Discarded Twin looks like an ace

Levale Speigner, a former Twins minor leaguer, outdueled Johan Santana, allowing just two hits.

By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune

Last update: June 10, 2007 - 12:09 AM

Hollywood star Rob Reiner probably expected something different Saturday, when he arrived at the Metrodome for a matchup featuring Twins ace Johan Santana vs. Twins castoff Levale Speigner.

Had Reiner's character Michael Stivic from the TV show "All in the Family" predicted this outcome -- a 3-1 Washington Nationals victory -- his father-in-law, Archie Bunker, would have screamed, "You meathead!"

Reiner and his son are on a tour of all 30 major league stadiums, and the Twins gave them a performance that brought to mind one of Reiner's darker directing works: "Misery."

Speigner, who had posted a 14.44 ERA in his first four major league starts, held the Twins to two hits -- yes, two -- over six innings.

Or how about Reiner's 1986 classic "Stand By Me?" Just think if the Twins had stood by Speigner, instead of exposing him to December's Rule 5 draft.

The Nationals claimed him, knowing they had to keep him on their roster or offer him back to the Twins.

Pitching in mop-up relief duty, Speigner had posted a 3.77 ERA in 12 relief appearances.

With their starting rotation in tatters, the Nationals moved him into the rotation.

The results from his first four starts -- 30 hits in 151/3 innings -- were so disastrous, the Nationals were in a real quandary.

Nationals manager Manny Acta probably figured he'd give Speigner one more start in a game his team was bound to lose against Santana.

But this has been a strange year for Santana. The Twins are 6-7 in his starts.

This time, Justin Morneau hit his 17th homer in the second inning, giving Santana the lead.

The very next inning, Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer, drilling a 1-2 changeup into the left field seats.

Santana (6-6) went seven innings, and only two of the three runs were earned, as Nook Logan had reached on an error by third baseman Nick Punto two batters before Zimmerman connected for his ninth home run.

Asked if he's feeling OK, Santana said, "I'm feeling good. I'm doing my job. It's just not working out. It takes more than one guy. ... I always say it's a team game."

That's about as pointed as Santana gets, and his offense deserved it.

Speigner, 26, drifted through the Twins minor league system, rising from Class AA to Class AAA last year. His earlier body of work for Washington shows the Twins didn't exactly let a gem slip away, as the Houston Astros did when they let Santana go in the 1999 Rule 5 draft.

"We got outpitched tonight, if that was possible," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I thought Johan did great, and offensively we did nothing."

The whole clubhouse seemed in a daze. It was right out of Reiner's 1984 cult classic, "This is Spinal Tap."

Joe Christensen • jchristensen@startribune.com

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