The Twins on Monday designated RHP Luis Ayala for assignment and called up 27 year-old RHP Bobby Keppel from AAA Rochester. In the grand scheme of things, the move is probably pointless. They've basically swapped one bad pitcher for another one. Still, the move raises a few questions in my mind.

I'm not sure what the Twins were expecting when they signed Ayala to a 1-year $1.3 million contract in the offseason. His numbers this year have been almost perfectly in line with his career marks, but apparently Bill Smith and Company have decided that's not what they're looking for. If they expected the 31-year old to somehow defy numbers posted in over 350 career big league innings, they're absolutely insane.

On a similar note, they must believe that Keppel's strong start in Rochester is proof that he has finally turned the corner, after proving to be a bad pitcher at both the minor league and big league levels for 6 years. Keppel has posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in nearly 1,000 minor league innings. He has a 2.43 ERA and 1.15 WHIP this season (in 55+ innings), but that's so far from his minor league norms that it's more than likely an aberration. Luis Ayala had just as good a chance, if not better, at pitching well over the next month than Bobby Keppel will.

Keppel is only the latest addition in what has been a serious revolving door of relievers that has seen Philip Humber, Jesse Crain, Juan Morillo, Brian Duensing, and Craig Breslow come and go. While I admire that the Twins' front office is willing to admit the bullpen is a problem, I'd like to actually see them do something about it. They should've addressed the bullpen situation appropriately in the offseason, but now they may be left to watch someone else capture the AL Central because of the handful of games that were surrendered by the relief pitching.

I hope Keppel has a terrific run and makes me look like an idiot, but given enough time his numbers will start to reflect what he's always been--a bad pitcher. It never fails.