Texas Rangers Sign Joe Nathan, Neftali Feliz Moves to Starting Rotation

Why the hell would the Texas Rangers need a closer when they already have Neftali Feliz, you ask? Well, because apparently Feliz can do what he does for like six or seven innings in a row.

While the Rangers closer will finally be making his dream move to the starting rotation, Joe Nathan will be taking over closing duties in Arlington after leaving the Minnesota Twins via free agency for a two-year contract worth $15 million, including a club option for 2014. The day before his 37th birthday.

Minnesota Twins Decline Option on Joe Nathan, in the Market for a Closer Yet Again

After declining a $12.5 million option on Joe Nathan’s contract Tuesday afternoon and handing him a $2 million buyout, the Minnesota Twins are in the market for a closer. Again.

The right-handed closer was on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery in 2011, but struggled to locate his fastball and slider, blowing a couple of saves to end last April with a 10.00 ERA. He was replaced by a carousel of closers, including free agent Matt Capps, who sucks at pitching, by the way.

Nathan, who will turn 37 next month, took the hill only for mop-up duty until he landed on the disabled list in May with recurring elbow soreness. He made a comeback in late June and took the struggling Capps' place in mid-July, blowing just three saves in 17 chances with a 4.84 second-half ERA. He holds the Twins all-time saves record with 260.

We've always loved Joe Nathan, as you can tell by this interview we did with him back in May of last season. We'll miss seeing him shut things down here in Minnesota if he doesn't get re-signed, as general manager Bill Smith has said the team would love to do... just not for $12.5 million.

[Star Tribune]

Under the Bleachers With Joe Nathan

It's been a crazy few months for four-time All-Star Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan. After having surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow during the off season, the badass closer ended up having season-ending Tommy John surgery just before the Twins started their 2010 season. This was a devastating loss to Minnesota fans, as he's easily one of the most feared closers in the game - he had an astounding 47 saves on the books last season alone!

Luckily, he's under contract through the 2011 season with a club option in 2012 - so Twins fans will get their beloved closer back next season when he's all better. Did we mention he's adorable, too? (Sorry ladies, he's married!)

Get Well Soon, Joe Nathan

Superbad Twins closer Joe Nathan, who left the game against the Red Sox on Saturday due to soreness in his surgically repared right elbow, just delivered a crushing blow to Twins Territory: he MAY be out for the season. That sound you just heard? The residents of the entire state of Minnesota simultaneously breaking out into hysterical sobs.

Nathan had MRI and CT scans on Monday to determine if the tightness he was feeling in his elbow was just a kink from his surgery last October, or if it was something more serious. Turns out he has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), and that could lead to Tommy John surgery. Ouch.

Take It Outside

This Minnesota Twins commercial has been around for a while now, but I was reminded of it while reading a great post on lights-out closer Joe Nathan (a sick imposter for a human being) over at The Love of Sports. Enjoy!

Speaking of last season's AL batting champ, Joe Mauer's achy back has been feeling better enough for him to start running for the past few days, and he's expected to begin his rehab next week. The All-Star catcher will continue to take batting practice, run, and catch bullpen sessions in Fort Myers for the rest of the week. Assuming all goes well, he'll start playing in some Gulf Coast League games and be on his way back to the Twins starting lineup, possibly by mid-May.

Get well soon, Man Muscles!

[MLB] | [Baseball Joy!] | [Twinkie Town]

Put It Away Joe Nathan

Put those dimples away this instant young man.

Twins Get Serious with Joe Nate

Four years, $47 million. Good job, Twins. I was seriously about to have a heart attack if you didn't give Joe Nathan a contract extension before the beginning of the season.

Here's to four more years of that thing he does with his mouth before every pitch...

Check out my in-depth "analysis" of the Joe Nate deal over at 10,000 Takes.

[Star Tribune]

The Most Dedicated Closer Of All Time

One of the top closers in the game, Minnesota's Joe Nathan, is a very busy man.

Just how busy, you ask? Well, Monday night, after saving a baseball game, Joe stayed up with his son Cole, who had a 104 degree temperature. The next night, after saving another game, his wife Lisa was scheduled to deliver their second child - a girl they plan to name Riley.

"If the game's close and Riley's not out yet, then it's going to be pretty crazy," Joe says. "Hopefully my wife is understanding if I have to leave for a couple hours and finish a ballgame."

That's right. Joe plans to leave the hospital if the Twins are in a save situation. For the sake of his marriage, may the Twins score at least 3 more runs than the Orioles by the ninth inning tonight.

MLB Fanhouse]