It's becoming more obvious by the game that the Twins need to make a move to their pitching staff. It's unfortunate because the pitching was supposed to be our bread and butter. All we heard was "every single one of our starters is capable of winning 15 games this year"...too bad you have to finish 5 full innings to qualify for win.

There are a handful of obvious names out there that the media has been using as possible targets for the Twins, but I think there is one guy who is being overlooked.

Dan Haren.

He's a career 3.68 ERA pitcher with a career WHIP of 1.16. Add the fact that he's a strikeout machine playing on a bad team...and I think the Twins can make a serious run at him. The downside: His career numbers after the All Star Game aren't the best. The reason I like Haren is that he attacks hitters. The Twins have been notorious for their great defense...and that helps out a pitcher more than people give it credit for. Eddie, LaTroy and co. made a living off having a good defense behind them. Target Field is also a pitcher's park (so far) and Haren would have a chance to pitch in a pennant race.

What do we give up for him? Good question. Ramos, obviously....but maybe it would only take Ramos, Slowey/Blackburn and another mid tier prospect. If we could score a low prospect in return, then I think it's a no brainer. The Twins traded Mark Hamburger for Eddie G two years ago...and Eddie was garbage. Hamburger is A+ ball and has a 2.11 ERA in 38+ innings...not too bad.

I guess I'm saying that I'm sick of the Twins pitchers being the same guy each night with a different jersey on. Liriano has better stuff and Pavano has the control. But with Baker possibly pitching through injuries and Slowey and Blackburn throwing 92 mph heat and non moving breaking pitchers...we're not going to make up much ground.

Dan Haren would give us a better chance to win every 5 games. Liriano, Pavano and Haren give us a shot to win each night...and hopefully so will Baker. Obviously it's not that easy, because our hitters have to do their job too...but the time to make a statement about the "new" Minnesota Twins...is...NOW.

You have to love the game we all play called "Favreopoly"...just take last night as an example.

Brett Favre attended the ESPY's because he was up for a few awards. He and Greg Lewis actually ended up winning for "play of the year"...rightfully so. But it was his comments about his ankle that gave the media the warm feeling in their happy place.

Did anyone seriously think that Favre was going to say "my ankle feels better than it ever has..."? C'mon. I do find it weird that he, himself, called the surgery "minor" when the story broke that he was getting it done.

Which brings me to this: The game of "Favreopoly" is no different than the game "Monopoly"........because it never really ends!

It's the same moves each summer. Little nugget here, injury there, throwing to high school kids this day, avoiding the media that day...and of course, giving the media teasers so they go tell they world they have "breaking news".

At this point, I just sit back and laugh...you go and do your thing Brett. Not because you're an egomaniac, but because you can...and you've earned it.

See you August 19th...at 10:03 am.