Despite rough outing, Liriano encouraged

He gave up three runs and struggled with his control against the Red Sox, but the lefthander said his elbow felt "great."

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: March 12, 2008 - 8:48 PM

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BOSTON 12, TWINS 7

Up next: vs. Baltimore • 12:05 p.m. today, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. • No TV (1500-AM)

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FORT MYERS, FLA. - Scouts sitting behind home plate at Hammond Stadium clocked Francisco Liriano's fastball at 88 miles per hour early in Wednesday's outing.

By the end, he touched 92 mph.

The lefthander wasn't sharp, by any means, and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire pulled him with no outs in the third inning, after the Boston Red Sox had taken a 3-0 lead in an eventual 12-7 victory at Hammond Stadium.

But as the velocity readings showed, Liriano pushed himself toward his limits a few times, and for a pitcher coming off Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery, this was a key step.

Liriano said he was using 80 percent effort earlier in camp, but in his second Grapefruit League start, he used "probably 90-95 percent," he said.

"I'm almost there," Liriano said. "I feel more comfortable in the last two innings. I was trying to let it go."

Liriano (1-1) was charged with three runs on four hits and two walks, leaving his spring ERA at 7.36.

He threw 53 pitches, only 28 for strikes.

"He just hasn't pitched in a long time, and I think you're going to see some good ones and some bad ones," Gardenhire said. "Today was not bad by any means, but he didn't really get cranking [until the third inning]."

Liriano struggled to locate his fastball and had particular trouble with his slider, a pitch he threw 90 mph during his spectacular 2006 season.

Scouts clocked Liriano's slider at 78-79 mph Wednesday and noted that it looked more like a slow curve.

Liriano struck out J.D. Drew with a slider to start the second inning, but the next batter, Jason Varitek, drilled a 3-1 fastball for a home run.

Perhaps the most telling at-bat came last. Liriano threw two of his best sliders to David Ortiz, a ball and a strike before reaching back for a fastball, which Ortiz ripped down the right-field line for a two-run double.

At that point, Gardenhire pulled Liriano, telling him not to focus on the results, just the process.

Sixteen months removed from surgery, Liriano was frustrated with his lack of command. More importantly, however, he said his elbow felt "great."

"I think I have enough time to stretch out and be ready for the season," he said.