Q.  But an innings eater can help you, right?

A.  Sure. 

Liriano does fine with his junkball arsenal, assuming he can get away with merely "showing" the fastball.

Think George Sherrill, throwing 87 mph, with less of a slider, as a starting pitcher.  He'll get you 7 K's, but baby will it be tough in between the K's.

Liriano, however, also has a third pitch -- his changeup is very effective.  At times he looks like he's throwing an Eddie Guardado palm ball.  Great arm action and even better, unpredictable, tumbling action out of it.

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Q.  How about the chance to bounce back from his TJ surgery.

A.  This is the wild card.  He had the elbow ligament replaced in what, 2007, and absolutely, his terrible 2008-09 matches up perfectly with a "scared to cut loose" intepretation.

Liriano has the shaky command of a recent post-TJ guy, refuses to snap off the slider, is obviously not healthy.

This winter, the Twins are selling Liriano as having broken through the wall, throwing the stuffing out of the ball, 92-94 mph with the old 2006 slider.

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Q.  Dr's Prognosis?

A.  To me, Liriano isn't a guy you want, based on his 2008-09 performance.  If I thought he was going to throw like that, the next three years?!, my own roster is the last place I'd want him.

Look, kids, do you want to build this dynamic young team around Aaron Sele at the #3 slot?  Sele ran some 100 ERA+'s too.  And most years, it was like going to the dentist watching him trying to survive five innings.

..........

But the question of his health bouncing back is the intriguing thing.  You go get Liriano if you think that 2010 is going to be a lot healthier than 2009.

I don't doubt that it would be.  Here's where the scouts' D.R. reports make or break your decision.  If you're actually seeing him crack off the huge slider again, at will, then of course.  If not, then no.

I don't have that info, do you?  Zduriencik does.

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Q.  Liriano for Jose Lopez?

A.  This is the kind of deal you make IF the winter reports are that Liriano is all the way back.

Remember, these two things are different:  (1) the winter scouts say that Liriano is all the way back.  (2) Liriano's ERA is 2.16 at the All-Star Break.  The reports on Ben Sheets are also that he's throwing great.  Does that mean you pay for the 2006 Liriano and 2006 Sheets?

...............

In Minnesota, Jose's 5-year run of Tejada stats would begin.  On Opening Day. At his salary, the Twins can't even ask that much (let alone get that much) unless they are talking to a team that buys in to the winter rumors.

I'd be fascinated to see Zduriencik give up Lopez for Liriano, because that would represent the M's as holding a 2006-Liriano file folder upstairs.

Cheers,

Dr D