Blowout loss serves as needed cry for help

The Twins needed a game like this in the hours before the trading deadline expires today at 3 p.m. They needed a reminder that outside assistance will be required if this team can be expected to run down the Chicago White Sox and hold off the Detroit Tigers over the final one-third of the schedule.

They also needed a reminder that Minnesotans -- after not accepting this team as a contender for four months -- are willing to join in the fun, as long as they are provided with encouragement.

Victories in the first two games of this White Sox series had moved the Twins within a half-game of first in the American League Central. The attendance moved in the process, from a solid 30,126 on Monday, to a robust 35,999 on Tuesday and then an XXL audience announced at 42,705 on Wednesday.

What these Dome Dog gorgers witnessed was an 8-3 abomination favoring the White Sox, in which Twins starter Livan Hernandez was dreadful, reliever Boof Bonser added to the margin, and the new, less-dynamic batting order was feeble until a two-run ninth.

The distressing part of this clunker from Hernandez was that it came in the Dome, where he had been effective enough to make up for complete futility on the road.

Carlos Quentin whacked him for a home run in the first, another run scored in the third, and then Quentin emptied the bases with a double in the fourth.

Add it up, and Livan went four innings, gave up five runs and 12 baserunners. He has yielded an astounding 199 hits in 139 2/3 innings.

The Twins would have to be as stubborn as Tim Pawlenty calling a tax a fee if they were to continue to refuse to supplant Hernandez in the rotation with Francisco Liriano.

It's not ideal to have a rotation with five mostly inexperienced starters, but Livan can't lead the young-uns other than to mediocrity with pitching like this.

The Livan-for-Liriano exchange can be put off a couple of days. General Manager Bill Smith's priority today as the deadline approaches has to be finding an infielder to give his manager, Ron Gardenhire, and his team, somehow 11 games over .500, the chance to continue to compete.

No Twins' fan before late May ever felt he would be saying this, but the thumb injury to Alexi Casilla is a devastating blow to this lineup. He was consistently giving Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau a swift baserunner to work with during his 59 games as the starting second baseman.

And now Gardenhire is left with Nick Punto to play second and to bat second. The playing is not a problem, since Punto is first-class on defense, but he belongs in the 8-hole as a hitter.

There has been much discussion about the need for another bullpen option in front of closer Joe Nathan, and also the improbable dream of adding a righthanded hitter with power such as Seattle's Adrian Beltre.

Those were desires. What Smith is dealing with now is the absolute need to replace Casilla.

Asked about a possible trade, Gardenhire said: "It's not going to be easy. Everyone they talk to wants our young starters. Why would we trade them when they have us in the race?"

Something has to be done, though, if the Twins want this contender thing to be more than a four-month charade.

A lineup with Punto hitting second worked in 2006, but we've explained that: It was a miracle -- the Miracle of Piranhas.

It's real simple for Mr. Smith as he faces his first trading deadline: His manager needs help in the middle, and he needs to know it's coming by 3 p.m. today.