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University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Baseball Pros Look Forward to Spring Training
2/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 7, 2012
By Justine Buerkle
GopherSports.com student assistant
As the Golden Gopher baseball team prepares to start its season at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge, Major League Baseball players are getting ready for spring training. Among them are two former Golden Gophers looking to build off of a big 2011 season. Both Glen Perkins and Jack Hannahan overcame obstacles to make their marks in the big leagues last season.
Perkins bounced back from a tough 2010 season spent mostly in the minor leagues to become a stable presence in the Minnesota Twins bullpen. He spent some time on the disabled list in May and June, but recovered and ended up having the best 2011 season of any Twins pitcher. Perkins's impressive stat line (2.48 ERA, 4-4 record, 2 saves, 65 appearances, 61.2 IP, 65 K, 21 BB, 2 HR) earned him the team's Diamond Awards for both Pitcher of the Year and Most Improved Player. This was a dramatic step up from his 5.82 ERA in just 21.2 innings with the Twins in 2010.
"I finally got a chance," he said. "I knew my role going into the season and knew what I was going to be doing. I was at a point in my career where it was either pitch or find something else to do. I had worked hard in the winter and got my arm right and came into camp, pitched well, and got a chance. I was happy--for all the hard work that I put in--to be able to see some reward."
Hard work paid off for Hannahan, as well. After spending all of 2010 in the minors after an injury during spring training, he made the Cleveland Indians squad as a non-roster invitee and found himself playing third base on opening day. Hannahan hit .250 with eight homeruns and 40 RBIs in 110 games. In the field, he made only five errors all year for a .983 fielding percentage. It meant a lot for Hannahan to fight back from injuries to return to a major league club.
"As a baseball player, it's always a long road with a lot of ups and downs," he said. "But you've got to be mentally strong. I learned that here at the University of Minnesota, just to take the downs exactly like the ups."
Hannahan had an eventful summer off the diamond, too. His wife, Jenny, gave birth to the couple's first child, Johnny, in August. The story of Hannahan's teammates paying for his flight home to witness the birth received significant press. Johnny was premature by almost three months, but is doing well now.
"He's doing great," Hannahan said. "He's up to 14 pounds. He's a big, very healthy boy. We've been so blessed. He's our little miracle baby. It was a long summer, but it was all worth it."
When Johnny was about five months old, his father signed a one-year contract with Cleveland. Around the same time, Perkins also signed a one-year deal, with the Twins.
"My future had been cloudy for a couple years, so it's relaxing, but at the same time, I know that they're counting on me," Perkins said. "There's a lot more pressure on me this year than there has ever been. I'm excited about that and I'm glad that they trust me and gave me the opportunity to be able to go out and determine the fate of the team on a lot of nights."
Perkins will report shortly to Fort Myers with the Twins' other pitchers and catchers to get ready for the 2012 season. Meanwhile, part of his personal practice routine has been throwing sessions with Gopher pitching coach Todd Oakes. Hannahan, too, has been practicing in facilities used by the Gophers, lauding the Minnesota coaching staff for being so welcoming to alumni.
Both playing for teams in the A.L. Central, Perkins and Hannahan will be rivals come opening day. Perkins hopes his team will stay healthy enough to contend for the division title, while Hannahan cited "the little things" as the key for the Indians. Although they are competing for the same championship, and although they never played together at the University of Minnesota (Hannahan was there from 1999-01, while Perkins played from 2003-04), they can certainly appreciate seeing fellow Gophers in the big leagues.
"We need to get more of them up there," Hannahan said. "We've got some young guns coming up, so there are going to be a lot more Gophers up there. It's always special to see a face, a guy that went to the same school as you with such great tradition."
Notes: John Gaub was a 2011 September call up, marking the third Gopher alum to play in Major League Baseball last year. With his MLB debut on Sept. 12, 2011, Gaub became the 32nd Gopher play in the Majors and the 16th since 1983. He will look to make the opening day roster this year as well. Along with the three, the Gophers have Cole DeVries, Justin Gominsky, Nate Hanson, Kyle Knudson, Michael Kvasnicka, Dan Lyons, Reid Mahon, Nick O'Shea, AJ Pettersen and Seth Rosin playing in the minors this season.
