Hey guys, just wanted to check in first thing on a Monday and get your week off to a depressing start. According to the figures on Baseballreference.com, the Twins have $66.75 million of their $112.7 million payroll tied up in these five players this season: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Joe Nathan, Michael Cuddyer and Carl Pavano. That's almost 60 percent of the entire payroll.
If these gentlemen were completely healthy and performing up to their previously demonstrated standards, that might not be a terrible thing -- meaning the Twins and their management can be excused to a degree because of a run of very bad luck.
But when all five are struggling from some combination of injury, injury comeback, general ineffectiveness or all three, then it gets you ...
*A former MVP catcher who has played nine games and has just one extra-base hit in 38 plate appearances ($23 million).
*A former MVP first baseman hitting .202 with a .561 OPS, whose swing takes his front foot closer to Jerry White than the pitcher right now.
*A former top-5 closer who has been demoted from his role and has an 8.18 ERA.
*The ultimate team guy who has four (!) runs batted in through one-fifth of the season.
*A staff anchor in 2010 who has been dead weight in many starts this season and how has a 6.64 ERA (worse than Francisco Liriano).
