A quick note that I’ve got an article over at Ballhype discussing many of the free agent signings of last off season, so please check it out and hype it up, if you deem it worthy. It is the first of what I expect to become regular baseball columns at Ballhype. It gives me a good opportunity to expand my focus beyond the Twins once every week or so.

The Twins didn’t exactly head into the All-Star break with the momentum it looked like they were building on Friday when they scored 32 runs in the double-header. In the two games following they narrowly escaped being shut out on Saturday and where then held to 3 runs in a Javier Vasquez complete game.

Everything came apart for Carlos Silva and the Twins in the third inning on Sunday. Rob Mackowiak led off the inning with a home run and Luis Terrero followed that up with a double. Silva managed to retire the next two batters, but then the White Sox exploded for 5 straight hits. Tadahito Iguchi singled in the second run and Jim Thome blasted his 14th home run of the season. Paul Konerko added another home run for the third of the inning. Prior to the game, Silva had not allowed more than 1 home run in any of his starts this season.

The Twins managed to come back with 2 runs right away in the fourth inning, but the 5 runs deficit was too much to overcome. Each team later added another run and the Twins went on to lose 6-3

Game Notes

• Justin Morneau had a rare start as the DH as Gardy gave him a little breather before he takes part in the home run derby on Monday and the All-Star game on Tuesday. Jeff Cirillo started at first.
• Morneau hit his 24th home run of the year and also singled for a 2-4 day at the plate. He ended the first half of the season with 24 HRs, 74 RBIs and a .295 batting average. Those numbers are remarkably similar to his 2006 pre All-Star line of 23 HRs, 73 RBIs and .300 batting average.
• Nick Punto had 2 hits including a double. He was 5-15 in the series.
• Outside of the 3rd inning Silva pitched okay on his way to his 10th loss. Unfortunately in baseball the third inning counts just as much as the other innings.

All-Star Notes

Justin Morneau will be the first Twin since Gary Gaetti in 1989 to participate in the home run derby, so it might actually be worth your time to watch. I know I’m a little more excited about it this year than last. Ron Gardenhire will have the duty of pitching to Morneau.

Possibly thanks to some cheating from Giants fans (how dare they!) Torii Hunter will re-unite with Barry Bonds in the All-Star game. Of course Torii’s last visit to an All-Star game in 2002 featured the robbing of a Bonds home run by Hunter.