The Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Nick Nelson posts an update on the Twins' targets in the wake of them losing out on Cliff Lee (apparently not getting Lee really hurt the Twins' feelings), and where they go from here.
If the Twins want to make a real, significant upgrade to their rotation at the deadline this year, they're pretty much going to have to set their sights on Haren or Oswalt. But, as John Bonnes noted earlier this week on his blog and in his Twins essay for the Primer, there may not be payroll space to take on either of those hurlers...
...Simply put, with Lee gone, the Twins might be out of luck when it comes to adding a starting pitcher this month, unless they're willing to significantly lower their standards.
And on that next tier, Nelson lists one Brett Myers:
Myers' peripheral numbers, however, don't paint a pretty picture; his strikeout rate, walk rate and hit rate are all nearly identical to where they were last year in Philadelphia, when he posted a 4.84 ERA. He's been fortunate enough to see only 8.9 percent of fly balls leave the yard -- easily a career low. His luck would likely catch up with him in the less pitcher-friendly American League.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
