MINNEAPOLIS -- He no longer throws a fastball that reaches 95 miles per hour. His slider is still very good but no longer great.
Minnesota Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano still has the talent to get major league hitters out, but elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2006 has forced him to make the transition from being someone who wins with overpowering stuff to someone who wins by hitting spots and changing speeds.
Liriano offered a clue as to how that transition is going Monday, when he left the Twins clubhouse after his 6-5 loss to Boston by the time manager Ron Gardenhire was done meeting with the media.
After giving up five runs on 11 hits in four innings -- including five consecutive hits in the third inning -- Liriano's record sank to 2-6 and his ERA rose to 6.42. He moved into a tie for the American League lead in losses, and only White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd has a worse ERA among major leaguers who qualify to be among the league leaders.
Liriano probably had no answers, anyway. His mechanics look perfect in the bullpen, but he can't bring it into games. The Twins see someone who tries too hard and breaks down mechanically in tight situations.
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"Early in the game, he is staying calm and within himself," pitching coach Rick Anderson said. "The ball has angle and shape to it, and once he gets in trouble, it's kind of like a broken record.
"He gets long and gets under stuff. If you look at his pitches, instead of sinking, it is flat. His slider, instead of biting late, it is coming in on a flat plane. He gets in trouble and tries to do too much. Once you do that, your delivery goes, and once that happens, everything else goes with it."
What baffled the Twins on Monday was that Liriano stayed steady in the second inning, when Mike Lowell singled and Rocco Baldelli doubled to put runners on second and third. Liriano used sinkers and sliders to strike out Jason Varitek, Jeff Bailey and Julio Lugo, ending the threat.
Instead of taking off from that point, Liriano fell apart in the next inning.
Jacoby Ellsbury reached on an infield single, but Liriano picked him off for the first out. Dustin Pedroia singled, then Kevin Youkilis doubled, again putting runners on second and third.
Jason Bay doubled to left as two runs scored -- then stole third when Liriano didn't pay attention to him. Bay scored on Lowell's single, giving Boston a 3-0 lead.
Liriano got the first two outs of the fourth but then gave up two singles, followed by a two-run double to Youkilis on a pitch that flattened out over the plate. The Twins' four-game winning streak came to an end, despite home runs from Michael Cuddyer and Joe Mauer.
The smooth delivery Liriano had while warming up had become a spin toward third base.
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"I'm not sure what it is," Twins catcher Mike Redmond said, "but we are going to try to figure it out and keep going out there and give him as many innings (possible) and put up as many zeros as you can. Probably some confidence (issues) too."
Manager Ron Gardenhire said Liriano will look at video with Anderson this week and, hopefully, will understand what happens when he loses his composure on the mound. There were no indications Sunday that his spot in the rotation was an issue. But the Twins definitely want to see some results.
"He's got stuff," Gardenhire said. "It's not always about 95. It's about that good, hard sinker he's got that's running all over the plate, that nasty slider and that nasty changeup. He's got three major league pitches -- above average -- when he stays in control and throws it."
Today's game
Who: Boston at Minnesota.
When: 7:10 p.m.
TV/radio: FSN (GF Channel 28); KNOX (1310 AM).
Starting pitchers: Boston, Jon Lester (3-4); Minnesota, Nick Blackburn (3-2).
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