FORT MYERS, FLA. – Twins closer Glen Perkins went through a bullpen session of 50-plus pitches on Tuesday morning. There was no problem with the previous irritation on his right side, and he went from the mound to an adjacent field for pitchers' fielding drills.
Perkins has not pitched in a game since the unofficial exhibition opener against the Gophers on March 4. The Twins had him written in to pitch Thursday (probably in a minor league game), barring no occurrence of the issue with his right side on Tuesday.
There was none.
Early in the bullpen session, Perkins issued an unhappy, one-word review of the command he had of his pitches. That changed after 15-20 pitches and catcher Kurt Suzuki offered a, "That's good, Perk,'' after Perkins popped his mitt a couple of times.
Late in the session, Suzuki added an adjective to that affirmation aimed at Perkins, when a couple of pitches made a late move to the outside corner. Perkins nodded, picked up a resin bag, and said:
"Those are cutting … geeze,'' Perkins said.
Asked later if those pitches with movement were sliders, Suzuki said: "Fastballs. Perk was good this morning … real good.''
Ricky Nolasco was warming up next to Perkins. One thing has going for him after last year's abysmal first season in Minnesota:
Nolasco has a flat stomach on him. He's definitely in shape.
