MAY 23, 2009 -- MINNESOTA 6, MILWAUKEE 2

I’m on vacation this weekend for the Memorial Day holiday, and also the Twins breezed to their second consecutive easy victory against the Brewers on Saturday night – two reasons why this post will be relatively brief. I was very happy to see Anthony Swarzak throw seven shutout innings in his major league debut and quite nonplussed when Ron Gardenhire took him out in favor of shutout-wrecker Matty Guerrier. It’s becoming a disturbing trend – taking out starters who are mowing people down and bringing in the bullpen to either blow leads or make them unsafe, and most of the time Guerrier is involved in that effort. I know the kid’s out there for his first major league start, but banking on the poise that he displayed in the post-game interview, he wasn’t scared at all and appeared to have that swagger that the good ones possess. Now, it’s just one win, and most likely Swarzak will only get another start or two before the less talented Glen Perkins comes back from an injury, but it’s a good sign that the farm system can still develop solid pitchers.

I have to comment on the performance of Joe Mauer. You’ll read absolutely nothing pessimistic regarding Mr. Mauer, who I believe is the best hitter I’ve ever seen. He was at it again on Saturday, hitting a home run along with another base hit. I read in a national publication earlier this year that one scout had it that Justin Morneau had the sweetest swing in baseball, and I nearly spit out my coffee when I read that. Mauer’s swing is a thing of beauty, and it’s also Mauer’s presence in that batting order that stirs the drink in the Twins lineup. The team will go as far as Mauer goes. Plain and simple. Morneau is indebted for life for the MVP he received in 2006 because in all reality the MVP just on the team was undoubtedly Mauer. The guy is simply super-human. He is the anti-Punto. And that’s a very, very good thing.

Scott Baker should be pitching for a spot in the rotation tonight. He’s sucked so much that it’s almost laughable to remember that he was penciled in as this year’s opening day starter before an injury scratched him of the honor. In my world, if Baker doesn’t cut it tonight, it’s his spot that Swarzak should fill once Perkins is ready to come off the DL. Sadly, the Twins invested a lot of money in Baker and won’t do that in a million years.