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Is there a good one even available?

The easy answer there is that someone is always available...it just depends on whether the team doing the shopping is willing to pay the price and if the targeted player is actually an improvement.  After a bit of research, for your review I present what I believe to be the three best chances for the Twins to upgrade.

Jack Wilson, Pirates:

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Pittsburgh's like Kansas City in that they're proverbially in the hole.  They're actually right in the middle of the NL Central, but that still doesn't mean they're in any sort of hunt.

Wilson, 30, is having his best offensive year since '04, but spent most of April on May on the disabled list.  Since his return he's struggled to manage extra-base hits, and is yet to hit a home run on the season, but he rarely strikes out and is a pretty decent contact hitter.  While "another contact hitter" isn't an ideal pick up, he's still an upgrade over the Harris/Punto/Everett round table.  He hit .296/.350/.440 last season, and as you can see is holding up pretty well this season, too.

What makes Wilson a good idea is that he's signed through next year, and is far from a superstar at the plate, which is something that would inflate his price tag.  I think he's a better bottom-of-the-order hitter than top-of-the-order, but in an insane world I'd like to think Gardenhire could try Casilla/Wilson at the top of the order and slide Gomez into the 9-hole.

Ryan Theriot, Cubs:

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Theriot, 28, is having one hell of a season for the Cubs, and has been their starting shortstop for a majority of the games this year.  With Chicago bearing down on a division title, under realistic circumstances it'd be next to impossible to tear a starting shortstop away from a contending team.  Luckily for me, I can play Devil's Advocate.

Chicago's likely "shortstop of the future" could be Ronny Cedeno, 25, who's had his share of starts at both second base and short this year.  He's hitting .271/.343/.357 in 129 at-bats, which is still better than anything the Twins could throw out there.  Additionally, while Theriot certainly isn't a bad hitter, this would be a great situation for the Cubs to sell high:  He's a .286/.356/.374 career hitter.

But in spite of Theriot's profile, which suggests he probably wouldn't carry too high of a price tag, snagging him this season under his (and Chicago's) circumstances would mean he's near untouchable.  Even if he wasn't untouchable, the Twins wouldn't have any worthwhile major league talent to ship in exchange.  Also, just because Ryan would be easier to tear from the Cubs than Ronny, that doesn't mean it's realistic.

Oh well.  It sounded good in my head.

Brian Roberts, Orioles:

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I know, I know...Roberts isn't a shortstop.  That's why he would be our second baseman and Alexi Casilla would slide over to short.  And I know, I've been over this before.  But I still think it's a good idea.  In reality, whether Baltimore decides to foolishly turn into buyers or really commit to rebuilding an ancient team, we know that Roberts is for sale.  We know Andy MacPhail approached the Twins in the off-season.

Roberts, at 30, is in the prime of his career on both sides of the ball.  Not only is he a very good player, but he's signed through 2009 at a not unreasonable price, would give the Twins a great lead-off hitter, and as an added bonus has stolen more bases than Carlos Gomez.  And look at those extra-base hits:  31 doubles.  Playing the scenario on Roberts out to the end, the Twins would have a couple of options.  First, they could always trade him if the team isn't condending.  Second, they could let him walk after next season as he enters his likely declining years and collect a pair of draft picks from whoever signs him as a free agent.  Neither of those options sound daunting.

The real trick in getting him would be whether or not Bill Smith and the Twins would be willing to pay the price.  I believe Minnesota has what it would take to pry him out of Baltimore, and up to a certain point I think Roberts would be worth the risk.

Poll

What would you do about the Twins' shortstop situation?

• Jack Wilson sounds pragmatic
• The Ryan Theriot pipedream piques my interest
• I'm on board the Brian Roberts train
• None of the above, but someone else (state in comments)
• None of the above...I'm happy with what's in-house

  80 votes | Results

He'll be back.  But when?

There's no reason to rush anything.  With the starting rotation being generally impressive over the last three weeks, any  sense of urgency the Twins might have felt early in June has likely been dulled.  Livan Hernandez, Nick Blackburn, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins have largely exceeded expectations on the whole, and with that luxury the organization is able to see Liriano's ups and downs in Rochester as simply part of a process...instead of worrying about how those ups and downs would translate to a performance with the Twins.

Nobody doubts how insanely not ready Liriano was at the start of the season, at least for the majors, and whether you believe that his three-game, 10-inning stint was good for him or not, there's one thing that's certain:  he's been able to benefit from his time in triple-A.  After a rough start in Rochester, where in four starts he logged 19.1 innings, allowed 17 hits, 10 earned runs and posted a 14:15 walk-to-strikeout ratio, he's vastly improved.  In fact, before getting roughed up in consecutive outings in late June, Liriano strung together six quality starts in seven appearances.  Now, coming off what could have been his best start for the Red Wings this season, it's easy to hope that he's back on track.

Liriano's Last 10 Starts

Date	IP	H	ER	BB	K
May 15	8.0	7	3	1	4
May 20	7.0	8	2	1	3
May 26	6.2	7	6	1	4
May 31	6.1	3	1	1	7
June 5	6.0	4	3	4	7
June 10	6.0	6	1	1	7
June 15	7.1	5	2	0	5
June 20	5.0	9	5	1	7
June 25	5.0	9	5	1	3
June 30	7.0	4	0	1	9

While the strikeouts aren't always what we remember them to be, it certainly appears that his control is coming back strong.  There aren't pitch totals, and I'm unfamiliar with how often Liriano was working into deep counts, but he's certainly stingy with the walks.  That's a good sign.  Additionally, he hasn't been knocked out before the fifth inning, and he's completed six innings eight out of ten times.

There are positive signs.  His 3.90 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 1.67 BB/9 and 7.93 K/9 over that 10-game stretch all hint at a very effective pitcher.  He's had decent stamina, no serious problems with his arm, and he's apparently working very hard at keeping himself focused in order to earn his promotion back to the Twins as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for him, and for some of us who are waiting for him, his return still isn't imminent.  None of the four young starters are performing so as to encourage a premature recall, and we all know how the Twins rely on veterans to provide stability and reliability if not leadership.  That role has been backed up again recently, as Hernandez has thrown 21 innings in his last three starts and allowed just six runs.  When you have strong support like Minnesota's had from their starters, it's easier to be patient.

Finally, with the Twins in contention it's unlikely that Livan gets traded.  It's been a fairly strong consensus that if Francisco were to return, it would be Hernandez's slot he's be taking over.  As much as we might like to see it happen, we know the history of this franchise and how unlikely that makes any deal involving a pitcher considering the team's success.

With five starting spots filled admirably, and with none of the roles in jeopardy in the immediate future barring an injury, this all means that Francisco Liriano is likely staying put.  At least for now.

Twins stay hot!

Another great game thread today, thanks to those who participated.  I wasn't able to catch the last three innings, but most of the action was over by that point anyway.

I know they do "3 Stars" for Twins radio broadcasts after the games, and so I'll rip them off this afternoon to point out a few things about what I saw.

Star 3:  Nick Punto.  Punto's play to end the top of the third inning was sick.  With runners on the corners and two away, Polanco hit a speedy grouder back up the middle, just to the left-field side of second base.  With Curtis Granderson and Alexi Casilla in a sprint for the bag, Punto dove and did the only thing he could to get the ball to Casilla in time:  flick it with his glove.  He might have been trying to actually flip the ball, but in any event what he managed to do was roll it.  Casilla's momentum carried him over the bag, but he gloved the ball and managed to keep his foot on the base just long enough to record the out and put another zero on the scoreboard for Blackburn.

Star 2:  Joe Mauer.  I know it's not true, but he seems to always get on base multiple times a game.  This afternoon he was 2-for-4 with a walk, and opened the scoring for Minnesota in the bottom of the third by scoring both Span and Gomez on a single.

Star 1:  Nick Blackburn.  Nick went seven innings and shut down the Tigers, allowing only a trio of hits (all singles) while striking out four and walking just one.  After getting touched a bit his last time out, it was nice to see him bounce back for one of his strongest performances of the season.  It constitutes Blackburn's 10th quality start of the summer.

Anyone else have anything to add?  Also, in case you missed it, I posted my American League All-Star selections this morning.  Does it match your ballot?

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We did it last year...so we'll do it this year!

To me, the All-Star game is more of a status symbol than it is a fun game to watch.  I know it stems from Selig and the team managers agreeing to call it a tie game--at which point baseball pulled a 180 and in a desperate attempt at "No, No!  It really matters, it really, really, totally counts!" decided to give an exhibition game some actual merit by granting home field advantage to the league that won the contest.  It went from fun...to flat-out meaningless...to an oxymoron.

But just because the league made a pair of bad decisions, it doens't mean we should punish the players.  Election to the starting lineup of the All-Star game is still an honor and a symbol of status and respect; exactly as it should be.  With that, I present my All-Star selections.

Catcher:  Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
Age:  25
Previous All-Star Selections:  1 (2006)

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No big surprise here.  Mauer has been the best offensive catcher in the American League and, arguably, the best defensive catcher as well.  He's on pace for nearly 40 doubles, walks twice as often as he strikes out and controls the strike zone like few others in all of baseball.  He's a suberb player in every sense of the word, not to mention a great guy, and he deserves this opportunity to represent the best of his league.

Runner-Up:  Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay Rays

First Base:  Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox
Age:  29
Previous All-Star Selections:  0

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I tried to justify going with Morneau over Youkilis, but in all good conscience couldn't do it.  Youkilis has a significant lead in slugging and extra-base hits, and even though Justin walks more and strikes out less, I couldn't award the position to Justin just because I wanted him to have it.  Youkilis is a fantastic player on both sides of the ball and deserves this nomination.  More than anything he's a great hitter, and any lineup would be happy to have him in it.  Besides, what pitcher isn't afraid of Leonidas?

Runner-Up:  Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins

Second Base:  Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
Age:  26
Previous All-Star Selections:  0

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It's tough to deny a guy who's on pace for 90 extra-base hits.  After finishing seventh in Rookie of the Year voting in '06, Kinsler turned in a solid year in '07.  Neither of those seasons has compared to how he's belting in '08.  He's matched career highs in stolen bases and doubles already, as will likely smash career marks for hits, walks, home runs and RBI as well.  Kinsler provides the full package for a second baseman from the offensive side, and he's adequate in the field as well.  Do you think Arizona would have liked him to sign with them on one of the two seperate occasions where they drafted him?  Probably.  Luckily for Texas, he didn't.

Runner-Up:  Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles

Third Base:  Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Age:  32
Previous All-Star Selections:  11 (1996-1998, 2000-2007)

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When you talk about the best players of all time, Rodriguez has to be in the conversation.  Any time a guy hits .316/.399/.591 and it's run of the mill, you've got something special.  He turns 33 later this month but, luckily for fans of spectacle, greatness and baseball in general, he's showing no signs of slowing down.  Alex deserves all the credit he gets and then some.  His similar batter comps include Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Manny Ramirez and Frank Robinson.  When you get an opportunity to watch a player the caliber of A-Rod, even if you hate the Yankees, you have to appreciate the skill.

Runner-Up:  Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox

Shortstop:  Michael Young, Texas Rangers
Age:  31
Previous All-Star Selections:  4 (2004-2007)

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Young, having a down year, is the benefactor of the circumstances surrounding the position of shortstop throughout the American League:  all shortstops are having down years.  Peralta in Cleveland, Jeter in New York, Eckstein, Bartlett, Lugo...if they don't have glaring weaknesses they've missed time, and all-in-all it makes for a situation that we're not used to in the AL.  For years it was impossible to pick the one best shortstop, just like this year, but usually it was because there were too many options.  This season there aren't enough.  Young is the best of a weak list of finalists.

Runner-Up:  Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Outfield:  Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Age:  27
Previous All-Star Selections:  0

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I don't know what happened to Josh Hamilton from 2003-2005, and part of me doesn't want to know.  I'd like to think he returned home to the planet Krypton, developed super powers, and then returned to earth to better mankind through baseball.  Actually, it was suspension due to violating baseball's drug policy, which makes his transformation intriguing to say the least:  prior to 11 games at triple-A Louiseville last summer, he'd had no success past high-A ball.  At any rate, the Rangers made a stellar pickup in the off-season with Hamilton, and now he's hit his way into my All-Star lineup.  Also, I'm sticking with the Krypton story.  Hamilton is the third, but not the final, Ranger to make my list.

Outfield:  Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
Age:  25
Previous All-Star Selections:  2  (2006, 2007)

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Nice headshot, Sizemore you freak.  Think the Expos/Nationals would like to reverse this trade?  In June of '02, the Expos sent Sizemore (stud), Cliff Lee (having a stellar year in Cleveland), Brandon Phillips (serviceable with the Reds) and Lee Stevens (out of baseball) to the Indians for Bartolo Colon (on the DL with the Red Sox) and Tim Drew (failed pitching prospect, last heard from last season with the Independent League).  At any rate, Sizemore is an absolute stud.  He hits for power, gets on base, steals bases and is an extra-base machine.  In addition he's a superior defender, and took home a Gold Glove award last year.  As far as center field candidates are concerned, Sizemore is head and shoulders above the competition.  Even hitting an mediocre .261, he's still productive at the plate.

Outfield:  Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox
Age:  34
Previous All-Star Selections:  2 (2000, 2006)

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While he isn't as spectacular as he was in '06, Dye continues to stave off decline and is on pace to have the third-best offensive season of his career.  Age hasn't hinted at sunset so much this season, and even in the field Dye continues to be a more than adequate defender.  As one of few White Sox hitters who have been effective across the board of offensive achievements, if Chicago takes their run at a division title into September they'll have a lot to thank their right fielder for.  Also, Jermaine Dye has been 34 since 2003.

Runners-Up:  Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles; Johnny Damon, New York Yankees; Maggio Ordonez, Detroit Tigers

Designated Hitter:  Milton Bradley, Texas Rangers
Age:  30
Previous All-Star Selections:  0

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I'm not sure anyone in their right minds could have seen this performance coming.  Across the board this is simply a stunning, MVP-style season from a guy who's always been a good player...but he's never shown that he could be this good.  Whatever the case may be, the Rangers picked up another diamond in the rough last winter in Bradley, a guy who many teams steered away from because of his makeup.  If the Rangers do decide to sell at the deadline, they'll likely sell Bradley, who would be the quintessential example of selling high.  Bradley's services may never be as profitable as they are right now--at least as far as a competetive team looking for a blockbuster bat is concerned.

Runner-Up:  Hideki Matsui, New York Yankees

The Batting Order, which courtesy of Baseball Musings' Lineup Analysis tool, says this team could average 6.817 runs per game:

1-Milton Bradley, DH
2-Alex Rodriguez, 3B
3-Kevin Youkilis, 1B
4-Josh Hamilton, OF
5-Ian Kinsler, 2B
6-Jermaine Dye, OF
7-Grady Sizemore, OF
8-Michael Young, SS
9-Joe Mauer, C

This is something we'll start doing a little more often since usually, by the time these nightcaps wrap up...I'm due to get up in a couple of hours!  Be sure to drop by the Open Thread Recaps after the game to post your thoughts and impressions on what happened.

What was the pivotal point?

Who made the big hit?

Who missed the cutoff man?

You get the idea.  See you tomorrow, Twins fans!

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