¡VIVA RIVAS!

While the big story for non-partisans and Royals fans was Jamie Moyer impersonator Mark Redman and his CGSHO, for Twins fans it was all about Matt Garza, who pitched into the 8th inning while giving up two runs.
In his previous outing at Baltimore, he gave up only one run in a quality start, but his strikeouts left something to be desired (only one) and hitters hit several balls hard right at people.
Tonight, he struck out 7 mixing his off-speed pitches down in the strike zone to counter his 96-mph fastball. While the Royals are, overall, a terrible team, this team has some serious talent on the offensive end, and lately they've been giving contending teams like the Yankees and Red Sox fits. As any fantasy baseball player worth his salt will tell you, David DeJesus and Mark Teahen should be good for years to come, and veterans Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Sweeney and Emil Brown are no push-overs, which adds legitimacy to Garza's effort.
With outings like tonight's, it's hard not to drool over visions of Santana, Liriano and Garza leading the team to the promised land -- a first round playoff victory over the Yankees. (I bet you thought I was going to say a World Series. Baby steps, baby steps. That's for next year, the 20-year anniversary of 1987) Wouldn't that be nice?

Garza leapfrog?

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If Silva keeps costing the Twins precious victories, might Silva be pulled in favor of Garza as the fourth man in the playoff rotation? From A-ball to playoff starter in one season would be a storybook year -- and an awful lot to ask from an excitable young pitcher. It's great to see enthusiasm on the field, but it's disconcerting to see Garza obviously bending backwards in the dugout over the Twins' lack of hitting late in the game. Might a playoff game at Yankees Stadium be too much, too soon for the young right-hander? As much as I love Garza, right now I have to say 'yes.' If he keeps pitching like this and Silva keeps delivering the spicy meatballs, though, it will become harder and harder to keep him out of the rotation. If Liriano and Radke, for some unspeakably horrifying reason, both can't come back, the Twins may have no choice.

Someone get Morneau a tu-tu -- the man can streeeetch. The first baseman made another wince-inducing stretch on a great play by Punto. That comes fresh on the heels of his incredible splits on Castillo's highlight reel dive and throw over the weekend. Remember Morneau circa 2004? He wouldn't have made those plays. Maybe the big Canadian is on a strict off-season hockey goalie regimen. Naw, probably just yoga with Punto.

Do not run on Cuddyer, who made another highlight reel play with a rope to 3B. Slightly better throwing arm than Jacque Jones, who believes real men overthrow their cutoff man. He remains the only Twin I've ever seen throw the ball into the stands behind home plate from the OF.

See you in '07

The Star Tribune sadly, though not surprisingly, reports we probably won't be landing Red Sox lefty David Wells for the playoff run. Big Papi in the hospital, Varitek, Manny, Trot, Wily Mo and rookie pitcher Jon Lester all injured -- I'm sensing a new streak. The Curse of the Caveman? (Johnny Damon)

The NY Times observes that the Tigers strength all season -- they're starting rotation -- could be their achilles heel in the final month of the season.