Glen Perkins

Glen Perkins To Retire

By Steve Adams | January 24, 2018 at 11:17am CDT

TODAY: Perkins confirms in a statement on his Twitter account that he’s hanging up his spikes. So, what’s next?

I won’t be playing baseball anymore. I’ll spend my time brewing beer, smoking meat woodworking and hanging with my family. Or, the same things I have been doing just without the baseball part.

YESTERDAY: Three-time All-Star Glen Perkins will reportedly not pursue an opportunity to pitch in what would be his 13th big league season. General manager Thad Levine stated in an appearance on the Twins Winter Caravan tour that the former closer has elected to end his playing career, adding that the Twins would be interested in hiring Perkins as a special assistant should he be interested in such a role (Twitter link via 1390 AM Granite City Sports). La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune cites a source close to Perkins in reporting that the left-hander would indeed have interest in such a position.

The decision wasn’t entirely unexpected. After his $6.5MM option for the 2018 season was declined, reports indicated that the career-long Twin would either return to the organization on a minor league contract or simply elect to call it a career.

A Twin Cities native who starred at the University of Minnesota before being selected in the first round of the 2004 draft, Perkins frequented top prospect lists before debuting in the Majors as a 23-year-old back in 2006. The lefty showed promise in his first tastes of the Majors from 2006-08 and looked like a potential long-term rotation piece in Minnesota, pitching to a 4.13 ERA over the life of his first 185 1/3 MLB innings.

Perkins hit a rough patch in 2009-10, though, as below-average strikeout rates and a rapidly increasing opponents’ batting average caught up with him and left him with a 5.87 ERA in 118 innings across those two seasons. Out of options heading into the 2011 season, Perkins was at something of a crossroads and responded by turning a corner and cementing himself as a mainstay on the Twins’ roster.

That 2011 season marked the first full season in the bullpen for Perkins, and he broke out with a brilliant 2.48 ERA, 9.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 49.7 percent ground-ball rate in 61 2/3 innings. Perkins’ fastball had sat in the 90-91 mph range as a starter but jumped to an average of 94 mph with the move to the ’pen and ticked up another mile the following year in 2012 — the first season in which the lefty took over as the team’s closer.

Perkins saved 16 games for the Twins in 2012 and went on to rack up 32 or more saves in each of the next three seasons, earning American League All-Star honors each year along the way. In all, from 2011-15, he logged a 2.84 ERA with 9.8 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and 120 saves in 313 1/3 innings. The 2014 season, in particular, featured a career highlight for Perkins, as he was called upon to seal a 5-3 victory for the American League in the All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis and did so in 1-2-3 fashion.

Neck and back injuries took their toll on Perkins in 2014-15, though, prematurely ending each of those seasons. The 2016 campaign proved worse in terms of health for the lefty, as he made just two appearances before landing on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. Eventually, Perkins was diagnosed with a torn labrum that required season-ending surgery. He’d go on to spend roughly 16 months rehabbing.

Perkins returned to the Twins this past season but was a far cry from his peak form, averaging just 90.3 mph on his fastball and totaling 5 2/3 innings while appearing sparsely in low-leverage situations down the stretch as Minnesota fought for a surprising Wild Card berth.

The Twins gave Perkins a fitting tribute in what will go down as the final game of his career in the penultimate game of the regular season, allowing the southpaw to come on for the final out of their victory over the Tigers. The Twins fired up Perkins’ former entrance music, Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” as he came out of the ’pen and received a standing ovation. An emotional Perkins told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger and other reporters after the game that the gesture was something that he’ll remember for the rest of his life.

All told, Perkins’ entire career was spent in the Minnesota organization, and he’ll head into the next chapter ranked third all-time among Twins relievers with 120 saves. Perkins also turned in a 35-25 record and a 3.88 ERA with 504-to-158 K/BB ratio through 624 1/3 in a 12-year career that netted him more than $28MM. Best of luck to Glen in whatever is next for him, and congrats to him on a very fine career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Twins Inform Glen Perkins His 2018 Option Will Be Declined

By Steve Adams | October 18, 2017 at 1:57pm CDT

1:57pm: Bollinger tweets that there is indeed a chance that Perkins could return to the Twins on a minor league contract, but he’s likely to retire if such a deal cannot be arranged.

1:26pm: The Twins have informed former closer Glen Perkins that his $6.5MM club option for the 2018 season will be declined, tweets MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. The three-time All-Star will instead receive a $700K buyout and become a free agent.

It’s not clear what’s next for the St. Paul native, who has spent his entire professional and collegiate career playing in the Twin Cities. This outcome has been seen as a foregone conclusion for some time now, as Perkins has pitched just 7 2/3 innings over the past two seasons after undergoing significant surgery to repair a torn labrum during the 2016 campaign. He did return to the roster and toss 5 2/3 innings out of the ’pen late in the 2017 season.

Upon his activation from the disabled list, Perkins averaged just 90.3 mph on his fastball — a far cry from the 94.9 mph he averaged during his peak years with the club in 2012-13. It’s seems reasonable to believe that the Twins could look to bring him back on a minor league pact in hopes of better health next year, or he could seek out similar opportunities with other organizations if he wishes.

However, Perkins told Bollinger and other reporters in an emotional interview that he may also consider retiring if he is unable to return to the Twins next year. That interview came after a fitting tribute from the team, when the Twins brought Perkins on for the final out of their second-to-last game of the season, and he took the field to his former entrance music as the team’s closer: Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”

Perkins, 35 in March, struggled as a starter early in his career but emerged as a dominant reliever for Minnesota in 2011. From 2011-15, he pitched to a 2.84 ERA with 9.8 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9. Along the way, he established himself as the Twins’ closer and racked up 120 saves, including a career-high 36 in a 2013 season that was the finest of his professional tenure.

Twins Notes: Sano, Colon, Perkins

By Mark Polishuk | October 1, 2017 at 8:08pm CDT

A players-only meeting in the aftermath of the trade deadline may have been the turning point in the Twins’ season, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. A July slump led the club’s front office to deal Brandon Kintzler and Jaime Garcia at the deadline, leaving the clubhouse feeling “angry,” in the words of Byron Buxton. The meeting, led by Joe Mauer and Brian Dozier, lasted only 10-15 minutes and “I think the biggest thing in the meeting was to direct that anger or whatever feeling in a positive way,” Mauer said. The message certainly seemed to sink in, as the Twins turned things around in a big way and are now headed to the AL Wild Card game.

Here’s more from Target Field…

Miguel Sano is “still having discomfort” in his ailing left shin, manager Paul Molitor told Berardino and other reporters today. The slugger felt some soreness while lightly running out a grounder in the fifth inning today and didn’t return to the game. It is still very much up in the air as to whether or not Sano will be activated for the Wild Card game, as GM Thad Levine said that the club may use every minute until the 9am CT deadline on Tuesday to finalize their roster for the game against the Yankees. Sano has gone 1-for-8 since returning from the DL, and as Berardino notes, “has yet to hit a ball in the air.”
To honor a promise to his late mother, Bartolo Colon intends to pitch in 2018, the right-hander told reporters, including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger and Michael Clair. “That’s the goal. That’s what I promised my old lady and that’s what I want to do,” Colon said. Colon earned the 240th victory of his 20-year career today, and he received a standing ovation from Twins fans when he was removed from the game in the seventh inning just in case this is the end of the road for the 44-year-old. After several effective years that belied his age, Colon finally showed signs of declining this season, posting a 6.48 ERA over 143 innings with the Twins and Braves.
Glen Perkins was emotional after what may have been his final big league game on Saturday, as MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes that Perkins has said that he’d consider retiring if he can’t return to the Twins next season. The St. Paul-born Perkins has spent his entire career with his hometown team, and only just returned to the mound in August after missing over 16 months due to shoulder surgery. The Twins will surely buy Perkins out for $700K rather than exercise their $6.5MM club option on his services for 2018, though there’s a chance he could return on a minor league contract.

Twins Activate Glen Perkins

By Steve Adams | August 17, 2017 at 10:28am CDT

After spending more than 16 months on the shelf thanks to a shoulder injury that ultimately required surgery to reattach the labrum to the bone, left-hander Glen Perkins has been activated from the 60-day disabled list, the Twins announced. To make room on the roster, Minnesota put fellow lefty Dietrich Enns on the 10-day DL due to a shoulder strain. The Twins also announced that righty Aaron Slegers will make his Major League debut tonight as the 26th man in today’s doubleheader.

Perkins’ strong run as a setup-man-turned-closer seems longer ago than it actually was; the 34-year-old was an All-Star in each of the 2013-15 seasons, and he posted a 2.84 ERA with 9.8 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 313 1/3 innings from 2011-15. The aforementioned shoulder injury, however, has limited Perkins to just two MLB innings since the conclusion of the 2015 season.

Perkins has spent the season rehabbing his shoulder and recently wrapped up a minor league rehab assignment in which he allowed five runs on six hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. At his best, Perkins averaged 94.9 mph with his fastball, though Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press wrote yesterday that he sat 88-91 mph in his recent rehab outings and topped out at 93 mph.

It remains to be seen just how much Perkins can contribute down the stretch, though his return could be a boon for a Twins relief corps that has struggled for much of the season. It’s unlikely that he’ll step back into the ninth-inning spotlight early on, but he could still help a Twins club that has been lacking a quality second left-hander behind sophomore setup man Taylor Rogers. Minnesota hoped veteran Craig Breslow could fill that role, but he was released earlier this summer. Fellow southpaw Buddy Boshers has had similar issues to Breslow; he’s dominated left-handed opponents but been clobbered by right-handed bats (.292/.375/.557).

As for Slegers, the 24-year-old make a spot start on the heels of a terrific season in Triple-A Rochester. The towering 6’10” right-hander has racked up 130 1/3 innings in Rochester, averaging 6.7 K/9, 1.9 BB/9 and 0.48 HR/9 with a 47.1 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 3.18 ERA. A fifth-round pick in 2013, Slegers is not ranked among Minnesota’s top 30 prospects over at MLB.com, but he’s now turned in very solid results over the past two seasons (3.41 ERA in 145 1/3 Double-A innings in 2016). Along with Perkins, he’ll fill one of two vacancies on Minnesota’s 40-man roster.

AL Central Notes: Kinsler, Perkins, White Sox, Chisenhall, Brantley

By Steve Adams | August 15, 2017 at 8:42pm CDT

After being tossed from yesterday’s game, Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler was blunt (to say the least) when voicing his displeasure with veteran umpire Angel Hernandez today (via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News and Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press). “I don’t know how, for as many years he’s been in the league, that he can be that bad,” said Kinsler of Hernandez’s strike zone. “He needs to reevaluate his career choice, he really does. Bottom line. … He’s changing the game. He needs to find another job.” Kinsler was tossed mid-at-bat for questioning Hernandez’s strike zone, though as he tells it, he never cursed at the umpire. Kinsler also recalled a story from his rookie season in which he was repeatedly “screamed” at by Hernandez for blocking Hernandez’s view on a play at first base.

It’s far from the first time that Hernandez has been called out by a player, though Kinsler’s vitriolic comments — there are many more in the columns from McCosky and Fenech — are likely the most extreme case you’ll see anytime soon. The Tigers’ second baseman acknowledged that he’ll likely be disciplined for his outburst but didn’t let that serve as a deterrent in sounding off: “No one in this game wants [him] behind the plate any more, none of the players.”

Health Notes: DeSclafani, Cozart, Hughes, Bandy

By Jeff Todd | August 3, 2017 at 11:35pm CDT

The Reds received concerning news today on righty Anthony DeSclafani. As Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports, the rehabbing starter was pulled from his outing after experiencing discomfort in his forearm (and after surrendering eight runs on eight hits in the first inning). DeSclafani has been working back from a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. He had only just progressed to game action after a long layoff; that he is now experiencing forearm discomfort — which is often connected with elbow issues — is certainly discouraging.

There were more promising developments for the Reds, too. Shortstop Zack Cozart could be read to return from the DL as soon as Saturday, manager Bryan Price tells reporters including Buchanan (via Twitter). The 31-year-old’s balky quad took him out of consideration for a deadline-day deal, though a lack of demand has been the larger problem. Still, the sooner he is able to return to show his health, the more likely it is that Cincinnai will ultimately be able to find some kind of worthwhile swap involving the veteran.
Twins righty Phil Hughes will very likely need surgery that’ll end his season, manager Paul Molitor told reporters including Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter). The 31-year-old has been weighing a procedure to further address ongoing symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. Meanwhile, it seems lefty reliever Glen Perkins is still pushing to return before the year is up. Berardino tweets that he’s expecting to move up to Double-A after making an appearance tonight.
The Brewers may not be able to count on catcher Jett Bandy down the stretch. As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal tweets, the 27-year-old has been diagnosed with a fractured rib. It is not immediately clear how much time he’ll miss, though anything but a fairly rapid return could spell the end of his season. With Stephen Vogt also out, Andrew Susac is the only healthy 40-man alternative to join Manny Pina on the MLB roster. But Susac himself only just made it back from injury woes, and it’s possible Milwaukee could end up checking into the market for alternatives.

AL Central Notes: Santana, Kintzler, Perkins, Mejia, Tigers

By Mark Polishuk | July 16, 2017 at 2:21pm CDT

Though the Twins have received trade interest in both ace Ervin Santana and closer Brandon Kintzler, it would be “very difficult to justify selling” either hurler with the team still in the pennant race, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets. Minnesota enters play today just 1.5 games out of first place in the AL Central and one game out of a wild card slot, and if anything, the Twins look like they’ll be trying to acquire pitching at the deadline rather than sell arms.

Here’s more from around the division…

Glen Perkins isn’t sure he is interested in pitching in 2018, though the former Twins closer tells Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he is still determined to complete his long recovery from 2016 shoulder surgery to return to the bigs this season. “I still just want to pitch in a game. I mean, I do. I’m aware that the further along this goes, the less likely that is. But as long as I have a chance, I’m going to try,” Perkins said. The southpaw tossed just two innings in 2016 before being shut down due to the surgery, and Perkins has yet to be cleared for a full rehab assignment. The Twins have a club option for Perkins in 2018 that can (and almost surely will) be bought out for $700K, though Perkins said he is too focused on his recovery to worry about contract issues at this point.
Injuries have made it difficult for the Indians to fully access their needs heading into the deadline, though prospect Francisco Mejia is “the magic bullet” the club possesses if it wants to land a “premium” everyday player or starting pitcher, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. Mejia is widely regarded as one of the game’s best prospects, and the catcher has only increased his stock in 2017 with a strong season (.336/.385/.552) at Double-A. While Mejia is regarded as the Tribe’s catcher of the future, Cleveland was prepared to trade him to Milwaukee last summer for as part of a prospect package for Jonathan Lucroy before Lucroy used his no-trade protection to block the deal.
With Michael Fulmer receiving lots of interest, MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery wonders if the Tigers could package the young starter with one of the team’s unappetizing big contracts (Woodbery uses Jordan Zimmermann as an example) in order to both get some salary off the books and gain some good prospects. “Maybe a team with space under the luxury tax threshold would simply see it as an acquisition cost for getting Fulmer,” Woodbery writes. In my opinion, I doubt the Tigers would be willing to move Fulmer unless they were ready to go into a total rebuild, as the right-hander is so hugely valuable given his talent and controllability. As Woodbery notes, it can’t hurt for Tigers GM Al Avila to explore all possibilities, though finding a team with both the means and willingness to both absorb money and surrender a big prospect haul will be extremely difficult.

Injury Notes: Ottavino, Pedroia, Hughes, Perkins, Semien, M’s, Ross

By Jeff Todd | May 30, 2017 at 10:07pm CDT

The Rockies placed setup man Adam Ottavino on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports. That’s frightening news at first glance, but it’s not believed to be a significant issue. Per Ottavino, he could’ve continued throwing but the decision was made to “put the fire out now.” As Groke notes, Ottavino has labored through his last several outings, though he has continued to generate excellent results all year long. Carlos Estevez will come back up to take the open bullpen slot.

While there was initially a fair bit of concern for veteran Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, the prognosis now seems to be good. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says that he thinks Pedroia may be back after the minimum ten-day absence, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports on Twitter. “It’s really the best-case scenario in many ways,” said Dombrowski.
While Phil Hughes of the Twins is experiencing some symptoms akin to those that led to thoracic outlet surgery previously, it seems that’s not the root cause this time around. As MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger provides on Twitter, a medical assessment shows that Hughes may be dealing with a build-up of scar tissue in his neck and shoulder area. He’ll undergo “a rigorous soft tissue and mobility rehab regimen in advance of beginning his throwing.”
Meanwhile, Twins lefty Glen Perkins is still traveling a long road back to the majors, but there are new signs of hope. As Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports, Perkins was able to face hitters for the first time in over a year. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do what I did today,” said the veteran reliever. “Coming out of it I love where I’m at physically and mentally.” Perkins still needs to work in his slider and build up arm strength, of course, but he may not be far from a rehab assignment.
Though he’s still a long ways off from a return, Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien has taken an important step in his return from wrist surgery, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Semien was able to throw for the first time since going under the knife, though he has still yet to take full cuts with the bat. Skipper Bob Melvin called the news “significant,” though he also noted that the organization is “not close on putting together a timetable” for Semien’s return to the majors.
The Mariners continue to see signs of progress from right-handers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). Hernandez is ready for a sim game, while Iwakuma may not be far behind him.
While Tyson Ross is nearly ready for the Rangers, the club is still waiting to activate him. As MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets, Ross is expected to make one more rehab outing before re-ascending to the majors.

Minor MLB Transactions: 4/2/17

By Connor Byrne | April 2, 2017 at 12:59pm CDT

Sunday’s minor moves…

The White Sox have selected the contracts of three offseason minor league signings – infielder/outfielder Cody Asche, catcher Geovany Soto and right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak. The 26-year-old Asche was once a well-regarded prospect with the Phillies, but he scuffled to a .240/.298/.385 line in 1,287 plate appearances with the club from 2013-16. Soto, who’s in his second stint with the White Sox, has typically served as a capable offensive catcher, and has thrown out would-be base stealers at a league-average rate, though his pitch-framing numbers have declined in recent seasons. Swarzak, meanwhile, has created intrigue this spring with an uptick in velocity. The 31-year-old threw harder than usual with the Yankees last season, and he logged terrific strikeout and walk rates of 9.0 and 2.03, respectively, per nine innings. However, a bloated home run-to-fly ball ratio (27.8 percent) led to a 5.52 ERA in 31 frames.
The Twins have selected catcher Chris Gimenez’s contract and placed reliever Glen Perkins on the 60-day disabled list, according to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). The 34-year-old Gimenez has a history in Cleveland, including last season. His time there helped him land a minor league pact with the Twins, whose new front office head, Derek Falvey, used to work for the Tribe. Gimenez, a lifetime .218/.297/.335 hitter in 776 PAs, has garnered slightly negative reviews as a framer and will back up the defensively adept Jason Castro in Minnesota. As for Perkins, the Twins’ former (and future?) closer, the three-time All-Star is continuing to rehab from the shoulder surgery he underwent last June. Perkins threw just two innings in 2016.
The Indians have released left-hander Tim Cooney, who sat out of all last season because of shoulder problems and has dealt with a forearm strain this spring. Cleveland claimed Cooney off waivers from the Cardinals in November, a year after Cooney debuted in the majors and impressed across 31 1/3 innings and six starts. All told, Cooney registered a 3.16 ERA, 8.33 K/9 and 2.87 BB/9.
The Orioles have selected veteran outfielder Craig Gentry’s contract. The 33-year-old’s fate was reportedly tied to Rule 5 outfielder Aneury Tavarez, whom the Orioles returned to the Red Sox on Sunday. Gentry’s reemergence looked highly improbable a couple years ago, when he contemplated retirement after suffering a sixth concussion. He also only picked up limited major league experience over the past two seasons, and the Angels released him last year after he dealt with a spine injury. At his best, Gentry brought a solid blend of offense, defense and baserunning as a member of the Rangers from 2012-13. The right-handed hitter will now serve as a platoon option for a Baltimore team with lefty-swinging corner outfielders in Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim.
The Mets have selected the contract of infielder Ty Kelly, who’s back on their 40-man roster after the team designated him for assignment in February. Kelly could have ended up elsewhere at that point, but he ultimately cleared waivers. The 28-year-old made his big league debut with New York last season, hitting .241/.352/.345 in 71 trips to the plate.
The Reds have selected the contract of outfielder Patrick Kivlehan, who joined the organization as a waiver claim last September. Kivlehan debuted in the majors last year and picked up 24 plate appearances between San Diego and Cincinnati. The 27-year-old has mostly played at the Triple-A level, where he has slashed .255/.308/.477 in a combined 915 plate appearances with the Seattle, Texas and San Diego organizations.
The Marlins have selected the contract of first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore, whom they signed to a minor league deal in December. Moore spent 2012-15 as a member of the NL East rival Nationals, with whom he hit .228/.281/.401 in 649 PAs. The 30-year-old was with another of the Marlins’ division rivals, the Braves, last season, but he didn’t make it to the majors. Instead, Moore was with Triple-A Gwinnett, where he batted just .229/.276/.375 over a small sample of PAs (106).

Central Notes: Quintana, Guerra, Perkins, Park, Williams

By Mark Polishuk | March 21, 2017 at 10:35pm CDT

The Pirates, Astros and Braves are among multiple teams still showing interest in White Sox lefty Jose Quintana, Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan reports. Pittsburgh and Houston have been widely linked to Quintana on the rumor mill all winter long, while connections between Quintana and the Braves have been largely quiet since December, when Atlanta reportedly balked at Chicago’s very high asking price for the southpaw. Several evaluators tell Passan that the Braves aren’t a great trade fit for the Sox, as while Atlanta’s farm system is very deep, its top prospects (Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies and Kevin Maitan) are all middle infielders, and Chicago already has Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada slated as their up-the-middle combo of the future. In short, not much has really changed on the Quintana front, as the Sox are in no rush to make a deal unless someone meets their price. “The White Sox have dispatched more scouts than usual” to minor league camps, Passan writes, in a sign of due diligence should a good trade offer suddenly emerge.

Here’s more from both the NL and AL Central…

Also from Passan’s piece, two sources believe that after Quintana, the Brewers’ Junior Guerra is the best starter available on the trade market. Guerra received a bit of trade buzz at the trade deadline and back in November, though there wasn’t much chatter about the righty. Guerra came out of nowhere to post a 2.81 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 2.33 K/BB rate as a 31-year-old rookie last season. Despite his rather advanced age, his good performance and five remaining years of team control make him an interesting trade chip for Milwaukee.
Glen Perkins will meet with Twins trainers and coaches later this week to determine the next step of his rehab from shoulder surgery, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports, and a 60-day DL stint is a possibility. Perkins would have to give his consent to be placed on the disabled list, as per the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. That placement would allow Minnesota to open up a 40-man roster spot for another player, though Perkins wouldn’t be able to return until June 1 at the earliest. The veteran lefty has been limited to 20-pitch bullpen sessions every four days during Spring Training, and will start the season on at least the 10-day DL, though he is hopeful of being able to pitch much earlier than June 1.
Byung Ho Park was outrighted off the Twins’ 40-man roster last month, but the first baseman is trying to work himself back into the club’s immediate plans with a big Spring Training, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes. Park has recovered from a wrist injury that hampered him during his rookie season, and he also seems generally more relaxed now that he is more used to MLB pitching. According to South Korean reporters who followed Park in the KBO League, Bollinger writes that Park similarly put a lot of pressure on himself early in his career before settling in and becoming a major star for Nexen Heroes. Since Kennys Vargas has one more option year remaining, Minnesota has the flexibility to send Vargas to Triple-A if Park impresses enough to win the DH job.
White Sox VP and former general manager Ken Williams has “not been this excited about the White Sox’ future in a long, long time,” he told media (including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). Williams was resistant to GM Rick Hahn’s idea for a rebuild, though he noted that “a lot of us around here needed this kind of jolt” brought on by the franchise’s youth movement. “To talk to Rick about the possibilities trade-wise we may have out there in the future, free agency, international signing wise…we’re in full-go mode. And it’s exciting,” Williams said.

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