Francisco Liriano

Francisco Liriano Casillas (born October 26, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and Detroit Tigers.

Liriano signed with the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in 2000.

After the 2003 season, the Giants traded him to the Minnesota Twins, along with pitchers Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser, in exchange for catcher A. J. Pierzynski.

Often compared to former teammate Johan Santana, another hard-throwing lefty, Liriano was touted as one of the "super-prospects" within the Twins organization.

As a member of the Rochester Red Wings, Minnesota's Triple-A farm club, Liriano was awarded the 2005 International League Rookie of the Year.

He led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts that year, with 204.

He made his major league debut in relief on September 5, 2005, against the Texas Rangers, allowing a home run to his first batter, Gary Matthews Jr., before retiring his next three batters.

He later joined the Twins' starting rotation and won his first game on September 30, 2005, against the Detroit Tigers.

Liriano was an MLB All-Star in 2006, and is a two-time winner of the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award (and the only player to win the award in both leagues).

Liriano began the 2006 season in Minnesota's bullpen, but was promoted to the starting rotation in May, exchanging positions with struggling starter Carlos Silva.

He started the season 12–3 and won the American League Rookie of the Month awards for June and July.

He was named by American League manager Ozzie Guillén as one of five candidates for the 2006 All-Star Final Vote and finished second to the player he was traded for, A. J. Pierzynski.

Guillén selected Liriano for his first All-Star game to replace fatigued starting pitcher José Contreras.

Liriano led the Major Leagues with a 2.19 ERA, statistics putting him in discussion for both the American League Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards, but a trip to the disabled list on August 11 left him with too few innings to qualify as the league's official ERA leader and jeopardized his chances at any such awards in 2006.

On August 1, 2006, Liriano was scratched from his scheduled August 2 start because of forearm inflammation after a bullpen session.

He missed one start before resuming bullpen work without pain, but was placed on the disabled list after continued arm pain during his last start on August 7, 2006.

Liriano began a rehabilitation program on August 22, and threw off a mound for the first time on August 30, throwing only his fastball and changeup, and said that he would like to pitch his breaking ball later that week.

He made a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester on September 9, throwing 40 pitches for four strikeouts and one walk in three hitless innings.

After the game, he reported feeling no pain in his elbow and was activated by the Twins.

In his first start back on September 13, Liriano left the game in the third inning with left elbow pain.

He was shut down for the season after the game.

On November 6, 2006, Liriano underwent Tommy John surgery to curtail the pain in his left elbow.

He missed the entire 2007 season.

On April 11, 2008, Liriano was recalled from Triple-A Rochester in the place of injured pitcher Kevin Slowey.

Liriano made his season debut and his first game since Tommy John surgery on April 13, against the Royals.

He pitched 4 2⁄3 innings, giving up six hits, four earned runs and walking five while picking up a loss.

On April 25, Liriano was sent back to the minors after a rough start to the season coming off Tommy John surgery.

In three starts, he compiled an 0–3 record with an 11.32 ERA.

After recording an ERA of 2.67 and going 10–0 in his 11 most recent minor league starts, the Twins recalled Liriano on August 1, from Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, replacing Liván Hernández in the rotation.

Hernandez was designated for assignment.

In his first start after being recalled, Liriano pitched six scoreless innings and struck out five, recording the win.

In 13 total starts in 2008, he went 6–4 with a 3.91 ERA.

Liriano struggled in 2009, posting a 5–13 record with a 5.80 ERA in 29 games (24 starts).

However, this was his first year since his Tommy John surgery that he had spent that entire year on the Twins major league roster.

On June 28 against the St. Louis Cardinals, he threw seven strong innings, only surrendering two runs.

On August 12 against Kansas City, Liriano went another seven innings, only allowing one run in yet another strong outing.

Between those strong flashes of brilliance though, he logged several sub-par showings, frequently giving up several runs during short times on the mound.

During the 2009 offseason, Liriano returned to his native Dominican Republic to play winter baseball, playing for Leones del Escogido.

He helped his club earn a postseason berth and then went 3–1 with a 0.49 ERA in seven playoff starts, while recording 47 strikeouts and five walks in 37 innings, as Leones del Escogido won the league championship.