Nathan who?

[DonBo]

I know, I know, it's just one game but Rauch looked awesome last night. Three up, three down, two strikouts. He had some pretty good hitters flayling at some really nasty pitches. The future looks a little brighter to me after seeing that.

[harvey lee]

Hopefully John will continue to be at his best. The Twins will need him to save some.

[mrklean]

haha when he hits 20 saves then ill feel better

[SledNeck]

I feel better now than after watching him implode against the cardinals

[PikeBayCommanche]

I feel better than watching Nathan implode this whole season. His stuff just really dropped off quick at the end of the season.

[Dahitman44]

Easy now big fella - -Just one save and Nathan has a MaZillion.

Rauch still worries me with his walks - -I would have used Guerrier - -but so far so good.

Rauch has an intimidation factor -- that is for sure.

[SledNeck]

its funny watching mauer walk up to the mound and look UP to the big guy...lol...usually mauer towers over all the pitchers

[toughguy]

I'm waiting for Rauch fake tattoo nite at target field. That would be up there with the Mauer sideburns nite. Go get em big fella

[PikeBayCommanche]

I know that Rauch is not what Nathan was in his prime yet. But is seems that pitchers under Rick Anderson really improve. I think he has to be one of the best pitching coaches in MLB.

Matt Guerrier has really developed his 4 pitches as has Rauch. Like you said above if he improves his control he can be a dominant closer in this league.

[Jarrod32]

Easy now big fella - -Just one save and Nathan has a MaZillion.

Rauch still worries me with his walks - -I would have used Guerrier - -but so far so good.

Rauch has an intimidation factor -- that is for sure.

Rauch has a career 2.5:1 strikeout to walk ratio; he'll be fine on the walks. He had 18 saves in 2008 as the closer for part of the year with the Nationals, though he also had 6 blown saves that year. He has 27 career saves, so he isn't completely new to the closing job...

[mrklean]

I'm waiting for Rauch fake tattoo nite at target field. That would be up there with the Mauer sideburns nite. Go get em big fella

haha now that would be funny

[B. Amish]

this is hilarious... a few weeks ago people were demanding that we trade for a closer and that without nathan, the season was setting up for failure

one save from rauch, and the season is saved!!!

[Juneau4]

Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn, in another month that squirrel may be hungrey.

[Harmonica Bear]

Yah, no kidding. I am usually Optimistic Ole when it comes to the twins, but Rauch has shown me anyuthing yet. Lets see in a month ot two...

[SkunkedAgain]

He showed some stuff last season in his games...more good than bad in my opinion.

[JBMasterAngler]

Good start for him. I too will wait until mid season to make any judgement though. At least now though we have a chance of beating teams like the yanks and red sox in the 9th inning.

[Dahitman44]

Maybe not "Walks" but he can be a little wild at times and maybe that helps keep people off-balance too.

[JBMasterAngler]

A good catcher can make a bad pitcher average...the best catcher (mauer) can make an average pitcher (rauch) pretty good. So I like the twins' chances this year.

And when we drop nathan, we can use all that extra money to resign mourneau.

[Cicada]

Keep in mind they were the 8,9, and 1 hitters. Nice way to start though. It all works towards building confidence for the future.

[mr_jman]

I think people got excited over that save because of the fashion in which it occurred. Rauch works much faster than Nathan (and without the twitches) but I want to see him work out of a jam or two that he has pitched himself into. It will happen eventually. Can he keep his composure and get a needed K or pop out, double play, etc. I like Rauch but one outing doesn't make him the closer savior of the season! I'd still prefer to have Nathan on the mound in the 9th but hopefully the Twins give Rauch plenty of opportunities to make the Twins have a tough decision after the season!

AND YES TO THE FAKE TATTOO NIGHT!!!! HAHA seeing a bunch of little kids wearing neck tats to school or to the game!

[Juneau4]

2 cheap saves

[DTro]

He will no doubt lose some games but like I said before:

closer=overrated

[Scott K]

I think a closer just needs to have above average stuff, and the right mentality not to fold under pressure. I dont think there are that many pitchers out there that fit that bill. And it is impossible to find out who has the mentality without putting them through real game time pressures. Some pictures may take right off, some others may need a lot of closing experience to get use to the pressure, some may never get it. I think there could be a lot of good closers out there, its just no team wants to put an un experienced closer in, when their season is on the line to get experience. So most teams want a proven closer, and not have to lose a lot of close games, to test to see if a picture can close.

[mrklean]

i think closers are more important in fantasy baseball then actual baseball

[SledNeck]

Good start for him. I too will wait until mid season to make any judgement though. At least now though we have a chance of beating teams like the yanks and red sox in the 9th inning.

YOU nailed it there