Baseball can be cruel, at times. It is especially difficult for those trying to make a major league roster for the first time.
It looked like Vince Perkins, who spent a little time with Camden in 2008, might get a serious look this spring from the Chicago Cubs. It didn't happen, though, as the 28-year-old right-hander only got one inning of official work (one hit, one walk, one unearned run) before he was reassigned to the minor league camp.
Hopefully, his spirit is not broken. This was Perkins's fifth major league spring training, and healthy entering camp after battling elbow issues--including when he was in the Atlantic League--he told this writer in January "I think they are expecting me to come in and win a spot (in the bullpen). I think I am one of the arms they are looking at, and it could be either right away or later in the season," as I wrote in my Independent Baseball Insider column at the time.
Perkins had a fine '09, with a 7-2 record, five saves and a 3.02 ERA in 53 appearances, most of it at Triple-A Iowa.
ANOTHER POSITIVE FOR MICHAEL RYAN
It certainly isn't fair to cheer against someone else, but the fact Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Reggie Willits is sidelined for the moment with an hamstring problem could be one more reason former Somerset outfielder Michael Ryan will continue his long look with the American League team.
Willits, a switch hitter, was in 49 games with the parent club and 62 in Triple-A one year ago. Ultimately, Ryan must continue to show his own positives. He was 0-for-2 with a walk and scored a run against the Cubs Sunday, dropping his spring average to .429 (6-for-14), with such favorable crooked numbers as six runs batted in, four runs and three walks to improve the already impressive on-base percentage.
CUBS GET TO JOHN HALAMA
It was only one spring training appearance, but then each one is important to a guy like 38-year-old John Halama, who is hoping for another major league opportunity with Milwaukee. After three spring innings over two games in which he had been touched for only two hits and no runs, the Chicago Cubs got to this former Southern Maryland and Long Island southpaw in his most recent outing. The Cubs collected five hits and two runs in a two-inning stint by Halama. It probably is a decent sign that Halama has gotten two innings in two of his three appearances (so many times a reliever only gets one frame), and his ERA is a very decent 3.60.
WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR BATTING CHAMP CHARLTON JIMERSON?
It is awfully early in minor league spring training, but from what we have seen last season's Atlantic League batting (.335) and slugging (.567) king Charlton Jimerson likely will patrol centerfield for Minnesota's top farm club at Rochester, NY.
The onetime College World Series Most Valuable Player did it all at Newark last summer with 49 extra base hits (27-1-21), 38 steals, 91 runs, 62 RBI and all-league honors.
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