Liriano to minors!?!

[mr_jman]

Maybe from the Twins fans he will get an ovation. Or possibly from the Royals if he gets rocked early on..... Hopefully it'll be a good game and the Twins can pick up a sweep. Even better would be another shutout!!!!!

[Jarrod32]

About as good as could be hoped for from Liriano today. Pitches looked decent...four strikeouts is encouraging.

He just needs more time to get his arm strength and pitch control back.

[IFallsRon]

Poor decision to bring him up today. He obviously needs more work.

[mike morris]

He needs work, but it won't be helping him unless he's pitching against Major League hitters. It's a wise decision, and we shouldn't expect much from him until he finds himself again.

[zamboni]

 Originally Posted By: IFallsRon

Poor decision to bring him up today. He obviously needs more work.

I think the really poor decision was letting him pitch TODAY. I lived in Kansas City so I went on Yahoo weather during the game and entered the zip- 64111. 39 degrees. Same as the temp here for most of the game. He should really be held out unless it is above 50, or in the 'Dome, IMO

[Maximum12]

I agree, they shouldn't have brought him up. Why celebrate because his arm didn't fall off? He's been throwing for quite a while now, did anyone expect it to?

Make him prove he's healthy & EFFECTIVE in AAA. This is the major leagues. We don't need a guy with less than a full season under his belt as a starter getting dialed in on the Twins time. If his name is Mussina, or even Silva, that's different, they're proven starters (OK, Silva's open to debate). He needs/needed to earn his way back. He didn't. And that's what you get, a crappy start.

[SledNeck]

lets go with a 4 man rotation.

[zamboni]

 Originally Posted By: SledNeck

lets go with a 4 man rotation.

Maybe 3- Boofs killing my fantasy team

[SledNeck]

 Originally Posted By: zamboni

 Originally Posted By: SledNeck

lets go with a 4 man rotation.

Maybe 3- Boofs killing my fantasy team

Im a Twins Fan only

[riverrat56]

Whats everyone's thoughts on throwing Liriano as a middle relief pitcher for a month or so?

[mike morris]

Come on guys. It was his first start back from TOMMY JOHN SURGERY on an ice cold day in KC. Give him another start or two before you criticize him.

He is a dominican product you know. They don't see 32 degrees very often.

[Jarrod32]

 Originally Posted By: riverrat56

Whats everyone's thoughts on throwing Liriano as a middle relief pitcher for a month or so?

I think he is better off in the minors where he can start every fifth day and build himself up to 90-95 pitches...and he will be better able to work on fine tuning his pitches and on his control better if he is going 5-6 innings at a time.

In relief, he can't really get into a groove and work on the things he needs to work on...in my opinion, anyway.

[fishfarmeat]

As a former catcher at the high school, college, & amateur level I believe that unless he changes his mechanics that he will blow his arm up again. When he threw against the red sox in spring training he was stepping, throwing, & following through directly toward the catcher. If read the star trib article the next day he was quoted as being worried about throwing hard enough. Boys--- that was alot better of an outing than he had today.!! He is stepping his lead foot directly at a left handed hitter and throwing accross his body and falling off the mound again. If you saw the replays of 2006 today you saw the same form as today---- The form that blew his arm apart. Yes, he was nearly untouchable then and may get his control back but I have my doughts. He had good control that day against the Sox which makes me believe that maybe this guy wants pitch his own way. Joe Nathan had the same surgery with the Giants but with great mechanics he hasn't had any trouble. He may never be the same again armwise so he could just as well go back to the minors and learn to listen to the coaches and change the mechanics or maybe he will need to be a lefty setup man for Nathan and throw gas untill it pops again.

[bassNspear]

horrible game today. What do you think is going on?

[tisosy11]

I also agree, terrible idea to bring him up to pitch in the COLD. Let him work things out in the minors and bring him up at home or when the weather is decent. No sense rushing him!

[PierBridge]

Quite happy with the start.

Looks like he's on the road back....A+

[zamboni]

Pier- did you eat paint chips when you were little?

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

I think Pier may have played one too many games on the ice without a helmet! LOL

Just messin' with you Pier, just to let you know I am still out there.

Windy

[fisherdog19]

Odds are that he will never regain his old form, as many tommy john victims in the past. It is a grueling surgery, and at least a 2 year rehab to regain full strength, prior form is questionable. It is illogical to think someone could regain full form when they are missing an original body part I'm not a Twins fan, but they are definately pushing him to quickly. Cold weather is bad, give him starts in the minors with some breaks every now and again but make sure the temp is favorable. Throwing a good bullpen will give him just as good a work out, and increase his stamina as the rest between innings are not there. I've seen these rehabs first hand, and it's a tough road with a lot of disappointment along the way. If they push him too hard (probably out of desperation ) , and make no mechanical adjustments, he will not last long and could threaten his career. Slider throwers are prone to elbow problems as most throw them wrong but with great success, and it wears on them greatly. It is a tough pitch to throw without causing damage and that is why you see slider pitchers always have elbow problems.

[Dahitman44]

F-Dog --

Say it ain't so.