So with lots of things to discuss, let's dig in ...

With Scott Baker and Carlos Silva showing signs of struggling again, what are the chances that the Twins will call up Matt Garza soon? Another rookie stud on the mound could make a big difference, as the Twins begin to eye the possibility of making the postseason.
-- Jeff M., St. Paul, Minn.

Garza's name has started to come up quite a bit lately, with his rapid ascension through the Twins' Minor League system this year. After beginning the season at Class A Fort Myers and now having made two starts for Triple-A Rochester, it appears that Garza clearly is a true talent on the mound. But, whether that talent translates into readiness for the Major Leagues remains to be seen. It is certain that Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has taken notice of the 22-year-old right-hander, but he has yet to discuss the notion of whether Garza is ready for another jump with general manager Terry Ryan.

The fear is that rushing Garza into the Majors would create more problems than help for the club. But if Garza indeed looks like he may be one of the rare talents that can make such a tremendous leap over the span of less than one season, it could be the final piece for the club in their postseason chase.

Right now, it's clear that the team has three starters that are locks for the rotation and two others (Silva and Baker) that are still trying to prove that they can bring success for the team. Adding one more starter that can give the team a strong chance to win every time out would greatly help the club's playoff chances, but it seems a little early still to label Garza the man for that job.

With the performance of the Twins younger players -- Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Bartlett, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer -- the Twins seem to be set at all positions, with the exception of third base. Assuming the Twins continue to play good baseball into the second half, do you see the Twins addressing this need this season, or will they wait until the offseason?
-- Bruce D., Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Right now, Bruce, it appears that third base will not be addressed until next season. With Nick Punto continuing to perform well, both offensively and defensively, along with staying healthy enough to remain on the field, it doesn't seem like the Twins will go out and look for an everyday third baseman. Punto is the type of player that seems to bring an extra spark of energy and speed to the club, and has helped to get the team back on track. Whether or not he can handle the everyday duties and maintain his health, however, remains to be seen, so the Twins could eventually be shopping for a third baseman. But while things are going so well at the position with Punto there, it doesn't look to be a need that the Twins will address any time soon.

Have a question about the Twins? E-mail your query to MLB.com Twins beat reporter Kelly Thesier for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content. First Name, Last Initial: Hometown: Email Address: Question:

Considering the pace the Twins are on, the wins and strikeouts Francisco Liriano will pick up, and the support he will get on offense, is there a chance that Liriano could win both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award? Has anyone ever won both awards before?
-- Ryan E., Hudson, Wis.

It's a pretty rare feat to win both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award in the same season, as only one pitcher has accomplished it, Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. But it seems that Liranio would be a good candidate to become the second. Despite not entering the Twins' rotation until May 19, Liriano has racked up 11 wins out of his 13 starts and has an ERA of just 1.59 as a starter. There is some heavy competition for Liriano in both races with Jonathan Papelbon of the Red Sox making a strong push for the American League ROY and his own teammate, Johan Santana, is always a perennial candidate for the Cy Young. But if the Twins can remain in the pennant race and provide just a meager amount of offense during Liriano's starts, there is a shot that Liriano could make history.

I know this may be too early to say, yet its surprising that no one has really talked about it before, but how realistic do you think it is that Mauer could hit .400 this season? The mark is a very hallowed milestone and it may seem unthinkable to discuss it, but with Mauer hitting close to .380 right now, is it a real possibility?
-- Nachiket K., Pittsburgh

To try and describe just how difficult it is to hit .400 in a season would take a novel, but there has been the hope that someday another player would accomplish Ted Williams' feat. And there is one person that predicted that Mauer might be the man to do it, his grandfather Jake Mauer Sr. Just after the Twins signed the young Mauer in 2001, his grandfather walked into Ryan's office and told the general manager that he had just signed himself a .400 hitter.

It still seems quite a long shot that Mauer will be able to reach the .400 mark for the season, but there is a possibility that it could happen. More likely, Mauer could become only the third catcher, and the first ever in the American League, to win a batting title.

In the second day of the Milwaukee series, late in the game when Cuddyer hit a triple, he got up from sliding into third and he looked into the dugout and tapped his nose three times. The cameras then zoomed over to the Twins' dugout, where it showed Punto and Luis Rodriguez tapping their noses back at him. What is the meaning behind this?
-- Aaron D., Norwood, Minn.

Aaron, you aren't the first person to notice the trend. In fact there was a column that ran in the Star Tribune about the mysterious "nose tap." The truth behind the signal is that during Spring Training, backup catcher Mike Redmond came up with a phrase "Smell 'em." It was in reference for the guys to try and focus on the runners in scoring position when a hitter came up to bat.

One of the biggest weaknesses for the Twins in 2005 was the club's inability to bring runners home. So now instead, they try to smell those potential runs and when a hitter actually does the job, he looks to the dugout and taps his nose. While it's a bit of an odd ritual, it definitely signals a big change in the club this year with a focus on the team and having fun. So as long as those runs keep coming, let's hope that the taps do as well.