After losing to Johnny Damon and the Tampa Bay Rays twice in three days via walk offs, the 5-10 Minnesota Twins have stripped the closing title from Joe Nation and replaced him with Matt Capps.
But don’t think it’s the last time you’ll see Joe Nathan in a Twins uniform in the ninth inning.
People in baseball have become spoiled by pitchers who have made quick recoveries from Tommy John Surgery, but it is a tough process to go through.
“I figured it would be easier for me to go to them than for them to come to me,” said Nathan to Dawn Klemish of MLB.com, “Until I start getting [consistency] back—and I know I will in some time—until I do, I don’t want to put this team at any risk, or cost them any ballgames right now.
“We’re all scuffling right now a little bit, so the games that we do have, I’d like us to get those taken care of and get those finished up.”
Notice that most of the pitchers who came back from Tommy John Surgery were starting pitchers. It will take a while for Nathan to get back into form since after all, it is still April.
Right now, having Nathan in the six or seventh inning might actually be a good thing for the Minnesota Twins. He can be effective with out the pressure while he’s getting back in full swing and they’ll have Matt Capps, who last year was one of the best closers in the game as a member of the Washington Nationals.
Matt Capps has given up four runs in nine innings so far this season, which isn’t that bad but it’s not that good either. He did work in a perfect inning against the Tampa Bay Rays to get his first save of the season.
The Twins will face the Rays again next week in Target Field, after two series against the upstart Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians.
I project Joe Nathan to be back in the closing role by the time the Twins take on the Rays for the final time before the All Star Break.
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