Note: This feature appears in the May issue of GameDay, on which Jesse served as the guest editor.  My thanks to him for the opportunity, and for not complaining when I turned in my usual nonsensical drivel.

If you were alive and computer-literate during the mid-1980s, you might remember text adventure games.  These were designed to provide mild entertainment without using graphics, sounds, or indeed anything at all that might be in any way visually stimulating.  Instead, you read line after line of descriptions of the room you happened to be standing in, while typing incredibly repetitive commands like “look at rock” and “get potion” and “go west” to progress. 

Inevitably, the game would require you to run around picking up objects and rubbing them against other objects and so on and so forth until you either unlocked the random combination the game designers had set for you, or (more likely) gave up and wandered outside in search of any diversion that didn’t involve being made to feel stupid by a game that repeatedly said to you, “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that,” after you had typed something blindingly obvious like “dunk your stupid electronic head in a lake.”

Nowadays, of course, there are video games that simulate in realistic detail everything that happens on a baseball field - unhittable knuckleballs on a windy day, home runs off the facing of the upper deck, Prince Fielder’s ill-fitting uniform pants, etc.  But I find myself yearning for a simpler time - a time when graphics were non-existent and cheap laughs could be had by typing cuss words and watching a game admonish you to watch your mouth.  Which is why I’ve come up with the following simulated game - it’s the Minnesota Twins, in text adventure format.

Minnesota Twins - The Text Adventure

Greetings!  You are standing in a musty-smelling hallway, surrounded by concrete and outside a room marked "Home Locker Room."  Clearly, you're at the Metrodome.  As which Twin would you like to play the game?

> trade everyone immediately
I'm sorry, Mr. Smith - you’ve already completed this game. You may be looking for "Florida Marlins - The Text Adventure."

As which Twin would you like to play the game?

>nick punto
Congratulations!  You are Nick Punto!  Your advantages are speed, defense, and no reason to duck when returning to the dugout.  Your weaknesses include an aversion to first base.

Your first at-bat is upcoming.  You get a bat and head out into the batter’s box... and here’s the pitch! 

>swing
You have swung and missed. 

The set by the right-hander... and the pitch!

>swing
You have swung and missed again.  You step out of the batter’s box and briefly stare at the bat as if it is riddled with mysterious holes.  Some wag in the crowd behind you yells, “Don’t blame the bat for this!”

You have an 0-2 count.  The pitcher looks in for the sign, and delivers another pitch.

>close eyes and swing
Success!  You’ve actually made contact!  You’re running to first base... the shortstop is up with the ball... Looks like it’ll be a close play!

>run standing up through first base
I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that.

>run standing up through first base
I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that.

>sigh

>slide headfirst into first base
About time you figured this out... 

You slide headfirst into first base... and you’re out by three feet, yet again!  Luckily, you remain short and a middle infielder, so you’ll be staying on Ron Gardenhire’s roster.  But it might be best if you picked a different Twin as whom to play this game.

As which Twin would you like to play the game?

>alexi casilla
Try back when you’re older, bub.

As which Twin would you like to play the game?

>livan hernandez
Congratulations!  You are now Livan Hernandez!  Your strengths are - hey, is that a pie?  Mmm... pie...

It’s the fifth day, so you’ve taken the mound yet again - and worked into the seventh inning.  Unfortunately, there are now runners on the corners with two out - allow a hit here, and you’re sunk.  Better come up with a good pitch to throw to this guy.

>try to eat ball
No, Livan!  Throw it!

>throw fastball 95 mph
Ha!

>throw fastball 85 mph
Ha!

>throw curve 51 mph
You break off a pitch that curves some, but mostly is affected by gravity.  The ball approximates the trajectory of a pop fly.  Several players in the dugout wet themselves laughing.  The batter is laughing too hard to swing.  Luckily, the umpire is a more stolid soul, and manages to call strike three.  You’re out of the inning!

>go to Murray’s eat the big steak
You’ve been talking to Mr. Oliva, haven’t you?  Anyway, your turn in the rotation is over - it’d be best if you picked another Twin.

As which Twin would you like to play the game?

>carlos gomez
Congratulations!  You are Carlos Gomez!  You can run faster than anyone else on the team - even fast enough to outrun some of your mistakes.  As the leadoff hitter and center fielder, you must be disciplined... a word that, unfortunately, you have not yet learned.

It’s your first at-bat, and you have a 3-0 count.  Here’s the pitch... it’s looking to be a good two and a half feet outside...

>pull ball over left-field fence for super-awesome home run
You take a gigantic cut and miss strike one, which ends up going into the first-base dugout on the fly.  A glance into the home dugout shows that Joe Vavra is softly weeping.

The pitcher comes set again... and the pitch!

>sprint up line wildly while attempting to bunt
You get an early start - too early.  Not only do you step out of the batter’s box and miss the bunt, but the ball hits you in the butt and is declared strike two. 

You look into the dugout again.  Ron Gardenhire is holding a piece of cardboard that has “DO NOT BUNT” printed on it, in marker.  Scott Ullger, at third base, has given up on actual signs and is miming a swing.  You step back in... and here’s the pitch!

>bunt again
You lay down a perfect bunt.  You’re across first base before the third baseman can even pick up the ball.

Your rating is 5/5 - and you’ll have many more chances at this game.  Congratulations!

Note: This is the second feature for the May issue of Gameday, which Jesse edited for John Bonnes, a.k.a. TwinsGeek. Some of you might find the the points familiar. But I wrote it for the general audience. So bear with me on that. Hope you like it.

"Wow!" That's the sound you hear from the fan next to you when Carlos Gomez makes a play you've never seen before. The speedy center fielder, obtained from the Mets in the Johan Santana trade, has started strong for the Twins in 2008. As of this writing, he was hitting .326/.356/.465 with five steals in six attempts and several sparkling plays in center.

"Ugh!" That's the sound you hear from the fan next to you when Carlos Gomez overthrows the cut-off man or runs into his own bunt in fair territory or strikes out on three pitches with the bases loaded. The raw center fielder has struggled at times to make contact and hit pitches the opposite way. As of this writing, he has struck out 11 times against just two walks in 45 plate appearances. Extrapolating that over 700 plate appearances, he'll strike out 171 times with only 31 walks--hardly the kind of numbers you would expect from the everyday lead-off hitter.

Few players in recent Twins history have been such a study in contrasts. At just 22 years old, Gomez has plenty of time to smooth out the rough edges. But unlike prospects such as Jason Bartlett or Matt Garza who were kept in the minors to work on things, the Twins expect him to file off the burrs at the major league level, while playing a key role in helping the team win. And unlike Bartlett and Garza, Gomez does not have the raw minor league numbers that might suggest that he's ready for this challenge. The question is, why do the Twins think Gomez is ready now?

Examining his minor league record, the answer isn't as difficult as it seems. The first thing you notice is that Gomez was rushed to the majors, where he made his debut as a 21-year-old in May of 2007. As you might do with his both beautiful and ugly play, you can read that in two ways: He either could use more minor league seasoning or he thrives on tough competition. The Twins have chosen to interpret it in the second way. To see why, you have to look not just at raw numbers, but at trends.

This won't be the first time Gomez was thrust into a role where it appears he's being rushed. In 2006, Gomez skipped a level, going straight from Low A Hagerstown to AA Binghamton--a tall order for a 20 year old. He struggled to make the adjustment to AA early, but when he did adjust, he became a force in the Mets' line-up, finishing with a .281/.349/.423 line with 41 steals in 50 chances. His raw numbers don't suggest dominance, but he did dominate in the second half of that year.

Gomez used the confidence he gained in AA as a springboard to early success in AAA New Orleans to start the 2007 season, where he hit .286/.363/.414 with 17 steals in 21 attempts. At that time, Mets vice president of player personnel Tony Bernazard had this to say to Baseball America: "Carlos Gomez showed last year that he can adjust to a league. He can adjust to difficult periods of time. He doesn't panic. He maintains his confidence level."

The Mets liked Gomez's ability to adjust enough to call him up to the majors on May 13, 2007. Just as he had the year before, Gomez initially struggled with the adjustment to the new level. But in early June, when he began to see regular playing time, he thrived, finishing the month with a .299/.351/.403 line with 7 steals in 9 tries. In early July he broke the hamate bone in his wrist, and his season was basically lost at that point. The Mets brought him back primarily as a pinch runner in September, but the long lay-off and spotty playing time took a toll, and he only went 3 for 17, finishing the year with the these disappointing numbers: .232/.288/.304.

This spring the blogosphere was abuzz with the debate over whether Gomez was ready to stay in the majors or he needed more seasoning in the minors. Considering the Twins history of being careful not to rush their top prospects, most polls favored sending him down for a couple of months to work on things. For the first two weeks of the season, the Twins have been rewarded for bucking their conventional wisdom and letting him learn at the major league level. Twins fans can only hope they find themselves saying "Wow!" much more often than "Ugh!" in 2008.

I was fortunate enough to be asked by John Bonnes to be the editor of the May, 2008 edition of GameDay (thus my absence here over the last few days).  It's shaped up to be an extraordinary issue, and I'm incredible proud of the content.  Thanks to John, GameDay, and to the contributing authors for making it a fun and easy gig.

Below is my contribution.  Enjoy, and be sure to find your GameDay vendor in front of the Dome!

“Every person puts out a different heat,” says Michael Cuddyer to Denard Span, “and that’s how I find your card.”  Span’s hand is resting on Cuddyer’s, as the center field prospect plays the mark in the latest magic trick perfected by the Minnesota right fielder.  Span is laughing as the trick continues, until in the end Cuddyer finds both the nine of clubs and the king of diamonds, neither being where Denard thought they would be.

Therein lies the magic in what Cuddyer does:  he goes about his business, does his job, succeeds.  Yet nobody appears to be any the wiser.  In a lineup with the likes of Justin Morneau, Delmon Young and Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer somehow pulls a vanishing act.

On some level, it makes sense.  He hasn’t won a batting title, or an MVP, or a Cy Young award.  He’s not expected to be one of the game’s best young hitters, doesn’t boast the speed of an F-15, and the throne of Future Ace doesn’t rest on his shoulders.  His comments to the press don’t incite water cooler conversation about the etiquette (or lack thereof) of professional athletes in the press.  Even on the day he signed his three-year, $24 million contract, it was seen as a secondary highlight to the 2006 MVP’s new deal.  There’s something old school about the way Cuddyer goes about his business, and in today’s sports and media world this means he often gets overlooked.

On another level, however, missing him makes no sense at all.  Michael Cuddyer has been with the Twins longer than any other position player on the major league roster.  Both Juan Rincon and Cuddyer made their debuts way back in 2001, albeit in very limited time.  No other current Twin debuted before 2003.  It’s bizarre to think that Cuddyer, at just 29, is now the elder statesman thanks to all the turnover Minnesota has been witness to these last couple of off-seasons.

While some of us in the seats may not think “Cuddyer” when given the words “Minnesota Twins” in a word association test, it’s a given that the Twins organization, from top to bottom, hasn’t forgotten about him.  Of course there’s the brand new, multi-million dollar contract to prove it.  There’s Ron Gardenhire’s placement of Cuddyer right in the middle of the batting order (third in 2008, up to the thumb injury).  Then there’s the role he’s been settling into slowly over the last couple of years:  team leader and sound bite machine.  This is backed up by his new position in the locker room, as he requested and was granted Torii Hunter’s old locker.  It’s near the showers and has an empty locker next to it, leaving plenty of space for the media while keeping the familiar location for where to go to grab a good quote or two.

The sound bite is where we, as fans, get to see how leadership takes form.  In the wake of the Hunter and Santana departures, fans were unhappy with how the two players had handled the situation.  Going further back, fans were often split by Hunter’s freedom in front of a microphone.  Whether you bought into that hype or not, one thing is certain:  Cuddyer’s sound bites prove him to be a team player.  He doesn’t flaunt his opinions, and when he does mention them they’re stated in good taste.

When asked about the possibility of playing in center field, he remarked, “I'm in no place to dictate to the manager where I'll play.  At the same time I'm comfortable in right.  I don't think you can argue with the results in right.  I know the baggie, and I know everything that goes on with playing that position. If I had my preference I'd stay in right field."

When commenting on his and Justin Morneau’s new contracts, he said, “There [have] been a lot of negatives going around this off-season with losing Torii and Carlos and the whole Johan situation. To have some positive light for the fans is pretty special."

Finally, when talking about the “Twins way,” he had this to say:  “Try to play the game as it was meant to be played, stick up for your teammates, and don't show anybody up. That's the way.”

Over the course of his career there are quotes just like these.  Cuddyer has a penchant for doing and saying the right things, and as a result both he and the team come off in a much more positive light.  His off-the-field track record helps confirm his status as a team leader.

Yet there’s nothing about his game which deserves to be glossed over, either.  In his two full years in right, Cuddyer’s appeared in 91% of the Twins’ regular season games, hitting .280/.359/.469.  Those numbers are good enough to make him 24 OPS points better than the league-average right fielder in that same span.  In that period he’s been hitting in the cleanup position in the batting order more often than any other slot, usually right between Mauer and Morneau.  Still he’s somehow overlooked.  Would you overlook whatever you put in a sandwich?  I submit that you would not.

Defensively Cuddyer’s acquired a reputation for being a head-hunter, notching 15 kills (and an American League-leading 19 outfield assists) from right field in 2007.  In fact, in a study done by John Walsh of The Hardball Times in January, it was concluded that Cuddyer saved the Twins about 14.6 runs by holding and killing base runners.  That was good for best in baseball from his position.  As last summer progressed you could actually notice when the base runners started respecting that cannon, because suddenly the better ones weren’t trying to take an extra base on hits to right field.

Michael Cuddyer has come a long way since his debut with the Twins seven seasons ago.  His roles have changed and expanded, but he’s growing into his new shoes with aplomb.  He keeps his head down, throws down a new magic trick from time to time, flashes an easy smile, and in spite of being the media’s new go-to guy manages to get overlooked for his solid on-the-field product.  Cuddyer is the walking example of Teddy Roosevelt’s quote:  Speak softly and carry a big stick.

Don't let the dimples deceive you.  He can hit, he can throw, he's a leader and his slight of hand will give your slight of hand the smack down.  He's come a long way since cutting Johan Santana in half.

The following appears in this weekend's Dugout Splinters, part of the Gameday publication.

What's Working

Even for a team that's now the American League Central's bottom-dweller, there are positives to lean on in this series.  Paul Konerko, Jim Thome, Rob Mackowiak, Alex Cintron and Juan Uribe have all had success against Minnesota this year, and just because the offense has been horrendous it doesn't mean they can't get the job done.  There's a lot of talent in Chicago, which makes them dangerous.  They simply have the same issue as the Twins:  they aren't a complete club.

Jermaine Dye, an MVP candidate last summer, had been one of the year's biggest chokers until August.  That month he finally woke up, hitting .300/.381/.580.  This month he's belting a .293/.370/.463 line.  It's too late to completely resurrect his miserable start at the dish, but he's hitting now, and that bodes well for the Sox in the closing days of the year.  Thome has been remarkably consistent over the last three months, hitting 20 home runs (including his 500th) since July 2.  Young Josh Fields, who may make Joe Crede replaceable, has been playing better defense, has developed a power stroke, and has nine hits in his last five games.  On the mound, Javier Vasquez is having his best and most complete season since 2003.  He's recorded 15 quality starts since June 1.  Mark Buehrle is himself again after a disappointing '06, and is ready to cross the 200-inning plateau for the seventh consecutive year.

The Sox have five players with 20 homers or more.  They have two pitchers starting the first two games of this series who are having very, very good seasons.  It seems like it never matters whether one team is good, one team is bad, or if both teams have just been disappointing, when the Twins and White Sox get together it always seems like it's a great baseball series.  What is they say?  Familiarity breeds ... something.

What's Not Working

Chicago is on pace for their worst record since 1989, when they finished 69-92.  They've just split a series with the Kansas City Royals, leaving them in the same place they were when the series started:  last place.  In spite of having talent on the offensive side of the ball, they're the worst hitting team in all the major leagues.  In spite of having talent on the pitching staff, the starting pitching has been up and down (mostly down) and the bullpen (outside of Bobby Jenks) has been atrocious.

They have the home runs, but they don't have much else.  Players like Scott Podsednik, Darin Erstad and Uribe have specific skill sets that make them attractive, but as overall players they also have deficiencies which neutralize the positives they could bring to an everyday lineup.  Just like the Twins, the White Sox have a bench that's been forced into a lot of plate appearances.  In Thursday's starting lineup, Chicago had two players with an on-base percentage higher than .320 (team OBP is .318).  Four players have 100+ strikeouts (Konerko is nearly there to make it five) and only two who have walked more than 45 times.  Outside of Konerko and Thome it's impossible to construct a batting order without glaring weaknesses.

Chicago was relying on their minor league system to help them bridge the gap in '07 from Ryan Sweeney, Fields, Jerry Owens, Brian Anderson, and perhaps even Jason Bourgeois.  In the end, Bourgeois never made it to The Show, Sweeney was in Guillen's doghouse and only posted 49 plate appearances and Owens is hitting .254/.318/.301 in 85 games.  Fields, the only one who's been of any help, has belted 20 bombs, but still is batting .241/.296/.465 with 116 strikeouts.

Other vets who may have been able to pick up some slack, like A.J. Pierzynski or Uribe, have been decent but unable to balance out what the youth and inexperience has done to the lineup.  Toss in Dye's slow start, Crede's injury, and ineffective plate appearances from Erstad and Podsednik, and Chicago's offense just tanked over the course of the summer.  A pitching staff whose starters were unreliable gave no support to the hitters, and even more frustrating was the bullpen, which has had a penchant for giving away a few of the Sox's precious leads.

It's not like Chicago is a horrible team.  When you think of Detroit and Minnesota in the mid and late 90's, or the Royals for the last 10 years - those were bad teams.  The White Sox are just incomplete, and have had a bad season.  Just like the Twins.  Next year will be different, and is right around the corner.

Viva Ozzie!

In the midst of a season where the talent didn't live up to the expectations, the White Sox organization signed their manager to an extension that runs through 2012.  Through it all, Ozzie Guillen made us laugh, made us laugh harder, but in the end has become the identity of the South Siders.  His unorthodox management style and quotable nature have made him a target of a lot of criticism, but the Sox believe he's their on-field leader, and have put their money where their mouth is.  Pun intended.

Guillen hasn't shied away from criticizing his players in public, but he also has been willing to shoulder the brunt of the blame for the team's inability to compete and for the team's apparent affinity for apathy.  He loves the game, he's definitely passionate about it, and as long as his players perform, he'll be there.

ON THE HILL

Friday:  Mark Buehrle  (9-9, 3.55 ERA)

•  2007:  195 IP, 112 K, 199 H, 42 BB, 22 HR
  
•  2006:  4.99 ERA, 204 IP, 98 K, 247 H, 12-13
  
•  Buehrle was one of the hottest pitching commodities on the market at the deadline, but ended up signing an extension with the Sox.  Considering his past, it was a good move for Chicago.
  
•  Fastball around 90, cutter in the mid 80's, and a changeup in the high 70's.  Still mixes in a curve on occasion.
  
•  With a .257 opponent average against right-handers, and a .302 mark versus lefties, the Twins could have a good day against Buehrle...provided they can get around their soft-tossing southpaw stigma.

Saturday:  Javier Vasquez  (13-8, 3.83 ERA)

•  2007:  202 IP, 193 K, 185 H, 47 BB, 28 HR
  
•  2006:  4.84 ERA, 202.2 IP, 184 K, 206 H, 11-12
  
•  Standard arsenal:  Fastball, curve, slider, change.  The fastball clocks in the mid 90's, and depending on who you talk to the slider is "devastating" or "can't be thrown for strikes".  It could be both.  The curveball is nice, and the changeup makes the fastball more effective against left-handers.
  
•  Vasquez is having a good year in a career that has teeter-tottered between "average" and "good".  Confidence has a lot to do with  how explosive his stuff is, and he's been throwing with much more swagger this year.
  
•  If that curve or change isn't working for him, watch hitters sit on his fastball.

Sunday:  Gavin Floyd  (1-4, 5.65 ERA)

•  2007:  57.1 IP, 40 K, 72 H, 16 BB, 15 HR
  
•  2006:  7.29 ERA, 54.1 IP, 34 K, 70 H, 32 BB, 4-3
  
•  Once a major prospect in Philadelphia, Floyd's struggled.  A career 6.51 ERA in parts of four seasons, his minor league career 3.69 ERA and 1.29 WHIP are a distant memory.  Still, he has stuff, and at just 24 years old he has plenty of time to put it all together.
  
•  Good low-to-mid 90's fastball, a very average changeup and a killer curve, if he gets it to work.  He's still a work in progress.
  

The following appears in this weekend's Dugout Splinters, part of the Gameday publication.

What Was

Minnesota wasn't a good team in 2007.  Hovering around .500 most of the season, the winning streak the club needed to jettison themselves into legitimate contention never came.  While the middle of the batting order largely played their part, players who were relied upon to complete the picture had a hard time picking up the slack.  Rondell White wasn't able to make a comeback; Nick Punto struggled at the plate from start to finish; Jason Kubel and Jason Bartlett weren't able to contribute in the earlier phases of the year; a weak bench left no options for a team that needed an offensive jumpstart.

Losses of Brad Radke and Francisco Liriano weren't offset by signing castoffs Sidney Ponson and Ramon Ortiz, and while it can't be clear whether the Twins suffered by waiting to bring in the younger arms, the younger arms certainly couldn't have done worse.  An injury to Jesse Crain here, a sudden lack of confidence by Juan Rincon there, a couple of stints on the DL for Dennys Reyes to boot, and suddenly the bullpen was getting an overhaul in the middle of the season.  Matt Guerrier was thrust into a new role, Pat Neshek was overused, and when you combine a lethargic offense with a pitching staff trying to hold the pieces together, it becomes a nearly insurmountable task to remain a competitive club.

Ultimately, when the organization had to choose between trying to contend and waiting until next year, they didn't make a definitive decision.  The trade of Luis Castillo said "middle road," forcing the Twins to rely on an Alexi Casilla/Punto platoon at second base while getting two lower-level non-prospects who were too old for their level in return.  Nothing gained for the present, nothing gained for the future.  Killer.

What's Now

It's Fan Appreciation weekend, and Minnesota is closing out their final home stand against a team that has been struggling to stay out of last place.  This just gives the Twins less excuse to lose to the South Siders, which we all know is possible because every game with Chicago seems to be a battle.

With the season winding down, what Ron Gardenhire should be doing when he pencils in his lineup card is looking down the bench to see who needs to get some at-bats/innings.  In no particular order, these players should be Brian Buscher, Casilla, Kubel, Garrett Jones, Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins and Kevin Slowey.  These guys are players who need opportunities to show what kind of chops they have when matching up against (largely) major league talent.  Kubel has actually looked comfortable at the dish recently, but needs as many plate appearances as possible for the sake of experience.  Playing every day through the end of the year could help him via seeing more live pitching, and by (hopefully) engraining that muscle memory that has seen him hit much better since August.  Slowey has pitched in spots for the Twins but needs innings under his belt.  Blackburn is a September callup and Perkins missed much of 2007 due to injury; both have something to prove.  Buscher, Casilla and Jones have 286 MLB at-bats between them.  They all need time, or they're just wasting space.

Minnesota is on the verge of having their first losing season since 2000.  Sweeping the Rangers was nice, but once the White Sox series is over the Twins go on the road for three in Detroit (playing for their Wild Card lives) before finishing up with four in Boston (who are trying to fend off the surging Yankees).  With both teams still having something to play for, the Twins have their work cut out for them.  Finishing the year 7-3 means a winning record for the hometown team.

What's Coming

Bill Smith's first winter as General Manager of the Twins is the most pivotal off-season Minnesota has entered in years.  First, Torii Hunter's pending free agency and how it's dealt with will give an indication in which direction the franchise wants to go the next handful of seasons.  Second, Johan Santana and Joe Nathan are both under contract for 2008 - whether those contracts are addressed will tell you if either player will be a Twin in 2009 and beyond.  Third, with a logjam of youthful arms, will any of them be on the move?  By the same token, will Carlos Silva be re-signed?  The list could go on and on, with the lack of offensive depth and production from specific positions a major issue as well.

Financially, the Twins will have money to spend in free agency.  It will get tricky, because when taking into account raises through contracts and arbitration, the fiscal situation in '09 and '10 means that whatever money is spent for '08 will need to play into a 3 or 4-year plan. Specifically, the enormous constraints on team salary (with the amounts that Johan and Torii could demand) will force the Twins into some very difficult situations with some very important and high-profile players.

Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Punto, Kubel, Jason Tyner, Rincon and Guerrier will all be eligible for arbitration and raises going into 2008.  Minnesota would benefit by signing a couple of these players to long-term contracts, and on the other hand wouldn't lose much by not offering arbitration to a couple others.  What's available in free agency may have an effect here.

Contracts, arbitration, household names, two handfuls of pitching prospects.  We may not know what's going to happen the next few months, but make no mistake:  it's going to be very, very exciting.

ON THE HILL

Friday: Johan Santana (15-12, 3.14 ERA)

•  2007: 209 IP, 173 H, 220 K, 48 BB, 30 HR
  
•  2006: 19-6, 133.2 IP, 2.77 ERA, 245 K, 47 BB
  
•  Santana's slider hasn't been as sharp in recent games, leaving hitters to sit on his fastball or changeup.  As a result he hasn't been as effective, losing three of his last four starts and only recording one quality start since his 17-strikeout masterpiece on August 19th.
  
•  White Sox hitters are familiar with Johan, which means he'll need to be sharp.  Watch the catcher's glove to see how Santana is missing his spots.  If he's missing low, he'll be okay.  If he misses high, look out!
  
•  Including Friday's start, Johan has two starts left to finish out the 2007 campaign.  Even if he wins both starts, being toward the top of most statistical categories isn't going to win him his third Cy Young Award in four years.  Sad, but true.

Saturday: Scott Baker (9-8, 4.15 ERA)

•  2007:  138.2 IP, 154 H, 98 K, 28 BB, 14 HR
  
•  2006:  5-8, 83.1 IP, 6.37 ERA, 62 K, 16 BB
  
•  Baker is usually good for 90-100 pitches in today's game of pitch counts, which is pretty standard.  Pitching coach Rick Anderson wants his pitchers to be more aggressive early, so that they aren't reaching their limits by the fifth inning.  Watch to see if Baker is going after hitters early, or is trying to mix in all his pitches right away.  It'll clue you in as to how long he might last.
  
•  With a nice fastball, Baker's breaking balls still need to be effective.  If he goes to his breaking balls when he's behind in the count, it should mean he's feeling good.

Sunday:  Kevin Slowey (3-0, 5.00 ERA)

•  2007: 54 IP, 71 H, 35 K, 11 BB, 16 HR
  
•  2007 AAA: 10-5, 133.2 IP, 110 H, 107 K, 18 BB, 4 HR
  
•  Kevin's worst enemy is the home run ball, which has been slightly less of an issue since his recall.  He's still developing his "out" pitch, but has a decent 4-pitch arsenal.
  
•  Slowey struck out seven in six innings against Texas in his last game.  He'll need to continue to pitch inside to build on that start.
  

Taken from this weekend's edition of GameDay.

One Starting Rotation:  Shaken, Stirred

Kyle Lohse is gone; traded.  Scott Baker and Boof Bonser had chances and were generally ineffective.  David Gassner and J.D. Durbin have sustained injuries.  Carlos Silva was under-shooting expectations enough to be temporarily pulled from the rotation.  Matt Guerrier suffered an injury, and even though he's back and is still considered a long reliever, is in no position to go five innings.  Mike Smith couldn't gain the confidence of the organization in his one appearance.

Then, the plague hit southpaw phenom Francisco Liriano.

With a rotation suffering an epidemic ranging from injuries for the unfortunate to ineffectiveness for the merely unlucky, there aren't many options remaining.  Johan Santana is holding down the front of the rotation.  Brad Radke, who turned in his biggest performance of the season on Tuesday against the Tigers, remains.  Carlos Silva has begun to steer his season out of a raging sea toward calmer waters, improving as of late.  Everything else is up for grabs.

Thus begins the Matt Garza era in Minnesota.  A first-round draft pick in just 2005, he comes to the Twins on a rocket.  In April, he was in Fort Myers, Minnesota's A-ball affiliate.  In May, he was promoted to AA New Britain.  Two months later, on July 14, he was with Rochester at AAA.  Now, roughly four months after he began the season in the lower echelons of the farm system, he has reached the top.  Here is how he's done so far in 2006.

Level            W  L   ERA  GS    IP  WHIP    K/9
Fort Myers (A)   5  1  1.42   8  44.1  0.86  10.76
New Britain (AA) 6  2  2.51  10  57.1  0.94  10.67
Rochester (AAA)  3  1  1.85   5  34.0  0.79   8.74
Totals          14  4  1.99  23 135.2  0.88  10.22

At any level, Garza was allowing less than one base runner per inning.  Even at Rochester, he struck out nearly a batter per inning.  Jumping two levels in one season is a big leap, by any measure.  Jumping three levels, two of which are AAA and the majors, is a move reserved for the elite.

You can see that he was promoted for good reason by glancing at those numbers above, but there was reservation about the final jump.  Reports from the organization stated that Garza was relying too much on his fastball.  The worry was that, while a great fastball can get you by most minor league teams, it won't get you by at the top level.  Additionally, the problem wasn't that Garza didn't have more pitches, it was that he just wasn't throwing them as often as the Twins wanted him to.  As late as last week, the Twins insisted they wouldn't be calling him up until he proved he could rely on the rest of his arsenal.  Well...things change in a week.

With a starting rotation in shambles, whether you agree with the decision or not, Garza's needed to help fill out a rotation on the verge of imploding.  His confidence with pitches other than his fastball will become a primary focus.  To succeed he'll need to take advantage of the array of pitches at his disposal.  He may be rushed, but the Twins' postseason hopes may lie (quite literally) in the hands of the 22-year old first-round draft pick.  In a rotation with nothing more to give, unless Baker can regain his April form or Bonser can be more effective, Matt Garza is plainly the last good option left.

Help From Unexpected Places

The success of the Twins since June 8 has been based as much upon over-achievers as it has been based on young studs having breakout seasons.  Certainly, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau deserve all the credit they get, but an offense is run through more than the middle of the order.  Jason Tyner, whose career line is .267/.306/.307 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage), is hitting .316/.362/.327.  Nick Punto's career line is .262/.335/.352, but is posting .313/.403/.418 in his first chance as an everyday player.  Jason Bartlett was a .296/.370/.412 hitter in the minor leagues, but now finds himself hitting the snot out of the ball at .364/.432/.479.

What makes this so appealing to Twins fans (or at least, this Twins fan), is that this success has come in the face of so many defeats and disappointments.  Tony Batista was a failed experiment.  Rondell White hasn't turned out the way anyone wanted him to.  Juan Castro sucked up fifty games, admittedly while the rest of the team sucked it up as well.  On top of this, assistance by career minor-leaguers and backups like Josh Rabe and Mike Redmond has been invaluable.  For the way the first couple months of the season was going, you'd never expect that a turnaround would be aided by offensive contributions of these players.

Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter, Luis Castillo, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel all deserve the accolades they've been given for their efforts in the righting of the Twins' ship.  Just don't forget about the role players, the backups and the replacements who have complemented the core and completed the offensive picture.  Without them, the Twins wouldn't be at (or near) the top of the Wild Card standings.  Give a big cheer for Tyner, Bartlett, Punto, Redmond and Rabe when they step to the dish.  They've earned it.

On The Hill

Thursday:  Carlos Silva (8-9, 6.37 ERA)

*    2005:  9-8, 188.1 IP, 71 K, 3.44 ERA

*    2006:  118.2 IP, 1.59 WHIP, 3.72 K/9

*    Silva has two consecutive quality starts under his belt (and three in his last five), which gives reason to hope that his sinker has regained its movement.  If it doesn't sink, look for him to be missing spots and for his fastball to be ineffective.

*    Over his last five starts, his ERA is 4.40.  While it isn't great, it constitutes a drastic improvement in run prevention from earlier portions of the season.

Friday:  Matt Garza (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

*    2005 (between rookie and low-A affiliates):  4-4, 3.59 ERA, 75.2 IP, 89 K, 67 H

*    Garza's call to the Twins is as much out of necessity as it is out of performance.  Look to the right to see more on his impressive 2006.

*    Garza carries a mid-90's fastball, a change and a couple of breaking balls.

*    Being called to The Show within two seasons of being drafted doesn't happen very often.  Not even Joe Mauer did it.

Saturday:  Boof Bonser (2-3, 5.67 ERA)

*    2005 (AAA):  11-9, 160.1 IP, 168 K, 3.99 ERA

*    2006:  39.2 IP, 32 K, 46 H, 10 HR

*    If the Twins had known that Liriano was going down, he probably wouldn't have been sent back to Rochester.

*    He NEEDS a good start.

Sunday: Brad Radke (11-8, 4.65 ERA)

*    2005:  9-12, 200.2 IP, 117 K, 4.04 ERA

*    2006:  143.1 IP, 73 K, 179 H, 28 BB

*    Since May 29, Radke is 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA.

*    Saying he felt "better" during his last start, the arm should still be an issue with the veteran right-hander.  Pitch counts may be monitored closely.  Early on, watch how often and how far the catcher's glove has to move after Radke throws.  This could be an indication as to how he feels.

*    The key to Radke's success is location and changing speed on his pitches.  He has an arsenal of at least five pitches that run the gamut in velocity between 91 and 76 mph.  Changing it up is a must.

EDITORS NOTE:  In the edition of GameDay, Scott Baker is scheduled as Saturday's starter.  With no news by the time copy was due, Baker was my best guess.  Oh well...the notes after the numbers are the same anyway.