Francisco Liriano turned in his most promising outing of the season on Saturday against the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees (why they need two hometowns, I have no idea). Liriano didn’t factor into the decision, but he looked great nonetheless. Over 6 and 1/3 innings, the man once tagged as “The Franchise” within the Twins organization, gave up one earned run on three hits (none for extra bases).
Most impressive of all, Liriano struck out seven while walking just one. His most concerning numbers this season have been his high walk totals. It appears that he has found his control in Rochester while only issuing six free passes in his last 34 innings pitched. Over that period, he has had his share of tough outings, but the fact that he is giving away less freebees, is what the Twins are thrilled to see. He still has ways to go before he proves that he can be dominant once again, but his seven punch outs on Saturday were a season high, so hopefully it’s a sign that he is slowly putting things together. During his last Triple-A stint, in 2005, Liriano had a K/BB ratio of 4.66. Over his past 5 starts his ratio stands at 3.83 K/BB.
If Liriano stays on track, I would expect the big club to be calling his name before the All-Star break. If he is available in fantasy leagues, pick him up and stash him ASAP. He will be a solid contributor in the second half, and barring any future injuries, he’ll be a valuable arm on any keeper league roster. With a ceiling as high as his, and a nickname like “The Franchise,” you don’t want to miss out on this buy-low kind of talent.
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