Mauled Again

As I write this, I am just getting prepared to go out for a few drinks in celebration of the completion of finals week. Because of this, today's entry will be a short one. There's really not a whole lot to write about yesterday's 8-2 loss to the Tigers. Sidney Ponson pitched very poorly (4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) in what was hopefully last start in a Twins uniform, the pathetic Twins offense could produce just two runs despite collecting 10 hits and three walks, and Justin Morneau suffered a broken nose that will likely keep him out for a few days (just what this offense needed).

I predicted a third-place finish this year and I've always viewed 2007 seaosn as something of a transitional one, so I'm not entirely surprised to see the Twins lagging behind in this tough division. With that said, this team is just painful to watch right now. They need to make some changes to give fans the appearance that they are at least attempting to win. The first step would be to get rid of Ponson. Glen Perkins pitched four innings in relief of Ponson yesterday, a sign that perhaps the rookie lefthander is being stretched out for possible insertion into the rotation. Perkins has a 3.26 ERA and opponents are batting just .246 against him, he would almost undoubtedly provide an immediate upgrade at the back end of the Twins' rotation. The Twins also need to make some sort of changes on offense, although Ron Gardenhire's options are obviously limited because of the players he has. Shaking up the lineup, or perhaps call up of a Garrett Jones or a Matt Tolbert from Triple-A, would at least be something.

The Twins aren't as good as the Tigers. But they're also not as bad as they've played lately. They need to find a way to prove that.