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| Francisco Liriano was alright against Florida on Monday, giving up three runs off four hits without any walks and six strikeouts over three innings. |
Our View: The bulk of the damage was done on a single swing by Mike Stanton, who hit a two-run shot, but other than that, Liriano was pretty sharp. Liriano now has 12 strikeout while allowing just six hits and one walk over seven innings so far this spring and looks ready to a bounceback campaign.
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| Francisco Liriano is starting to inspire cautious optimism in Minnesota that he may be finally regaining the dominant form he displayed during his rookie season in 2006, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: His solid preseason is coming on the heels of his Dominican winter league dominance, so there is reason to hope. He's worth a late-round flier in all formats.
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| Francisco Liriano continued to impress in an Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing one hit, one walk and zero runs with three strikeouts in two innings. |
Our View: Liriano pitched very well in winter ball and has continued to draw praise from the Minnesota coaching staff all offseason long. At this point, he's clearly one of the biggest high-risk, high-reward players in all of baseball.
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| Francisco Liriano said that he feels he's closing in on his form of 2006, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I think it's almost there because I'm throwing harder, and my slider and changeup are getting better," Liriano said. "My arm feels stronger, and my mechanics are better. I think I'm very close. My arm feels great, and nothing's bothering me." |
Our View: Liriano did look great in winter ball and you can bet that the hype will get very intense if he continues to look good in spring training. Liriano was arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball once he entered the majors as a rookie in 2006 and while it's highly doubtful he's ever that good again, there's no doubting his phenomenal ceiling.
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| The Twins have been pleased with Francisco Liriano's performance in winter ball, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Liriano lacked stamina last season, but is now expected to compete for a spot in the rotation for 2010. He is capable of being a strong hurler when healthy, and will be worth targeting as a fantasy sleeper if he looks good in spring training.
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| According to Joe Christensen on Twitter, the Twins have avoided arbitration with left-hander Francisco Liriano, agreeing on a one-year $1.6 million contract. |
Our View: Liriano had a very forgettable 2009, posting a 5-13 record, 5.80 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, but he has impressed in winter ball and no one can forget the dominance he showed back in 2006. The Twins are praying for a bounce-back campaign, and if he shows a semblance of his former self he'll be a steal at $1.6 million.
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| The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that Francisco Liriano has been pitching very well in Dominican winter ball this offseason. |
Our View: "I just got a report that he's throwing the living fire out of the ball down in the Dominican (Republic)," were the words of Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "He threw eight innings the other day, and his fastball was 92-to-94 (MPH), and his slider was filthy. That's a really good thing, because he can be the bonus if we can get him on track." Liriano is coming off a monumentally disappointing 2009 season that saw him go 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA in 29 games (24 starts). If he could make a return to the brilliant form he flashed in 2006, it would be a tremendous boost for the small-market Twins.
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| David Cameron (FanGraphs.com) tweeted that the Mariners are "kicking the tires" on Francisco Liriano. |
Our View: Cameron suggests that the Mariners could swap Jose Lopez with Minnesota in exchange for Liriano. Seattle already improved their rotation in the offseason by acquiring Cliff Lee.
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| Francisco Liriano lasted just 1.2 innings of a 4-1 on Sunday against the Royals. He was pulled after allowing three runs on three hits and three walks and was charged with his 13th loss of the season. |
Our View: What a wasted season for Liriano. He's 5-13 with a 5.88 ERA and you have to go back to August 12th for his last quality start. Or the last start he lasted more than 2.1 innings for that matter.
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| Francisco Liriano has been activated from the 15-day DL following his recovery from left arm fatigue, according to the Sports Network. |
Our View: Liriano is 5-12 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 23 starts, and is expected to work out of the Twins' bullpen upon his return, hence dropping his fantasy stock lower.
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| Francisco Liriano (elbow) threw a successful simulated game on Tuesday, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Liriano is now expected to be activated tomorrow, and to be available of the Twins' bullpen starting on Thursday. In 127.1 innings this season, he has a 5.80 ERA.
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| Francisco Liriano is slated to throw a simulated game Tuesday, according to MLB.com. He has been on the DL since August 18 while recovering from left arm fatigue. |
Our View: Liriano will throw for around 10-12 minutes, and could be activated before the end of the week if he fares fine without any issues.
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| Francisco Liriano could move to the bullpen when ready to return from the DL, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Liriano is dealing with arm fatigue, but felt great during a bullpen session today. An MRI revealed no structural damage, but it is uncertain when he may return to Minnesota. His fantasy stock will take a hit if taken out of the rotation and moved to the pen.
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| The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Francisco Liriano received a cortisone shot in his left elbow Wednesday. |
Our View: On the DL with arm fatigue since August 18th, Liriano has had a nightmare season. Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire says despite getting the shot, he isn't counting on the struggling starter to return to the rotation this season. Even if Liriano miraculously recovered from the elbow strain, his struggles go deeper than that and the Twins would likely keep him on the shelf regardless.
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| MLB.com is reporting that tests on the arm of Twins' pitcher Francisco Liriano revealed no damage. Liriano has been on the DL since August 18 with arm fatigue. |
Our View: This is good news for Liriano, as it looks like it really is just fatigue. It is unclear if he will return to the mound this season, but it seems likely that the Twins may keep him on the DL based on his poor play this season.
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| The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that the Twins have placed starting pitcher Francisco Liriano on the 15-day DL with arm fatigue. He will be replaced on the roster by Phillip Humber, who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. |
Our View: Liriano looked to be on track after an excellent start his previous time out, but he was just awful against the Rangers last night. He has lost almost all fantasy value, and a DL trip could be the best possible outcome for anyone who was still putting him in the fantasy lineup every fifth day.
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| Francisco Liriano was lit up for seven earned runs on seven hits over a mere two innings in Monday's 8-5 loss at Texas. He had two walks and one strikeout. |
Our View: Liriano falls to 5-12, and was a grave disappointment after only allowing one earned run over seven innings in his last start against the Royals. He looks to remain an unstable fantasy hurler.
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| Francisco Liriano looked like the Liriano of old on Wednesday. He dominated the Royals, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings and fanned eight in the 7-1 victory. |
Our View: Liriano returned to the team after attending to a family matter and was lights out. Whatever he did to clear his head, let's hope it sticks, because he's been a depressing fantasy player so far this season.
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| According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Francisco Liriano has left the team to attend a family matter. |
Our View: The Twins are considering skipping his next start in the rotation. With Monday's off-day the other four pitchers would still be able to go on normal rest, and no one would have to witness another brutal performance by Liriano on the mound. The team is hoping that clearing his head and dealing with whatever is bothering him will translate into better performances by him every fifth day. If he struggles upon his return though, it could be curtains for Liriano's starter status.
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| According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, struggling starter Francisco Liriano could lose his spot in the rotation. |
Our View: Manager Ron Gardenhire conceded that Liriano will make his next start, but if he falters that could be it. The Twins don't have many options to replace him should he get relegated to the bullpen, which is probably why he hasn't been demoted yet, but if he performs poorly enough they will get him out of there. He has had a sensationally disappointing season to date, going 4-11 with a 5.63 ERA.
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| Francisco Liriano was roughed up for four earned runs on eight hits over five innings in Wednesday's 8-1 loss at Cleveland. He had four walks and four strikeouts. |
Our View: He missed his last start due to soreness in his left forearm, and that could be to blame for his disappointing short outing tonight. He is now winless over his last five starts, and was dealt his 11th loss.
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| Francisco Liriano is slated to start Wednesday's game against the Indians, according to the Associated Press. He missed his last start due to soreness in his left forearm. |
Our View: Liriano should be fine to pencil into lineups for Wednesday, namely with a favorable match-up against Cleveland.
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| Francisco Liriano (forearm) remains on track to start next Wednesday, MLB.com. He missed his previous outing due to forearm inflammation. |
Our View: The Twins were off on Thursday and are off again on Monday, so they would have had the option of pushing Liriano back a little more without too much trouble. It's a good sign that they are opting to keep Liriano on schedule.
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| Updating a previous report, Francisco Liriano (forearm) will indeed miss his next scheduled start, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: There is no word on whether this injury will require a DL stint, but being hospitalized for a swollen forearm is never a good sign. Brian Duensing will get the start in Liriano's place.
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| The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Francisco Liriano went to the hospital on Tuesday night due to swelling in his left forearm. He had an MRI and could miss Wednesday's schedule start. If he cannot start against the White Sox, the Twins will turn to either R.A. Dickey or Brian Duensing. |
Our View: The fact that Liriano went to the hospital just last night for an injury to his pitching arm indicates to us that he is unlikely to start tonight. The Twins lost Kevin Slowey for the season earlier this week, so the timing of this is certainly poor.
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| Francisco Liriano was solid on Sunday but he did not factor into the decision as the Twins fell 5-3 to the Rangers in 12 innings. Liriano went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking three and striking out six. |
Our View: Liriano was good tonight, and fantasy owners will take six strikeouts in six innings. The walk total was down tonight, and if he keeps his control in check he can be better than his 4-9 record would indicate. He should still be viewed as inconsistent when assessing his fantasy worth.
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| Francisco Liriano fell to 4-9 on Thursday as the Twins dropped the afternoon game to the Yankees by a score of 6-4. Liriano went 5.1 innings and allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits while walking two and striking out five. |
Our View: Liriano didn't have the good stuff today, but his defense didn't help his cause much either. He has been wildly inconsistent, and his fantasy value is very limited right now. He can still give you a solid start every once in a while, but it may not be worth putting up with the bad ones anymore.
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| Francisco Liriano went seven innings for the second straight start on Saturday, but took a no-decision as the Twins beat the Tigers 4-3. |
Our View: After looking horrible for most of 2009, Liriano appears to finally be rounding into form. If he's available in your league, he could be worth an add, and is also a good candidate to buy low from frustrated owners.
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| Francisco Liriano was very good on Sunday in the Twins' 6-2 win over the Cardinals. Liriano went seven innings and allowed two runs on four hits while walking two and striking out six. |
Our View: Liriano showed today that he still has the stuff to be a very good starter, but he has to get some consistency. When he is good, he can dominate like he did today. When he is bad, he tends to be really bad, so fantasy owners need to keep that in mind.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed three earned runs on seven hits over five innings in Tuesday's 7-3 win at Milwaukee. He issued five walks with six strikeouts. |
Our View: It was a sloppy outing for Liriano, but his teammates provided enough offensive firepower for him to collect his third win of the season. He snapped a six-game skid without a win, and looks to remain an unstable fantasy option for his next trip to the hill.
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| The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that Twins' starter Francisco Liriano has eliminated a pitch from his repertoire in hopes of turning his season around. Liriano threw two different versions of a slider, but he has eliminated one of them after he gave up a home run with it is his last start. |
Our View: Liriano said that his sharp slider is his out pitch, but he also threw a slider with a shorter break, which is the pitch he is eliminating. It is hard to believe that one pitch will make much of a difference, but watch tonight to see if he performs any better.
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| Francisco Liriano completed seven innings, but still took the loss in Minnesota's 8-2 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday. He allowed four runs on eight hits, including two home runs. He walked one while striking out six. |
Our View: Yes, Liriano is having a very frustrating season, and this is a game he should have won. But he did last seven innings, and his control was not a problem. Hanging sliders seemed to be his bugaboo tonight.
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| Francisco Liriano noted that he was pitching better after his second quality outing in as many starts on Wednesday, according to the Star-Tribune. "I was throwing the ball down," he said. "I think my mechanics are getting better, too. I think I've just got to stay more relaxed and not try to make perfect pitches. I told myself to calm down." |
Our View: Despite the two quality outings, he has not picked up a win in either. It is a promising sign that he's no longer getting crushed and there's still a lot of potential for him to make a major fantasy impact going forward.
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| Francisco Liriano only allowed one earned run on three hits over six innings in Friday's 2-1 win at Seattle. He issued four walks with five strikeouts. |
Our View: It was a strong outing for Liriano despite the four free passes. He exited the game tied 1-1, so he took a no-decision rather than a win. He allowed 16 earned runs over his previous three starts, so fantasy owners should still be very pleased with his performance tonight.
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| The Miami Herald is reporting that Francisco Liriano is not in danger of losing his spot in the rotation at this time. He may be reevaluated if he struggles in his next few starts, but he is safe right now. |
Our View: Liriano has been bad this season, and anyone holding on hope that he could be a good pitcher this season needs to give it up. He will likely get moved from the rotation at some point, but the Twins are giving him a few more chances.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed four earned runs on seven hits over a mere four innings in Saturday's 5-2 loss at Tampa Bay. He issued three walks with three strikeouts. |
Our View: Liriano suffered his seventh loss of the season, and has not earned a win over his last four starts. He is worth targeting for a bargain price in case he gets back on the right track.
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| Francisco Liriano dropped his fifth game of the season on Wednesday as the Twins fell to the White Sox 7-4. Liriano went four innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out one. |
Our View: Liriano looked like he was starting to put it together, but he reverted back to his early season struggles tonight. His fantasy value has dropped off the map, and anyone holding onto him in hopes of a turn around would probably be best served to give up on him at this point.
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| Francisco Liriano was a bit wild on Friday, but overall he put forth a good effort in the Twins' 5-4 loss to the Yankees. Liriano went six innings and allowed one run on four hits while walking six and striking out six. |
Our View: Liriano was effectively wild tonight, and it was his third decent outing in a row. He is starting to get it together, and if he can continue to do that he will be a very good fantasy pitcher.
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| Francisco Liriano finally notched his first win of the season on Monday, beating the Tigers 7-2. Liriano went 7.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out nine and walking three. |
Our View: It's about time. Many thought Liriano was going to have a breakout season in 2009, and so far he has been pretty bad. His outing tonight gives Liriano owners hope of more of these outings to come. Time will tell if this will get him on track, but this is a very good sign.
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| Francisco Liriano continued his early season struggles on Wednesday as he allowed seven runs in just four innings to the Red Sox. He did manage to strike out six, but he also walked four in picking up his fourth straight loss. |
Our View: Many thought Liriano would be an elite fantasy pitcher this season, but so far he has been anything but. The six strikeouts give owners some hope, but right now he is just not very good.
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| While it didn't stop him from falling to 0-3 through three starts season, Francisco Liriano did get back on track against the Blue Jays on Thursday, giving up one earned run (two total) off seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings. |
Our View: You'd like to see him get his first tally in the win column, but it was still nice to see Liriano looking fine against a Toronto offense that has been tough on opponents thus far. Liriano will get his next crack at a win on Wednesday against the Red Sox.
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| Francisco Liriano had his second straight poor outing as he surrendered five runs on six hits and four walks over just 4.2 innings on Saturday. He took the loss as the Twins fell to the White Sox 8-0. |
Our View: Fantasy owners have to be wondering if Liriano will ever be the pitcher he was before Tommy John surgery. He's now 0-2 on the season and that fantastic K-rate from 2006 seems long gone. He has only fanned six batters in 11.2 innings this season.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed four earned runs on four hits, including two home runs, in Monday's 6-1 loss to the Mariners. He struck out three in seven innings of work. |
Our View: It wasn't an ideal opening for Liriano and the Twins, but he did limit the Mariners to just four base runners in seven innings. Still, the three strikeouts fell well below expectations.
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| Francisco Liriano struck out three while allowing just one run on two hits in three innings against the Red Sox on Thursday. |
Our View: Liriano rebounded nicely from a rough start on Saturday, in which he allowed seven runs to Boston. His spring ERA is still slightly above 5.00, but he remains an attractive fantasy option across all leagues.
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| Francisco Liriano threw just three innings and allowed seven runs on four hits, including three home runs, in the Twins 9-4 loss to Boston. |
Our View: Liriano now has a 5.18 ERA this spring. No cause for concern at the moment, but this is two consecutive outings that he's struggled in.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed three earned runs on four hits over five innings in Monday's 8-7 win over Baltimore, with two walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: Liriano had a tough outing today, but has been solid overall in spring training, and remains a top-15 fantasy hurler for 2009.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed one earned run on one hit over four innings in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh, with four walks and two strikeouts. |
Our View: He had some control problems today, evidenced by the four free passes, but he has been solid in his previous spring outings, and should bounce back fine.
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| Francisco Liriano will start today's exhibition game against the Pirates, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Liriano has been strong so far this spring, and his fantasy stock would not fall with a poor outing today. If healthy, Liriano should be a rock-solid starting fantasy pitcher.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed one run on three hits in three and one-third innings Friday night against the Reds. He allowed a third-inning to Jonny Gomes but struck out five Reds batters. |
Our View: Covering his last two spring outings, Liriano has allowed just one run over seven and a third innings while fanning 10 hitters.
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| Francisco Liriano hurled four hitless innnings in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Orioles, with no walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: This was a strong outing from Liriano, solidifying his ranking as a top-15 fantasy hurler.
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| Francisco Liriano shined in his second start of the spring, throwing three innings while striking out two and allowing only two hits. The start lowered his preseason ERA to a respectable 3.60. |
Our View: Assuming he stays healthy, the more Liriano throws, the better he'll get. Keep a close eye on him this spring, as he may be poised for a breakout campaign, which would make him a mid-round steal.
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| Francisco Liriano had a bit of a rough day on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, two of which were earned in two innings. |
Our View: Liriano has tremendous potential as he was amazing during his rookie year of 2006 before needing Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss all of 2007. He went 6-4 in 14 starts last year with an ERA of 3.91. He'll probably be a late round pick in most drafts, but would be a high risk high reward type player if he were taken earlier.
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| Francisco Liriano will not play in the World Baseball Classic, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Liriano is putting his focus on being a factor for the Twins this season. Liriano was limited to just 14 starts last season and missed the entire 2007 season with an arm injury. He has top-20 fantasy pitcher stuff if he can just stay healthy. That is a big "if."
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| Francisco Liriano commented that he may skip the World Baseball Classic to prepare with the rest of the Twins' rotation in spring training, according to the Star Tribune. He is going to talk to the Twins to get their thoughts on the matter. |
Our View: Liriano looks to be the ace of the Twins' young rotation, and is worth drafting as a top-15 fantasy hurler if you are not worried about his previous arm issues.
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| The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that left-hander Francisco Liriano is pitching in the Dominican Winter League and has a 1.00 ERA through three starts. He is building his pitch count up in preparation for the World Baseball Classic. |
Our View: Let's hope that he avoids further injuring his arm which was surgically repaired a little more than a year ago. When Liriano is on, he is absolutely filthy.
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| Francisco Liriano won his sixth game of the season by throwing seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out seven in the Twins 4-1 over the Rays. |
Our View: Liriano did not have an exceptional last start, but otherwise he has not lost since being recalled in August.
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| Tuesday night's start against the Indians was Francisco Liriano's worst since being called back up to the Twins. He lasted just 2.2 innings and allowed eight runs, four earned, and eight baserunners. He allowed two home runs in the process. |
Our View: Errors by Nick Punto and Carlos Gomez were too much for the young lefty to overcome. This start is an aberration and Liriano should be expected to bounce back strong in his next outing.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed two earned runs on six hits over eight innings in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Kansas City, with no walks and six strikeouts. He exited the game in a 2-2 tie, and was dealt a no decision. |
Our View: He pitched well, and would have won if not for poor run support from his teammates. Liriano is now 4-0 over his last seven outings, and has allowed two or less earned runs in each of his last six.
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| Francisco Liriano had a season-high nine strikeouts in seven innings while improving to 5-0 since returning to the Twins lineup last month. He did give up two homers, though, both to Marcus Thames before leaving in the eighth with no outs. |
Our View: In his seven starts since being called back up, Liriano has surrendered only eight runs. It appears he is back to form and may be becoming one of the most dominant fantasy players in the game for a long time.
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| Francisco Liriano only issued one earned run on five hits over seven innings in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Oakland, with no walks and six strikeouts. He exited the game with a 2-0 lead, and was dealt a no decision as the A's rallied to score two runs to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. |
Our View: He would have claimed his fifth win in August if not for poor run support.
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| Of Francisco Liriano's eight starts this season, two have come against the Oakland Athletics. Tonight, Liriano will lead the playoff-hopeful Minnesota Twins against the A's in the third test of a four-game series from McAfee Coliseum, according to the Sports Network. |
Our View: Liriano first squared off with the Athletics on April 24 by the bay and was reached for six runs and five hits in two-thirds of an inning. The Twins never recovered and were handed an 11-2 setback that day. Liriano rebounded on August 20 versus Oakland at the Metrodome, where he yielded one unearned run and five hits in five frames of his team's 3-1 victory. The left-hander, who will make his sixth start since being recalled from the minor leagues, last pitched on August 25 at Seattle and is 4-0 over the past five trips to the mound. Liriano did not factor in the 4-2 loss to the Mariners after holding them to a run on five hits in six innings of work. He is 4-3 with a 3.83 ERA in eight outings this season.
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| Francisco Liriano only issued one run (not earned) on five hits over five innings in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Oakland, with three walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: He improves to 4-3 over seven starts, and lowered his ERA to 4.24. Liriano has now won four straight starts, and has allowed zero earned runs three times over the span.
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| Francisco Liriano was in fine form Friday, shutting out the Mariners on two hits and two walks while striking out five over seven innings. |
Our View: Liriano has won all three of his starts since returning from the minors, but he hasn't exactly faced offensive juggernauts in Cleveland, Kansas City and Seattle.
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| Minnesota LHP Francisco Liriano may not have enjoyed the same sense of accomplishment that followed his 2008 debut, but he is likely to be proud of the final result as his Twins put the Royals down for the count, 7-3. Liriano pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (all earned) over six his with two walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: The win in his return from injury showcased strong abilities, but it is wise to anticipate slight falls like this. We will see he pitches moving forward, though tonight proves reason for minor worry.
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| Francisco Liriano will face a schedule featuring some of the weakest hitting teams in the majors over his last 10 starts, reports Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. If the rotation goes as planned, Liriano will face Kansas City three times, Oakland and Seattle twice, and also Detroit, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. Oakland, Seattle and K.C. rank 14th, 13th and 12th (out of 14 teams), respectively, in runs scored in the A.L. Tampa is 10th, and Cleveland is ninth. |
Our View: Only Detroit, who is second in runs, could be called formidable. This is great news for fantasy owners who have activated Liriano. He threw six innings of shutout ball in his first start, and based on this schedule, more performances like that could be on the way.
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| Francisco Liriano will make his next start on Saturday against the Royals, according to the Star Tribune. Glen Perkins will start Monday, so the Twins can split up their two lefties in the rotation. |
Our View: If the Twins stick with this plan, Liriano will miss the Yankees and face the Mariners on the next homestand, which could benefit fantasy owners as the Mariners remain the worst club in the AL. Liriano looked good while shutting down Cleveland Sunday, and should be penciled into fantasy lineups.
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| Francisco Liriano shut down the Indians on Sunday to earn his first major league victory since July 23rd, 2006. Liriano threw six scoreless innings during which time he walked three, gave up three hits and struck out five. |
Our View: A fantastic return for Liriano who was 10-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his last 11 starts at Triple-A. Perhaps Soriano can just get back to doing what he does best (throwing the ball) now that he is back where he belongs in the Twins starting rotation.
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| Minnesota pitcher Francisco Liriano will get the start when the Twins face the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a three-game series at the Metrodome on Sunday, according to the Miami Herald. |
Our View: The 24-year-old, who has struggled to an 0-3 record with a 11.32 earned run average, returns to the starting rotation for the first time since April 24th. As a rookie in 2006, the left-hander compiled a 12-3 record with a 2.16 ERA in 16 starts and 12 relief stints, helping the Twins claim the American League Central title. However, Liriano missed the entire 2007 season after developing elbow problems which resulted in Tommy John surgery. The young Dominican was sent to Triple-A Rochester after his early season struggles and dominated, going 10-0 with a 2.67 ERA in 11 starts.
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| Francisco Liriano, recalled to join the major league roster on Friday, is scheduled to pitch for the Twins on Sunday against the Indians, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: Glen Perkins will have his start pushed back to Monday, though eventually the team will try to split up the two lefties. Look for Liriano to try an make a statement after being left in the minors for so long by Twins management.
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| Francisco Liriano has been recalled to the Twins to take the roster spot of Livan Hernandez who was designated for assignment, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Liriano has been dominating Triple-A batters for about two months now, and the team will almost certainly allow him to continue to work his magic from the starting rotation after Ron Gardenhire's comments earlier today that Liriano is a starter not a reliever.
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| Twins hurler Francisco Liriano is likely on his way to the big leagues, possibly at the expense of Livan Hernandez's spot on the roster, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. |
Our View: Liriano had 10 wins and a 3.28 ERA in Triple-A, so despite his earlier poor form in the major leagues, if he is on the waiver wire in your fantasy league, grab him now.
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| The Twins want to bring Francisco Liriano up from Triple-A ASAP, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Liriano is 9-0 with a 2.51 ERA and a 73/9 K/BB rate over his last 10 ten starts. |
Our View: We think the Twins will surely stick Liriano in the rotation and send Livan Hernandez to the bullpen. However, there's at least a possibility Liriano will first pitch out of the pen.
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| Francisco Liriano may soon be rejoining the Twins major league club, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: There is no news in the report about whether or not he would end up starting, but given that the team is considering dealing Boof Bonser to open up a spot for Liriano, it would seem that Liriano could be headed to the bullpen. Time will tell.
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| Francisco Liriano could get called up from Triple-A Rochester soon, but the Twins may use him in the bullpen rather than the rotation, according to the Star Tribune. |
Our View: The team seeks help in the bullpen, but may opt to promote from within rather than make a trade. A move could happen before Sunday, when Liriano is scheduled to make his next start with Rochester.
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| The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Francisco Liriano gave up no runs and only two hits and two walks in seven innings while striking out 10 for Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. He threw 99 pitches, 62 for strikes, in improving to 9-2 with a 3.13 ERA at Rochester. |
Our View: It's hard to believe he is still in the minors and you have to believe the Twins will call him up soon. In his past five starts, he has a 0.26 ERA, with one earned run in 35 innings. In that time, he has struck out 42.
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| Twins manager Ron Gardenhire told MLB.com that he is not happy with Francisco Liriano's grievance with the team. "I'm a little bit tired of that stuff," Gardenhire said. "We have a good team here. We are a game-and-a-half out, I come back into town, and we want to talk about the guy in Triple-A...I just back into town and I hear all this stuff, and Buster Olney is making my team up now and [Liriano's agent Genske] wants to tell me who is going to pitch here. No one is going to tell us who to put on our team and no one on ESPN is going to tell us who should pitch for my team." |
Our View: It's never a good idea to tick off the guy that decides your role. It's a very real possibility that the Twins have kept Liriano in the minors in order that he does not qualify for arbitration or as a Super Two player, but that's business and it shouldn't be a violation for the Twins. Liriano may have just bought himself some more time in the minors.
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| Francisco Liriano's agent (Greg Genske) has reportedly contacted the players' association about pursuing a grievance against the Twins, according to Fox Sports. The union agreed to investigate whether the Twins are violating the collective-bargaining agreement by keeping him at Triple-A Rochester. Liriano is extremely frustrated that he is still in the minor leagues and not pitching for the Twins. Genske claims that that the Twins are keeping him in the minors tp limit his major league service time, and his arbitration eligibility. |
Our View: Liriano has proven that he belongs with the Twins and is recovered from elbow-ligament transplant surgery, as he is 7-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last nine starts with Rochester. His fastball is consistently in the mid-90s and touching 97 mph, according to scouts.
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| Francisco Liriano will be back with the Twins soon. The team just isn't sure yet what role he'll fill. Manager Ron Gardenhire has been adamant that when Liriano returns to Minnesota it will be as a starter, but assistant GM Rob Antony said the team will discuss the possibility of the lefty pitching out of the bullpen, according to the Pioneer Press. Liriano hasn't allowed a run in his past three starts for Triple-A Rochester. |
Our View: The more likely scenario has the Twins sending Livan Hernandez to the bullpen and inserting Francisco into the rotation. He should be up with the club soon.
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| Francisco Liriano has pitched well in three-consecutive starts with Triple-A Rochester, and manager Ron Gardenhire has taken notice, according to the Star Tribune. Gardenhire said, "Those are starting to get to be the numbers you are hoping for. When you haven't pitched in a long time it comes down to consistency and stretching out and he's doing it. He's done exactly what he's supposed to do."
He is 7-0 in his past eight starts and has a scoreless streak of 21.1 innings, and his fastball is topping out at 95.
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Our View: Gardenhire is pleased with Liriano, but is also pleased with the current state of the Twins' starting rotation, and understands the importance of having depth in the minors. He could emerge as an option at some point after the All-Star break, however.
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| Francisco Liriano picked up his seventh victory on Thursday night as he held the Durham Bulls to just three hits and one walk over seven innings. He also struck out eight batters on the night. |
Our View: Liriano is just about "back" from his elbow surgery as he has now walked all of six batters in his last seven starts during which time he has 46 K. He will likely be called up to join the Twins rotation at some point shortly after the All-Star break.
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| Francisco Liriano is 6-0 with a 3.37 ERA and a 45:9 K:BB ratio over 42.2 innings since June 1. "It's a great feeling now because everything is working," Liriano told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. "I think I'm close to where I need to be. I just need to continue doing what I'm doing right now." |
Our View: Liriano would be pitching for other teams, but the Twins have little use for him right now. Their starters have been lights out and the team is on a roll. Still expect to see him in majors before the end of the season. If he's on your waiver wire at the All-Star break, you should pick him up.
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| Francisco Liriano improved to 5-2 on Monday night by holding Lehigh Valley to zero runs in seven innings of work to bump his record to 5-2, according to MILB.com. Even more impressive than the seven shutout innings was the fact that he struck out nine while walking only one batter. |
Our View: Liriano has continued to struggle with his control and had given up 10 earned runs in his previous two outing (10.1 IP). This latest start might signal that he has turned the corner and put himself in a position to be recalled to join the big league club.
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| Francisco Liriano isn't on the verge of returning to the Twins, but the club could call him back up in July. "We're not going to force the issue. We'll let him get enough starts down there to where (the front office) feels comfortable," manager Rob Gardenhire tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "Whether it's at the All-Star break or right before that, I don't know." Liriano is 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA and .214 BAA this month. |
Our View: The Twins want to make fully certain that Liriano is ready this time, as they rushed him earlier this year. The southpaw doesn't figure to return to his 2006 form this year, but he could still help fantasy teams.
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| Francisco Liriano worked 7.1 innings against Triple-A Louisville on Sunday, and he allowed only five hits and two runs while improving to 3-2. The southpaw walked none, struck out five, and threw 62 of his 95 pitches for strikes. He has picked up a victory in each of his last three starts. |
Our View: We have to believe Liriano is getting closer and closer to a bump up to the majors. We don't know that we'll see a dominant Francisco this year, but he's beginning to look more like the hurler of old.
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| The Twins believe LHP Francisco Liriano could return to the club in short order, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: Liriano was solid on the mound on Tuesday for Triple-A Rochester, holding the Durham Bulls to one run over six innings. His control is still a bit off, but this gives Liriano three solid starts in rehab, going 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. Manager Ron Gardenhire is adament that Liriano will be a starter when the does return, thus they want to insure he's ready to go when they make that call.
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| Francisco Liriano tossed six innings of one-run ball on Tuesday night. He allowed six hits, walked one, and struck out seven for Triple-A Rochester. Liriano owns a 3.35 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts over his last eight outings (51.0 innings). |
Our View: Liriano has struggled with his location and consistency, but he's still managed to post six quality starts over his last seven outings. We're sure the Twins management will be asked about him again on Tuesday night and Wednesday.
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| Minnesota LHP Francisco Liriano gave up six runs on seven hits through 6 2/3 innings on Monday, his latest rehab start for Triple-A Rochester, but the team continues to see progress in his work, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: The stats were atrocious to say the least, but manager Ron Gardenhire noted the bulk of the damage was done on one pitch (a grand slam) and that Liriano gave up just one walk and struck out four. The string of success in Rochester has some wondering if the Twins may attempt to bring Liriano back sooner rather than later, but you can bet the cautious approach will be the sell in Minnesota.
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| Francisco Liriano had another solid outing for Triple-A Rochester in a midday game against Syracuse on Tuesday. The left-hander allowed two runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out three in seven innings of work. |
Our View: The outing was Liriano's fourth straight solid minor league start. The team has not defined when he would return to the 25-man roster.
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| Liriano had his third straight solid minor league start on Thursday, allowing three runs on seven hits in eight innings. He walked one and struck out four.
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Our View: The results have been good, but Liriano’s strikeout rate and velocity is not what it was before he had Tommy John surgery. The Twins have no reason to rush him back, especially with the way Glen Perkins has pitched for the team recently.
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| Francisco Liriano worked six innings for Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. He allowed five hits and two runs, walked two, and struck out five. Liriano also added a wild pitch, and he threw 58 of his 91 pitches for strikes. |
Our View: We like the improved strikeout-to-walk ratio, but the pitch count numbers suggest Liriano is still having some control issues. The Twins don't have a timetable for his return.
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| The Star Tribune reports that Saturday actually is Francisco Liriano's next day to pitch. The Twins won't be recalling him this time, but Triple-A Rochester manager Stan Cliburn said the left-hander took a nice step forward Monday. Liriano held Columbus to one run on two hits over five innings, striking out four. |
Our View: This is better. Liriano was 0-2 with a 7.24 ERA in his four previous minor league starts. Cliburn said Liriano continued to struggle commanding his fastball, leading to four walks. There is no definitive timetable for the left-hander to return to the Twins starting rotation.
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| Francisco Liriano is continuing to work on his comeback from TJ surgery but he remains unable to locate his pitches and is still struggling at Triple-A Rochester, according to MLB.com. "I think he was a little confused, because he really thought that he had it all," manager Ron Gardenhire said Wednesday. "He thought he could come up here and dominate some people. It was an eye-opener for him, which is good. Because you need to have a little fear in you in this game -- it's not that easy." |
Our View: Liriano allowed 13 BB in 10.1 innings over three starts with the Twins, and he followed that up with five BB in 4.1 innings in his first minor league start. Everyone comes back from surgery differently, and while Liriano should one day reclaim his previous dominating form, it really was foolish for anyone to expect him to recapture his past glory starting in April.
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| Francisco Liriano could remain in the minors for a while according to the Star Tribune. Liriano is expected to start for Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, and the team told him he will be there for a while. Twins' pitching coach Rick Anderson stated, "Confidence comes with success. He's got to get down there and clear his mind, and he admitted to me that he's thinking too much about what he's doing. I asked him, 'How did you feel before you were hurt?' He said, 'I didn't think, I just threw.' He's not to that point yet. When he does get to that point, he will have success, and success breeds confidence."
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Our View: Liriano struggled over three starts, as he allowed 13 runs over 10.1 innings, with 13 walks and seven strikeouts. He held a 2.71 WHIP, and clearly wasn't ready to join the Twins' rotation yet.
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| The Minnesota Twins sent starting pitcher Francisco Liriano to Triple-A Rochester on Friday, this according to the Sports Network.
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Our View: With several days off in the next two weeks, the team will have their left-hander work on commanding his fastball on the farm. Liriano missed the entire 2007 season after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery and is 0-3 with an 11.32 earned run average in three starts this season.
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| Francisco Liriano allowed six runs on five hits and three walks while lasting just two outs against the A's on Thursday. |
Our View: Liriano looked terrible on the day taking 35 pitches to get just two outs. He is now 0-3 on the year with a 11.32 ERA and it just looks like Liriano doesn't belong anywhere near a major league mound right now. We don't know if the Twins will send him down to work on his location, but he should certainly be on your bench for the moment.
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| Francisco Liriano was a little bit better in his second start, but he still allowed four hits and five BB in just five innings to fall to 0-2. Liriano allowed three runs on the night as well. |
Our View: Liriano is having trouble throwing strikes and controlling the strike zone, and until his control returns he will be nothing more than an average major league hurler. The control should return, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon, so continue to be careful with him.
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| Francisco Liriano made a slight adjustment during his between-start bullpen session, and the small move apparently made a huge difference. "He was a totally different guy because the location of all his other pitches was great," pitching coach Rick Anderson tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune. |
Our View: Liriano did not post good numbers during his minor league rehab stint or in his first start back in the majors. We'll see on Friday if we have reason to be as excited as Anderson.
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| Francisco Liriano failed to impress in his first major league start since September 13, 2006. The southpaw allowed six hits and four runs over 4.2 innings against the Royals. Liriano struck out four batters, but he doomed himself with five walks. "I couldn't establish the fastball. I couldn't throw my fastball," Liriano tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "If I can establish my fastball, I can do better. I was kind of nervous the first couple of innings, but then I got loose." |
Our View: You can't expect anyone to dominate in their first major league game coming off Tommy John surgery. Liriano also didn't look sharp in his minor league outings, and we imagine it will simply take time for him to find his groove again.
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| Francisco Liriano will be called up to start on Sunday against the Royals, this according to the Star Tribune. The Twins will move Nick Blackburn back to throw on Monday and will place Kevin Slowey on the DL to make room for Liriano. Liriano hasn't looked very sharp in the minors so it might be wise to avoid starting him in his first couple of outings until he proves his control has returned. |
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| Francisco Liriano could potentially start for the Twins on Tuesday, according to the Star Tribune. GM Bill Smith stated that the plan was for Liriano to remain with Triple-A Rochester and be prepared to pitch for the Red Wings on Sunday. That seemingly leaves a door open for the Twins to pull Liriano from that Triple-A start, so he could pitch for the Twins on Tuesday against Detroit. But since the weather forecast is questionable in Kansas City and Detroit, the Twins might get another rainout, which would give the team more time with Liriano, who has posted a 7.56 ERA in two minor league starts. We will continue to monitor the status of Liriano.
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| Francisco Liriano struggled again in his second rehab start Tuesday, giving up three runs on five hits, with three walks and three strikeouts for Triple-A Rochester. The lefty needed 88 pitches to get through four innings, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. A spot in the Twins rotation could be opened Sunday if Kevin Slowey is unable to pitch, but Liriano didn't exactly inspire confidence with his two rehab starts. We'll let you know what the Twins plan on doing with the prized southpaw. |
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| Francisco Liriano could start on Sunday and replace the injured Kevin Slowey in the Twins rotation, if all goes favorably in tonight's Triple-A (Rochester) outing, according to the Star Tribune. Slowey sustained an arm injury and continues to feel slight stiffness, and will try playing catch on Wednesday. If he doesn't respond favorably on Wednesday, then Manager Gardenhire said, "The one thing we know is Liriano is right on line for Sunday, if we choose to go that way, if Slowey's not going to make it." Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 2006 and his fantasy stock is back on the rise.
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| Francisco Liriano will make his second minor league start this Tuesday, and if that outing goes well he could return to pitch for the Twins on Sunday if Kevin Slowey (biceps) is unable to go, this according to MLB.com. "First, we've got to see how [Liriano] does," Gardenhire said. "Then we'll make a decision on what we'll do. He should be stretched out to pretty close to 100 pitches tomorrow. Then we'll make a decision after the ballgame as to what we're going to do next. If it goes good, bring him up here." Even if he isn't called up later this week it appears that Liriano is very close to making his 2008 major league debut, so if you drafted him this season you are about ready to start reaping the reward for your patience. |
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| Francisco Liriano is not an option to step into the rotation and replace the injured Kevin Slowey next week. The southpaw will work one more start for Single-A Fort Myers and could then work at Triple-A Rochester, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The Twins have not named a replacement starter for Slowey, but our guess is that Brian Bass and Glen Perkins are options. |
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| Francisco Liriano was roughed up for four runs on six hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in his rehab start for Single-A Fort Myers Thursday. He also committed an error but did finish with eight strikeouts. The original plan called for Liriano to make two rehab starts before rejoining the Twins rotation, but manager Ron Gardenhire recently said it could take longer than that. Given the results from tonight, perhaps the left-hander does need to spend a little more time on the farm before facing big league hitters. |
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| It's possible Francisco Liriano will need more than two minor-league starts before rejoining the Twins rotation, according to MLB.com. "Two starts and we'll see where he's at," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I think with two starts, if everything continues on as is with him stepping up each time, he should be really close to being ready for here. But it has to continue. If he stays flat and stays about the same with his location and he's throwing the ball all over the place, then we'll extend [the Minor League stint] out. It's up to him now to keep elevating [his game]." The lefty will make his first minor-league appearance tonight for Single-A Fort Myers. He will then start in five days for Triple-A Rochester. Nick Blackburn had been the obvious choice to be sent down once Liriano is ready, but he pitched well Wednesday and Kevin Slowey left Thursday's start with an injury, so perhaps he'll need a DL stint. |
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| Francisco Liriano will open the year at Single-A Fort Myers and pitch their season opener, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He'll then join Triple-A Rochester five days later and make a start for them before joining the Twins rotation. "By then, he should be stretched out to 100 pitches," manager Ron Gardenhire said, "and we'll bring him up with us." Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Liriano looked good in his final spring start Friday, but he's struggled overall. Barring a setback, it sounds like he'll be with the big club in mid-April. |
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| Francisco Liriano did just about everything possible Friday to make a case for starting the season with the Twins. He allowed a lone run on three hits and two walks over five innings, while striking out seven, in his final spring performance. Whether he breaks camp with the Twins or heads to the minors to keep working his way back from Tommy John surgery is now out of his hands, but this was a great way to state his case for pitching in the bigs. |
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| Despite his successful Sunday appearance, where Francisco Liriano threw four hitless innings, there are 13 pitchers left in Twins camp indicating the left-hander will start the season on the farm, this according to the Star Tribune. The report noted that with Liriano getting more work at Triple-A, Brian Bass will make the final cut. Until this actually happens, there is no word on how long the team would want their star left-hander to remain in rehab mode. |
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| Francisco Liriano threw four hitless innings against Baltimore on Sunday, with two walks and five strikeouts. This was a great day for Liriano in a very important start, and he should get the green light heading into opening day. |
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| Team officials report Sunday’s start against Baltimore could be the catalyst for decision on Francisco Liriano’s immediate future, according to MLB.com. The lefty has just two spring starts left and Sunday will be the 4th for the star who continues to recover from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his left elbow. Earlier starts have shown Liriano has perfect command of his pitches, but he has yet to let loose with his full arsenal of weapons. Further more, team insiders indicate there may be worries that Liriano is not being fully honest with his health status. During the 2006 season, Liriano had experienced similar issues and repeatedly told the Twins he was fine. The team put him back in action, he got hurt, and suddenly Liriano was in front of the press stating he had been telling the team he wasn’t feeling right all along. The desire is to avoid such misunderstanding and embarrassment this time around and, more importantly, to get Liriano pitching at full speed once more. If he goes full force on Sunday and does well, he should get the green light. If not, expect the Twins to proceed with caution. |
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| Francisco Liriano had another shaky outing on Monday as he allowed three runs on five hits over three innings of work against Florida, with two walks and one strikeout. Liriano allowed three runs in his previous outing and his spring ERA dipped to 8.10. |
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| Francisco Liriano struggled Wednesday in his second spring outing, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out one. The left-hander's 7.36 ERA so far in two spring games is unsightly, but the important thing is he appears to be healthy. Barring a setback, he should be good to go at the beginning of the season. |
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| As expected, Francisco Liriano made his spring exhibition debut on Friday. He allowed a walk and two hits over 1 2/3 innings in his first action against major league opponents since September 2006. He's still expected to be ready to go at the start of the season, though he'll be on a pitch count of about 80-100 each game. |
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| Francisco Liriano will make his spring debut on Friday, this according to a report on the AP. This will be Liriano's first appearance in the States since September 1st, 2006, so look for him to be amped for the outing. |
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| Francisco Liriano felt good on Wednesday morning, one day after throwing 45 pitches in a bullpen session. He confirms with the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he will make his spring debut on Friday. |
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| Francisco Liriano threw 45 pitches in a live BP session Tuesday with no problems. “I didn’t feel any pain, any soreness at all,” Liriano said in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “I feel real good.” It was the second live BP session and fourth throwing session from a mound this spring for Liriano, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery. The lefty said that his fastball and changeup feel good, but that he's still holding back on his slider. Hopefully Liriano can get it all ironed out by the beginning of the season, which it sounds like he'll be ready for. |
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| Francisco Liriano arrived in camp Wednesday after missing the first nine days because of visa problems, according to the AP. "We can start now," catcher Mike Redmond joked. "Franchise is here!" Liriano is coming back from Tommy John surgery, but there have been glowing reports about how he's thrown in his native Dominican Republic. His situation is one of the main things to keep tabs on this spring. |
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| Francisco Liriano received his visa on Monday and was set to arrive at spring training on Tuesday according to a report on ESPN. "I obtained the visa, and I will go away tomorrow for training," Liriano said. Reports are that he is throwing well with no lingering issues in his surgically repaired elbow, but it will be nice to see him throwing on US soil. Liriano is one of the bigger gambles this year as you will likely have to overpay for his services, but if he is able to reclaim his form of two years ago, the price paid will have been well worth it. |
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| The Twins Insider posted Monday that team officials said Francisco Liriano twice hit 97 miles an hour on the radar gun in a recent bullpen session. The report said that he pitched consistently at 92-95 MPH.
Twins GM Bill Smith told the paper that Liriano, who is experiencing visa issues, was at the consulate in Santo Domingo this morning and could be in camp as early as Wednesday.
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| Francisco Liriano may not report until Tuesday next week according to Twins GM Bill Smith, in a report on the AP. Liriano has had visa problems getting out of the Dominican Republic the past week because of a DUI on his record from 2006. “We were hoping he would be able to get it today, but whatever the issue was, it wasn’t an issue with him,” Smith said. “It was more of a consulate issue.” None of this seems to have the team overly concerned. “He threw a couple innings in our academy this morning. He’s in good shape. He’s throwing. It’s all positive. It’s just a timing issue.” The team would love to have Liriano in camp as soon as possible to aide him in his comeback from TJ surgery, but everything should be cleared up soon. |
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| According to the official team website of the Twins, there was still no word Sunday on exactly when left-hander Francisco Liriano will report to Spring Training.
Twins general manager Bill Smith has not been in contact with Liriano's agent, Greg Genske, in the past two days. Liriano is having visa issues and is not being allowed to enter the United States. |
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| Francisco Liriano is not being allowed to travel into the United States due to a problem with his visa. The StarTribune.com reports that the southpaw is having visa problems because of a drunken-driving arrest. The visa issue will cause Liriano to be late for the beginning of Spring Training. "(The Twins) told me to take it easy and not to worry, that everything is going to come out OK," Liriano said. Liriano was 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 2006 and says his surgically repaired elbow is ready for a full work load this spring. |
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| Francisco Liriano said his surgically repaired elbow feels "great" and that there's "no soreness, no pain, nothing," according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Liriano missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery, but he's expected to be ready to roll in spring training and said he's already hitting 94-95 mph on the radar gun. He had a spectacular rookie campaign in 2006 (12-3, 2.16 ERA, 1.00 WHIP) before being felled by the elbow, so he has tremendous upside if he can avoid any setbacks. |
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| Francisco Liriano is progressing well in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, according to the AP. "I saw him in the Instructional League and he is throwing free and easy," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said Wednesday at the Winter Meetings. "We know it's a process, but he's progressing fine. We'll have to see where he is (during spring training). The ball is popping out of his hand." Liriano, who missed all of the 2007 season, should be ready for spring, but a setback could alter his return date. |
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| Francisco Liriano is right on schedule with his rehab from Tommy John surgery, according to the Pioneer Press. The lefty has thrown bullpen sessions and simulated innings, although he has yet to face batters. Barring a setback, Liriano should be ready for spring training next year. |
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| Francisco Liriano, who missed the entire 2007 season due to Tommy John surgery, remains on schedule to be back at full strength for spring training. "I don't want to get too excited and say he's going to be our No. 2 or 3 starter," Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "A lot has to happen before that comes around. I'm not really penciling him in at anything yet until we get to spring training and see how he's doing." Liriano has been throwing fastballs and changeups, although he won't throw breaking pitches until January. |
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| Twins lefthander Francisco Liriano is scheduled to throw off a mound November 1 for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow last November, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Liriano is still on track to open 2008 in a Twins uniform.
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| Francisco Liriano is planning to rehab his elbow during the season and hopefully be able to participate in winter ball in November or December, according to the Star-Tribune. "We have a rehab schedule, and I think we're pretty much pointing toward winter ball," GM Terry Ryan said. "He might be able to participate in some drills in the [fall] instructional league camp ... but we are not going to jeopardize anything with this young man's future." Liriano has spent the past three months strengthening the elbow and building up the rest of his body. |
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| Francisco Liriano hopes he'll recuperate from elbow surgery in time to start throwing off a mound in October, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. "I won't start to throw until two months from now, and I'll do my first bullpen work six months later," Liriano said Friday. |
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| Francisco Liriano underwent successful surgery on his left elbow on Monday, according to the AP. He will miss the entire 2007 as he rehabilitates. |
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| Francisco Liriano will have Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow next Monday and will probably miss the entire 2007 season, the AP reports. Liriano was brilliant as a rookie, winning 12 games with a 2.16 ERA. He also struck out 144 batters over 121 IP, and had a ratio right at 1.00. Liriano was a strong Rookie of the Year and perhaps even Cy Young candidate as of late July, but he only pitched six innings over the last two months of the year as the elbow problem began to rear its ugly head. |
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| Francisco Liriano is planning to see another doctor about his ailing left elbow, according to the AP. Nothing is known at this point, but Tommy John surgery is a possibility. |
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| Francisco Liriano still is experiencing pain in his left elbow, so he left the Twins' facility in Florida to consider undergoing surgery, according to the Star-Tribune. He will be examined again by Dr. John Uribe to help him determine whether surgery is his best course of action. "Francisco continued to experience pain while taking part in a throwing session, and at this point, he felt it was necessary to re-evaluate his situation," said Gene Mato, one of Liriano's agents. "After conferring with the Twins and the different medical personnel that have evaluated him, he will determine whether or not he wants to have surgery in the next week or so." It's not clear yet if the procedure would be exploratory or a full-blown Tommy John ligament replacement. |
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| The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that if Francisco Liriano isn't at 100 percent health by the end of the Dominican Winter League season, he will have elbow surgery, possibly a full reconstruction. General manager Terry Ryan said "We're trying to get a feel for this. We'd like to have him pitch this fall or winter to have a basis to determine his future. … Hopefully, we can avoid surgery and get him as a part of this rotation for next spring." |
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| The Twins will send Francisco Liriano to their spring training and minor league facility in Fort Myers on Tuesday to start a therapy and rehab program, general manager Terry Ryan said. "We're going to put him down there and see how things go, and hopefully before he leaves there he'll be throwing off a mound," Ryan said. |
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| The Twins have decided that Francisco Liriano will not have surgery on his left elbow, according to the Star-Tribune. "We are going to put him through rehab and get him ready for next season," GM Terry Ryan said. However, if Liriano has a setback down the road, surgery is still a possibility. |
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| The Star-Tribune reports that Francisco Liriano got a second opinion on his elbow by Dr. James Andrews on Monday. There were no definitive answers given about what's causing the pain, though an MRI again revealed no structural damage. |
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| ESPNEWS reports that an MRI on Francisco Liriano showed no new damage in the left-handers's elbow. Despite the good news, the Twins have no intention of letting Liriano pitch again this season. It's not clear what the next course of action will be, but it appears that Liriano will avoid Tommy John surgery. |
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| Francisco Liriano will miss the rest of the season after leaving Wednesday's game in the third inning with pain in his elbow, according to the AP. "Obviously he won't be pitching again," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Something is in there bothering and continuing to stop him. ... Obviously when he gets in a game and puts a little extra torque in there, something is not right. We have to make sure we stop it and do what we have to do." Liriano had an MRI after the game, though results weren't immediately known. There is a possibility that he will need Tommy John surgery, which would almost certainly sideline him for the entire 2007 season. |
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| Francisco Liriano left Wednesday's start against the A's in the third inning, apparently re-injuring his elbow. He was cruising along, allowing just one hit through two-plus innings. Liriano's status is up in the air at this point, although this clearly isn't a good sign. This was Liriano's first start since August 7. |
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| The Twins activated Francisco Liriano from the 15-day DL Monday, acccording to the AP. Liriano, who has been out with a left elbow injury, is expected to start on Wednesday against the A's. |
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| Francisco Liriano pitched three hitless innings in his rehab start yesterday, allowing one walk, while striking out four, according to the Pioneer Press. "He was throwing the ball great, they said," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's exciting. Really good news for this ballclub." And for fantasy owners, since Liriano is expected to return to the rotation on Wednesday. |
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| Francisco Liriano will make a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, according to the AP. The plan is to have him throw about 50 pitches. If all goes well, Liriano should rejoin the Twins next week. |
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| As expected, Francisco Liriano tossed a simulated game Wednesday for the first time since going on the disabled list with an elbow injury, according to the AP. "Everything went really good," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's doing very well now. We'll make sure he comes in with no soreness tomorrow." He tentatively is scheduled to make a rehab start Saturday, which would put him in line to come off the disabled list to start for the Twins on Sept. 14. |
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| Francisco Liriano got through a throwing session on Monday and said he felt great, according to the AP. "He threw great," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Everything went good. Wednesday he'll throw to some hitters and we'll see where we're at then." Liriano is shooting for a September 14 return. |
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| If all continues to go well for Francisco Liriano in his recovery from an elbow injury, he could start for the Twins by Sept. 14, according to the Star-Tribune. He reported no pain in the joint after throwing his first full bullpen session yesterday. He'll throw again Monday and work a simulated game Wednesday. |
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| Francisco Liriano, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 8 with a strained ligament in his pitching arm, threw all his pitches off a mound at Yankee Stadium on Saturday and felt no discomfort, according to the AP. "He let it fly," manager Ron Gardenhire said. Liriano is slated to throw batting practice Wednesday at Tampa Bay and could go to Triple-A Rochester for a rehab assignment after that. |
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| Francisco Liriano, who is on the DL with a strained elbow ligament, is expected throw a full bullpen session today for the first time since going on the disabled list, according to the Star-Tribune. If all goes well today and in a similar session Monday, Liriano could face live hitters Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. |
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| Francisco Liriano threw off the mound Wednesday for the first time since landing on the DL August 8 with a strained ligament in his pitching arm, according to the AP. He threw about 45 pitches, only fastballs and changeups, in a 20-minute session. "I'm feeling really good," Liriano said after the workout. "Nothing's bothering me so far." Liriano will throw a similar session at 80 percent on Thursday, and he hopes to throw at 100 percent on Saturday. There's no timetable for the lefty's return, but the Twins are hoping to get him back sometime in September. |
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| Francisco Liriano will be examined Tuesday and hopes to be cleared to throw off a mound on Wednesday, according to the Pioneer Press. He's on the disabled list with an elbow injury, and his availability for the remainder of the season remains unclear. |
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| Francisco Liriano played catch before Friday's game and reported no pain, according to the AP. He will play more catch this weekend with the hope of doing a bullpen session next week. "I feel good," Liriano said. "I think I'll be back soon." Manager Ron Gardenhire said that if Liriano starts to feel any pain at all, he would shut the pitcher down for the year. |
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| If Francisco Liriano returns this season, it could be out of the bullpen, according to the Star-Tribune. "Using him out of the bullpen, if he's healthy, is always an option," said manager Ron Gardenhire. "That's not saying we can't start him again, but it has to be right." |
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| If Francisco Liriano suffers any setbacks while recovering from his elbow injury, he will be shut down for the season, according to the Twins website. Manager Ron Gardenhire said that Liriano's long-term health is more important than the team's short-term goals for the season. |
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| Francisco Liriano threw for the first time on Tuesday since going on the disabled list with elbow problems, according to the AP. He played catch, making 30 throws from 60 feet, and reported no problems. "There's no timetable, so don't start writing timetables," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He was out there for the first time and it's going to be a process." |
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| Francisco Liriano was evaluated by team doctors on Sunday, and he will begin a throwing program on Tuesday, according to the AP. "He looks as good as he could possibly look given the way he started out," Dr. Dan Buss said. That said, manager Ron Gardenhire has refused to put a timetable on Liriano's rehab or target a date for his return to the rotation. Liriano has been on the disabled list since Aug. 11 with a mildly strained ligament in his left arm. |
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| Francisco Liriano could try to throw lightly soon, although it won't be before doctors examine his shoulder and elbow Sunday, according to the Star-Tribune. Liriano had hoped to throw some Tuesday, but the medical staff didn't think he was ready. Liriano is currently on the 15-day disabled list because of weakness in the shoulder and a mild strain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. |
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| Francisco Liriano will see doctors later this week to guage the progress of his injured pitching arm, according to the AP. Liriano has been on the DL with elbow and arm inflammation. "My shoulder is getting better," Liriano said. "I feel better. We want to make sure everything's good before I come back." |
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| Despite reports that Francisco Liriano will begin throwing on Tuesday, that is not the case, according to the Twins website. Rather, Liriano will shut it down until he is evaluated again, which will probably be late this week. |
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| Francisco Liriano will begin playing catch on Tuesday, according to the Star-Tribune. His rehab program will keep him sidelined at least until the end of August. However, it could also take him longer to regain strength in his pitching arm, so a timetable for his return is unclear. |
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| The Twins think one of the reasons Francisco Liriano is experiencing shoulder and elbow problems is because he hadn't done enough of the routine maintenance in between starts that many big-league pitchers do, according to the Pioneer-Press. "Starters sometimes have a tendency to think that after they've started well, now I've got my five days (to rest)," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's not the way it is. That's what he's learning now — you have to work every day. And he's going to find that out over the next few weeks for sure. He's going to have to work very, very hard (to come back this season). He's had enough talks, and he understands. He's going to do the work now." Liriano is now going through stretching and strengthening exercises that initially will require a commitment of at least two hours a day. |
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| Francisco Liriano underwent an exam on Thursday that included a second, enhanced MRI on his elbow, according to the AP. The test showed a mild chronic strain of his ulnar collateral ligament, and the exam also showed weakness and stiffness in his shoulder, which is causing his forearm soreness. Liriano had multiple shoulder problems a couple of years ago. Twins physician Dr. John Steubs said Thursday night that he was "optimistic, but not totally confident" that Liriano would pitch again in 2006. |
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| As expected, the Twins placed Francisco Liriano on the disabled list Tuesday, according to the Pioneer Press. A timeline for his return from pain in his forearm and elbow won't be set at least until he undergoes a thorough examination on Wednesday. |
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| The Star-Tribune reports that Francisco Liriano is out indefinitely with an apparent left elbow injury. After his outing on Monday, the lefty admitted that he was still sore and was unable to throw any of his pitches. "I couldn't even throw the fastball, slider, changeup, anything," he said. "It bothered me every pitch I threw." Liriano will be reexamined by orthopedic physician Dan Buss after the team returns to Minnesota on Wednesday. A trip to the DL for Liriano is very likely. |
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| Francisco Liriano struggled Monday in his first start since being skipped because of forearm inflammation and admitted afterwards that he is still sore, according to the AP. "It started bothering me in the second inning," said Liriano. "It really bothered me. I couldn't throw fastball, changeup, slider or anything." Manager Ron Gardenhire had the following to say: "It's a muscular problem -- as the game was going on, he started to feel it. We had him checked out before, and everything was fine, but we'll have him checked out again. It's muscles, not his elbow." It is not yet known if Liriano will miss his next start, but that seems likely at this point. |
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| Manager Ron Gardenhire does not forsee placing any limitations on Francisco Liriano during Monday's start, according to the Twins website. Liriano missed his last start with elbow inflammation, but that was just precautionary. |
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| Francisco Liriano threw his bullpen session on Friday and was given the seal of approval from pitching coach Rick Anderson. Liriano is on track to start on Monday after missing his last start with forearm inflammation. |
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| Francisco Liriano played catch without pain on Thursday and is still on track to start on Monday, according to the Star-Tribune. Liriano will throw a bullpen session and use all of his pitches today. As long as that goes well, he'll start Monday. |
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| Francisco Liriano said that his forearm was fine and that he would be able to make his next start on Monday, according to the AP. "It's not a big deal," said Liriano. "It's just a little tight." |
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| An MRI revealed that Francisco Liriano has inflammation in his forearm but no problems with his elbow, according to the Star-Tribune. The Twins decided to be cautious and hold the rookie out of his scheduled start today, replacing him with Boof Bonser. "If we were later on in September, we would [let Liriano pitch]," pitching coach Rick Anderson said. "It's just more of a precaution. |
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| Francisco Liriano has been scratched from his start on Wednesday due to inflammation in his elbow, according to the AP. Boof Bonser will be recalled to start in his place. |
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