Saturday Morning Breakfast & Baseball: Pavano, Draft Picks, Cuddyer and Casiila

[Drew Butera holds up the box score from Friday's game, and drops it on the table in a greasy spoon diner in front of Carl Pavano.]

BUTERA: It's not your fault.

PAVANO: [Softly, still staring off] I know...

BUTERA: No you don't. It's not your fault.

PAVANO: [Serious] I know.

BUTERA: No. Listen to me son. That loss. It's not your fault.

PAVANO: I know that.

BUTERA: It's not your fault.

[Pavano is silent, eyes closed]

BUTERA: It's not your fault.

PAVANO: [Pavano's eyes open, misty already] Don't fuck with me Drew. Not you.

BUTERA: It's not your fault.

[Pavano shoves Butera back, and then, hands trembling, buries his face in his hands. Pavano begins sobbing. Butera puts his hands on Pavano's shoulders, and Pavano grabs him and holds him close, crying]

PAVANO: Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry Drew!

[Pavano continues sobbing in Butera's arms]

• After last night's game, Pavano has turned in two very good performances in a row. He's even struck out nine batters. Would the Twins expose Pavano to waivers? If they did, would they allow someone to take him off their hands? He's not likely to be a front-three starter for a contender, but he could be a stabalizing force in the back of somebody's rotation as we move towards the home stretch.
• The Twins haven't signed their top prospects, with the deadline looming in in roughly 60 hours (give or take). Bill Smith doesn't seem to be worried, and I'm not really, either. This is a common scenario for teams, so as long as the organization doesn't get complacent (and they won't), they'll have their picks under contract by the deadline on Monday.
• Michael Cuddyer tweaked his neck during batting practice yesterday, naturally. Alexi Casilla tweaked his hamstring during the game and had to be removed. As of post-game last night, Gardy seemed optimistic that Casilla could play today and Cuddyer could return on Sunday. We'll have to see how that turns out.

Enjoy your Saturday!