Jim Souhan: A workmanlike Liriano is an acceptable one

TAMPA, FLA. — Francisco Liriano took the mound for the first time this spring Saturday, and for the first time in a long time, it wasn't a big deal.

He wasn't pitching in a pennant race, he wasn't trying to prove his left arm will remain attached when he attempts a slider, and nobody was asking whether his elbow hurt, if he felt a tug or a twinge or a sense of panic as he released the ball.

Liriano pitched two innings in the Twins' 7-3 victory over the Yankees on Saturday, allowing four hits, a walk and two earned runs. His pitches were sloppy and uninspired and, for the first time in a long time, none of that mattered.

With five weeks of spring training remaining before the season starts, and with Liriano having declined an invitation to pitch for the Dominican Republic, all that really matters until his first regular-season start, set for on April 7, is whether he remains healthy and confident.

"My arm feels great," he said. "No complaining about it."

Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 16 starts in 2006. After undergoing elbow ligament replacement surgery, he returned last year, going 10-2 with a 3.28 ERA at Class AAA Rochester and 6-4 with a 3.91 ERA in two stints with the Twins.

He was effective, but gone was the unhittable slider and the untouchable fastball. Liriano began life as a mortal pitcher who would need to mix his fastball, slider and changeup.

"I think he might be even better," Anderson said, comparing old Frankie and new Frankie. "Two years ago, he was fastball, slider, slider, slider, slider, fastball. He just threw. He'd get in trouble and throw sliders until he got you out.

"Now, he's a pitcher. He still gets it up there velocity-wise, he's still got the slider, but now he's got the changeup, and he thinks pitching is more than just grunting."

Fear of throwing a hard slider that could re-injure his elbow forced Liriano to develop his changeup.

"His changeup is unbelievable now," Gardenhire said. "His slider isn't as good as it was, but it still has a chance to get there. That all depends on arm angle. When he gets down on the side of it, it does nothing. When he stays up on top with his hand, it does everything. ... It's filthy."

Can he be as good as he was three years ago?

Anderson and Gardenhire said the key for Liriano this season will be locating his fastball, which will make his breaking pitches more effective.

"He's become a three-pitch pitcher," Gardenhire said.

You might guess that Liriano developed his changeup in consultation with former teammate Johan Santana or countryman Pedro Martinez, owners of two of the best changeups of recent vintage.

"I haven't talked to Johan since he left," Liriano said. "And I haven't met Pedro Martinez yet.

"This is my own pitch. I watched Pedro pitch, he would throw a lot of fastballs inside, and then use the changeup."

"I just want to stay healthy all year," Liriano said.

Last year, opponents hit .254 off him, drawing 32 walks and striking out 67 times. In 2006, opponents hit .205, drawing 32 walks and striking out 144 times.

We might never see the Liriano of '06 again. As of today, the Twins would take a full season of the workmanlike Liriano of '08.