(photo courtesy of Flickr)

I've been working on this post for a while, but haven't been able to finish it. So I'll start over...since today seems like the best time to put an end to the "Delmon Debate".

It's been no secret that I was not the biggest Delmon Young fan heading in to the 2010 season. I wasn't alone. I had perfect reasons NOT to be. He was hitting like crap, fielding like crap and acting like crap. It seems that Delmon has turned the corner on two of the three...

Delmon started the year off the same way he always does...poorly. He hit .222 in April with 2 HRs. His fielding was awful (and still is) but he showed up this year in a lot better shape (what took him so long, is beyond me).

I get that he's only 24 years old...but a 24 year old, who was the former #1 over all pick, who has played 3 years...needs to get his head out of his ass and start producing.

Ironically, that is exactly what he did. I don't know what sparked the fire (you certainly can't blame the Rays...as they have a pretty solid organization)...but someone did. Maybe Tony Oliva's "see ball, hit ball" advice finally made sense. Either way, Delmon crushed it in July after having a solid May and June.

He finally proved he can be a feared hitter beyond his 12 hoppers up the middle. Yes, he STILL swings at the 1st pitch A LOT...but he's drawing more walks and striking out less. And to that, you have to applaud him.

The debate can end here. Right now.

Delmon Young has proven he CAN be lethal...but he needs to do it moving forward. As I write this, it's mid August and he's hitting .196 with no HRs, 3 RBI, 1 BB and 6 Ks this month. I get it, you can't hit .434 every month....but my biggest knack on guys like Delmon is YOU NEED TO PRODUCE WHEN IT MATTERS!

All games matter...to a point. But hitting .434 in July does nothing for me if you hit .185 in October vs the Yankees. If Delmon produces in the playoffs...he'll win over LOTS of "anti-Delmon" Twins fans.

So my offering to you is this: If I refrain from ripping Delmon for hitting sub .200 in a month, you stop wetting your pants when he gets a hit. It's his job as former #1 overall draft pick who is 24 years old to be a stud...and he's starting to do it. This doesn't mean he will do it every year, but at least we know it's in there.

Do us all a favor Delmon........kick ass and take names moving forward.

(and work on your fielding)

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.

I'm pretty sure I've seen more Cliff Lee trade room tweets the past week, than I have LeBron James tweets...which is stupid.

Clearly the Mariners are fueling their own bidding war. I don't blame them...they have to get a good return to get back something, considering what they gave up to get him. But please...and I beg you...PLEASE don't report any "news" if you don't have any. Yes, rumors are great...but don't tell everyone that some teams have offered so and so and then have that not be the truth. Report the story when the story happens...instead of giving us worthless information.

With that said, I think the Twins need to make a play for Cliff Lee. And not just a "lets get rid of our trash" run at him...a legit, "new age Twins", run at him. The latest rumors have the Twins offering Ramos and Slowey for Lee. *** 10 second break to prepare for the huge belly laugh coming your way***. HAHAHHAHAAHH seriously?? Does any real baseball fan believe that the Mariners would settle for that? Yes, Slowey can be effective....but he's not right now, and we're talking about one of the BEST PITCHERS in baseball!

Getting rid of Ramos would be a tough pill to swallow, I get it. Any time you make a run at a guy who is going to improve your team like Lee is capable of (he had more wins vs the Yankees in last years post season, than all Twins pitchers have over the past decade...combined), you're going to have to make a tough choice.

The other rumors (again, just rumors as far as I'm concerned) have the Twins offering Ramos and Aaron Hicks for Lee. This would be a much more appealing offer for the Mariners to consider and, naturally, a lot more for the Twins to have to part with. The 2010 Twins starting pitchers are proving they can't be relied on come October. Even if Liriano dominates all season, that doesn't guarantee us a win in the Divisional Series (see Santana's history in MN). So if we are to blow one of Liriano's starts, we'd have to hope that TWO of other starters can pick up wins?? Doubtful.

Maybe I'm too big of a homer, but I say we make a deal that includes either Ramos and Hicks, or Ramos and Duensing and X. I've been saying it all year...THIS IS OUR YEAR! The stars have aligned (Target Field, Mauer contract, Delmon actually doing something productive...etc). We've slipped in to 3rd place behind the Tigers and White Sox....yes....the WHITE SOX. The White Sox are as disfunctional as my bar league softball team. I'm serious...I bet they show up no minute earlier than they have to, they play their game, hope they win...and drink beers. Great strategy? Maybe...but not for major league baseball.

The biggest issue I have with NOT getting Cliff Lee, is that someone like the White Sox or Rangers will...and we'll face him in the playoffs and he'll dominate our faces in 8 different directions.