Around the AL: Looking for Liriano

The agent for pitcher Francisco Liriano wants to know why his client continues to toil away at Triple-A Rochester rather than rejoin to the Minnesota Twins’ rotation.

The Twins, meanwhile, are basically telling him to mind his own business.

Liriano won his eighth consecutive decision for Rochester last Thursday, and agent Greg Genske has urged the players’ association to investigate whether the Twins are keeping the pitcher in the minors so he won’t qualify for salary arbitration.

“No one is going to tell us who is going to be on our team,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I don't know who is throwing this out there, but it is a joke. We have a player in Double-A who's got like 18 homers. His agent is going to start calling us. They cannot dictate what we are going to do."

Liriano went 12-3 as a rookie in 2006 before undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery. He spent 14 days with the Twins in April, but was optioned after going 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA.

In a span of four starts at Rochester, Liriano went 4-0 with a 0.32 ERA, three walks and 32 strikeouts.

"We contacted the players' association and laid out the facts, and they determined that it was reasonable cause to initiate an investigation," Genske said.

If Rick Ankiel can do it...

The set-up was ominous, the news that came later hardly a surprise.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Adam Loewen stopped by the home clubhouse at Camden Yards on Saturday and told reporters that he’d address their questions at a press conference later that afternoon — an arrangement that the media knew nothing about until the left-hander spilled the beans. He agent, Scott Sanderson, was in the building.

This wasn’t going to be a simple announcement about Loewen undergoing a second surgery to repair another fracture in his left elbow. This was going to be much more.

Loewen has informed the club that he’s no longer willing to put his arm through another surgical procedure — he had a four-inch titanium screw implanted last year — and a lengthy rehab process. Rather than be sidelined for an estimated 1 ½ years, Loewen has decided to transform himself into a position player.

“It was devastating news, but I've always had a backup plan, so I'm sure I didn't take it as hard as anybody else would,” he said. “As much as I love pitching and love playing for the Orioles, I still have a chance to do that. It's going to be a long and tough road, but I did it one time, and hopefully I can do it again. I know what to expect and I think I'm mature enough where I can do this. And I'm still young enough to where I can do this.”

Loewen was the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft out of British Columbia. Some teams liked him more as a hitter, but the Orioles saw him only as a future No. 1 starter — until now.

“The good news is that we have a player here that, as an amateur, was very much a hitting prospect as well, and he has assured me that he can still hit and wants to hit, so the club is prepared to embark on that path with him,” team president Andy MacPhail said. “Once this season is over, we’ll start career No. 2 for Adam Loewen, which will be in the outfield somewhere in the Baltimore Orioles system, provided we can sort through a number of obstacles and technicalities that we have to agree upon to sort of get this career re-started again.”

MacPhail indicated that the Orioles will have to “severe” Loewen’s contract, which doesn’t allow him to go to the minors without passing through waivers. He signed a major league deal after being drafted, and he’s out of options.

Loewen, who won’t need surgery if he stays off a mound, is expected to begin swinging a bat in the fall instructional league while trying to emulate Rick Ankiel — who had the advantage of batting in the National League on the days he pitched. Loewen hasn’t been a competitive hitter since batting .353 in 45 games at Chipola (Fla.) Junior College.

“It's going to take time, it's going to be a real challenge, but Rick Ankiel did it, so at least I have somebody before me that I can relate to,” Loewen said.

“I'm always going to be a pitcher, there's no doubt about that. I love to do it. I've been doing it ever since I was 9 years old, so it's going to be tough to let it go. But God has a special plan for me and I'm going to be faithful and follow it.”

Papelbon by any other name…

The All-Star experience for Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon wasn’t one that he’ll cherish.

Better to push it aside and pretend it never happened.

Papelbon and his wife were targeted by angry Yankee Stadium fans, and not simply because of the team he represents. The New York Daily News ran a backpage photo of the reliever with the headline “Papelbum.” Inside was a story that included comments from Papelbon suggesting that he should close out the game instead of Mariano Rivera.

He made it clear in last Monday’s mass interview that he had no problem deferring to Rivera, the obvious sentimental choice, but the Daily News article put him in an uncomfortable spot.

"The whole shebang was messed up,” he said.  “My wife was really upset. We got threats, everything. I wish I hadn't taken her."

Not that the other Red Sox were treated much better.

"I learned two things," manager Terry Francona said of the parade that took place before the game. "They want Rivera to pitch, and I suck."

Morneau by the wrong name

Justin Morneau said he received 70 text messages after winning the All-Star Home Run Derby. They weren’t all in congratulatory form.

He was bound to get teased after the trophy presentation, when the event’s sponsor referred to him as “Jason.”

“It happens a lot,” Morneau said. “People call me Jason all the time.”

Usually, it doesn’t happen on national television.

Morneau owns a photo of him dropping the ceremonial puck before a Vancouver Canucks game. Markus Naslund wrote, “To Jason…”

Call to arms

Just because the Chicago White Sox were leading the AL Central by 1 ½ games at the break doesn’t mean they were satisfied.

And when it comes to their pitching, manager Ozzie Guillen is downright aggravated.

By last week, the White Sox had posted a 4.62 ERA in July, eighth in the league. They ended the first half with a 12-11 loss to the Texas Rangers that irritated Guillen like fiberglass bed sheets, especially because they had allowed seven runs or more for the ninth times in 23 games.

“We have people who paid a lot of money to watch this circus,” he said after last Sunday’s game. “[Players] making a lot of money out there have a game like that. Both sides, not just my side. It’s embarrassing.”

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