer Bobby Korecky and/or Jesse Crain in the mix.

With a solid four-man rotation, Atkins at third and Hardy at shortstop, this team could make a legitimate run for the AL title. Lefties Craig Breslow and Jose Mijares can fill the left-handed relief roles and there are other arms in the minors waiting to be promoted. The core of the Twins would remain intact and the batting lineup would significantly improve.

Soon, we'll find out where this speculation leaves us. Stay tuned ...

Twins Sent White Sox To Their Demise

After watching the White Sox get schooled by the Rays in the first two games of the ALDS, it's pretty obvious the Twins took whatever last bit of spunk Chicago had left.

The Angels/Red Sox series is certainly more competitive and entertaining.

Over in the NLDS, it looks like the Brewers are suffering the same pre-playoff hangover as the White Sox. It is puzzling, though, why the Cubs have been so cruddy in their playoff series with the Dodgers. L.A. is playing with a lot of pizazz, but the Cubs are doing nothing for their cause.

I predicted an Angels World Series title after a tour of the Cactus League back in early March and haven't changed my mind. Either way, I believe the tournament winner will come from the American League. If I had to bet, I'd put my money on an Angels vs. Phillies final with the LA Anaheim Angels of California winning in five games.

Time To Think About 2009

Nick Blackburn tossed one hell of a game Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the only highlight for the Twins was the pitching combo of Blackburn, Jose Mijares and Joe Nathan. Giving up five hits to the White Sox is more than Twins fans could ask at this point in the season. One run allowed should also be enough.

The bottom line is that the Twins lineup has not been a playoff lineup for a month. When your only hits are from Michael Cuddyer and Brendan Harris, there's trouble. Where were Mauer and Morneau the past week? The so-called piranhas were sunfish. Small ball went out the window outside the Metrodome.

It's time to look forward to next season and be happy this core group will be that much better next season. No doubt this was another of Ron Gardenhire's magic tricks, but next year we all must expect much, much more.

Detroit (Not) Rock City

I'm not sure which was worse Monday afternoon: Watching the terrible fill-in programming on WGN-TV as the White Sox and Tigers waited out a rain delay or Detroit's horrific pitching display during the game.

When Alexei Ramirez sat on that terrifically terrible pitch by Gary Glover in the sixth inning, things got worse.

Ramirez has always reminded me of Alphonso Soriano both in stature and batting stance. The difference, I decided Monday, is that I really love Ramirez as a player and couldn't loathe Soriano more than I currently do.

Ramirez is genuine. The Cuban 27-year-old hit that home run, gave the oh-my-gosh! look with his arms and face, then joyously loped around the bases. WGN had the camera on him as he sat alone on the bench afterwards, kissing his bat before succumbing to emotion. Ramirez dropped his face into his palms and momentarily cried. The range of emotions peculating in his body before, during and after that grand slam have to have been inconceivable. Just last year at this time he was pondering defection from Cuba (he signed a lowly contract of $4.4 million over four years with the White Sox on Dec. 22, 2007). Simply put, it was a great moment.

Here's hoping he has a downer of day at the Cell Tuesday, though.

Finally, A Win

Sunday's win over the Kansas City Royals kept the Twins in first place and has many of us watching WGN-TV tomorrow at 1:05 p.m.

It was nice to see the Twins get some hits. It was even better to have Scott Baker look like a formidable pitcher against the Royals crummy offense. And, yes, wasn't it nice to see Joe Mauer not hit into a single double play?

Let's hope the Tigers are peeved they have to continue their terrible season. Let's hope the White Sox continue to implode. Let's hope Freddy Garcia can still pitch.

As Homer Simpson put it when he opened his Mr. Plow business: "Now we play the waiting game ... The waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos." In all sincerity, there was no way I thought this team would win 88 games this season. No way. Damn nice job, no matter what the outcome tomorrow and Tuesday.

Who said it was over?

How 'bout My Minnesota Twins?

Years back I worked with a guy named Mike Augustin who would yell loudly across the newsroom, over the phone or type on the top text line of his raw stories: "How 'bout my St. John's Johnnies!?" or simply: "Myyyyyy Cubbies!"

Auggie usually was most boisterous when it was an underdog or a team overcoming long odds.

Thursday night Auggie was yelling across the heavens to St. Peter: "Myyyyyy Minnesota Twins!"

Three straight against the Chicago White Sox is deserving of any raucous fan belting it out. The way the Twins played in their sweep was nothing short of inspirational.

The finale was the capper. Down 6-1 and momentarily looking like a bumbling Triple-A team, the Twins buckled down. The dug deep. The never said never. Pick your damn cliche because whatever you call it, that's what they did.

Go-go Gomez is as goofy as they come, yet there he was going 4-for-5 with two triples and a double. Alexei Casilla looked clueless at the plate for nine innings and then drilled an 0-1 pitch into center for the game-winner. Denard Span has struggled of late, but suddenly oh-so-close to hitting for the cycle.

Joe Nathan hasn't exactly been perfect lately, but Gardy gives him the ball and he goes an unprecedented two innings, knocking down six straight White Sox for his first win.

It was pure Twins baseball, much to the delight and torture of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. Justin Morneau and Delmon Young each went 0-for-5 and the Twins use seven pitchers, yet a teammate was always there to pick up the slack and spark a rally.

Twins baseball. Myyyyyyyy Twins baseball.

Three more days of fun.

Read this story and this story. Oh, and this story. How about this one? Finally, this one. Joy.

White Sox Being The White Sox

The Twins winning the first two over the White Sox is a major step. Now just a half game out behind Chicago, the Twins are proving a reality of baseball: The White Sox are poised for another of their patented season-ending blowups. Sure, Chicago is just as hobbled and have as tired a starting pitching staff as the Twins, but the White Sox also had a 2.5 game lead heading into the final handful of games in the season. Whether the Twins pull out another AL Central title or not, the White Sox fans and front office cannot be happy with how poorly Chicago has played in the past month.

Whether the White Sox win the division or not, word around the league is that Ozzie Guillen's job isn't safe. Guillen's brash behavior coupled with his sometimes team-critical demeanor has made him an easy target for a firing at the end of the season.

Heck, if Ned Yost gets fired so close to a playoff berth and so late in the season, then Guillen can't be comfortable with his job security.

Guillen's love for the Twins organization -- or more importantly, their fundamental strengths and manner of play -- is setting up his downfall. He wanted Javier Vazquez to pitch like a big-time pitcher so he calls him out in the media and Vazquez quickly gets shelled by the Twins. Guillen hoped for Vazquez to do as Twins pitchers Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn did over the past two games ... suck it up and pitch better than their now sloppy, tired and slow arms would allow. Guillen did whatever he could to get Vazquez to pitch like a Twin.

Mark Buerhle, on the other hand, did what Vazquez couldn't tonight. Fortunately for Minnesota the Twins kept all but Ken Griffey Jr. from making more than a dent on the scoreboard.

Kudos to the Twins. They continue to hang on and hang on, keeping close enough to the Sox to have a puncher's chance. The standing ten count could come tomorrow. I don't think either the White Sox or Twins will do much in the playoffs, but right now who cares? It's getting damn fun.

Doesn't it feel great to have playoff-like baseball back?

It's Over

Tuesday was just another in a line of too many bullpen blow-ups and lost chances for the Twins. I think it's official: The pennant run for 2008 is over.

The arms are too tired, the bats too inconsistent and the next two series feature teams just too strong for the Twins to overcome and continue this unbelievable run.

Tired Arms, But Twins Are In First!

Glen Perkins' showing in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader exemplifies a problem with the young Twins pitching staff. Perkins has a tired arm.

It was pretty obvious Saturday as his fastball was all over the diamond and ball movement lacking any snap.

Manager Ron Gardenhire smartly pulled Perkins and began a parade of recent Rochester Red Wings pitchers to finish off the Baltimore Orioles, 12-6.

Like Perkins, the rest of the starting staff are challenging the most innings they've ever pitched.

• Perkins (12-4, 4.11 ERA) has tossed 175.6 innings this year (that number includes the 33.3 innings he's thrown in the minors). That's the most innings he's piched in a season. He threw 134 innings in 2004.


• Nick Blackburn (10-8, 3.67) led Twins pitchers in innings pitched with 176.7 innings heading into Sunday's final game with the Orioles. His previous top inning season was 2005 (156.6 IP).


• Kevin Slowey (12-9, 3.63) is at 159.3 innings this year (13 in the minors) and is the most accomplished innings eater of the staff. Last year, Slowey combined for 199.3 innings between the majors (66.7) and minors (133.6). In 2006 he threw 140 innings in the minors.


• Scott Baker (9-4, 3.57) went just six innings in the early game Saturday and now has 158.3 innings pitched (5 IP in minors). Baker threw 169 innings at three levels of minor league ball in 2004. Baker also pitched 143.7 innings last year for the Twins when he was 9-9 with a 4.26 ERA.


• Francisco Liriano (5-3, 3.19) has thrown 62 innings for the Twins and 126 more in the minors this year (188 total). Those totals come after missing all of 2007 with Tommy John surgery. Liriano threw just 121 innings in his spectacular 2006 season (12-3, 2.16), but he did throw for a minors/majors combined innings total of 191.3 in 2005.

With 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Twins have to hold on and hope the bullpen --so atrocious lately--will respond and pick up innings.

Justin Morneau AL MVP?

The prospect of Justin Morneau becoming American League Most Valuable Player suddenly doesn't seem so far fetched. Only a month ago Morneau looked as if he might receive some third place votes in the MVP, but certainly not many for winning the award.

Chicago White Sox 25-year-old left fielder Carlos Quentin looked to be battling for the award with Texas home run derby monster Josh Hamilton, a 27-year-old outfielder. Quentin was doing it all in his first season with the White Sox, but his season is over with a wrist injury that requires surgery. Given the White Sox's first-place status, Quentin would have been an easy bet for MVP. Obviously, his statistical numbers have stalled (thankfully, because his departure has slowed the White Sox and allowed the slumping Twins to stay just a game out of first place).

Hamilton, meanwhile, is a media darling. The former drug addict who battled back with rehabilitation and newfound Christianity is the stuff sports writers and (especially) TV reporters love to write and talk about. Hamilton looked to be a lock on MVP at the mid-point of the season, pounding out home run after home run in the All-Star Derby. His first half of the season had these monster stats: .310 batting average, 21 home runs, 95 runs batted in and .552 slugging percentage. But the Rangers are 16.5 games out in the AL West and Hamilton's production has slowed (.289, 10 HR, 29 RBI since All-Star Game).

Meanwhile, Morneau continues to show he's a stronger second half player and is gaining on Hamilton's league lead in RBI. His batting average since the All-Star Game is .287, but he's hit nine home runs and 51 RBI as well as hammering out a .558 slugging percentage. It also doesn't hurt that he's carried the limping Twins as they compete for the Central title.

Other possibilities for AL MVP would have to be someone from the Tampa Bay Rays (1B Carlos Pena or rookie 3B Evan Longoria), Boston Red Sox (1B Kevin Youkilis or 2B Dustin Pedroia) or California Anaheim Los Angeles Angels (CL Francisco Rodriguez, RF Vlad Guerrero or CF Torii Hunter).

Stats to chew on with about 18 games left in the season (ages included in parenthesis for the sake of interest, as is Alex Rodriguez):

Guerrero......(32) 24 HR, 83 RBI, .298 BA
Hunter..........(32) 20 HR, 73 RBI, .281 BA, 17 SB
Pedroia.........(24) 17 HR, 77 RBI, .327 BA, 17 SB
Youkilis........(29) 25 HR, 99 RBI, .315 BA
Longoria.......(22) 22 HR, 71 RBI, .278 BA, 7 SB
Pena..............(30) 27 HR, 85 RBI, .245 BA
A.Rodriguez.(32) 33 HR, 95 RBI, .310 BA, 17 SB
Hamilton......(27) 31 HR, 124 RBI, .303 BA, 7 SB
Quentin........(25) 36 HR, 100 RBI, .288 BA, 7 SB
Morneau.......(27) 23 HR, 119 RBI, .311 BA
F.Rodriguez.(26) 2-2 W-L, 55 SV, 67 G, 61.3 IP, 70 SO, 1.24 WHIP, 2.49 ERA

Reyes, GRRR stink again and again

It's official. My patience with the bullpen ended today.

These guys can't do a damn thing right. I would much rather watch Scott Baker pitch another 30 pitches than that sludge we're carting out there in late innings right now. Baker would too. You could tell by the look on his face in the dugout.

Twins stay in race despite themselves

The Twins were shellacked 9-0 at Toronto for a their ninth loss in the last 12 games. It's become a similar story throughout this long roadtrip for the Twins: no hitting, uncharacteristically poor hitting and a weak bullpen.

Somehow, though, Minnesota remains in second place in the AL Central, trailing the equally (recently) woeful Chicago White Sox by just 1.5 games.

It's difficult to keep the faith as a Twins fan. Simply put, it seems the team cannot get over the ridge on the Sox. But the next 12 games will be important. The upcoming games include a three-game series with the now-deflated Tigers, three with the woeful KC Royals, three with the terrible Orioles and three more with the clunky Indians. Winning nine of those games (a .750 clip) wouldn't be unheard of, but taking seven (.583) could be enough to put the Twins in first place heading into the final 10 games (four with Tampa Bay) and in a position to keep the chance of a playoff berth alive.

That was a difficult road trip for the Twins and fans alike. If the team can pull off a handful of games in the next two weeks, the past two weeks can be all but forgotten.

A Great Baseball Read

If you haven't read this already, take a look at an outstanding piece written by Tom Friend of ESPN. It's a great story on Danny Almonte and Matthew Cerda, who were Little League World Series heroes in 2001.

You can watch a summary of the story here:

Eddie! Eddie!

The Twins acquired former Twins closer Eddie Guardado from the Texas Rangers today. The waiver wire deal is an outstanding one by GM Billy Smith. The Twins are in desperate need of any kind of bullpen help. But this kind of bullpen help is of the upper echelon.

Guardado is still one of the best left-handed setup men in the major leagues. Thus far this season, he is 3-3 with a 3.65 ERA in 55 games. The Twins gave up right-handed closer Chris Hamburger, a 21-year-old pitching at rookie league Elizabethton.

It was a heck of a deal and one that addresses the biggest of all concerns with this team.

Guardado has suffered injuries the past few seasons and struggled statistics-wise with Cincinnati and Seattle, but being back in the stable of the Twins and their coaching staff should help bolster his current great statistics even more. It was obvious the past four-plus years that Guardado desperately wished to be a Twin again. He often spoke of missing the Twins' style of baseball and the expectations of the entire staff. He struggled when he left. It is my opinion he won't struggle as he comes back.

Fans will undoubtedly chant Eddie! Eddie! each time he runs in from the bullpen to take the ball, complete an eighth inning and help solidify a Twins team that hopefully has another piece to overtake the White Sox.

From my spot catching in the bullpen, this looks like an outstanding move -- an absolutely exciting moment in a season that continues to get more and more exciting.

First place!

Honestly, who would have thought the Twins would be in first place on August 3? Hopefully Francisco Liriano will be the incredible shot in the arm he was a couple years ago. Hopefully he'll continue to pitch well.

For now, who cares? The Twins are pulling off an incredible season.

Thanks boys.

Insights and Thoughts

Here are some recent insights and thoughts about the Twins as they head into August:

• Though I hoped it would happen, releasing both Livan Hernandez and Craig Monroe came as a bit of a surprise to me. There was no reason to hang on to these two any longer and it creates space for both Michael Cuddyer (when he gets off the DL) and Francisco Liriano to get on the roster.


• This move also places the season and future directly in the hands of the young team and provides them with a catalyst of a team that should be together (ala the 1987 team).


• While milling about in the stands during the 5-1 loss to Cleveland Saturday I spoke to a scout about the current state of the team. I asked him if he thought the Twins would give in and make the 6-foot-5 (or taller) Joe Mauer a third baseman any time soon. He said at Mauer's height he's better suited to play first base, where Justin Morneau is likely to play for the next decade. That being said, Mauer may not be able to play third base -- something this particular scout emphasized strongly -- and another position may be needed for him. He said it's more likely the Twins would make Mauer an outfielder and backup first baseman than to have him play third. When pressed, he thought two years more of Mauer catching would be about all that we could expect, unless Wonderboy suffers another knee, ankle or other leg injury that precipitates a move quicker. If Mauer is moved to the outfield in the future, look for the Twins to trade one of their now young outfielders for whatever help is needed to fill out the roster (ie. third base).


• Oddest moment Saturday: Three straight bunts by the Twins in the thrid inning (Gomez, Span and Punto), showing Scott Ullger to be the greatest small ball (acting) manager since Phil Garner's Milwaukee Brewers of the mid-to-late-1990s.


• Coolest moment Saturday: In the middle of one of the most boring games in recent Twins history, the scoreboard had a sing-along with TC, the mascot. The song? "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond. That's not unusual. What was unique were the 40,000 in attendance continuing to sing the song a capella for an extra few minutes, including the chorus and the "ba ba bum" and "so good, so good, so good" parts. Classic en masse self-entertainment.


• Hey, that guy in the TC bear suit hitting softballs into the upper deck before Saturday games needs to get paid more. He's the only entertaining thing leading up to the Saturday games and one has to wonder how he can hit so well with that big foam head on. Sign him up. Maybe that's Kent Hrbek under there.


• All the buzz around the Dome is about Sunday's start by Liriano. Even the scouts sitting among the players' wives are excited to see what the lefty can do in the series finale.


• The Twins continue the mantra that no deal was a good deal at the trade deadline because they didn't want to hurt the chemistry in the clubhouse. Odd that finding good fits in a clubhouse is suddenly an excuse after the Twins latched on to former Devil Rays bellyacher Delmon Young in the offseason. If his offense upside was more important than a bad attitude (remember, this is the guy who hit an ump with a bat in the minors), then why are the Twins suddenly so worried a good setup man in the bullpen would send the team downspiraling?


• Just to be fair, shouldn't Mike Lamb be released right now, too?

How About Some Trade Talk For A Change?

It's doubtful the Twins are going to make a deal within the week. It's doubtful the Twins will ever make a trade for a big-time player. It's downright positive we should doubt the Twins would act like a lot of other teams 1-2 games back in their division and make a run ... for the World Series, and not just another division title.

Doubtful.

Sadly.

So I am left with dreams.

I dreamt a bit of Manny Ramirez or Gary Sheffield or even (gasp!) Barry Bonds hitting in the Twins lineup.

Then I woke up and pondered: Wouldn't it be something if the Twins actually were in trade talks to get the likes of Mark Teixeira, Jarrod Washburn, Hudson Street, Brian Fuentes, George Sherrill or A.J. Burnett? Dreams, I know. But think of the drama and the debating. Heck, think of the potential homeruns or wins.

I have to dream because Minnesota is NEVER in discussions for these kinds of players. To make matters more challenging, Twins fans must be creative with dreams and wish for, at best, someone we've heard of before. That's the criteria -- potential and all that. This is the reason I can't even get hopeful the rumors of Adrian Beltre (3B, Seattle, .260 BA, 16 HR, 47 RBI) coming to the Twins being more than a pipe dream.

I even dreamt up the thought the Twins could swing a deal -- one that involved another team in a three-way style that would circumvent obvious issues trading with the very team you're trying to catch. The deal is someone for oxymoronic White Sox third baseman Josh Fields (Josh Fields, um, not well). Fields is only 25 years old and hit 23 home runs last year. Joe Crede also plays third on the South Side of the Windy City, so Fields may be trade available. He'd take a bit to get. Jason Pridie and someone like Glen Perkins.

I'll keep dreaming and see what I can come up with. I'll just have to keep it cheap, keep it low-key, and keep it creative. Otherwise the Twins will want nothing to do with it.

Sadly.

Liriano wins again for Rochester

Francisco Liriano went six full innings, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, struck out nine and walked one in Rochester's 10-5 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Class AAA International League play Sunday night. Liriano improved to 10-2 this year in Class AAA.

TradeFest '08

Baseball blogs across the country are steaming with trade possibilities -- including searing discussions in New York involving possible Yankee trades for Jarrod Washburn of the Angels and Cincinnatti slugger Adam Dunn -- but very little real swapping seems imminent.

The chatter is all around MLB: Matt Holliday, Mark Teixeira, Roy Halladay, Hudson Street, Casey Blake, Todd Helton ... big names who are "possibly" going to some other team. History tells us most of these folks will stay on their same team six days from now.

The Twins, in particular, are doubtful to make any move that would rise above the classification of being minor. Given the team's five-game losing streak and Francisco Liriano pitching so well in the minor leagues, it makes more sense for the team to work within its own system than make a deal. The culture of the front office has been to stand pat more often than not in trade deadline deals anyway.

With only five days left of speculation, my best bet is for the Twins to deal for a relief pitcher rather than a third baseman or right-handed DH. While a name like Arthur Rhodes (Seattle) is more likely to be in Billy Smith's mind, why not take a shot at Colorado lefty closer Brian Fuentes? The Mariners don't seem to be asking much in return (one rumor had the possiblity of the Mets landing him for the very average Adam Heilman and a prospect).

Insider Trading With The Twins

Twins Shopping Span and Liriano?
The Right Deal Could Send Them Packing
With a week to go before the no-frills-attached trading deadline, a lot of discussion surrounding a possible Twins deal is being tossed about. There are some of the typical absurdities (Craig Monroe for anyone, Mike Lamb for anyone, etc.) and some intriguing thoughts (Adrian Beltre coming to the Twins, for instance). But in reality, the Twins are sitting tight looking for two spots: a setup man for closer Joe Nathan and a right-handed power hitter to bat behind Justin Morneau.

It will take a fair amount of talent to get one of those prizes. The Twins have been fielding a fair amount of phone calls, according to my sources. Certainly other GMs are inquiring about top
prospects Ben Revere (OF, Class A Beloit), Shooter Hunt (RHP, Rookie Elizabethton), Deolis Guerra (RHP, Class A Ft. Myers), Joey Benson (OF, Class A Beloit), Tyler Robertson (LHP, Class A Ft. Myers), Anthony Swarzak (RHP, Class AA New Britain), Trevor Plouffe (SS, Class AAA Rochester) and Brian Duensing (LHP, Class AAA Rochester). A quick look at that list and it's easy to see the Twins are loaded for pitching prospects heading into their unofficial target date of 2010 for a World Series run.

Surprisingly, the Twins are also asking questions to get feeling for the market for Francisco Liriano (LHP, Class AAA Rochester) and current big league OF Denard Span. With Michael Cuddyer's injury status still in limbo, the Twins may need Span, but he's been listed as a top prospect long enough that his recent success could bolster large returns in a seemingly lackluster trade market.

Word is the Twins are unhappy with Liriano, his agent, fans and the media pushing for the left-hander to return to the big league club. The entire front office is adamant they won't let anyone tell them how to run their club. Easy to say, but harder to do when Liriano goes out and tosses seven shutout innings in a 13-0 win over Toledo Tuesday (he struck out 10, allowed two hits, and walked two).

Liriano improved to 9-2 in Class AAA and hasn't allowed an earned run in a month. The Twins will either need to use his success to pull off a major trade or will need to trade someone to fit him in the current roster. Secretly, the Twins front office has been hoping for a sore arm to allow someone to go on the DL, as so often happens with young pitchers this time of year.

Is it time to check out Liriano again?

Pioneer Press writer Kelsie Smith had an interesting story in today's paper regarding Francisco Liriano. Liriano, 24, appears back on track playing for the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins' Class AAA affiliate in the International League.

Liriano improved to 7-2 with a 3.53 ERA prior to the minor league all-star break. Those numbers are impressive, but even more so when you consider how terrible the lefty was when he was first sent down to Rochester.

In his last 10 games since May 26, Liriano has gone 7-0 with a 3.30 ERA, pitched 62 2/3 innings, allowed 53 hits and struck out 64. His WHIP is a very strong 1.03. Even more impressive (considering his recovery from Tommy John surgery) are his most recent outings. Liriano hasn't allowed an earned run since June 25 and in his last three starts he's amassed 20 innings pitched, 10 hits allowed, no earned runs, three walks and 24 strikeouts. Those are dominating numbers. No if's or but's.

According to Smith's article, Liriano and his agent are getting antsy to return to the big league club. There is some dischord between the agent and the general manager's office. I guess that's to be expected -- GM's don't typically like agents dictating their jobs or implying what they should do. Agents are working for the best of their clients. In this case, it's time for Billy Smith to do the right thing and get Liriano up to spend time with pitching coach Rick Anderson. It's time to see if there is promise in the once-dead arm.

The Twins are surprising the AL Central and doing well with their pitching as is, but come on: there's room for an arm like this in the rotation (or, gasp!, the bullpen).

Scott Baker (6-2, 3.47), Nick Blackburn (7-5, 3.65), Glen Perkins (6-2, 4.14) and Kevin Slowey (6-6, 4.26) are pitching amazingly well for such a young rotation. To fit Liriano, it would leave out the aging and sloth-like Livan Hernandez (9-6, 5.44) or force the Twins to go to what the Pioneer Press said Ron Gardenhire is contemplating: a six-man rotation.

There are other spots for Lirano: Boof (3-6, 6.50) doesn't look like he belongs any longer. Brian "Smallmouth" Bass (3-3, 5.31) and Craig Breslow (0-0, 2.18) are OK. Spaz Neshek is out for the season and a setup man more dominating that Matt GRRR (5-4, 3.35) is desirable. The Twins don't like the idea of the bullpen as much as Liriano's agent. Remember when a young lefty named Johan Santana complained he didn't belong in the bullpen back in 2002? He may have been right, but you can't argue with his output since then -- I don't think his ego was shattered.

If nothing else, Liriano's .200 career batting average is only 20 points lower than Mike Lamb's season average of .220. Maybe he can fill in as a left-handed pinch-hitter who flies out to right each time up. That is, until the Twins trade Hernandez in the next few weeks ...

Blackburn, Slowey, Baker keeping Twins alive

The Twins did it again this afternoon and took 2 of 3 from the Detroit Tigers. Just when you think this team will fade away, it gears up and keeps pace with those White Sox.

It's amazing to think that Blackburn, Slowey and Baker will all be around for years to come -- the promise of building a contender for 2010 in the new stadium seems to be real. But, for crying out loud, who would think the Twins could contend right now? In the next two years we just need Glen Perkins, Francisco Liriano or another pitcher to find his way into the rotation and to keep Joe Nathan back there closing.

Plus, with the way Casilla, Gomez, Mauer, Morneau and Buscher are playing lately, those younger players should be contributors in the future as well. It makes for a much more promising future outlook.

How 'bout the Rays?

Is anyone outside of New York City or Boston not rooting for Tampa Bay? After so many years of pathetic play in the difficult AL East, the Rays changed their uniforms, team name and entire play. Considering the crappy Metrodome-like stadium the Rays play in, the team and city deserve a year in contention.

Go Rays!

Twins in a groovy groove

Winning 10 straight is never easy, but often these kinds of streaks are followed with another less pleasing streak to equalize a team on a karma-like level. But here we were today with the Twins coming back from a dismal showing on Saturday with a stellar game backed by Kevin Tapani -- er, Slowey -- tossing the shutout.

That Brewers team isn't exactly living up to its expectations this year, but that's one hell of a lineup they toss at a team. Cecil Fielder's skinny son, Ryan Braun (I still can't believe his nickname is the Hammerin' Hebrew), "Sunglasses at Night" Corey Hart, Ben Sheets, Welcome Back Kotter's Gabe Kapler, Jeff Soupcan and Rookie of the Year candidate Manny Parra all make for a strong club.

Gardy's definitely pulling something out of a hat right now -- and it ain't just the normal bottle of Wild Turkey.

Nice job in the past week boys. Sweeping Washington and San Diego isn't as boastful as sweeping potential World Series contenders Arizona, but winning 10 is impressive. For the month the Twins are 17-10 (.630). That should keep things interesting with the White Sox. I just can't wait to watch Chicago collapse and whine as it happens.

Time for Cuddyer to get his groove

While folks like Nick Blackburn and (recently) Kevin Slowey have been keeping the Twins atop the precarious AL Central standings, Michael Cuddyer has been bobbing in and out of mediocrity.

Cuddyer, now in his seventh season with the Twins, is putting up numbers and batting like he did in his 2005 season when the team experimented with him as an everyday third baseman. In 2005, Cuddyer hit .263 with 12 home runs and just 42 RBI.

This season he's hitting .275 with one home run and 12 RBI. It's a far cry from the pace of 2006 (.284, 24, 109) and 2007 (.276, 16, 81). Worse, Cuddyer doesn't look the same at the plate, often waving at outside pitches on two-strike counts. Not many people will talk about it, but he's looking like Jose Canseco out in the field more than the sure-handed and sure-firing Cuddyer we've all learned to love in right field.

The latest word is he's going to try some new muscle-relaxing mouth guard to better himself at the plate. To me that sounds a bit Nuke Laloosh-like (garters and lady's underwear under the uniform) to be anything more than a mind game.

When the old BP catcher was a real catcher and hitting well I was hitting with a more pronounced straight-standing stance. At one point I opened it up and crouched more (ala Shannon Stewart) for better bat control. The problem was I was too crouched for what I always knew and though my slap hits to right field increased (inside-outing like Joe Mauer), my power and real control was gone. I wasn't comfortable and it just didn't feel like me.

I'm not claiming to be anything more than a Class B BP catcher, so don't get me wrong. But if you look at Cuddyer's stance these days, he's more pronounced bending at the knee and his stance is more wide than in previous years.

Again, I'm just a coach, but stand up like you used to and just whack at the damn ball. We'd rather see something that nears power than what's going on at the plate so far this season.

Cuddyer photo courtesy of Minneapolis Star-Tribune. http://www.startribune.com

Twins take 3 of 4 from Red Sox

Twins playing as well as they look
in those cool sleeveless jerseys
By Bullpen Catcher

Monday's win over the defending World Champions gave the Twins the series and legitimatizes their chances to challenge for a playoff berth this season. Livan Hernandez improved to an unbelievable 6-1 overall while several other Twins are showing similar look again stats. Joe Mauer is supposed to hit .333. Justin Morneau is supposed to hit around .282 and be on pace for 122 RBI (which is his current rate). Joe Nathan is supposed to be impressive and dominating (as he's been all season). But what the heck is with Adam Everett popping off a home run? How about Craig Monroe hitting .284 with four home runs? I'm not sure anyone thought someone named Tolbert would be hitting .274 or that Nick Blackburn would be so darn good already.

Spaz Neshek's injury will test the bullpen, but Jesse Crain seems to be recovering better from his arm problems of last year. Maybe Glen Perkins will stick around long enough to provide a solid left-handed starting slot for the Twins.

Either way, this team is overachieving and chugging along. I've said it all season, but if the Twins can just hang around .500 they've got a chance to get into the Wild Card standings leaders at the end of the season. With the Central so darn mediocre, who knows?

A final surprise: The Twins are currently playing better than the Yankees, Blue Jays, Indians, Tigers, Mariners, Phillies, Mets, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers, Rockies and Padres. [I won't mention that the Tampa Bay Rays have a better record than the Minnesotans, though.]

Too Much Vacation for the BP Catcher

So we missed a bunch, but to recap:

• The Twins kicked the Tigers' asses
• The Twins are now in first place
• They almost were no-hit while I was enjoying a beer at Old Chicago
• Carlos Gomez thankfully wasn't sent to the minors and became the first Twin to hit for the cycle since Kirby Puckett did the task in 1986.
• Bring on the Red Sox

Gomez to the minors?

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Joe Christensen blogs today suggesting the Twins putting Carlos Gomez in Class AAA to refine his skills. One thing I definitely agree with Christensen about is that Denard Span should stay with the big team when Michael Cuddyer comes back from the DL. Span deserves the chance to stay in the majors and prove himself. It's time for the Twins to see what they've got with Span. He needs to show the Twins if he is a big leaguer or a big disappointment -- not Gomez. Gomez will be a major league player for several years and (given his age) has time to work on hitting in the minors.

Gomez is a major disruption on the basepaths. If he can get on base, he can alter games single-handedly. If he can get a bunt down, he can change defensive coverages. The ifs there are pretty important.

The other night Gomez struggled to even foul off a sacrifice bunt attempt when needed. That's a fundamental. In this sense, then, I agree with Christensen. Send Gomez down for a few weeks to work on a few things.

Conversely, can the Twins keep hovering near .500 without Gomez? His nine stolen bases lead the American League. His defense is reminiscent of Torii Hunter thus far. He looks like he has a lot of fun and seems well-liked by his teammates. Gomez is, if nothing, not crushing under the psychological pressure of filling the HUGE shoes of the Hunter/Puckett eras. Gomez reminds me of a young, pre-steriod Mike Cameron (who had to step in for Seattle after Ken Griffey Jr. was traded).

What to do? Here's a way to wrap our brains around Christensen's query:

• If Gomez goes to the minors, who will bat leadoff?
• Why not drop Gomez in the order and put that person at leadoff and see what happens first?
• Span isn't exactly Bob Allison out there in the field, so how much does defense matter?
• Gomez is hitting .230.
• Cuddyer comes back Friday
• Brian Buscher has four at bats
• Forget Frank Thomas -- the Twins (surprise) don't want him (idiots! Why would we even think the Twins would consider? Will we ever learn that all we get is washed up Ruben Sierras and Sydney Ponsons?)
• Jason Kubel is hitting .292 with 3 HR and 13 RBI

I'll go out on a limb and propose Buscher goes back to the minors, the Twins keep both Span and Gomez and let them duke it out for playing time, and pray the Twins were bluffing on Frank Thomas (they're not).

Big Hurt? Big Yes!

Frank Thomas was released from the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday and the time is now to replace Craig Craproe with the Big Hurt. The Twins could sure use the possible offense Thomas would bring to the team. Sure he was hitting .167 (10-for-60) with three home runs and 11 RBI in 16 games, but come on, this is Frank Thomas. He hit 26 homers last year with 95 RBI (.277 average). He has 516 career home runs.

The Blue Jays are locked into paying him $8 million for this season no matter who he signs with. Worth a shot? Not even worth discussing.

Thomas would take the place currently occupied by Craig Monroe. In addition, his signing would allow the Twins a real, viable solution to backup Justin Morneau at first base. The backup is currently Mike Lamb. Mike Lamb? Yep, Mike Lamb.

Some numbers:
Thomas: 40 years old, .167 BA, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 516 career HR, .302 career BA, .420 career OBA, 1,625 career RBI
Monroe: 31 years old, .231 BA (6-for-26), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 104 career HR, 391 career RBI, .256 career BA, .303 career OBA.

Those numbers don't compare. It's time to give the Big Hurt a shot. Heck, even if they have to move Kubel to right field and send Span down, it's time to take a chance.

Still Can't Smell 'Em

A loss to Tampa Bay, another to Cleveland and a nice win over the Indians again show the Twins' major lack of run production. With just 69 runs scored over 18 games (8-10 record), the Twin-towners are averaging 3.8 runs per game. That puts Minnesota at 25th in runs in the Major Leagues (KC is the only AL team with worse run production).

It goes without saying, but the bullpen hasn't been very good either. The lone exception is Joe Nathan, who has been outstanding. When the runs do come, the bullpen tends to blow the lead. It's hard to blame just the relievers when they've been out on the mound far more than usual. Starting pitchers are struggling to get past five or six innings in their outings.

The good news? With these obvious holes, the Twins are still just 2.5 out of first and two games short of .500. Fran Liriano's arm will do one of two things in the near future -- build arm strength and control or injure it again and go on the DL. Boof is clearly a middle reliever posing as a starter. Blackburn's latest game was sweet and he's been consistent. Baker and Hernandez are giving what the Twins expect, but hopefully will show much better form in May.

The lack of runs may help that starting pitching (and in effect the relievers too). Time to start smelling them again.

The solution is reallly quite simple. Time for Mike Redmond to strip down and run around naked some more to inspire the lads. Can you smell it? I figured you could.

Trip to Detroit creates new trends

Blowing a lead in Detroit
shows the Twins of '08
By The Bullpen Catcher

In the blowing the lead department in losing to the suddenly terrible Tigers, the Twins demonstrated their new trends of 2008:

Neshek is the new Ron Davis; Kubel is the new Cuddy; Mauer is the new Punto; Span is the new Gomez. Ugh.

Boof's hot in the cold, but is a cold Liriano a good idea?

Both Livan and Boofie pitched pretty good games against the hapless Royals (is this really the same team that swept the Tigers?). Cue-ball has three homeruns (one fewer than Torii Hunter), Carlos Gomez, Matt Tolbert and Denard Span continue to each play well. A lot of things are going well for the now 6-5, second-place Twins.




But is bringing Francisco Liriano back in the cold afternoon Spring of Kansas City testing Minnesota's luck? Liriano, who had Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in November 2006, is making his first Major League appearance this season. The 24-year-old left-hander will start today's game at Kaufman Stadium. According to the National Weather Service the weather in KC is a forecast of snow tapering off to a possible late afternoon high of 46 degrees (Fahrenheit, not Celsius). With Liriano's recovering arm, is it the best spot to put him back in the rotation? I'm worried Oli may be right with his pool on when Liriano first goes on the DL. Let's hope he doesn't, because if he can start putting in some real innings the team could continue some sort of hunt for the division.

Stats of the day

• Kansas City 6-5
• Twins 6-5
• Detroit 2-9 (worst record in MLB)
• Baltimore 7-4 (leading AL East)
• Livan Hernandez leads the Majors in wins at 3-0 W/L record, 2.57 ERA, 21 IP
• "El Duque" Orlando Hernandez, on DL all season so far
• Carlos Silva, Seattle, 3.27 ERA, 2-1 W/L record, 22 IP
• Dontrelle Willis, Detroit, 7.20 ERA, 0-0 record, 5 IP, 2 games started, injured knee
• David Ortiz, Boston, batting .070 (3-for-43)
• Derek Jeter, NY Yankees, batting .208 (5-for-24) and injured
• Torii Hunter, LA Angels of Calif., USA, batting .298 with 4 HR
• Johan Santana, NY Mets, 3.05 ERA, 1-2 W/L record, $23 million
• Jon Lester, Boston, 4.50 ERA, 1-2 W/L record, 1.77 WHIP
• Carlos Gomez, Twins, batting .292 (14-for-48), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 6 R, 5 SB
• Melky Cabrera, NY Yankees, batting .267 (8-for-30) with 2 HR and 5 RBI
• Phil Hughes, NY Yankees, 5.00 ERA, 1-0 W/L record, 1.78 WHIP, 6 SO
• Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston, batting .250 (5-for-20) with 1 HR, 3 RBI
• Coco Crisp, Boston, batting .296 (8-for-27) with 2 runs scored, 0 SB
• Adam Everett, Twins, batting .095 (2-for-21)
• Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay, batting .171 (6-for-35)
• Matt Garza, Tampa Bay, 9.00 ERA, 0-0 (2 starts), on DL with sore shoulder
• Luis Castillo, NY Mets, batting .160 (4-for-25) with 1 SB
• Matt Tolbert, Twins, batting .455 (10-for-22) with 1 SB
• Nick Punto, Twins, batting .500 (3-for-6) with 1 SB
• Cristian Guzman, Washington, batting .321 (18-for-56) with .536 slugging percentage, 2 HR, and 6 RBI
• Luis Rivas, Pittsburgh (playing shortstop!), batting .241 (7-for-29) with 1 SB
• Boof Bonser, Twins, 2.84 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 30 pounds lighter
• Joe Mauer, Twins, .250 (10-for-40) with 5 SO, 2 BB and 5 RBI
• Pudge Rodriguez, Detroit, batting .195 (8-for-41) with 0 HR
• Alphonso Soriano, Cubs, Cubs, batting .176 (9-for-51) with 2 HR, 5 RBI, 11 SO
• 150 games left in the regular season

Liriano Photo from Minnesota Twins official website

Now that's how you kick ass!

Tonight was quite the night for Jason Cue-ball, who drove in six runs. It looked like winter in Chicago, but the Twins looked strong all over. Just when you start thinking the Twins rotation is bad, look at the White Sox pitching corps. 12-5: Now that's how you kick butt.

Did you notice the blurp about Matt Garza going on the DL for the Tampa Bay Rays? Garza's claiming he was injured at the end of last season ... time for the conspiracy theorists to arise and make a mess out of this thing.

Twins lose opener in Chicago

Pat Neshek was throwing the pitches too flat in the Twins loss at the White Sox Monday and my prior comments about him looking more seasoned and strong this year are on the back burner.

Nick Blackburn was again serviceable as a starter, going five innings, but he still allowed seven hits, two walks and two earned runs. It's not a surprise by any means that the young Twins pitchers are praised when they get into the sixth inning, but the relief crew is going to become overworked at this rate.

News from Rochester tonight wasn't great, either. It was also expected news to those of us in the Bullpen: Francisco Liriano had a rough outing. I've predicted Liriano won't be with the Twins for several weeks because pitchers just don't come back from major arm tendon surgery quickly. He needs to build arm strength and endurance. It doesn't even matter the quality of his outings so long as he throws 80 pitches in game situations.

So no miracles in Class AAA, but it's good news everyday the kid isn't back on the DL. If he can possibly recover enough to make the Twins again, it'll be as a middle reliever first. Of course, true to my optimistic demeanor, I don't think Liriano will be a true big league pitcher until 2009 and I'm not that sure about it then.

Back to .500

Friday and Saturday's wins over the Royals put the Twins back at .500 (3-3) and exposed some items of promise:

• Justin Morneau is beginning to look like he's getting his swing back. The three-run homer he hit Saturday shows that if he keeps swinging hard, good things eventually will happen and he'll get himself back on track at the plate.



• Michael Cuddyer's injury isn't exactly a good thing, but it does allow Denard Span to show off his stuff at the major league level -- something he's definitely earned after a strong Spring Training. My guess is Span will see time in the outfield with Jason Kubel going back into his DH platoon role. Span, Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez would be a fun (and speedy) outfield to watch, even if just for a game.




• If Span can do much of anything, maybe it will place the Twins in a position to ponder releasing Craig Monroe and keeping Span with the team: a nice thought considering how atrocious Monroe looks at the plate.




• Spaz Neshek looks dominating as he did the first half of last year, yet somehow he's looking smarter with pitch selection and working counts than he did as a rookie. Neshek and Joe Nathan have been lights out -- a tandem so many teams in the league would love to have ... just ask Detroit or Seattle.




• Small ball may be the wave for this team. Playing National League baseball with all this youth and speed (did you see the suicide bunt play on Friday?) makes for excitement when the long ball is so very elusive.




• Beating Kansas City when they should beat Kansas City is a must for a team that wants to stay ahead of .500 and be considered a playoff contender. The Twins did just that twice.




• Livan Hernandez has gone two straight games of doing what you'd expect or hope. He's eating up innings, keeping the team in the game, and not getting shelled beyond belief. In short, he's better than a Cuban Sidney Ponson. The longer he can do this allows more time for the young arms to develop and find their niche.




• Detroit has been terrible. The Tigers won't stay unbeaten forever, but going 0-for-5 to start the season sure makes you feel good to be a Twins fan. When we were sitting around all winter asking why we didn't trade for the Marlins' Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis or even to get back former Twin/Cub Jacque Jones (hey, I'd rather have Jacque Jones than Monroe, wouldn't you?), the Tigers were spending away. Cabrera's hitting .125. Willis has a 5.40 ERA. The longer the Twins can keep a few games ahead of the Tigers and Indians the better.




• Finally, Carlos Gomez has gone nearly a full week of playing well. Friday's win was sparked by Gomez's electricity on the field. When he gets on base, things happen. Even if he goes 0-fer again in Sunday's series finale, his confidence has to be on the upswing. Confidence and comfort are keys to his development. The more he can feel like a big league ballplayer, the better the chances are he'll be able to continue to progress.

At least we're not in Detroit

Though the Angels are supposed to be one of the elite teams of the American League, it's no "moral" victory to come out of the opening home stand losing three of four games.

Overwhelmingly, the heart of the Twins lineup failed with runners in scoring position. Cuddyer did it twice today, Morneau has been anemic at the plate, Mauer hasn't been doing much more than moving runners over with outs, and the only power has come from Jason Cue-ball.

It's early. I get that. But it may be time to fiddle with the order. Cuddyer had a couple chances to win the game today but didn't come through. Morneau looks like a broomball player sliding around in an NHL game.

How many times are you going to get great outings from Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey-relief crew and Boofie?

So here's my thinking:

1. Gomez CF
2. Harris/Tolbert 2B
3. Mauer C
4. Young LF
5. Cuddyer RF
6. Morneau 1B
7. Kubel/Monroe DH
8. Lamb/Punto 3B
9. Everett SS

Stats of the day:

• The Twins have hit into one less double-play (6) than they have extra-base hits (7).
• Young and Gomez have thus far combined to hit .387 (12-for-31). Mauer, Cuddyer and Morneau are .175 (7-for-40).
• Four games, one home run (Kubel).
• Detroit Tigers 0-3. Minnesota Twins 1-3. Kansas City 3-0. Yep, Kansas City.

Blackburn strong, but bats weak

Nick Blackburn gave about all you can expect of him and even Matt Grrrr worked himself out of trouble in relief, but the Twins bats have less hits in them than Taylor Hicks.

The Twins remain the lone team in Major League Baseball without a homerun. How 'bout that new, more powerful top of the lineup? If not for Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young putting the ball in play, there's not much to brag about across the batting order.

It's impressive that Blackburn held off that Angels lineup. They may be one of the top four hitting teams in baseball. When a kid gives you an effort like this you've got to provide a run or two. Here's hoping Morneau makes contact in the series finale so the team can earn a split.

Separated at Birth: Boof and Tim Medvetz

Here are some Twins twins. Last year, LA biker/rebel Tim Medvetz nearly died on Mount Everest on the best show on TV, the Discovery Channel's Everest: Beyond the Limit. Medvetz summited in season two despite pissing off everyone in Nepal and Tibet. Boof Bonser is equally as stubborn and pissed everyone off from Fargo to Winona. Boof's baseball career nearly died last year on Twins: Beyond the Playoffs.

Medvetz may be the better pitcher of the two.

And so it begins

Boof. Crain. Rookie. Rincon. 9-1.

Get used to it. I heard a guy on KSTP on the postgame actually say Boof had a nice outing. He didn't, you idiot. None of the Twins did.

This is how a good team kicks the shit out of a mediocre team built for 2010.

Twins 162-0, Gomez MVP, Hernandez 35-0

If nothing, the first Twins game of the season was exciting. In Minnesota's 3-2 win over the soon-to-be 2008 World Champion L.A. Angels of Anaheim, California, Monday night the fans learned a few things about this version of the Twins:

• Carlos Gomez is, if nothing else, entertaining;



• and sounds exactly like Tony Olivia in a post-game interview;



• Torii Hunter was never really great in big pressure situations -- particularily in the playoffs or first games back in his old stadium;



• Livan Hernandez is more entertaining to watch than his virtual statistical twin Carlos Silva;



• Hernandez is a far cry less exciting to watch than Johan Santana;



• Joe Mauer is now officially the best in the league at a "productive out" (according to Dick Bremer), and we should look forward to a season full of him grounding out to second base in order to push Gomez over to third. Ugh;



• Justin Morneau is nowhere near in a groove;



• Delmon Young is no Lew Ford (thank God!);



• Craig Monroe looks to be no Rondell White (thank God!);



• and, Michael Cuddyer looks just fine out there in right again.

In all reality, it would be best if Gomez could pop off two games a week like Monday's this season (2-for-3, 2 runs scored, a double, 2 stolen bases, a bunt hit, and--gasp!--a walk). He has Cristian Guzman's speed with the baserunning ability of Rod Carew. That's a nice distraction if he can get on base somehow.

* * *

Another Thought ...

No doubt the Twins will struggle desperately due to lack of consistent starting pitching (how long do YOU think it'll be before they offer a contract to 45-year-old David Wells?). The bullpen is strong enough to take games from the sixth inning on and Joe Nathan should be great again, but what can we possibly expect of this rotation?

That pitching issue is a big one, but the real problem with this team is lack of bats off the bench.

On Monday with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Twins brought in Jason Kubel to pinch bloop-hit for Monroe. He singled to put men on first and third, which made the Angels intentionally walk George Herman "Bab" Lamb to load the bases. This brought up Brendan Harris. When your team is up one run on a team as good as the Angels, it's time to pinch hit with some pop instead of sending up Harris and Adam Everett. But who to use?

Nick Punto was already off the bench, pinch-running for Kubel (damn that was a tiring single to run out). Mike Redmond was a possibility, but he had to be available if Mauer got injured or the game headed for extra-innings. All that was left was someone named Matt Tolbert, our new light-hitting utility infielder (hey, isn't Punto already on the roster?). My thinking from the bullpen is there is a need for one more hitter capable of hitting higher than .200 off the bench.

Enjoy the quest for the perfect season.

Santana's gone, team "could" be good by 2010. Yippee.

It's apparent now that the Twins are settling for the let's-be-good-when-the-new-stadium-opens mode. How else do you justify the settlement the team came to in giving away Johan Santana?

The team didn't need three new, young, totally unproven arms that are three years away from challenging for a fifth starter spot.

The team did need a starting centerfielder.

They didn't get him.

Granted, Carlos Gomez has the tools to be darn good. I'll give him that. But starting in Torii Hunter's old spot come April? Um, no.

Here's where we are as Twins fans: hope the Mauer-Morneau-Cuddyer-Young crew can post enough offense to offset the totally depleated pitching staff.

One thing's for sure: they may be good in 2010, but 2008 could get ugly. Time to trade Joe Nathan and get something of importance back and not just another prayer for 2010.