This is not the year

Let's make something clear. I want the Twins to win. Also, I am a realist. I realize that this version of the Twins is not the same World Series caliber team it could have been the past few years. When studs Torii Hunter and Johan Santana were around, the Twins could have had one or two players added. They didn't of course, and the Twins didn't make it past the ALDS more than once.
Now we have an itchier trigger finger in Bill Smith, something that we could have used earlier in the decade. We also have an inferior team. Back then, I felt the extra piece could take us the extra mile. Now, I don't think there is a single component they could add that would turn this team around. There are a few things the team could do within the organization that would benefit the team this year and could get them above .500.
- Wait for Kevin Slowey to come back. Right now the biggest problem with the Twins is the starting rotation. Sure, the bullpen is struggling, but so would any that has to pitch 4-5 innings a game. The starters need to start getting deeper into the games. Veteran pitchers mean deeper starts. Deeper starts mean less bullpen.
- Send down Carlos Gomez, call up Danny Valencia. The Twins need to realize that they don't have the aged outfielders like they did before. If they want Young and Gomez to develop, they each need regular playing time. Young has been in the bigs longer than Gomez and languishes when he is not in the lineup. In the lineup, he has been just as solid as any hitter. It's his fielding that suffers. He isn't getting better on the bench. Gomez, on the other hand, is young. His fielding is splendid, but he is still a streaky hitter. Most of those streaks are bad streaks. His good streaks demonstrate his talent. He needs to find himself. In the mean time, Valencia would be another infielder that the Twins obviously need. Oh, and he is absolutely raking right now in Rochester.
- Realize that if the pitching staff is giving up ore than 10 runs a game, defense doesn't matter. The lineup needs to maximize the offense. And not the manufactured offense. The extra base hit, score 12 runs in a game offense. I'm talking moving Mauer to the 2 spot, play Harris instead of Casilla and teach Valencia SS to have his bat in the lineup.
And of course, whatever they do, the Twins should not sacrifice anything for short term fixes this season of all seasons.

Well shoot.