Twins call up Bobby Keppel

[mntwinsfan]

The Twins designated pitcher Luis Ayala for assignment on Monday and called up pitcher Bobby Keppel from Class AAA Rochester to replace him in the bullpen.

Keppel was 3-3 with a 2.34 ERA for the Red Wings this season and had an out in his contract that would have let him become a free agent if he wasn't on the big-league roster by July 1. The Twins signed Ayala, who had a 4.18 ERA in 32 1/3 innings this season, to a one-year, $1.3 million deal this off-season.

"Keppel's been throwing the ball really well in Rochester, and we wanted to give him an opportunity to come up here and help solidify things in this bullpen," general manager Bill Smith said. "(Ayala) had some spurts where he's been pretty good



Keppel has been pitching well in AAA. I question though if he still would have been called up if he was struggling and he did not have the out clause in his contract? Bobby's 2.34 era is good but will it be good enough to make the Twins pen any better?

[henks]

It's better than Ayala's ERA, the out clause may raise some eyebrows though.

Catman and I were discussing the bullpen the other night, and Ayala needed to be moved. Also Henn should be sent down. If Keppel can throw strikes (good ones) and let the D play behind him, it will help us.

He was DFA'd back in April by the Rockies, where he got lit up early on. Seems like he's settled down quite a bit since then.