Dominant in minors, Liriano waiting for the Twins to call him up

ESPN.com

Updated: July 21, 2008

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Francisco Liriano struck out 10 for Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday to improve to 8-0 in his past 10 starts.

WAIT FOR IT

By Rick Sutcliffe, ESPN

The Twins' clubhouse has always been one of my favorite places because that team always seems to have a group of players who get along. You have to look at the chemistry of a ballclub, and right now, 100 games into the season, the Twins are 1½ games out of first place in the American League Central. Francisco Liriano and his agent, Greg Genske, are being way too aggressive in trying to prove that the club is holding the left-hander back. Liriano is 9-0 over his past 10 starts -- including a 10-strikeout performance over seven scoreless innings Tuesday -- and Genske recently asked the players' union to investigate why Liriano is still in the minors, saying he believed it was so the Twins could pause his service time and delay when he would become arbitration-eligible.

But look, Livan Hernandez is 10-6, and the young starters have stepped up in the absence of Liriano and Johan Santana (via his offseason trade to the Mets).

The Twins have a very good track record when it comes to making decisions in player development. I know Liriano went 12-3 in 2006, but you have to remember that he has made just 23 career starts. Also, the Twins gave him every opportunity at the beginning of the season. It wasn't as if he was sent down on a rehab assignment; it was because he was 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA in three starts. Liriano is doing very well in the minors, and the Twins have to be happy about that. Still, Liriano needs to focus on taking the ball in Triple-A every fourth or fifth day and let Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire and the Twins make the decisions that are best both for Liriano and the Twins. But right now, Liriano needs to wait his turn.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT BASEBALL
• Phillies at Mets, 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

I remember in 1978, Bob Welch and I were in the Dodgers' minor league system, and we were getting hitters out. But the big club already had Don Sutton, Burt Hooton, Tommy John and Rick Rhoden. There was no place for us to go but to pitch in the minors and continue to get hitters out. That's what Liriano needs to do right now.

We're knocking on the door of the dog days of the season, and something almost always happens. And when that time comes, Liriano will get the call. He needs to be patient because, if he pitches like he did in 2006, he could be the difference down the stretch in the AL Central.

Past Baseball Tonight Clubhouses: July 21 | July 20 | July 17 | July 14 | July 13 | July 10

FORWARD THINKING: WEDNESDAY

Clay Buchholz • Red Sox at Mariners, 4:40 p.m. ET, ESPN: Clay Buchholz (2-5, 5.88 ERA) is 0-3 over his past four outings and has not gone longer than five innings in any of those starts. Opponents are hitting just .195 against Felix Hernandez (7-6, 2.95 ERA) this month.

Brett Myers • Phillies at Mets, 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN: Brett Myers (3-9, 5.84 ERA) makes his return from the minors, hoping his time away will help turn around a year in which opponents are hitting .353 against him when he pitches on the road. John Maine (8-7, 4.22 ERA) is 0-2 over his past four starts. During that stretch, he has issued 15 walks in 19 innings.

CC Sabathia • Brewers at Cardinals, 8:15 p.m. ET: CC Sabathia (9-8, 3.51 ERA) makes his fourth start with the Brewers. Over his first three, he has two complete games. Braden Looper (9-7, 4.60 ERA) hasn't gotten much help recently. The Cardinals scored one run in each of his past two starts, both losses.

• Complete list of pitching probables for Tuesday's games


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BBTN ON THE AIR: WEDNESDAY

TIME WHO'S ON?
10 p.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Karl Ravech
Analysts: Steve Phillips, Eric Young, Peter Gammons
12 a.m. ET
ESPN		 Host: Karl Ravech
Analysts: Steve Phillips, Eric Young

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BBTN MINUTE: METS' BULLPEN IMPLODES

WOE IS METS

By Mark Simon, ESPN Research

The Mets let a win get away in the ninth inning Tuesday against the Phillies. Without injured closer Billy Wagner, the Mets bullpen coughed up six runs in the ninth as the Phillies claimed first place in the NL East by themselves.

Two problems that have plagued the Mets all season did them in on Tuesday. There was the bullpen, which wasted a solid outing from Johan Santana, who has left four games with the lead this season only to end up with a no-decision. But the other issue was that the Phillies' Jimmy Rollins continued to hammer Mets pitching. Rollins' go-ahead hit marked the third time in the past two seasons he has topped the Mets with a hit in the seventh inning or later.

Jimmy Rollins, most go-ahead hits vs. opponent
Mets 19
Nationals 9
Braves 8
Giants 7
Reds 6

TUESDAY'S NOTEWORTHY PERFORMANCES

GOOD
John McDonald• John McDonald entered Tuesday with two RBIs in 58 at-bats this season. He came up with four in the Blue Jays' 10-8 win over the Orioles.
BAD
Kyle McClellan• Kyle McClellan continued the season-long trend of Cardinals relievers struggling, giving up a solo homer to Milwaukee's Bill Hall in the ninth of a 4-3 loss.
UGLY
Kevin Hart• Kevin Hart was responsible for four of the six runs the bullpen gave up in the seventh and eighth inning as the Cubs watched a close game with the D-backs turn into a rout.

FANTASY: PREVIEW OF WEDNESDAY'S GAMES

Sean Allen examines the pitching matchups in store for the 15 games on Wednesday's schedule of games.

Fantasy Allen also looks at injuries and details player reports that could help shape the way you put together your roster for Wednesday's games. Daily Notes

NEWS AND NOTES

Joe Crede •  White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who has a history of back problems, was a late scratch from Tuesday's game against Texas because of lower back stiffness.

Carlos Gomez •  Carlos Gomez, the Twins' slumping leadoff hitter, was dropped to ninth in the order Tuesday. Gomez, who is hitting .167 in July, went 1-for-3 hitting ninth and scored a run in the Twins' 8-2 loss against the Yankees.