Liriano to start in minors

[blacksilverfan12]

http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=min

[Imgran]

Makes sense, he is coming back from TJ after all, and the team is not expected to be a postseason competitor this year. Make sure of him.

[insanefishpossay]

Absolutely no reason to rush him. Even if he were to pick up where he left off it'd be a wasted effort.

[blacksilverfan12]

I believe the article says he's making two starts

[blacksilverfan12]

Sort of a struggle today...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3335683

[NY16CATCHER]

They showed the game on Time Warner Cable in the upstate market. Liriano did not look good. Now in his defense, the game was played in miserable weather (38 degrees and a hard, steady mist of rain) and no one was particularly comfortable. He was the victim of some poor defense (Alexi Casilla booted 2 balls at shortstop) but overall he did not look sharp. Velocity was decent (fastball hovered between 89 and 91) but he lacked command of breaking stuff.

I would think given his performance, he might get another start in the minors.

[blacksilverfan12]

He made his first start in the majors today, and it didn't go that well. He went 4.2 innings, gave up 4 runs (all earned), and walked 5

[blacksilverfan12]

Now he's been sent down after three starts after going 0-3 with a 11.32 ERA
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3368031

[blacksilverfan12]

Sending him back down was the right thing to do. He isn't getting anybody out, and he's not throwing strikes, 13 walks in 10 and a third innings. The Twins aren't likely going anywhere this year, so why rush him?

[BenHertz]

Major League III - Back to the Minors.

He just wasn't ready.

[NY16CATCHER]

He'll arrive in Rochester on Sunday, throw a side session on Monday and start a game against Pawtucket on Wednesday. Heard tonight (in Rochester) that they expect him to get at least 4 or 5 starts at a minimum.

[Old Sweater]

I had my fingers crossed for Liriano also but I was surprised how many fans on the boards thought he was going to pick up, right after he left off before he had the Tommy John surgery like he just took a drink of water or something.

[NY16CATCHER]

I had my fingers crossed for Liriano also but I was surprised how many fans on the boards thought he was going to pick up, right after he left off before he had the Tommy John surgery like he just took a drink of water or something.

First start: 4 1/3, 5 walks, 4 earned runs, 5 hits, 3k's. 94 pitches, 51 strikes.

Loaded the bases in the 4th and 5th. Generally putrid performance. And he is moaning about being in Rochester. Doesn't think he belongs here, doesn't like the weather, or much else.

Talking about sending him to Ft. Myers, which is fine. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out Mr. Liriano.

[BenHertz]

Pioneer Press

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_9113176

Francisco Liriano believed big-league hitters would be as confounded by his circa 2008 slider as they were by the 2006 version, manager Ron Gardenhire said, which made his unsuccessful stint with the Twins "a real eye opener for him."

"I don't think he believed he belonged in the minor leagues. And I don't think his agent believed," Gardenhire said Wednesday. "I think he was a little confused, because he really thought that he had it all. He thought he could come up here and dominate some people."

He didn't, and he still isn't. Liriano, sent to Class AAA Rochester on Friday after being battered by the Oakland Athletics, allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings in the Red Wings' 4-2 loss to Pawtucket on Wednesday. The left-hander, trying to return after elbow surgery cost him the entire 2007 season, walked five and gave up five hits, including a home run, while striking out three.

"He's going to have to dig deep and go after it. People think he has been knocked way down — he's not," Gardenhire said. "It's part of the process of coming back from something this traumatic."

In fact, it's not uncommon for Tommy John surgery patients. Gardenhire said he asked former Twins reliever Eddie Guardado about his comeback and heard a story almost identical to Liriano's.

"He talked the Reds into bringing him up last year. 'Hey, let me go up there. If I get my (butt) kicked, I get my (butt) kicked, but I think I can get hitters out,' " Gardenhire said Guardado told him.

"Well, he got his (butt) kicked. But they let him do it, and he was like, 'I don't know if I'll ever get hitters out.' But the only thing he needed to do was keep trying. And now he's getting them out again."

[BenHertz]

Second part of the story:

The fall was even greater for Liriano, Gardenhire said, because his rookie season was so spectacular.

"He dominated this league. That's unbelievable, but a couple of years ago, he dominated," Gardenhire said. "I think it's a good thing to have a little fear, (like) 'Am I going to be able to get people out again?' I don't think that's a bad thing. Maybe I'm nuts, but I don't think it's a bad thing."

Now it's up to the 24-year-old pitcher to overcome those doubts, the manager said.

"He sees where he's at. He knows what he has to do. Whether he's going to be able to do it or not, I don't have an answer for you," Gardenhire said. "My pitching coach has seen him throw bullpens that were unbelievable. But then he didn't take it out to the mound. So that's going to be on him. We have a lot of high hopes for this young man. A lot of high hopes."