Bass Ackwards (Does this team have a trainer?)

Last year, the Twins seemed pretty certain going into the season that they were going to have a lights-out pitching staff and starting rotation. They had Johan, Bradke, Carlos Silva (hadn't turned into a pumpkin yet), Kyle Lohse (ditto) and promising rookie Scott Baker (Liriano was in the bully).
The question was their offense.
Then of course, they went out and hit the ball okay and scored some runs, while every one of the starters except Santana got bombed on a nightly basis.
Eventually they moved Liriano into the ro', Radke got his shit together, and Silva was at least passable for the second half.

This year, the talk was different. No pitching, we have said. Terrible rotation, we have heard.
But the lineup and defense, this would be the strength (besides of course, the bullpen), and that would keep them afloat.

Is anyone surprised that the starting rotation has been strong, while the lineup has been sucking mufflers?
Silva and Ramon Ortiz have both been terrific in two starts, and Sidney Ponson has looked pretty good for a No. 5 as well. Boof was pitching the game of his life for 4 innings Sunday before losing it, but I still like him.
Johan is Johan.
And now the rotation is the least of the team's problems.
I give up trying to figure this game out.

And honestly, the lack of offense isn't the biggest problem, either.
It's injuries.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You just shouldn't get hurt that much playing baseball.
But Rondell White, Jeff Cirillo, Juan Rincon, Jesse Crain, Lew Ford, Jason Bartlett and now Nick Punto have all had to miss at least one game with some sort of injury, and we're, what, 12 games into the season. Jesus.
And now it sounds like Punto is headed for the DL.
Josh Rabe's pathetic effort on what became an inside the park homerun for Carl Crawford highlighted the lack of OF depth (Jason Tyner pretty much has to be in LF until RonDL comes back), while losing Punto and Cirillo makes Luis Rodriguez the starter at 3rd.
I don't know what kind of roster move they make if Punto does go on the DL. I suppose they call up either Matt Moses (not ready) or Glen Williams (shitty).
Maybe the team should look into a trade or taking someone off the free-agent scrap heap.

*Joe Nathan has give up as many runs (25) in 76 non-save situations as a Twin as he has in 136 save situations. I've written before how he's a different pitcher when a save isn't on the line, and we saw it this weekend, with Nathan giving up Sunday's game, and nearly Thursday's as well.
Just think, if it wasn't for that amazing base running blunder-turned double play on Thursday, the Twins would've lost 3 of 4 at home to the D-Rays.

*Hey Gardy. Do us all a favor.
Stop hitting Mike Redmond in the 3-hole you stupid dumbass. He's a backup catcher. He has no power, and even when he gets hits (yeah, I know, he batted .341 last year) they're usually cheap dribblers through a hole. This is not a Major League 3-hitter. The 3-hole is generally for the best overall hitter in the lineup - or at least a guy who can drive in runs.
Your lineup contains Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter and Jason Kubel, and Redmond hits third.
You're embarrassing yourself every time you write out a lineup like that.
(To be honest, Joe Mauer probably shouldn't hit 3rd, either when he's in the lineup. Mauer should hit 2nd, with Morneau 3rd, Cuddyer 4, Hunter 5, Kubel 6, White 7, Punto 8 and Bartlett 9.)