The return of Pedro Florimon

Trevor Plouffe has gone on the disabled list with what
the Twins announced was rib cage inflammation.

The Twins had a fairly discouraging weekend in Detroit. A good win on Friday, yes. But Saturday ... not only did Sam Deduno have another horrid outing, but the infielders started dropping.

Brian Dozier has a sore back. Eduardo Nunez tweaked a hamstring. Trevor Plouffe has something akin to an oblique strain.

Putting Plouffe on the DL should have been an easy call  even without the other problems. Injuries to that area are not really day-to-day issues, nor are they treatable with anything other than rest. Yet the Twins track record suggests that, absent the other injuries, they would have waited to make a move.

And given the "quality" of the move they did make, one can make a case for reluctance. Pedro Florimon is back.

He didn't hit at Rochester (.230 batting average), and that's to be expected. He was also atrocious in the field (11 errors in 32 games at shortstop), which is not to be expected. His glove is supposed to be the rationale for playing him. If he can't hit and can't field, what's the point?

Florimon got the callup because:

• He and Jorge Polanco are the only infielders left on the 40-man roster;
• Polanco hasn't been above high A ball; and
• the Twins made a hurried move, perhaps without thinking it through.

Florimon really does nothing to bolster the infield depth issue. Counting Dozier as injured, the Twins have three healthy players for second, third and short -- Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar and Florimon -- and they're all shortstops. Neither Santana nor Florimon has played much second base the past two years, and Santana is supposed to be the center fielder anyway.

James Beresford or Delbinson Romero would have been better callups. Neither is on the 40-man roster, but the Twins know Mike Pelfrey isn't returning anytime soon; he can be shifted to the 60-day disabled list, which would open a spot on the 40.

And, really, it makes more sense to designate Florimon himself for assignment than to bring him back to the majors.