Yardbarker: Glen Perkins

Vargas poised for a role next year......

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:25:11 -0500

The first thing that comes to most Mets fans minds when they hear the name Jason Vargas is Matt Lindstrom. Vargas over the past two years has made two starts ( 10 innings) with an ERA of 12.19, if I rem. correctly he was a reliever in AAA during the 2007 season and when he came up for those starts he was solid through the first four innings then got rocked in the 5-6th innings. In 2008 he missed the entire season after under going hip surgery during spring training. Meanwhile, Matt Lindstrom in 66 relief appearances posted a 3.14 ERA last year and will become the Marlins official closer as soon as they trade Kevin Gregg.

I've cautioned Mets fans for some time now to not consider Vargas a bust, in my opinion there's just too much potential. The 25 y/o left hander was the 68th overall draft pick in the 2004 draft. That was the same draft that produced Philip Humber, Phil Hughes, Glen Perkins, Jared Weaver, Justin Verlander, Homer Bailey and Matt Bush ( to name a few- it was very good pitchers draft).

Most of that class started coming up in 2007 or 2008, Vargas was rushed up in 2005 at 22 y/o while still in his first season of AA. During that season in the majors he appeared in 17 games ( 13 starts) going 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA. Jon Niese was put in the same situation ( age and professional experience) and in three starts went 1-1 with a 7.07 ERA.

The next year the expectations were very high for Vargas who was penciled in as a member of the rotation. That was the same year Joe Girardi got his first shot as a manager, one of the initial knocks on Girardi was that he was quick to make judgements on players and once you were out, you were out. Clearly Vargas ended up being an odd man out on a very short leash and wasn't used properly that year. It was like Pelfrey's 2007 season but without staff support to provide consistency and allow him to develop through his struggles. He had a horrible 2006 and was traded to the Mets prior to 2007, at the time of the trade I completed this bio....

Aside from his two starts for the Mets he spent the entire 2007 season in AAA where he went 9-7 with an ERA of 4.97 in 24 starts. At the end of the season he had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow and then as I said before lost the entire season to a hip injury.

Omar usually carries 4-5 lefties on the pitching staff; two starters and 2-3 relievers. The Mets appear to be losing four lefties; Ollie, Wags, Schoneweis and Feliciano. Newsday reported today that the Mets are shopping the two lefty relievers and I'm not confident in Ollie's return.

The reports about Vargas from the AFL have been very good, with all the lefties potentially leaving he is in the drivers seat for a spot on the team. If he makes it this wouldn't be the first time he rebounded from pitching struggles ( in the above linked bio). Paul Greco of Gotham Baseball Magazine was on assignment to the AFL and spoke with several scouts, apparently the Mets are thinking about the possibilities of using Jason Vargas.......

P a?" Jason Vargas : Recovering from hip surgery, Jason Vargas looked in mid-season form. The AFL's Pitcher of the Week for Week 3, Vargas looked like a man among boys. Scouts told me that his command and his fast ball looked better than it did prior to his injury. I was also told that because of the way Vargas has been pitching in the AFL, the Mets may not look to retain free-agent Oliver Perez. Vargas is a pitcher many Mets fans should keep an eye on this off season. source Gotham Baseball Magazine

The Friday Flotsam

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:38:32 -0500

The Twins named Fort Myers Miracle pitching coach, Eric Rasmussen, the new Minor League Pitching Coordinator after the Detroit Tigers wooed Rick Knapp away from the organization to be the Tigers' pitching coach. For the past ten years Rasmussen has been the Miracles' pitching coach helping ...

The Fragile Pysche of Matt Garza

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:02:51 -0500

When the Twins selected Matt Garza, then a junior out of Fresno State University, they selected a pitcher on the rise. Entering college, Garza admitted his arsenal was limited to a 90+ fastball which was feasted upon and began developing supplementary pitches. "I came into college with one ...

'08 Stats Review

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:16:20 -0500

Since all is quiet, and we haven’t done so yet, here are some of the team leaders from the ‘08 season on both the mound and at the plate.

Hitting Leaders:

Games - Justin Morneau (163)

Hits - Justin Morneau (187)

Runs - Joe Mauer (98)

Doubles - Justin Morneau (47)

Triples - Denard Span and Carlos Gomez (7)

Homeruns - Justin Morneau (23)

Runs Batted In - Justin Morneau (129)

Steals - Carlos Gomez (33)

Average - Joe Mauer (.328)

Pitching Leaders:

Game Started - Nick Blackburn (33)

Wins - Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins (12)

Saves - Joe Nathan (39)

Complete Games - Kevin Slowey (3)

Shutouts - Kevin Slowey (2)

Innings - Nick Blackburn (193.1)

Strikeouts - Scott Baker (141)

ERA - Joe Nathan (1.33)

From these numbers, there are a few interesting notes:

** The team had just two shutouts, both of which were thrown by Kevin Slowey. Slowey also threw three of the team’s five complete games.

** The lowest ERA was actually Jose Mijares (0.87), but because he was only with the team for a month, he didn’t throw enough innings.

** The Twins actually had a total of 42 saves on the season. Other than Joe Nathan’s 39, three players each had one: Matt Guerrier, Brian Bass and Craig Breslow.

** With his 33 starts, Nick Blackburn started five more games than any other starting pitcher for the team. The next closest was Scott Baker with 28.

** Justin Morneau played in every single game in ‘08. It has been questioned whether he should have taken a day off in September, but you can’t argue that he’s a gamer.

** In just 93 games, Denard Span tied for the team lead in the triples category with seven. Imagine what a whole season would entail.

** The Twins offense scored 718 runs in ‘07, and in this ‘08 season scored 829. They also upped their team average from .264 in ‘07 to .279 in ‘08.

The 2008 Starting Rotation: Analyzing By Game Score

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:49:01 -0500

Game Scores, invented by Bill James, is a measuring stick of a pitcher's performance on any given day. The advance statistic accounts for all of the events a pitcher can produce in a start (walks, hits, strikeouts, home runs, innings pitched, etc) and provides ...

Glen Perkins is Superbad

Sat, 13 Sep 2008 14:48:33 -0500

Has anyone else noticed the resemblance between Minnesota's starter for Game 2 of today's doubleheader in Baltimore, Glen Perkins and Superbad star Jonah Hill? Perkins is tied with Kevin Slowey for the team lead in wins with 12, but has an ERA of 9.00 after his lone start against the O's this season lasted just four [...]

MLB Injury Extra: Replacements - Week 23

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:01:21 -0500

Screaming Sports' Zach Powell breaks out another Screaming Sports original. With so many valuable fantasy studs going down with injury, Zach decided it was time to take a look at several replacements. So if you're one of the many fantasy GM's who have been ravaged by injury, then this piece is exactly what the doctor ordered.

14 Days to Determine a Season: Game 12 — You Don’t Need Your Grade 10 to Know that Hurts

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:44:30 -0500

For those of you that got the Trailer Park Boys reference -- we salute you. In other news, here we go again. Glen Perkins hadn't dropped a decision since July 23rd but got lit up for 2 homers, 6 runs and 10 hits over just five innings. Boof Bonser then came in [...]

14 Days to Determine a Season: Game 2 — Your FIRST PLACE Minnesota Twins

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:12:18 -0500

To begin a 14-game road trip, Minnesota's first two turns in the rotation have stepped up to shut down one of the AL's best line-up's and in the process have given one of the league's better bullpen's a much-needed break. Glen Perkins followed Scott Baker's eight innings of one-run ball on Thursday with eight shutout [...]

Yuck!

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:42:20 -0500

The Twins were leading 6-1 going into the bottom of the seventh against one of the worst teams in baseball. Glen Perkins was rolling and things were looking good. A Grand Slam and 10 runs later and the Twins got blown out of the water.

Gardenhire looked like an idiot bringing in Brian Bass, and the Twins bullpen doesn't look like they're going to help us make the playoffs. I feel really sick and I'm hoping Baker and Blackburn will pick us up.

MLB Waiver Wire - Week 20

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:19:48 -0500

Screaming Sports' Billy Smith breaks out the MLB Waiver Wire and runs downs a list of six potential fantasy studs. If you're looking for that extra edge this week and beyond, then this gem is for you.

Inside The Box August 12th Edition

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:25:28 -0500

Today's update features a player getting over his allergies, a nomination for the all-ugly team, fear of retribution from Terry Puhl fans, how writers can have bad luck, too and lots more.

No Way That Just Happened!

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:46:48 -0500

Last night at Safeco Field, the Twins took a 6-1 advantage into the bottom of the 7th behind a strong performance from southpaw Glen Perkins. Minnesota had drawn eight walks, picked up a pair of RBI from Mike Lamb and even saw little Nickie Punto go yard a day after Denard Span had done [...]

Weekend return for Liriano?

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:01:32 -0500

It looks like the Minnesota Twins are finally going to call up youngster Francisco Liriano. Liriano has been virtually lights out over his past giving up just one earned run in his last five starts, a stretch of 35 innings. Even so, the team has been balking at the idea of bringing him back. Not because he isn't ready but they believe they have five very capable starting pitchers in the majors. So who is getting bumped for the return?

As the Rotation Goes, So Goes the Team

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:34:58 -0500

Andrew Kneeland recounts the recent success of the Minnesota Twins' rotation, and tells what they need to do to stay in the hunt.