FORT MYERS, FLA. – Twins lefthander Glen Perkins said Sunday that he plans to throw off a mound Tuesday as he works his way back from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum.
Perkins was supposed to throw Friday but backed off, opting to give his arm more rest after several long-toss throwing sessions in recent weeks. The drills are designed to build arm strength, but the three-time All-Star closer — who pitched in only two games for the Twins last season — said he believed it wasn’t time for a mound test just yet.
But Perkins said Sunday he felt much better and wants to give it a shot.
“I didn’t throw on Friday but I played catch and it felt good,” Perkins said. “I just wasn’t at the point to where I could throw off the mound. Hopefully Tuesday.”
Perkins, 33, is not predicting when he will be ready for the regular season, but maintains he did not have a setback last week. Perkins
“It will get there,” he said. “Everything is going well so far. I said at TwinsFest that I have been able to check off every box the whole offseason. That was the first time I said, ‘We’re not quite there yet.’ ”
Perkins will throw 15 pitches in his session Tuesday, all fastballs.
Belisle chooses No. 9
Righthander Matt Belisle was on the phone with Twins officials shorty after signing with them earlier this month, trying to figure out which uniform number to wear.
Among the options was No. 9. Belisle last wore the number as a Little Leaguer but, for some reason, it was jumping out at him.
So Belisle, who has worn Nos. 70, 31, 28, 34, 37 and 18 during his 13-year career, will become only the second Twins pitcher ever to wear a single-digit number once he appears in a major league game. Pat Mahomes was the other, after he wore No. 5 for a brief time during the 1996 season.
“I simply liked the number and it felt good,” Belisle said, “and I went with it.”
Single-digit numbers usually are handed out to utility infielders and speedy outfielders. There were just a handful of pitchers in the league last season who wore single-digit numbers, including Toronto’s Marcus Stroman (6), the Dodgers’ Julio Urias (7) and St. Louis’ Mike Leake (8). And there’s Colorado’s Adam Ottavino, who is the first major league pitcher to wear No. 0.
The number of pitchers wearing single digit numbers in 2016 actually was an increase from previous seasons.
Belisle, 36, was one of the few Twins players to work out at the Lee County Sports Complex on Sunday. He is expected to fill a setup role in the bullpen while providing veteran leadership to the developing relievers.
When asked if he had a connection to anyone in the clubhouse, Belisle motioned toward the coaches’ dressing room. Belisle was teammates with Twins bullpen coach Eddie Guardado in 2006 and ’07 with Cincinnati.
Meetings ahead
The Twins are holding staff meetings Monday and Tuesday to go over plans for the first camp under new Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine.
Players usually work out in the mornings at the Lee County Sports Complex, but some might switch to the afternoon over the next two days to accommodate the staff meetings.
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