Nathan signs with Texas

[Trainman]

Joe Nathan signed with the Texas Rangers today for a 2-year 14.5million deal.

Granted, Nathan had probably peaked already, but how do you let someone like Nathan just walk? Add this to the long list of free agents we gave away - Young, Thome, Kubel, Cuddyer, Crain, Guerrier, Feuntes, Flores, Rauch, the list goes on.

[ted4887]

There are a few players on there I was more than happy to let leave. In fact, I would have paid for Young's train ticket out of town myself if that would have helped.

However, I am a bit upset that Nathan didn't resign, but I understand the Twins not wanting to pay that kind of money. The Twins are in for a tough few years with Mauers contract and an utter lack of quality starting pitching. Hopefully Nathan and Thome both get a good chance to win a World Series. Both guys deserve one.

[Rick G]

Yet another sad day for MN baseball fans . I'm thinkin the 2012 season might not be so good.

[Scott M]

Would be nice to have Nathan and Feliz in your bullpen. Sounds like Feliz is going to start.

It was fun having Joe here. I miss the days when the Twins were getting the upper hand on trades. Best thing we got outta A.J. was Nathan.

Hall of Famer? Or merely Twins Hall of Famer? He could finish his career in the top 25 for saves (I know its a useless stat to a point)

[B. Amish]

he wanted to win. probably didn't matter what we were willing to offer him.

[Harmonica Bear]

I read on someeones tweet that the Twins were offering basically the same money. He wanted to win and didn't feel like the Twins were doing enough to make that happen after a 99 loss season.

[First Ice-Mike]

It was just too much money for a closer that is past his prime. Good luck to him, but I'm glad we didn't sign him to that deal.

FI

[thatoneguy]

I'm surprised to see Nathan command that much money, given his struggles in 2011. Then again, the Twins paid Capps $7.15 million this year to be terrible, so maybe that's just the going rate for a crappy short-relief righty these days.

I guess TX is banking that Nathan will rebound once he's another year removed from Tommy John surgery. I hope he does well...I always enjoyed watching him pitch for the Twinks.

[PierBridge]

No possible way we were paying him 14-mil thats pretty ridiculous to say the least.

I'm pretty sure we didnt even makwe an offer and if so it would not have been over 5M for sure and probably less.

I'll sure miss Nathan blowing key game after key game late in the season and into the playoffs.

He was automatic though in the first 70 percent of the season and for that he should be commended.

[pikestabber]

Actually the Twins did make an offer of the same, or near the same money for two years (after declining his 12mil option for one year), but perhaps that was a courtesy for Joe to make sure he got paid well elsewhere. We were never going to re-sign him at the same rate of a contender or outbid anyone to keep him. He had interest from 10 teams and offers from 6 of them...Ryan just helped make sure he got paid a fair sum elsewhere by inflating his price a bit. I will miss Joe and I won't forget how much he did for us as a Twin, but not taking that contract on was a very good move. Next stop, get rid of Capps.

[Musky Buck]

He may know more about the status of the squad beyond what we all know. I'd get sick of throwing to Butera also. If we're pitching predominately to Butera we're in trouble. It isn't like Tim Laudner when we had Puckett,Gaetti,Bruno,Hrbek etc. I lol don't even know what we really got anymore other than a mess. Feel like we're back to the Matthew LeCroy, Bret Boone, Phil Nevin, Buck Buchanon, Ruben Sierra, Tony Batista, Sydney Ponson, Juan Castro, Adam Everett, Luis Rivas, days of the past.

[Musky Buck]

Take care Joe Nathan and I wish you the best, we're no threat so might as well pull for you and Texas and if you get the chance and Nishi is still around could you drop him for me if his run means 0. The guy didn't know what the infield fly rule is, then again Carl pavano has likely paid you to drill him so I'm runner up on that one.

[harvey lee]

Now when Cuddy leaves, we will have about nothing left.

Years for sure before the Twins are a legit contender or when Mauers contract runs out.

[JBMasterAngler]

Good riddance! Texas better have 4 run+ leads against the yanks going into the 9th, otherwise it's automatic losses.

[montanagriz]

Agree JB, Joe Nathan has to be one of the most overrated players in Twins history. He consistently lost games for us when they mattered the most. He looked awful last year and there is no way we could have resigned him at 7 million a year. I personally think this was a great move by the Twins. On a side note, is it just me, or has any closer in history looked more nervous on the mound than Nathan? I almost have an anxiety attack just watching the guy. It looks like he would rather be anywhere in the world than on the mound during the 9th inning, so uncomfortable. Hopefully Perkins can develop into the closer role, he showed some promise last year. Also, not major moves, but I liked the signing of Carroll and the backup catcher for Pittsburgh for short term fixes, definitely don't think the Nishi experiment worked.

[Musky Buck]

Did I miss something, is Neftali Feliz gone from Texas ? I would guess yes because there's no way Nathan closes ahead of that guy. We will find out if he can do it or not. He turned 37 today or yesterday so here's his last chance. We all know closing is a goofy gig, they rarely last (Mariano Rivera exempt) look at Latroy Hawkins, Billy Koch, Eddie Guardado, JJ Putz, Jason Isringhausen, and the long list of guys that make it a few years and it eats them up and spits them out. I hope Thome and Nathan got big bucks meaning deer this year.

[greebs]

writing was on the wall for this. don't think joe will ever again be the strong closer he was prior to the injury and he is getting up there in age. it really doesn't make sense either to be playing a closer the kind of money it would have taken to keep him given all the other holes this team has to fill. if this season is an indicator of the near future, there won't be too many opportunities for the closer to get used anyhow.

for you cuddy fans, he's not gone yet and I see the phillies decided they didn't want him too badly after all so ya never know. I still don't expect kubel back though.

[Harmonica Bear]

I beleive Feliz is moving into the starting rotation

[Musky Buck]

Really Feliz a starter, interesting. Might not be good for Joe Nathan, Feliz dominates 8 innings, pitch count, gets pulled and now the hitters are happy to see Joe on the hill. A friend I played many years of ball with was, I'm sure it ended, but was his personal trainer. He said Joe Nathan was a super quality guy 0 in the ego dept. Is this fire sale or whatever dismantling the team a result of Mauer's contract, I sure hope not or what a disaster.

[RumRiverRat]

Good Riddance!

[Ybone]

Wow, you guys are harsh. For 6 straight years he had between 36 and 47 saves and an era between 1.33 and 2.70. It just doesn't get much better than that.

[Snag]

I'm sure he's a nice guy and all, but he wasn't quite Mr. October for us.

[mainbutter]

Nathan is going to do well in Texas, and I've got a feeling he's going to make a difference in their 2012 season. Nathan headed to Texas was the right thing for both the Rangers, Twins, and Joe himself.

I'm rooting for Texas (just behind the Twins of course) for a WS win next year, 'cuz once the Astros are in the AL West, there will be too much conflict in my team allegiances to root for Texas. I sure would like to see Nolan Ryan with a win as an owner, he sure deserves it.