Souhan: One little chat changed Perkins' future in his home state

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Glen Perkins is an All-Star closer who has spent his entire life in Minnesota. He is the rare Twins player who lives in state year-round, has become a centerpiece of the Twins' marketing campaign and has vowed to play for them as long as they will have him.

It's easy to forget that three years ago the Twins considered trading him, and only Perkins' intervention led to what he calls "a great life."

Perkins butted heads with his coaches at the University of Minnesota, then quarreled with his Twins bosses. He was on his way to becoming another first-round bust when, late in the spring of 2011, he walked up to Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson.

"I can remember it like it was yesterday," Anderson said. "He came to me right here and said, 'Can I talk to you? I was born and raised in Minnesota, I've spent my entire life in Minnesota, I want to be a Twin. I want to be a better teammate, I want to be a better pitcher, don't give up on me.'

"There was some talk of making a trade, then all of a sudden he saw the light."

Perkins remembers traveling from Fort Myers to Clearwater, Fla., with the Twins and not pitching.

"That's the first time that had ever happened to me,'' he said. "I was angry."

"I told Gardy, 'I want to play here, if you'll have me," Perkins said.

Gardenhire said he would call Perkins later in the day. Perkins figured that was a brushoff. He picked up his father-in-law and headed to Sanibel to fish.

"The phone rang before we got to the causeway," Perkins said. "Gardy said, 'Pack your bags, you're going north with us.' "

Perkins had a similar experience with the Gophers. The Stillwater High School product made lousy grades during his first semester in college. The Gophers redshirted him, and he spent his second semester "figuring out how to be a college student." One day, Gophers pitching coach Todd Oakes called him about a rumor that Perkins wanted to transfer.

Perkins said that if he was going to leave, he already would be gone.

Why so much conflict? "I guess it's a character flaw of mine," Perkins said.

Now he's Mr. Minnesota, or at least hangs out with someone vying for that title.

Perkins and Joe Mauer played for the USA in the World Baseball Classic and for the American League in the All-Star Game last year. They could play in the next All-Star Game, at Target Field.

With Mauer having twin daughters and wintering in Minnesota instead of Fort Myers, the two were able to enjoy the Polar Vortex together. "We played hockey," Perkins said. "Well, it was more like ice dancing. No sequins, though."

They talked about their kids. They talked about their futures, with Perkins signed through 2016 and Mauer through 2018. They talked about how losing feels, and what winning at home would mean.

"I want to be the closer of this team when we get to the playoffs. I got to see Joe Nathan do that a whole bunch."

In the last few days, Perkins became the centerpiece for Twins television and radio commercials, and has dined with the Gophers baseball staff, with the team playing in Florida. One conversation changed him from an anti-authoritarian trade chip into a representative of all that is right in Minnesota sports.

"Either I hinted to them that I didn't want to be here, or they got that impression," Perkins said. "I think they appreciated what I had to say. For a guy to say, 'This is where I still want to be,' no matter how rough the going was, I think they respected that."

Jim Souhan can be heard weekdays at noon and Sundays from 10 to noon on 1500 ESPN. His Twitter name is @SouhanStrib. • jsouhan@startribune.com