Mark Hamburger, the pitcher the Twins traded Monday to Texas for Eddie Guardado, is a 21-year-old right-hander who had decent numbers for Elizabethton in the Appy League this year. I'm not going to pick apart the numbers — this is Rookie ball, after all — but one has to like the strikeout rate and walt-to-strikeout ratio, and one also has to raise an eyebrow at the ERA and hits allowed. He was undrafted, signed by the Twins out of an open tryout; such players seldom make it to the majors, but they're easy to root for.

Given the obvious late-inning needs of the major league bullpen, this was an easy deal for the Twins to make. Guardado had a fine outing Monday — three batters, three infield popups — and other than the gray in his goatee looked in his No. 18 road uni as if he'd never been gone. Which he certainly has been — only Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau of the current team played with Guardado during his first go-around.

Eddie's fastball Monday was mid 80s — not quite what it was in his heyday, but still better than Livan Hernandez' — and, of course, be brings to the mound a certain fearlessness. One of the essentials for a relief pitcher is best stated as a negative — one can't be afraid to fail.

Ron Gardenhire, while paying tribune to Guardado's "courage," suggested that he plans to handle the late innings based on matchups.

OK, matchups. We'll keep this very simple: OPS, One-base percentage Plus Slugging percentage.

Against Guardado, lefties this year have OPS of 533, righties, 658 (630 total)

Matt Guerrier: L: 719; R 815 (780)

Jesse Crain: L 754, R 740 (746)