Coming into this season 28-year old Nick Blackburn was a so-so pitcher. In his first three years, Blackburn pitched in 72 games (66 starts) for the Twins in which he was 22-24 with a 4.14 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Blackburn tries to get by with pinpoint control as he just doesn’t have the best stuff around. Blackburn has started 11 games this season and he is 6-3 with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. He has given up 93 hits (9 homers) in only 67 1/3 innings this season. His win loss record is going to get corrected soon if he keeps pitching batting practice.

The Twins have placed 32-year old switch hitting 2B Orlando Hudson on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left wrist. Hudson has played in 49 games for the Twins this year and he is 60 of 197 (.305 avg, .799 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 3 homers, 16 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. The Twins will miss Hudson’s mitt and bat while he’s out of action. They are talking about moving Michael Cuddyer to 2B, Jason Kubel to RF and Jim Thome to DH while Hudson is out of action.

Lefty swinging 2B/1B Rod Carew was a wizard with the bat for the Twins. It all started in 1967 when he won the Rookie of the Year Award in the A.L. Carew played in 137 games for the Twins in 1967 and he was 150 of 514 (.292 avg, .750 OPS) with 66 runs scored, 8 homers, 51 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Carew was a All-Star every one of his 12 seasons with the Twins! In 1977, Rod Carew was the MVP of the A.L. as he played in 155 games in which he was 239 of 616 (.388 avg, 1.019 OPS) with 128 runs scored, 14 homers, 100 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. The amazing Carew played in 1,635 games in his career with the Twins and he was 2,085 of 6,235 (.334 avg, .841 OPS) with 950 runs scored, 74 homers, 733 RBIs and 271 stolen bases. Carew is the all-time leader in batting average (.334) for the Minnesota Twins. He also is #5 in hits (2,085), #9 in runs scored (950), #7 in doubles (305), #8 in triples (70) and he is #5 in stolen bases (271) in Twins’ history. Carew was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1991.

27-year old lefty starting pitcher Glen Perkins is getting pummeled in AAA ball this year. He has started 10 games in AAA-ball this year and he is 0-6 with a 7.58 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP. Perkins has allowed 63 hits (7 homers) in 46 1/3 innings in AAA as he is getting drilled. Perkins has pitched in 67 games (43 starts) in parts of four years with the Twins in which he is 18-11 with a 4.73 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. The Twins were hoping that Perkins would pitch well in the minors so they could use him as trade bait but with the way he is pitching he would be little more than a throw in.

Starting RF Michael Cuddyer is leaving the Twins for the next four days due to the death of his father in law. He has been placed on the bereavement list. Cuddyer has played in 53 games for the Twins this season and he is 58 of 208 (.279 avg, .810 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 7 homers, 29 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. The Twins have called up 25-year old righty swinging 3B Danny Valencia to replace Cuddyer on the active roster. Valencia came into this season as the Twins’ #6 rated prospect heading into this season according to Baseball America. Valencia has played in 47 games in AAA-ball this year and he is 54 of 181 (.298 avg, .731 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 24 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 479 games in his minor league career and he is 543 of 1,816 (.299 avg, .823 OPS) with 278 runs scored, 54 homers, 265 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Don’t be surprised if the Twins just stick Valencia in the starting lineup at 3B and leave him there as Nick Punto and Brendan Harris have been brutal to watch play this year.