Tuesday, March
9, 2010
Joe Nathan out
for the Year!
I said I wasn’t going to
worry about Joe Nathan until someone
told me that I should worry about Joe
Nathan. Well, this morning, we were told that he has a torn UCL, is out
for the year and will decide soon if he will have Tommy John surgery.
OK, now, I am worried. The Twins have plenty of closing options, but any time
you lose a guy who has been arguably the top closer in baseball over the last
five or six years, it’s not a good thing. First and foremost, we wish him well.
But it certainly creates questions!
What are your thoughts? Who
is next in line to close? (My guess would be Matt Guerrier. He’s been around and he’s
been able to get the job done. Not a classic closer, but a very good pitcher.) Jesse Crain, Jon Rauch, Jose Mijares, maybe even Pat Neshek are options as well. Remember
when we said the bullpen depth this year was great? Well, now that becomes
hugely important!
UPDATE/CORRECTION –
·
First, I should
point out that it has not yet been determined that Nathan will miss the entire
year. He will rest it for a couple of weeks and then throw again. However, this
is a similar injury to what Pat Neshek had. It
is also the same injury that Loek Van Mil had,
and he is still not 100%
·
I’m hearing Francisco Liriano’s
name bantered about as a possible closer option. For me, that just doesn’t
work. I am fully of the belief that any very good pitcher can be a closer IF
(and that is intentionally a Big IF) he has the mental strength to handle it.
No one questions Liriano’s stuff, but I don’t think
anyone would consider him real strong emotionally.
·
The Twins like to
give guys opportunities that deserve it. That is why I think that Matt Guerrier
would be Option #1. He’s earned it. Would he keep it? We shall see. He doesn’t
profile as a typical closer like guys like Jesse
Crain and Jose Mijares
might, but he could be solid. I’m not as high on Jon Rauch as many, but he’s certainly another option.
·
Bullpen by
committee has never really worked, but until someone steps forward, that may be
the best way to start.
·
Pat Neshek is the best option in terms of stuff and mental
strength for the job, but rushing him back into that type of role might not be
best. But he certainly could be that option later in the season.
·
Minor league guys
could get a more extended look. Guys like Anthony
Slama and Rob
Delaney and to a lesser extent Alex
Burnett could stick around big league camp longer and factor into the bullpen.
None of them should be immediately slotted into the closer’s role, but they
could be seen sooner now. Carlos Gutierrez is another option, but the
Twins do want to see what he can be as a start. He has, in my mind, the best ‘closer’
stuff in the minor leagues.
·
Names like Heath Bell and George Sherrill are already being mentioned. Bell makes some sense,
for sure, but the Padress always seem to ask for the
world for their players. Would Perkins and Casilla
get the deal done?
·
I will be on The
Fan (am710) at 11:00 this morning to talk about Joe Nathan and the Twins. It is a Bismarck, ND, station, so tune in
if you’re there, or Listen Live if you’re anywhere else.
What are your thoughts? What will happen? If you would like, you can e-mail me, or feel free to leave
your comments here.