Sunday Morning Breakfast & Baseball: Carl Pavano, Glen Perkins, Don Kelly, Vikings/Twins Schedule Conflict

by Jesse on Sep 20, 2009 8:43 AM EDT in News Comment 13 comments

Just a few notes on your favorite baseball team this morning, before Twins and Vikings games take you away to more social activities...

Carl Pavano's Splits	W-L	GS	IP	H/9	K/9	BB/9	HR/9	ERA
Since Coming to the Twins	3-3	9	57.1	9.73	6.75	1.88	0.63	3.61
Since August 23	2-2	6	39.1	10.30	6.41	1.37	0.46	2.97
VS Detroit Tigers in 0009	4-0	5	37.1	8.20	5.30	0.24	0.00	1.69

If the Twins do manage to come back to take this division title away from the Tigers, there's no doubt that Carl Pavano will be regarded as one of the better, more key acquisitions that Bill Smith and the front office picked up down the stretch.
LEN III updated us on Glen Perkins last night, who apparently is off to see "noted specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum" for the second time this year. Just the latest chapter in an ongoing saga of a guy who wants to blame the Twins for his decision to not tell them about his own pain and discomfort. This still strikes me as a sad situation for both Perkins and the Twins.
Don Kelly had this to say about his critical blunder in the seventh inning yesterday afternoon: "Once it went through the lights, I lost it. There's really nothing else you can do. I mean, it's not like I took my eye off of if. People were saying they've seen many, many balls lost here. It's not the first. It's not going to be the last." Well Don, actually, it might be the last. There aren't that many games left, and contrary to popular belief not many guys actually biff it like you did, lights or not. So that should help you sleep better.
Finally, by now most of you have heard about the potential scheduling conflict between the Vikings and the Twins if Minnesota should finish the season in a dead heat with the Tigers. In spite of the fact that the lease on the Dome stipulates that a Vikings game will take precedent over any baseball event bar the World Series, MLB's senior VP for scheduling and club relations Katy Fenney insists the Twins game would take priority. Somehow that seems a little presumptious to me, not just because of the Vikings' legal right to play their game, but also because it's a Monday Night Football game that will be getting national coverage. An unplanned event like game 163 would have to work around a set schedule, it just seems like common sense to me. If the baseball gods want a Detroit v Minnesota nation-wide showdown, they'll probably be better served moving the game to Tuesday instead of trying to force the Vikings and the NFL out of their slot.

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Jesse...I don't think it is about blaming the Twins for his lack of speaking up.

…rather, if he can “prove” that he is still injured then he has a claim that the Twins should not have removed him from the DL. If he stayed on the DL, he would be accumulating service time and likely be a Super-2 this winter. So Perkins is doing everything he can to build a case to pick up an extra million bucks or so this winter. I wrote that the Twins move at the time (optioning him to AAA versus a rehab assignment) was odd. With all this going on, the one thing that is very likely is that we have seen Perkins in a Twins uniform for the last time. Bit of a shame, because when healthry he had some very good stretches of starts for the Twins.

by roger13 on Sep 20, 2009 9:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't blame either party for how they're handling the situation NOW, but for me it's all about the THEN, when the problem started.

If Perk has a problem with how the Twins are handling him, I’d be more sympathetic if he’d been honest in the first place and told the team his arm wasn’t feeling right. If he’d been honest, maybe the Twins would have kept him on the DL, and this wouldn’t be an issue. If the guy isn’t going to be honest about how he feels, then how are we supposed to blame the organization for trying to get him back onto the mound?

It’s a gooey sticky mess, in the strictest non-sexy version of the phrase. It’s disappointing from both sides, but you’re right—now both parties are acting in ways to protect their own interests, and it will only serve to pull them apart in the end. Maybe Perk felt pressured to say he was feeling better than he was because he wanted to help the team, I don’t know. It’s just disappointing anytime your favorite team bumps up against something like this, I hate it.

by Jesse on Sep 20, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pavana back in NY

If he keeps this up, doesn’t he realize he’s going to find himself starting a playoff game in NYC? Ah, the delicious irony…

by Han Joelo on Sep 20, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

…my point was that I think they are past the point of being able to work together and are each in their bunkers doing what is best for themselves. The Twins did what they did to save a million bucks and Perkins is trying to develop a strategy to get it. I know Seth has had some personal contact with Perkins, wonder if he has any more insight into what looks to the outsider as if they are burning their bridges. I will be shocked if we do not see Perkins moved this winter in a package deal to someone.

by roger13 on Sep 20, 2009 10:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you're being too hard on Kelly

I think the Dome has cursed a few players recently, not as often as it used to, but still some magic left. Don Kelly not necessarily the last by any means, IMO

ʞarl Pavano followed us home from an Indians game. Can we keep him?

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"Over? Did you say 'over'? Nothing is over until we decide it is!" -John "Bluto" Blutarsky

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Sep 20, 2009 10:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hahaha

“come on, we’ll make sure he’s potty trained and everything! pleeeeeeease?”

Pavano’s been a good acquisition for the Twins. He can go late into games and usually put up good numbers. Is it just me or does it seem like since he got here the rest of the pitchign staff has picked it up a little too?

by fischean on Sep 20, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Vikings/Twins schedule conflict is kind of interesting

I don’t know why MLB wouldn’t just move it to Tuesday…is the schedule they have that unchangeable? That seems a little ridiculous that they’d expect the Vikings to what? Change their game for a Monday Night Football game? Hopefully we won’t even have to worry about it because the division doesn’t end in a tie.

by fischean on Sep 20, 2009 10:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree...

The logistics of moving the unplanned baseball game are easy. The logistics of moving the pre-planned Vikes game are enormous.

Plus, I’ll be in the Cities and have awesome tickets to the Vikes game…

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Sep 20, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Perkins

We’ve seen far worse conflicts between player and organization that have ultimately been smoothed over than this one. This one ranks right up there in the pantheon of conflicts as the Liriano grievance/no grievance conflict. No real issue.

on MNF the other night we heard an announcer say Seymour’s holdout against the Raiders was because Seymour had to look out for his family, a la Latrell ‘familytofeed’ Sprewell. We all know that is hogwash.Seymour and Sprewell had already accumulated dozens of millions at the time of their ‘conflicts.’ But in Perkins’ case, he does have a young family and is finally on the edge of making some money that will actually provide some security so that he doesn’t have to go lay bathroom tile for the rest of his life.

I think it sounds like both sides have a legitimate leg to stand on, and everything will blow over. This incident might actually be of benefit to both of them as it might help the organization choose which young starter to trade. Perkins still has trade value because we don’t have to trade him and he still has plenty of potential to be a legit #4 starter on almost any ballclub, or even a #3 in the N.L.

by montanatwinsfan on Sep 20, 2009 10:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Arbitration

The Twins have four wodnerful cases for arbitration this year, if Perkins would win out. Liriano, Boof, Neshek.

How do you advance a guy from $500,000/700,000 to one million plus when they spent the eyar on the disabled list. Yet major league abseball only allows, at the msot, a 20% cut or you are cut free.

Liriano, does he — like Perkins — deserve a substantial raise because of what he did this season. Both actually should be glad to get a substantial paycheck matching their current play. Both, with the actual numbers they put up, deserve a cut-in-pay, if you would realistically look at the numbers.

Who else is arbitration? Crain! Perhaps the Twins will sign him to a comfortable contract, sicne he has already reaped a couple of mill in secuirty. Guerrier, looking for a long-term contract I’m sure, after his horrdensous last season and hell be a free agent after 2010, right?

Brandon Harris is an interesting guy. The Twins can keep him and offer him arbitration, I’d guess…but attempt to trade him all winter IF they feel Tolbert is a comfortable (i.e. cheaper) replacement.

Lots of arbitration guys, but four don’t deserve more than they amde in 2009. Two are absically middle releif, and one is a reserve infielder. Go figure.

Visit www.TwinsCards.com and check out "rosters" to see my collection!

by rosterman on Sep 20, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Feeding their family

Actually, a recent SI article said about 80% of NFL players file for bankruptcy within 2 years of leaving the league. These guys go through $$ pretty fast.

by DJL44 on Sep 20, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

It’s similar for basketball players, even though the NBA has a higher minimum salary and longer average career (although I think the median probably isn’t a lot longer).

"There are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." - Albert Einstein

by BeefMaster on Sep 21, 2009 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, most dont spend their money wisely.

Most are cash poor at the end of their careers, but that isn’t anyone’s fault but their own, and doesn’t add any credibility to foolish, disingenuous arguments about their “need” for more money.

by montanatwinsfan on Sep 21, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs