Article: Trade Glen Perkins

[Brock Beauchamp]

The idea behind trading any asset is that you get at least as much value as you give up and trading with contending teams the idea is that you get more in return than you give up. I don't know how to assess the return value of Perkins but it should be sufficient enough that they will have no regrets. In other words if we get a shortstop and reliever in return that help us compete in 2016 I'm not going to complain that we don't also still have the reliever that got those pieces. Perkins should certainly get us more than a guy like Ramos. Capps wasn't as good as Perkins and was not under control for as long.

 

Sure. If you can get a top shortstop, the trade makes sense.

 

It's unlikely the Twins will get a top shortstop, as teams don't often trade them.

[diehardtwinsfan]

In this day of age you really need 2-3 shut down arms in a pen ideally, if Burdi comes up and is lights out you suddenly have a very formidable pen (think of the Yankees Robertson/Rivera combo last year)

 

The thing at this point is as solid as the Twins pen has been this year there aren't any real "shut down" guys besides Perkins on this team, Fien is a nice player and all but in a perfect world I think you aim a bit higher for your "8th" inning guy and have Fien as your 7th inning guy.

 

Fien-Burdi-Perkins could be a very formidable/key part of a Twins resurgence in 2015/16/17 IMHO

 

Also, Perkins is probably my favorite player on the Twins team, I would personally be sad to see him go, especially if we get a couple of ho hum prospects or what not in return. As a poster mentioned above, we should only trade long term assets if we have a surplus of them in the majors/major league ready at this point. Perkins is the only Twin who strikes out more than a batter an inning.

 

I'd probably add Tonkin and Achter to your list too. Both of those guys look like pretty decent 7th/8th guys. Bullpens tend to be underrated, I still look longingly at the mid 2000s Twins teams that had a pen of Hawkins, Rincoln, Balfour, Nathan, and even some decent years out of Romero. Their record in games they got with a lead was ridiculous. Couple that with some pretty good starting pitching coming through the pipeline right now, and you have the foundation of a very good pitching team.

[chopper0080]

Agreed, and as a top 5 closer that makes him one of the best 5 relief pitchers in baseball. Those types just don't grow on trees. And you certainly don't trade them just to trade them (especially when you have them at a well below market level contract for the next 4+ seasons!)

 

And yes, as some have pointed out the Twins have had a lot of luck over the years in re: to closers: Nathan, Eddie G, Perkins etc all coming from sort of "out of nowhere". However you don't have to look to far in the past or to hard in the present to see how there are several teams every year that lose a significant amount of games due to closer issues.

 

It is a 160 game season...what number is significant? Especially to a team that is coming off another 90 loss season? The best case is in 2016 Perkins would be closing out menaingful games, but how often do things fall in the best case scenario? 2016 will be the first full season the Twins start Sano and Buxton, and possibly Rosario, Vargas and/or Walker. Meyer and May might be on their second. Berrios possibly makes it out of camp. A smart play is a play for 2017 and Perkins is too valuable of a trade peice to waste for 2 to 3 years. Trade him, keep adding talent to the farm system, and if things break early, we can sign or trade for any pieces we need at that time.

[DaveW]

I'd probably add Tonkin and Achter to your list too. Both of those guys look like pretty decent 7th/8th guys. Bullpens tend to be underrated, I still look longingly at the mid 2000s Twins teams that had a pen of Hawkins, Rincoln, Balfour, Nathan, and even some decent years out of Romero. Their record in games they got with a lead was ridiculous. Couple that with some pretty good starting pitching coming through the pipeline right now, and you have the foundation of a very good pitching team.

 

Oh yeah, I think the Twins definitely have some potential pieces in the pen for the future. The awesome thing is the pen other than Perkins and his very very modest salary, could be put together by a bunch of guys who are cheap/controllable: Fien, Tonkin, Burdi, Achter, etc thus opening up those dollars in the future to fill other holes/extend guys.

 

You are right, those teams had some very good bullpens from top to bottom, that is a very under-rated thing I believe. Those last 9-12 outs can make up 33-40% of a given game!

[Otto von Ballpark]

I think using blown saves as an argument is the pitching equivalent to using RBI's as an argument if you were comparing two players.

 

i.e. Player X has a .900 OPS but only 75 RBI while Player Y has a .780 OPS and 85 RBI, therefore you don't really need Player X since Player Y is driving int hose runs.

 

Kimbrel is an absolute beast on the mound and is on pace to become on of the best relief pitchers in baseball history (long ways to go health wise etc)

 

I don't think the poster is trying to compare players by using blown saves -- simply illustrating that there is very little variance in the end result of a closer's primary function, converting save opportunities. Jon Rauch converted 85% of his save opportunities in 2010, virtually the same as Perkins now or Nathan pre-2010. Rauch wasn't as a good of a pitcher, of course, but for the primary limited task of maintaining a lead for the final inning of a game, you don't have to be as good to get similar results.

 

The better offensive comparison would be getting a runner home from third with less than 2 out (and assuming the infield is playing back). The best hitters will usually drive home 1 run in that situation; lesser hitters will often also drive in 1 run; not a lot of variance given those strict parameters and goals.

[chopper0080]

The bullpen is bigger than "one guy" IMHO until you have 3 guys that are shut down type guys in the pen you don't have some insane abundance. The Twins currently have one in Perkins, if Burdi comes up and is the second coming, then you have two in the pen with a solid 7th inning guy in Fien. If some how they then land another shut down type guy in the pen at that point you look to trade Perkins (or Burdi or whoever) since you suddenly have an abundance of them.

 

As Brock mentioned as well, Perkins value 16 months from now would likely be the same (or better) than it is now anyways.

 

Until he blows out his arm or has back issues or loses his confidence and can't find it again. So many things can happen to pitchers, especially relief pitchers, why risk it? Get what you can as long as it is reasonable and move forward. Don't try and appease fans because that is just bad business.

[twinsfan34]

I agree 100 %.

 

+1

 

Closers can be had pretty easily, e.g. the Street package and SABR will show they are about as impactful as the SB.

 

And you can easily just take a failed SP (eg. From Eckersley to Perkins, Balfour, etc) and make him a starter. Voila.

 

If Street can get the package he did, Perkins can get the equivalent or more and in the same regard, if the tWINS are competing one year, they can also acquire a guy just as easy.

 

Also...the impact of a 9th inning closer hasn't had much of an affect on winning the game.

 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-flawed-importance-of-the-closer/

 

http://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/09/27/eighth-inningrelievers

 

[h=1]MLB W-L When Leading[/h] [TABLE=class: alt-rows]

Year

After Seven Innings

After Eight Innings

[TR=class: last]

2013 (entering Thursday)

.897

.945

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

2010

.917

.955

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

2005

.904

.955

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

2000

.900

.950

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1995

.898

.947

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1990

.914

.955

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1985

.906

.948

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1980

.897

.946

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1975

.903

.949

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1970

.895

.944

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1965

.901

.950

[/TR]

[TR=class: last]

1960

.899

.947

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

Source: Baseball-Reference.com

[Otto von Ballpark]

Agreed, and as a top 5 closer that makes him one of the best 5 relief pitchers in baseball.

 

Not sure if that is true. Dellin Betances isn't a closer, but he's one of the top relievers in baseball right now.

 

I'm not opposed to giving guys *some* bonus for being in a closers role, but it would be more like a tiebreaker (or a demerit if they previously failed in a closers role).

[tobi0040]

Agreed, and as a top 5 closer that makes him one of the best 5 relief pitchers in baseball. Those types just don't grow on trees. And you certainly don't trade them just to trade them (especially when you have them at a well below market level contract for the next 4+ seasons!)

 

And yes, as some have pointed out the Twins have had a lot of luck over the years in re: to closers: Nathan, Eddie G, Perkins etc all coming from sort of "out of nowhere". However you don't have to look to far in the past or to hard in the present to see how there are several teams every year that lose a significant amount of games due to closer issues.

 

You also have the moral aspect. The guy signed a 4 year, $22M deal and gave the Twins a team option for $6.5M. An elite closer for $5.5M a year in a league that had guys making $14-15M at the position.

[Twins Twerp]

You cant trade him. Look at the perception of the Houston Astros. If you sign a guy to a team friendly deal, you cant trade him 6 months later.

[DaveW]

It is a 160 game season...what number is significant?

 

ERA, WHIP, K/BB etc things that point to what will happen in the future vs a somewhat small sample size focusing on one non ideal stat "Blown save" Keep in mind, a blown save can be giving up 1 run, or giving up 3 runs, not every Blown Save is the same.

 

Also back to your Kimbrel vs Cishek comparison:

Kimbrel is 30 of 34 in save opps (88%)

Cishek is 22 of 25 (88%)

 

So at least balance the numbers if you are going to try to make that argument.

 

Additionally in his 4 blown saves (and 1 loss that wasn't a BS) Kimbrel has given up exactly 4 ER, what does that tell us? That blown save number is probably more a cause of bad luck then anything else.

 

In Cisheks 3 blown saves he gave up a total of seven runs (2+2+3) in less than 3 innings. Additionally in his other two losses (which weren't blown saves) he gave up 6 runs in 1.2 innings.

 

The numbers all over the place clearly tilt in Kimbrels direction very heavily and likely will continue the rest of this year on forward.

 

(Ditto with Perkins vs a more "lucky" short sample size closer)

 

Now I will agree all day that closers are used incorrectly at times (I would rather they bring Perkins into a 1-0 game in the 8th against the 3-4-5 hitters instead of "waiting" til the 9th) and that saves aren't the best stat, however, with that said I still stand by the fact that Perkins is one of the best 5 RP in baseball year in and year out, that has a ton of value IMHO.

[DaveW]

You cant trade him. Look at the perception of the Houston Astros. If you sign a guy to a team friendly deal, you cant trade him 6 months later.

 

Agreed.

 

The only teams to really do this are the Miami Marlins, I'm not sure that is an org we want to emulate as they are going to have a really really tough time attracting FA in the future.

[tobi0040]

Not sure if that is true. Dellin Betances isn't a closer, but he's one of the top relievers in baseball right now.

 

I'm not opposed to giving guys *some* bonus for being in a closers role, but it would be more like a tiebreaker (or a demerit if they previously failed in a closers role).

 

Perkins may not be in the top 5 every year. But over the last 4 years he has to be a top 5 closer. Tons of turnover, people losing their job, getting hurt, etc.

 

2011 - 2.48 ERA, 9.5 K per 9. 1.23 WHIP. 2 saves (set up guy)

2012 - 2.56 ERA, 10 K per 9, 1.03 WHIP, 16 saves

2013 - 2.30 ERA, 11.1 K per 9, .92 WHIP. 36 saves

2014 - 2.83 ERA, 11.3 K per 9, 1.01 WHIP, 23 saves

 

Regarding the other relievers, most teams end up promoting their best set up guys to closers in time. So if Betances is for real, he will be closing soon for the Yankees and he can establish a track record and enter into the conversation. Set up guys also have the benefit of favorable matchups, versus a closer coming into the 9th regardless of who is coming up, righties, lefties, etc.

[nicksaviking]

I think using blown saves as an argument is the pitching equivalent to using RBI's as an argument if you were comparing two players.

 

i.e. Player X has a .900 OPS but only 75 RBI while Player Y has a .780 OPS and 85 RBI, therefore you don't really need Player X since Player Y is driving int hose runs.

 

Kimbrel is an absolute beast on the mound and is on pace to become on of the best relief pitchers in baseball history (long ways to go health wise etc)

 

But you're missing the point. Kimbrel is clearly an elite pitcher. However he is inserted into a position where his eliteness has little effect on the game. His eliteness isn't going to produce markedly better results than an average pitcher as long as he's only pitching 2-3 innings each week.

 

A blown save is nothing like an RBI. I understand the idea that it's a pretty arbitrary stat, as good pitchers can blow saves to no fault of their own and by pure luck or chance bad pitchers don't blow saves you'd think they would. But that's the point. A closer's sole purpose is to hold the lead at the end of the game. It's flukey if he doesn't hold the lead, and the variance in times the good ones hold it compared to the bad ones is negligible which helps validate the flukiness.

 

ERA, WHIP, xFIP, LOB%, WAR are all marginalized when a guy is pitching so few innings, good stats found on Fangraphs don't accurately translate to better end results for the team.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Another view of the Huston Street package with preseason Sickels ranks:

 

1. 2B, #1 Angels prospect, only top 150-175 overall, grade B

2. RP, #7 Angels prospect, grade C+

3. SS, #8 Angels prospect, grade C+

4. SP, probably grade C

 

Twins preseason position/rank rough equivalents:

1. Eddie Rosario

2. Zach Jones (pre-injury)

3. Niko Goodrum

4. ???

[SurroundedByTigers]

I love all the arguments and points of contention here about Perkins and trade vs. keeping. I'm in the "keep" camp because we need reliability in the 9th inning. It's that sense of security that he provides that gives the Twins some confidence. What price do you put on that? When you get your guy in the 9th inning, you keep him for absolutely as long as you can. For comparison, I look at the Tigers - they have a really loaded team, great hitting and solid starting pitching, but their fans FREAK OUT when the ninth inning comes around because Nathan hasn't done the job, and the team now is searching for a new closer. Nathan may get it together but right now, Detroit is in FREAK-OUT mode when the ninth inning comes around. Twins don't need a taste of that level of insecurity. It would set the team back a decade by trading Perkins.

[LewFordLives]

It's a fair question and a well thought out article, but if the Twins keep trading their good players and collecting prospects why should I even bother watching the games anymore? Being a home town, fan favorite, does count for something. Guys like Perkins keep up fan interest in the club and he's one helluva good player. Also, our current bullpen is ok, but what serious "shut-down" options do we have besides Perkins. Maybe Fien.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Perkins may not be in the top 5 every year. But over the last 4 years he has to be a top 5 closer. Tons of turnover, people losing their job, getting hurt, etc.

 

Perkins ranks 8th in fWAR among relievers from 2011-2014 (although the selective endpoints problem rears its ugly head, as Doolittle and Rivera rank just behind Perkins and both missed time due to a late debut and retirement, respectively).

 

2012-2014, Perkins ranks #9, just behind Fernando Rodney (a free agent who has made $11.25 million over those 3 years), and in a virtual tie with 10th and 11th ranked Jake McGee and Joe Nathan.

 

2013-2014, Perkins ranks #8 again, this time just behind Mark Melancon.

 

2014 alone, Perkins is back to ranking #9, with Betances topping the list, and with comeback kid Soria and starter conversion Wade Davis ahead of him. (And reclamation projects Andrew Miller and Pat Neshek just behind.)

 

Perkins' individual season reliever fWAR ranks

2014: 9

2013: 12

2012 : 33

2011: 9

[bird]

I'd probably add Tonkin and Achter to your list too. Both of those guys look like pretty decent 7th/8th guys. Bullpens tend to be underrated, I still look longingly at the mid 2000s Twins teams that had a pen of Hawkins, Rincoln, Balfour, Nathan, and even some decent years out of Romero. Their record in games they got with a lead was ridiculous. Couple that with some pretty good starting pitching coming through the pipeline right now, and you have the foundation of a very good pitching team.

 

At the risk of being accused of lacking modern sensibilities, I still am suspicious of the thinking that closers are overrated and so utterly fungible. If so many relievers have the stomach and the weapons for the job, why don't a majority of teams go with a closer-by-committee approach?

 

We might also be overthinking this notion about "timing" things so that we have this influx of primo talent at their peaks simultaneously, and that having a closer like Perkins is "wasting" him because of the lack of save opportunities.

 

Indulge the thought for a moment that the team should trade from surplus to solve deficiencies in other areas. And then tell me: at AAA and AA, who represents a "surplus" of Perkin's caliber, and not Burton's? Who's got a shut-down ceiling? Your list includes some pretty solid prospects: Tonkin, Achter, Pressly, Ibarra, Trevor May (not a mistake here), Olivares, Salcedo, Cole Johnson, Mathhew Summers, Melotakis.... I don't see Perkins as especially fungible.

[TheLeviathan]

I think it's up to Buxton on when he will be up next year, all signs point to him being back at 100% It isn't too much of a reach to think he gets 2 nice months in AA to start the year and is in Minnesota sometime in June.

 

It's a pretty big reach. It's even more of a reach to expect a bunch of rookies to be above average major league players. I know it's hard to see 2015 as another punted season, but at least it looks like the corner turning.

 

Perkins signed his contract with the intent (IMO) from both sides that this showed a mutual commitment to see this all the way through. And while trading closers is generally a good value move, I don't think it's prudent or possible with this particular player.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, it should be noted that 2014 so far is the first season where Perkins has been significantly closer to the best reliever fWAR than to replacement level (0 fWAR). He's generally been closer to Huston Street level than the elite/dominant relievers.

[chopper0080]

You cant trade him. Look at the perception of the Houston Astros. If you sign a guy to a team friendly deal, you cant trade him 6 months later.

 

You buy low, you sell high, you develop your talent and flood your farm system because most prospects will fail. You don't hold onto depreciating assets that are at their high value point when you are losing 90 games for a fourth season in a row.

[halfchest]

Perkins signed his contract with the intent (IMO) from both sides that this showed a mutual commitment to see this all the way through. And while trading closers is generally a good value move, I don't think it's prudent or possible with this particular player.

 

This is just it, we can argue over when the team will be competitive again until we're blue in the face. To me it comes down to a commitment and I do believe there are some intangibles that have nothing to do with on the field performance. He's a hometown guy who signed what appears to be a hometown discount. It sends a poor message to other players considering extensions or signing. The same argument was made against trading Willingham his first year too. Maybe the Twins missed out on a good prospect, we'll never know but trading a guy in the first year of a long term contract to me is poor business and could set yourself up for later repercussions. In this case players not signing here or being unwilling to sign an extension.

 

As far as appeasing fans being dangerous? Baseball is entertainment and they make their money by appeasing the fans. It's finding that balance of appeasing current fans and future fans that is the trick. This team is better than the last few years even if they don't have the amazing W-L to prove it. I'll bet on continued improvement and even pushing for a playoff spot in 2016.

[chopper0080]

It's a fair question and a well thought out article, but if the Twins keep trading their good players and collecting prospects why should I even bother watching the games anymore? Being a home town, fan favorite, does count for something. Guys like Perkins keep up fan interest in the club and he's one helluva good player. Also, our current bullpen is ok, but what serious "shut-down" options do we have besides Perkins. Maybe Fien.

 

 

Losing keeps people away from the ballpark and losing 90 games with Perkins is no different than losing 100 games without him. The goal is build a contending team through the farm system and in order to do that you have to flood the system with talent. Once that talent reaches the major league level, then you add veterans to fill in the holes and provide leadership. It is hard to be a veteran leader when you aren't a very talented team and can't compete on a nightly basis.

 

Hell, if hitting/power wasn't so down league wide I would advocate for trading Brian Dozier as well.

[chopper0080]

This is just it, we can argue over when the team will be competitive again until we're blue in the face. To me it comes down to a commitment and I do believe there are some intangibles that have nothing to do with on the field performance. He's a hometown guy who signed what appears to be a hometown discount. It sends a poor message to other players considering extensions or signing. The same argument was made against trading Willingham his first year too. Maybe the Twins missed out on a good prospect, we'll never know but trading a guy in the first year of a long term contract to me is poor business and could set yourself up for later repercussions. In this case players not signing here or being unwilling to sign an extension.

 

As far as appeasing fans being dangerous? Baseball is entertainment and they make their money by appeasing the fans. It's finding that balance of appeasing current fans and future fans that is the trick. This team is better than the last few years even if they don't have the amazing W-L to prove it. I'll bet on continued improvement and even pushing for a playoff spot in 2016.

 

Wrong. You make money by winning games and because of revenue sharing. Winning games gives you leverage in local TV deals. Winning brings free agents to Minnesota. Winning fills the ballpark.

 

Appeasing fans who are in general uninformed and emotionally vested causes you to continually lose games. Appeasing fans causes you to spend 20mil a year on a guy who might never hit 20 home runs in a season ever again. Appeasing fans is the best way to run your organization into the toilet.

 

And regarding loyalty, are you kidding me? Perkins is getting paid millions of dollars to pitch. If the Twins believe it is best for the team for him to do so elsewhere, then they do what is best for the team. Loyalty gets you nowhere is a salary cap league other than in the cellar. As for free agents, they don't care either. Free agents care about winning, money and location. Period. It is business, plain and simple.

[troyhobbs]

There isn't a veteran on the roster that the Twins shouldn't be shopping around, including Joe Mauer. The heavy touted prospects in their system still have to take their lumps once they get to the MLB so by the time they are a serious contender very few guys on the current roster will be there. I think the Twins FO has been in rebuilding mode denial the past few years and there's still many more questions than answers.

[halfchest]

Wrong. You make money by winning games and because of revenue sharing. Winning games gives you leverage in local TV deals. Winning brings free agents to Minnesota. Winning fills the ballpark.

 

Appeasing fans who are in general uninformed and emotionally vested causes you to continually lose games. Appeasing fans causes you to spend 20mil a year on a guy who might never hit 20 home runs in a season ever again. Appeasing fans is the best way to run your organization into the toilet.

 

And regarding loyalty, are you kidding me? Perkins is getting paid millions of dollars to pitch. If the Twins believe it is best for the team for him to do so elsewhere, then they do what is best for the team. Loyalty gets you nowhere is a salary cap league other than in the cellar. As for free agents, they don't care either. Free agents care about winning, money and location. Period. It is business, plain and simple.

 

I can see we obviously don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. I suppose for your fandom trading Perkins for a prospect would be appeasing you? I'll argue any business works its best to appease their customers, which in baseball is the fans either paying to watch games on TV, in person, buying merchandise etc. so while I'm not going to bluntly just say you're wrong, we obviously disagree. I think when it comes down to it, all successful MLB teams appease their fans in one way or another. Do they make awful decisions to do so? Hopefully not. Winning appeases fans, I think we can agree on this. So is keeping Perkins helping them win more? Yes, you even said it they will only lose 90 with him and 100 without? Doesn't make a difference? Well what if next year Perkins is the difference between going .500 or losing another 90? (note, I don't think perkins is worth 10 wins by himself)

 

When does it end? Is it playoffs or bust? I guess I don't have the answer. I suppose for the future if you ain't first you're last (shake and bake) might be the best philosophy so you get higher draft picks, etc. But if we go .500 next year and we show that we treat our players well then maybe, just maybe, a top free agent chooses us over another team for the same salary. As you pointed out, winning attracts free agents so maybe Perkins and Dozier are the guys that get us to a more respectable place next year or maybe even this year to some extent.

 

Lot's of ifs buts and maybes in all scenarios. At some point a team needs to start retaining it's talented players especially those with multiple years of control at an affordable rate. Perkins and Dozier are both debatable guys (obviously). They could both bring a lot in a trade or they could be two of the veterans that lead this team back to respectability along with the young prospects and a few free agents to finish it out.

[zenser]

Earlier in some replies there were comments about his salary and how they came up with some of the numbers. Correct me if I am wrong, but at the time he signed his extension, he was under contract through 2015 or 2016. IIRC, he signed his extension during spring training and the day he signed it or the day after he was on the radio broadcast talking about it. He was given a raise for the years he was under contract. Also, IIRC, he said he wanted to stay in Minnesota and be around for the resurgence and it was something along the lines that he and his family are comfortable here and have enough security (money in the bank) as they would need.

 

I get the arguments to trade him. He does have value in a position that can be looked upon as overrated. Closers can have a short window. I get all of the arguments, I really do.

 

IMO, we have a guy who is one of the best in the game and is committed to Minnesota. He wants to be here and he wants to win here. His contract is never going to hinder the Twins. At some point, the Twins will turn it around. I think we all expect it to happen before his contract would expire. I don't want to trade him now because we can and I also don't want to trade for a closer when we need one either. That worked out well the last time didn't it?

 

As for the Dodgers as a trade partner, I don't see it. They have Jensen closing and he is good. 29 saves in 32 opportunities, 40.2 IP 63 K They have a former closer and LHP JP Howell as a set up man and he is having a great year. 1.30 ERA 0.92 WHIP 33K in 34.2 IP. They also have former closers Chris Perez, Brian Wilson, and Brandon League. Yes, Perkins is better then them. Are they going to have enough innings to keep everyone of those guys happy? Are they willing to give up a prospect like Seager when Hanley Ramirez is in a contract year and Juan Uribe is manning 3B?

[tobi0040]

Perkins ranks 8th in fWAR among relievers from 2011-2014 (although the selective endpoints problem rears its ugly head, as Doolittle and Rivera rank just behind Perkins and both missed time due to a late debut and retirement, respectively).

 

2012-2014, Perkins ranks #9, just behind Fernando Rodney (a free agent who has made $11.25 million over those 3 years), and in a virtual tie with 10th and 11th ranked Jake McGee and Joe Nathan.

 

2013-2014, Perkins ranks #8 again, this time just behind Mark Melancon.

 

2014 alone, Perkins is back to ranking #9, with Betances topping the list, and with comeback kid Soria and starter conversion Wade Davis ahead of him. (And reclamation projects Andrew Miller and Pat Neshek just behind.)

 

Perkins' individual season reliever fWAR ranks

2014: 9

2013: 12

2012 : 33

2011: 9

 

 

Here is a quick list of the last 8 closers to sign free agent deals. Glen's $5.5M deal is below market, big time.

 

Benoit $7.75M a year

Balfour $6M a year

Nathan $10M a year

Wilson $10M a year

Broxton $7M a year

League $7M a year

Rivera $10M a year

Soriano $14M a year (8th inning guy, but signed to a closer deal)

 

The guy took less money to play here. We should not be trading him unless he approaches us and wants out.

[DaveW]

Here is a quick list of the last 8 closers to sign free agent deals. Glen's $5.5M deal is below market, big time.

 

Benoit $7.75M a year

Balfour $6M a year

Nathan $10M a year

Wilson $10M a year

Broxton $7M a year

League $7M a year

Rivera $10M a year

Soriano $14M a year (8th inning guy, but signed to a closer deal)

 

The guy took less money to play here. We should not be trading him unless he approaches us and wants out.

You forgot:

Matt Capps 2011-2012 Minnesota Twins: 11.6 million.