The Twins went 4-2 last week as they scored 32 runs and allowed 32 runs.  The Twins got timely hitting last week and that’s why they won those 4 games last week.  The Twins entered this week with a 24-25 record which had them in 4th place in the American League Central, 7.5 games behind the Indians.

The Twins finally woke up and smelled the coffee.  They should have went with the kids out of Spring Training instead of wasting money on Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson.  Kevin Slowey has been awesome in the minors so far this season.  In 9 starts this season, Slowey has 3 complete games, a 6-2 record with a 1.54 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP!  In 64.1 innings, he only has allowed 47 hits and 5 walks while whiffing 57!  He looks like a clone of Brad Radke and that would be good enough for the Twins.  Ramon Ortiz has been awful this season.  In 10 starts he is 3-4 with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.  In 56.1 innings, he has allowed 68 hits, 9 homers, has hit 5 batters, walked 11 and struck out 24.  Ortiz will move to the bullpen where he will be the new long man for the Twins.

The Minnesota Twins have placed lefty reliever Dennys Reyes on the 15-day disabled list with imflammation in his left shouler.  In 21 games this season, Reyes is 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA and a 2.19 WHIP!  Those numbers are way off from last year’s numbers that Reyes put up.  Hopefully for the Twins the bad pitching was caused by his shoulder hurting as he hasn’t looked near the pitcher he was last season.

23 year old righty starter Matt Garza was upset when the Twins passed him and called up Scott Baker to replace Sidney Ponson in the rotation.  Garza is ranked as the Twins best prospect by Baseball America.  In his first 9 starts in AAA ball this season, he is 2-4 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.  In 49 innings, Garza has allowed 48 hits and has walked 18 batters while whiffing 46.  Truth be told, both Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey were pitching better than Garza when the Twins decided to get rid of Sidney Ponson. 

Ramon Ortiz started the season well for the Twins, but he’s been awful lately and could be the next starting pitcher that the Twins get rid of if he doesn’t start pitching better soon.  In 9 starts this season, Ortiz is 3-4 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.  Ortiz has a good arm but the results just haven’t been there this season.  In 50.1 innings, Ortiz has allowed 58 hits, 6 homers, hit 5 batters, walked 10 batters and whiffed 20.  With Kevin Slowey and Matt Garza pitching well in AAA ball, Ortiz better get his act together soon or he’ll be sitting at home like Sidney Ponson.