It's probably a good thing for Adam Everett's playing time that Nick Punto's hamstring has not fully healed and that Matt Tolbert's thumb injury will keep him out at least a couple of months. Tolbert is to have surgery on Thursday, and Punto is headed to Fort Myers after this homestand to work on his rehab. Note that the linked item says Punto is expected to return to the Twin Cities on the 30th in anticipation of his child's birth. That implies that Punto won't be back on the active list this month.

Meanwhile, I take note of the following developments:

* Everett continues to struggle with his throws. And he's hitting under .200. That he's a weak hitter is a known. If he can't throw, he can't play in the majors.

* Mike Lamb, a career platoon player, is salting his poor overall hitting to date by going 1-for-19 vs. left-handers. Not that he's ripping it up against righties, but that's beyond dismal.

* Brendan Harris' defensive struggles at second base may not be readily apparent to us, but Ron Gardenhire is just as displeased with his (in)ability to turn the double play as he is with Everett's struggles to get outs going to his right. Gardy's reportedly told Harris to start taking grounders at other positions.

And so suddenly we see Alexi Casilla in the lineup two games running — and producing something offensively. And I start wondering: When Punto returns, is it really a certainty that Casilla or Howie Clark are goners?

Consider this notion: Punto at short, Casilla at second (or vice versa), Lamb and Harris platooning at third, Clark available to pinch-hit and fill in as needed in the middle infield.

Everett has time yet to keep his job, but if he continues to (as Gardenhire put it the other day) roll the ball to first, he may well be the odd man out when Punto's back.