As Twins wait for an ace, they watch Liriano fold

It's hard to decide which is the Twins' bigger concern today -- that they stunk up the Dome on Friday, or that their rotation would look fragile as origami even if they make the playoffs.

Francisco Liriano suddenly is at the heart of both problems.

The Kansas City Royals have won 12 of their past 14 games and, as usual, have nothing to lose. Conventional baseball wisdom tells us this makes them the worst kind of team for a contender to play this time of year.

Conventional wisdom is wrong. If you are trying to prove yourself worthy of the playoffs, you should be able to beat Kyle Davies and a franchise that's in a two-decade slump at home on the final weekend of the season with your supposed ace on the mound.

Liriano, stunningly effective since returning from the minors in early August, looked as uninspired as his teammates on Friday.

His teammates have an explanation -- they had just swept the White Sox, winning tight, emotional games the past two nights.

Whether you like to admit it or not, players are human. They suffer letdowns.

Liriano's implosion means that even if the Twins make the playoffs, they may not have reason for confidence in the first two games.

Liriano is the one Twin with the stuff to be a staff ace, making him the logical selection to start Game 1 of a playoff series. His loss on Friday will make getting to the playoffs more difficult -- and setting up a quality playoff rotation far more difficult than it would have been three days ago.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has already ruled out using Liriano on short rest to pitch Tuesday, should the Twins need to face the White Sox in a one-game playoff for the division title. Gardenhire would have liked to use Kevin Slowey in that game, but Slowey, who has all three of the Twins' complete games and both of their shutouts this season, took a line drive off his right wrist on Thursday, and the seams were still showing on his skin on Friday night. The Twins are neither pencilling Slowey into a postseason start nor ruling him out.

Gardenhire suggested that Nick Blackburn may now be the choice to pitch if needed on Tuesday in Chicago. Blackburn is 0-2 with a 7.20 against the White Sox and 3-7 with a 5.20 ERA on the road, so the Twins have extra incentive to avoid a playoff with Chicago.

If the Twins could clinch the division title this weekend, it would buy at least one extra day of rest for their pitchers.

Liriano said he struggled Friday because he was too "excited." Maybe that's a euphemism for too "tired." He's pitched 195 innings this season after missing the 2007 season following Tommy John surgery.

"Andy says Liriano is strong as a bull," Gardenhire said, referring to pitching coach Rick Anderson. "I think he's fine."

He was less than fine against the Royals.

Liriano helped pitch the Twins into first place. Friday, he became the latest reason to wonder if they can make it to, or survive, the playoffs.