It’s been a little crazy around here since the last time I posted.

The M & M boys hit back-to-back Home Runs on consecutive nights. (thats Mauer and Morneau to us by the way Yankee followers). Mauer is hitting HR’s at the pace of Babe Ruth, which is out of character for him (but very welcome). Joe Crede hits a walk-off extra-inning Grand Slam as the clock turned to 12:00 AM on my birthday. Follows it up the next night with a game winning RBI single (though a bloop). Sweep the Tigers. Then 3 consecutive walk-off come from behind losses to them damn Yankees.

Which brings me to the subject of the this articles title, ie.: The ‘Launching Pad.’

This is a term my friends and I came up with back in the day, and it refers to a pitcher on the Twins roster who has been nothing short of brutal in his attempts at pitching for them. Giving up runs by the bucket load, and HR’s at the most inopportune of times. ie.: Pitches the ball and it flies of the bats of the opposing teams hitters. Therefore, he is ‘The Launching Pad.’

Past holders of the moniker (Twins enthusiasts should remember why):
-Joe Mays
-Latroy Hawkins
-J.C. Romero
-Kyle Lohse
-Rick Reed
-Carlos Silva
-Terry Mulholland
-Juan Rincon
-Boof Bonser
-Ramon Ortiz
-Sidney Ponson
-Livan Hernandez

To name a few since the year 2000 (eh…).

And then, you get to 2009.

The starters have all each had their moments, but have lacked consistency. And none of them has an ERA below 4.27. One start they go a strong 7 innings, and the next game they throw a stinker (Not enough strong 7’s though).

Then the bullpen.

I actually can’t believe there are team’s with a worse bullpen this year, but the Twins are currently 27th in the MLB, with a 5.52 bullpen ERA, with the Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals, and the LA Angels being statistically worse.

The only guys I do not contact NASA to confirm the launch status is a ‘Go’, are for left-hander Jose Mijares and closer Joe Nathan. But even he’s blown 2 of his 8 save opportunities so far in 2009 (one by way of HR). That latest of which was Friday against them damn Yankees in the series opener and at the new field the Twins had hoped would exercise the futility demons from the old damn Yankee Stadium.

GM Bill Smith needs to cut his losses sooner rather than later and jettison this years ‘Launching Pad’:

- Everyone in the Bullpen with a first name that doesn’t begin with the letter ‘J’ (Besides Jesse Crain…).

Crain and Craig Breslow given up the losing hits in the past 2 games (and have 9.00 and 7.11 ERA’s respectively). Luis Ayala (it appears to me) can’t get anyone out. R.A. Dickey in theory is a good piece for the ‘pen, but his knuckleball hasn’t knuckled enough. Matt Guerrier has been good when he’s given time to recover, but also has been shelled for 4 runs in a .2 IP appearance against Toronto and leads the bullpen with 4 HR’s given up.

Phillip Humber was sent down, as was the Juan Morillo fireballer experiment, and Brian Duensing never really got a chance.

But its time to try something else.

Either give someone in the system a chance, or make a move.

And if that route, it has to be a big move.

No other team’s spare parts will be enough to stop the Rockets from reaching orbit courtesy of the 2009 ‘Launching Pad(s)’.

(18-21) Minnesota Twins @ (15-22) Chicago White Sox Series Preview:

TUE: (1-4) Scott Baker (R), 6.95 ERA. vs. (5-1) Mark Buehrle (L), 3.00 ERA.

WED: (2-4) Francisco Liriano (L), 5.21 ERA. vs. (2-3) John Danks (L), 4.82 ERA.

THU: (2-2) Nick Blackburn (R), 4.38 ERA. vs. (2-3) Bartolo Colon (R), 4.21 ERA.

-Minnesota was swept by the Yankees in New York after doing the same thing to division rival Detroit at home, thus are loser’s of their last 4. But Chicago also enters the series with a 5-game losing streak, after being swept by the Jays in Toronto.

Headlines:

-Jim Thome’s latest Home Run, #548, has moved him into a tie for 13th on the All-Time list, with Mike Schmidt.

-OF Carlos Quentin, who has been bothered by a sore foot, could return to action against the Twins.

-After being swept by Toronto, the Sox head home in shame.

-One of the bullpen guys I trust, Jose Mijares, has turned it around since he was sent to AAA at the end of spring training.

-The sweep by the Yankees wasn’t the only bad thing to come out of New York, as starter Glen Perkins has landed on the DL. Left-handed reliever Sean Henn from Rochester has been called up. He has pitched 24 innings and posted a 1.13 ERA and WHIP, with 32 K’s and 6 Saves so far in AAA, but also has a 7.56 career MLB ERA in 40 appearances over 4 seasons for the Yankees and San Diego Padres.

-Some of the young hitters in Minnesota’s lineup, are testing Coach Ron Gardenhire’s patience.