Typical Twins, 2010 style: Keep putting men on base, and eventually some of them are going to score. Typical Francisco Liriano, 2010 style: Eight more shutout innings. A dominant start. The sample size keeps growing. Now to keep him healthy ...
Typical Detroit Tigers, 2010: Both Twins runs were unearned. The Tigers lead the American League in errors.
Typical AL schedule, 2010: The Tigers ended a brutal road trip with a red-eye flight after a night game on getaway day in Texas. It happened to the Twins in the first week of the season too.
I don't know that the Tigers' sloppy play was the result of fatigue; as noted, they've been error-prone all season. But it can't help.
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I'll take the "precautionary measure" line about Justin Morneau's back at face value and not worry about it for now.
And I will assume that the manager will talk to Denard Span about getting tossed out of the game. Fortunately, the makeshift defense the last couple of innings — Alexi Casilla at third, Brendan Harris at first, and an outfield of Delmon Young, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel — didn't get a serious test.
One of these days the lack of a legitimate fourth outfielder will cost the team. I hope the Twins are seriously reevaluating the need for 12 pitchers. It's obvious to me that a right-hander outfielder with some defensive skills and power is a crucial addition to the roster, especially if Lirano and Baker and Pavano continue to give the bullpen days off.
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