Here we are. The Minnesota Twins are halfway through the season with a record of 53-42, one and ? games behind the league leading Chicago White Sox. Is that good? Darn right it’s good.

This was supposed to be a typical rebuilding year for our Twins. The one that takes place every four or five years.

Money causes the up and down cycles for our team. Money or more accurately, the amount of money is the prime mover of baseball teams. Not only for the Twins, but for most of baseball.

Lately even the Yankees and the Red Sox have shown some constraints. Both teams have grown older and are not necessarily using money to renew their team and are trying to build from within. Certainly that was one of the reasons they were not anxious to give away some of their prospects for Johan Santana.

The playing field seems to have become more level for the rest of the league. This would benefit the Twins for while they can’t compete moneywise, they do a fine job of finding prospects in the minors and growing them for the “Bigs.” Therefore, if they are not outspent outrageously, they are competitive.

Do you suppose Carl Pohlad was on the cutting edge of team management? I’m not ready to give Pohlad many accolades. Not after that contraction episode. Others have, including Minneapolis Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman who continues to praise Pohlad at every opportunity. But we can’t deny that other owners seem to be following in Pohlad’s money footsteps.

The last day of July is baseball’s trading deadline. We may know at that time whether Pohlad and Co. are financially conservative, but intent on fielding a good team or just financially conservative (Cheap).

Our Twins have played magnificently to date, given their youth, inexperience and injuries and have been a great deal of fun to watch. However, we are headed into the dog days of summer, when reality rears its ugly head and it may be a bit much to hope that the upstart youthful Twins will continue their present level of play, particularly the hitting.

We really have no right to expect Nick Punto, Denard Span, Alexi Casilla and Brian Buscher to continue to hit over .300 and drive in runs at their present pace. I would certainly expect a letdown.

What then? Then we look at management philosophy, “The Pohlad Way.”

Will the Twins turn their backs on this year’s expensive mistakes?

The Monroes, Lambs, shortstop Adam Everett and spend even more bucks. The team needs a right-handed hitter. Their hitting is down when facing lefties. The Twins will start to see a steady diet of left-handers as other teams begin to realize the team is for real.

With the injury to Pat Neshek the bullpen has been under duress for some time. The Twins finally swallowed Juan Rincon’s salary and got lefty Craig Breslow on the waiver wire. Neither he, Brian Bass or Dennys Reyes are the answer. The only relief pitchers the team can depend on are Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier and Joe Nathan. There is hope for Boof Bonser as a reliever, but he is not there yet.

During the successful Tiger series Crain, Guerrier and Nathan pulled the team through. However they had the coming All Star break of 4 days and Gardy could use them beyond normal limits. The team must have another dependable reliever or risk breaking down Crain, Guerrier and Nathan.

It’s time for Carl and his minions to step forward with some help for the striving young team. Barring a trade such moves would cost the Twins somewhere approaching $10 million, but given the 2010 stadium it would be wise investment.