Perkins and other pieces of the pitching puzzle

Glen Perkins — he of the 18-11, 4.73 career mark (one good, the other bad) — is apparently going to get the ball for one of the games this week in Chicago. Kevin Slowey reports some soreness in the back of his elbow, so it's time to go to Plan C — Plan B, Brian Duensing in the rotation, being already in effect.

Perkins' Triple-A numbers this year are not impressive -- 4-9, 6.08 -- but he's been getting better results of late, or so we are told.

I was initally surprised that it's Perkins getting the callup. I would have expected Jeff Manship or even former Plan A Nick Blackburn to be Plan C, with Perkins no higher than Plan D. For one thing, Perkins is so close to arbitration eligibility that merely recalling him damages his trade value.

But then I started working though the roster. And it started to make sense.

This appears to be the idea: Alexi Casilla is supposedly not going to miss a lot of time with his newly bum ankle. To activate Orlando Hudson on Sunday, the Twins sent down Anthony Slama, who, in his brief stint in the majors, pitched more like the guy scouts were leery of than the guy who dominated minor league hitters. (Moral: A funky delivery and mediocre stuff only goes so far without command.) So Trevor Plouffe remains on the roster as an infield reserve.

Off day today. Scott Baker pitches Tuesday. Assuming Casilla is ready to go by Wednesday, Plouffe returns to the minors and Perkins is recalled for the start. Then he moves to the bullpen to be the long man/third lefty, with Slowey returning to his rotation spot without going on the disabled list.

Lots of moving pieces in that scenario, which depends upon accurate prognoses on Casilla and Slowey. But in the end, Perkins would be recalled up not to be in the rotation, but for what he offers the bullpen.