Bill Smith, Minnesota Twins' GM Is Still Cutting the Fat

Your Minnesota Twins will make some great acquisitions in the next couple of weeks.

Their names? Francisco Liriano and Michael Cuddyer.

Sure, there are rumors that this team is interested in former Twins reliever LaTroy Hawkins. If they do make this move, it will be a non-event, and may have an effect similar to that of having a former college roommate move in with you ostensibly until he “gets on his feet”, only to sleep on your couch for six months, eat all your food, and not contribute to the bills in any way.

The problem for the Twins is that all their couches, guest rooms, and perhaps even the roof of the house, are already filled with these kinds of guys. You could almost make a whole fraternity of guys on this team right now that are pillaging the fridge without making substantial contributions to this team’s chances of winning.

It’s a full house, and it’s about to get even more crowded.

The Twins' win against the White Sox last night was a major boon to their chances of clinching the division title. In addition to their strong—dare I say dominant—performance, the Cleveland Indians managed to shut out the Detroit Tigers, keeping the Tigers comfortably in the rear-view mirror, while the Twins attempt to bear down on the division-leading White Sox.

Ultimately, the Twins will rely on a (hopefully) good showing against the Sox in this series as proof to themselves, and the media, that they don’t need any more help to get to the postseason, beyond what they already have in their system.

In fact, the Twins might even wait until September call-ups to allow fans in the Metrodome to get another glimpse of Francisco Liriano. They will sell the return of Michael Cuddyer as the right-handed bat they sorely need to better handle lefty pitching, regardless of his numbers this season.

They will point to the return of Liriano as the boost to the pitching rotation everyone was clamoring for, and they will wait for either injury or the expansion of rosters in September to allow this “acquisition” to take place.

Unfortunately for the Twins' brass, while these might be good statements to send out in a press release or in an interview with the placating Star-Tribune writers, it’ll be a harder sell to not only the fans, but the players in the clubhouse.

Tough questions remain if the Twins stay on course and do not do anything to open holes for these players when they return to the Metrodome. Who’s the odd-man out when Cuddyer returns? Odds are OF Denard Span will be shipped back to Rochester, lest the Twins further damage OF Carlos Gomez’s supposedly fragile psyche.

There are more reasons for the Twins to continue hitching their wagon to the Carlos Gomez crazy train. Lest we forget, Gomez was the centerpiece of the Johan Santana trade. Those who do not consider this fact when marveling at how long the Twins left Gomez unchecked in the leadoff spot do not understand this team’s strategy in terms of public relations, whatsoever.

Contrary to what the Twins' organization might try to tell the media, and thus, the fans, the Twins are keenly aware of public perception and desperately try to control public perception through nothing but stubborn adherence to the company line.

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