The members of the Minnesota sporting public who remain nostalgic for excitement from the local ballclub had to feel a cringe of sadness in watching Francisco Liriano stumble through five outs in a start for Detroit on Thursday at Target Field.
Liriano will turn 35 in October, his face and body look older, and he remains in the Tigers rotation because Mike Fiers was traded and starters are on the disabled list. He won three games in April and hasn't won in 15 starts since then.
When Liriano appears on a TV screen, for Pittsburgh, Detroit or another club, there's the thought that if his elbow doesn't go, that 2006 club — Morneau (MVP), Mauer (batting champ), Santana (Cy Young), Nathan (1.58 ERA), Hunter, Cuddyer, the Little Piranhas — could have won it.
And for that reason, the midsummer injury to the 22-year-old stands near the top of most ill-timed injuries in Twins history.
Liriano had pitched 12 times out of the bullpen (3.22 ERA, 32 strikeouts in 22⅓ innings) before manager Ron Gardenhire put him in the starting rotation on May 19 in Milwaukee.
Johan Santana was already the best starter in the AL — and by midsummer, his main competition was Liriano. La Velle Neal and I were talking about Francisco the Kid on Thursday and our senior baseball writer said:
"Mid-90s, wipeout slider for the ages, and a changeup almost as good as Johan's. That was an amazing 1-2.''
In a year of steroids-fueled hitting throughout baseball, Liriano made 14 starts from May 19 through July 28, with a 1.65 ERA, 105 strikeouts in 92⅔ innings and a .162 batting average against.
