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  • Perkins To DL, Rogers Called Up

    Nick Nelson

    By Nick Nelson

    The Minnesota Twins have placed closer Glen Perkins on the disabled list with a shoulder strain and called up left-hander Taylor Rogers from Class-AAA Rochester.

    Rogers was "coincidentally" the subject of Seth's Prospect Retrospective today.

    Image courtesy of Jerome Miron, USA Today

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    In spring training, Rogers was competing for a lefty specialist role in the bullpen and he lasted deep into camp before being optioned on March 23rd. Last year in Rochester he went 11-12 with a 3.98 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 126-to-44 K/BB ratio over 174 innings. He pitched two scoreless innings in his lone appearance there this year.

    The 25-year-old has served mostly as a starter in the minors but profiles better as a reliever due to his consistent success against left-handed hitters. In Triple-A last season he held them to a .177/.209/.193 slash line with 55 strikeouts and five walks. Rogers now stands out as Paul Molitor's best option against tough lefty swingers late in games.

    Perkins showed decreased velocity in his two appearances, which included a blown save against the Royals on Sunday. Obviously it's an ominous sign that he's going on the shelf one week into the season, but hopefully some time off will enable him to come back strong with more life on his fastball.

    Presumably Kevin Jepsen, who served as the team's closer down the stretch last year, will take over ninth-inning duties for the time being.

    Nick is a co-founder of Twins Daily who's been writing about the team for more than 15 years.
    Follow Nick Nelson on Twitter: NickNelsonMN

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    Featured Comments

    SirLoin

    SirLoin 263

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    Can I assume they waited until this morning to summon Rogers, so that he'll be unavailable for tonight's game, even though they had to have known this was a possibility since at least yesterday, probably longer?

     

    Or am I just too cynical when it comes to this team's self-inflicted pain?

     

    Also, don't forget that Perkins will "rehab" this injury until August, when after two separate setbacks in AA rehab appearances, he'll undergo surgery that will put him on the shelf until the 2017 All Star Break.  

     

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    nicksaviking

    nicksaviking 26,755

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

     

    If Molitor doesn't trust everyone in his bullpen, then maybe it's a better idea to have a loogy like O'Rourke on the roster who only has to pitch to one batter a game anyway.

     

    Molitor seems to trust everyone in the pen, aside from Tonkin.

     

    I'm not saying he should....

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    nicksaviking

    nicksaviking 26,755

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

     

     

    Also, don't forget that Perkins will "rehab" this injury until August, when after two separate setbacks in AA rehab appearances, he'll undergo surgery that will put him on the shelf until the 2017 All Star Break.  

     

    So we're criticizing players for not having surgery immediately even when there are alternatives to try?

     

    It's easy to yell about surgery when it's not you or someone you love getting knocked out, cut open and incapacitated for months.

     

    These are living breathing human beings even if we too often think of them as disposable entertainment.

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    Hosken Bombo Disco

    Hosken Bombo Disco 15,870

  • Community Leader

    • Posted

    Molitor seems to trust everyone in the pen, aside from Tonkin.

     

    I'm not saying he should....

    I seem to recall Molitor overusing guys last year and not using other guys hardly at all (like Stauffer)... But now that I think of it, O'Rourke was one of the guys he didn't trust so never mind :)
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    zchrz

    zchrz 340

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

    Could have traded for Papelbon for peanuts.  Yes he has issues but another back end pen piece was needed because this writing has been on the wall for awhile, and Jepsen isn't a 8th inning guy let alone a closer.

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    I'm with Nick, I'm never going to judge a PLAYER for how he/she battles through injuries. These are human beings, with bodies, not robots. I take that back, if a player is hurt, knows it, is not productive, and doesn't tell the team? I might judge that some.....but not 100% harshly, but some.

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    Brock Beauchamp

    Brock Beauchamp 39,328

  • Administrator

    • Posted

     

    Seems like the day off would've been a perfect opportunity to ask Perkins, "How's it feel?"  

     

    And then put Rogers on a plane to MSP, just in case when we ask Perkins again, today, he says "Still don't feel right."  

     

    Worst case, Rogers gets a few frequent flyer miles and a night at a nice hotel.  Twins are out a thousand bucks or so.  Rochester is without Rogers for a couple days, until Rogers is put back on a plane this afternoon to rejoin Rochester.

     

    That seems like a small cost, and one a team interested in always giving itself the best possible chance to win, would be willing to shoulder.

    Oh, not arguing whether it makes sense, only stating that it likely doesn't matter.

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    Nick Nelson

    Nick Nelson 11,044

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Perkins is getting less and less easy to root for these days.

    I just feel bad for him personally. He was a dominant closer for three years on terrible teams, then when the Twins finally appear poised to return to relevance, his body breaks down. It's not like he pitched through a long stretch of the regular season while hiding an injury. He had one bad outing and went on the shelf. 

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    TheLeviathan

    TheLeviathan 17,473

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    I'm with Nick, I'm never going to judge a PLAYER for how he/she battles through injuries. These are human beings, with bodies, not robots. I take that back, if a player is hurt, knows it, is not productive, and doesn't tell the team? I might judge that some.....but not 100% harshly, but some.

    It's Perkins attitude about things. It's how he gets offended when there are questions or concerns. I appreciate him battling, but at some point being dishonest or in denial about your health becomes a trait no longer commendable.

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    Otto von Ballpark

    Otto von Ballpark 20,320

  • Community Leader

    • Posted (edited)

    What bugs me most is how the Twins brain trust still decided to count on him heavily in their offseason planning -- how many times have we heard "a bullpen led by Perkins, Jepsen, and May is pretty good"?  Perkins was and remains a pretty big question mark (and Jepsen and May aren't without their question marks either).

    Edited by spycake
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    alarp33

    alarp33 2,765

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    I just feel bad for him personally. He was a dominant closer for three years on terrible teams, then when the Twins finally appear poised to return to relevance, his body breaks down. It's not like he pitched through a long stretch of the regular season while hiding an injury. He had one bad outing and went on the shelf. 

     

    No need to feel bad for him, he lives a life and makes more money than you could only dream of... if you don't believe me, his wife will tell you.  Oh ya, and he has a Porsche

     

     

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    Squirrel

    Squirrel 37,605

  • Community Leader

    • Posted

     

    Can I assume they waited until this morning to summon Rogers, so that he'll be unavailable for tonight's game, even though they had to have known this was a possibility since at least yesterday, probably longer?

     

    Or am I just too cynical when it comes to this team's self-inflicted pain?

    Yes. It had to be said.

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    Nick Nelson

    Nick Nelson 11,044

  • Owner

    • Posted

     

    Seems like the day off would've been a perfect opportunity to ask Perkins, "How's it feel?"  

     

    And then put Rogers on a plane to MSP, just in case when we ask Perkins again, today, he says "Still don't feel right."  

    Why are we assuming this is not what happened? Just because they announced the move this morning doesn't mean that's when they reached the decision. 

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    tobi0040

    tobi0040 4,125

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    What bugs me most is how the Twins brain trust still decided to count on him heavily in their offseason planning -- how many times have we heard "a bullpen led by Perkins, Jepsen, and May is pretty good"?  Perkins was and remains a pretty big question mark (and Jepsen and May aren't without their question marks either).

     

    Yup. He has faded the last two years. His 7+ ERA down the stretch could have been the difference for us. And Jepsen played out of his mind and was due to fall back to earth.

     

    You can question whether you wanted to anchor a bunch of fringe players around these two as your studs, on a pen that was 23rd in ERA last year.

     

     

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    d-mac

    d-mac 1,252

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    So we're criticizing players for not having surgery immediately even when there are alternatives to try?

     

    It's easy to yell about surgery when it's not you or someone you love getting knocked out, cut open and incapacitated for months.

     

    These are living breathing human beings even if we too often think of them as disposable entertainment.

     

    I read this more of a critique of how the Twins have handled major pitcher injuries in the past.

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    nicksaviking

    nicksaviking 26,755

  • Community Moderator

    • Posted

     

    Imo, it is Jepsen. He's the veteran "proven" player.  May is the multi inning guy, according to the GM, and how he's been used by the manager. Unless he's not, which makes you wonder about how he's been used so far.

     

    Probably, though Pressly also worked multiple innings as well. There seems to be an air of changing of the guard in this thread no matter how folks feel about how this has transpired. I hope Molitor feels that air too and gives the job to May.

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    tobi0040

    tobi0040 4,125

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    No need to feel bad for him, he lives a life and makes more money than you could only dream of... if you don't believe me, his wife will tell you.  Oh ya, and he has a Porsche

     

     

    He has made $14M and is owed another $12M.  So I don’t think a Porsche is a sign of lavish spending.  My understanding is he is not going to be a guy that is broke a year after retirement (two of my good friends know him very well and attest to this)

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

     

    Probably, though Pressly also worked multiple innings as well. There seems to be an air of changing of the guard in this thread no matter how folks feel about how this has transpired. I hope Molitor feels that air too and gives the job to May.

     

    You know me (well, not really, but I think we met once, and here and all, now I'm babbling.....), I would just go all in on the youth this year (I would have last year.......), so I'm good if they go May.

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    Squirrel

    Squirrel 37,605

  • Community Leader

    • Posted

     

    Probably, though Pressly also worked multiple innings as well. There seems to be an air of changing of the guard in this thread no matter how folks feel about how this has transpired. I hope Molitor feels that air too and gives the job to May.

    That's who'd I go with, but I can see them giving Jepsen a few games there after last season. And because, well, veteran.

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    Mike Sixel

    Mike Sixel 41,021

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

     

    He has made $14M and is owed another $12M.  So I don’t think a Porsche is a sign of lavish spending.  My understanding is he is not going to be a guy that is broke a year after retirement (two of my good friends know him very well and attest to this)

     

    that was a shot at how his wife acts on twitter........I believe.

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    SirLoin

    SirLoin 263

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

     

    So we're criticizing players for not having surgery immediately even when there are alternatives to try?

     

    It's easy to yell about surgery when it's not you or someone you love getting knocked out, cut open and incapacitated for months.

     

    These are living breathing human beings even if we too often think of them as disposable entertainment.

     

    Dude....

     

    Sarcasm

     

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    alarp33

    alarp33 2,765

  • Provisional Member

    • Posted

     

    He has made $14M and is owed another $12M.  So I don’t think a Porsche is a sign of lavish spending.  My understanding is he is not going to be a guy that is broke a year after retirement (two of my good friends know him very well and attest to this)

     

    I think you misunderstood the joke.  

     

    I was mocking a "blog" written by Perkins wife where she said in her own words, anyone who is mad that he blew saves is just jealous because he is doing something all of you could only dream of.  

     

    Also, they flaunted the Porsche all over social media, around the same time as that blog, and his awful 2nd half.  

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    Squirrel

    Squirrel 37,605

  • Community Leader

    • Posted

     

     

    You follow his wife on Twitter???

     

    I think you misunderstood the joke.  

     

    I was mocking a "blog" written by Perkins wife where she said in her own words, anyone who is mad that he blew saves is just jealous because he is doing something all of you could only dream of.  

     

    Also, they flaunted the Porsche all over social media, around the same time as that blog, and his awful 2nd half.  

    Oh.

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