MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Over the last 18 games, Minnesota Twins starters are 12-2 with a 2.82 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 118 innings while the team has won 15 times.
So where exactly is Francisco Liriano going to fit? Because, for now, there's clearly no room in the rotation.
``I don't think too many clubs would mind being in that situation,'' manager Ron Gardenhire said. ``I hope that's the case. I hope two or three of 'em are knocking the door down. That's a good thing. You need pitching.''
The Twins knew they had that when the season began, but they stressed the inexperience - meaning they weren't fully confident the guys they've groomed in their reputable farm system for this would all be ready right away.
Boof Bonser faltered and was sent to the bullpen with an ERA near 6, but this group was well stocked. With the mentoring of veteran Livan Hernandez and pitching coach Rick Anderson, the homegrown quartet of Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins and Kevin Slowey is thriving after enduring a rough road trip in June. They've become a quiet strength of these contending Twins in the beginning of the post-Johan Santana era.
``We feed off each other well, being close in age, being friends and coming up through the minor leagues together. I think it helps,'' Perkins said.
There have been those expected clunkers, but rarely have any of them put together two truly bad starts in a row.
``If we pitch how we're supposed to pitch, we'll be successful,'' Perkins said. ``It's just a confidence thing, and if we believe that I think that's going to help us all year long.''
Injuries are often a factor, and Baker has already spent one stint on the disabled list. Hernandez could be worth trading to another team before the deadline if a pitching-starved club comes calling. And someone could certainly find himself in a slump.
But at this point, with the All-Star break less than two weeks away, it's difficult to see how Liriano will work his way into the rotation given the consistency of these young guys - all of whom are between 24 and 26.
After three terrible outings in April, Liriano was sent back to Triple-A Rochester indefinitely. The Twins want him to rediscover his confidence in the recovery from major elbow surgery that kept him off the field last year following an All-Star rookie season in 2006.
``Nothing's a given here. If he pitches his way back up here, he pitches his way back up here and we believe he will,'' Gardenhire said. ``But as I said it's not a game-to-game basis with him down there. It's when our organization says, 'This guy is on a roll.' Then if we believe he's better than what we have up here, then you move him up here. If we're going along really good up here, then you've got to see.''
Liriano threw seven shutout innings for Rochester on Monday with nine strikeouts, one walk and only four hits, but he was shelled in a shaky previous outing. For the Red Wings this season in the International League, the 24-year-old Liriano is 5-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 14 starts with 26 walks and 71 strikeouts in 84 innings.
``He's making great progress, and we look forward to seeing him up at some point when the time comes,'' general manager Bill Smith said.
In the meantime, the rotation in its current form has helped the Twins hang with the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
Excellent control is perhaps the biggest key to all this. The entire pitching staff has given up only 201 walks in 85 games, by far the fewest in the majors.
``Throw the ball over the plate, starting with your fastball,'' Gardenhire said, repeating a mantra long held in high regard by this organization. ``It's great to have all these other pitches, but if you can't locate your fastball, you're not going to make it.
``We preach throwing it over, and sometimes we pay for it by giving up too many home runs, but I'll take that over putting guys on and giving 'em free passes.''
