All the Young Dudes

With garbage blowing across the infield and seagulls moseying between first and home, the Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander threw a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the first no-no for the Bengals since Jack Morris tossed one in their World Championship season of 1984. A career-high twelve strikeouts for the lad, who is racing through his second season as if ignorant of something called the sophomore jinx.

You might ask, why the living mother of Jesus should I care? Well, I bring this up because, first of all, I'm still a Tigers fan, transplanted from the great, though endlessly cloudy, state of Michigan. But I raise the issue to reiterate what I still consider is folly on the part of the Twins: keeping Garza in the minors to save money in the year 2010. Look at the Tigers: instead of allowing Verlander to languish in the minors, thus saving the team many dollars in arbitration and free-agent money, well, Detroit brought him up quickly, in the hopes of, what? Oh, make it to the World Series (that old thing). Dude started in the minors the same year as our own young fresh fellow, Matt Garza, but Mr. Verlander already has one full, rookie-of-the-year season and a no-hitter under his belt.

I do know that Garza's no Verlander. But as I mentioned before, the guy (Garza, that is) would be better on the mound--the Metrodome mound, that is--than Ortiz, Silva, or Ponson (of the Aruban I think we're all on the same page). Even if the youth falters, its part of his continued development. When Ortiz flutters and fails, well, that's him at the end of his rope.

If the Twins are going to penny-pinch forever, even after the new digs are built, well, I for one feel cheated. Get the kids up here, and do it quickly. Even if the season's a bust. Maybe next year we'll be just that good. If Garza's so great he'll be draining Pohlad's bank account, well, as one notable put it, that's great.

Anyway, tonight one of our pups worked wonders (and yes, I consider the Twins my team). Mr. Kevin Slowey, fresh from the minors, working his third start against the Atlanta Braves. Six innings, seven scattered hits, two earned runs, and the 'W'. Uh, one measly strikeout. Whatever. We'll take it. But I'd still love a four man rotation that begins with Santana, works through Boof and Slowey, and closes with Garza. Might be interesting, it might.

Oh, and check out Kevin Slowey's photo at ESPN. Mysterious, contemplative, but can he see into the future?!?