Long time Twin reliever Juan Rincon may be the odd man out when the Twins reduce their pitching staff from 13 to 12 – this from Kelsie Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Rincon is sporting a 5.19 ERA through 23 games, comparable to last years 5.13 ERA and a far cry from his career 3.63.
Rincon could still finish strong and hit his PECOTA projected ERA of 3.92. After being busted for steroids in 2006, Rincon went on to post a 2.91 ERA; however, he became hittable in 2007 and that trend continues. His H/9, BB/9, and K/9 have all been declining. Still, Rincon is only 29 so he may just need a change of scenery, not uncommon for relievers and setup men.
Says Manager Ron Gardenhire, "All we can do is keep running them out there until some other decision is made where we can’t." If they can’t, Rincon will most likely be designated for assignment. The righty is making $2.475MM on a 1-year contract this season and his stock is at an all time low. There should be interest abound.
By Nat Boyle
