Tom Kelly said he believes the Twins, now 6 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central after being 16 1/2 back on June 1, can win the division if their starting pitching holds up.

The former Twins manager had a good chance to study the team while doing a fantastic job filling in for Bert Blyleven as the color analyst on recent Fox Sports North broadcasts. There is a good opportunity for the Twins to move up in the next 11 days when they play host to division front-runners Cleveland and Detroit as well as Kansas City in a 12-game homestand.

"We have pitched good, and mostly the starting pitchers. The starting pitching is always our big concern," Kelly said. "[Carl] Pavano seems to be really good right now, and [Brian] Duensing seems to be good. I haven't figured out just where [Francisco] Liriano is at, and the slight injury to [Scott] Baker, I'm a little concerned about that.

"We've got a few question marks coming up here when we start the second half. Without a question [the Twins can contend] if we keep the pitching staff in order. Like I said earlier, I'm a little concerned about Baker and [Nick] Blackburn, he hasn't really pitched well the last couple of times. Liriano has been a little inconsistent. I think those three are the key."

Kelly was asked his appraisal of new Twins shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka, who has his batting average up to .227 after struggling under .200 for most of the first few months of the season.

"He's getting better. He seems more comfortable," Kelly said. "I think [manager Ron Gardenhire] has done a terrific job with him, bringing him along.

Jeff Rivers — Star Tribune file, Star Tribune
Former Twins manager Tom Kelly

"Mr. [Paul] Molitor down in Florida helped him out some and got him going, and the rest of the staff down there in Florida and Gardy picked it up when they got him up here and helped him out. I think he's just getting more comfortable playing in the major leagues. I think that's all been a big part of it is just being comfortable."

Kelly said he doesn't believe Joe Mauer is going to play much first base, as has been speculated in the media.

"I'm not sure how much he's going to get to play over there, being they sent the catcher [Rene Rivera] down. Whether he gets to play over there much at all, I'm not sure. He looked fine when he was over there, he played terrific. I thought it looked like he had fun playing over there."

Kelly said he believes Mauer is regaining his old form.

"If [Mauer] gets his swing going and keeps playing and keeps playing baseball, he's going to get better and better, I think," Kelly said.

Kelly likes Revere Kelly had some good things to say about the players from Class AAA Rochester who have replaced several Twins on the disabled list, but he is especially high on center fielder Ben Revere.

"He's been a spark plug," Kelly said. "He's been the leadoff hitter during this big surge here that we've had. I think he's done a fine job of setting the table and getting things started, scoring runs, getting a couple hits a game here and there and been terrific in the outfield."

Did he enjoy the chance to do the telecasts?

"It was OK, it was fine. I enjoyed it for the most part," he said.

Told he should take it up as a occupation because he did such a good job, he said: "Compliments are always accepted."

Yes, Kelly is a super person. One of the great things that happened to me as a sports person is getting to know him. Nobody knows more about baseball.

Jottings • J.B. Bickerstaff, a former Gophers basketball player who was a Timberwolves assistant coach for four years, has joined the Houston Rockets coaching staff of Kevin McHale, along with Kelvin Sampson, the former Oklahoma Sooners and Indiana Hoosiers head coach. Wolves boss David Kahn has asked permission from Portland to talk about the Wolves coaching job with Bernie Bickerstaff, who was a Portland assistant last year. So the big question is if Bernie gets the Wolves job, will J.B. ask for his Rockets release so he can join his dad with the Wolves, as has been rumored?

• The Howard Pulley Panthers are playing in the Peach Jam basketball tournament this week in North Augusta, S.C. Through the first two days of the tournament, the Panthers are 2-2, having defeated CIA Bounce of Canada and Mean Streets of Illinois while losing to All Iowa Attack and Mac Irvin Fire out of Illinois. Isaiah Zierden, who was a sophomore last season with Benilde-St. Margaret's and is the son of former Lynx head coach and Timberwolves assistant coach Don Zierden, has had perhaps the most impressive run through the first four games, averaging 19 points per game. Zierden also had a team-high 31 points in the victory over CIA Bounce. Some of the Big Ten coaches watching the tournament are Tubby Smith of the Gophers, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Ohio State's Thad Matta.

• Commemorating 10 years of Rivals.com's high school recruiting rankings, the website put together an All-America team on how those selected did in college. Included were former Gophers center Greg Eslinger, Cardinals and former Holy Angels wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and tackle Bryant McKinnie.

• Gophers football coach Jerry Kill will be the Grand Marshal of the Aquatennial Torchlight Parade on July 22. ... Sporting News ranks Northern Illinois, where Kill last coached, 34th in its preseason national rankings, with the Gophers listed 77th. Southern California, the Gophers' first opponent on Sept. 3, is ranked 25th.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. shartman@startribune.com