Joe Nathan has torn ligament

[Pewterschmidt]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/87106552.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD 3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU

Yippie!!!

They say he'll try to pitch thru it but who here believes that he can go the full season? BS. He's done. Let's see...he left his first spring training game because of discomfort. What makes anyone think he can go the full 162?

This makes me incredibly bitter. Of course the Twins would experience the most serious baseball-related injury this spring when they enter the season with a ton of momentum. Only a team from Minnesota.

I've become jaded. I fully expect things to go wrong with my teams now. This sucks.

Who closes now? Mijares? Rauch? Guerrier? Can't be Mijares as he's the lefty specialist and there's nobody to replace him. That leaves Rauch or Guerrier and I don't like either option.

[Schlic Daddy]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/87106552.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD 3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU

Yippie!!!

They say he'll try to pitch thru it but who here believes that he can go the full season? BS. He's done. Let's see...he left his first spring training game because of discomfort. What makes anyone think he can go the full 162?

This makes me incredibly bitter. Of course the Twins would experience the most serious baseball-related injury this spring when they enter the season with a ton of momentum. Only a team from Minnesota.

I've become jaded. I fully expect things to go wrong with my teams now. This sucks.

Who closes now? Mijares? Rauch? Guerrier? Can't be Mijares as he's the lefty specialist and there's nobody to replace him. That leaves Rauch or Guerrier and I don't like either option.

Neshek? This sucks.

[tikited]

I wrote a few times last season that I believed Joe was pretty much done. Now it is becoming more of a reality. This does suck, but we could have a deep bullpen if no one else goes down. Perkins to the rescue-not as the closer but as the middle relief guy? I see Rauch as the new closer..

[Schnoodler]

So this seems to be a reocurring theme, a guy is feeling a bit nicked, spends the winter doing nothing come in and lo and behold the discomfort he felt is actually a serious injury. maybe they should do the MRI's after the season to see if maybe there is a problem and not wait. hello!!!!

[howeda7]

So this seems to be a reocurring theme, a guy is feeling a bit nicked, spends the winter doing nothing come in and lo and behold the discomfort he felt is actually a serious injury. maybe they should do the MRI's after the season to see if maybe there is a problem and not wait. hello!!!!

Even if he'd had TJ surgery in November, he'd still be out for the year...

[Gophers_are_Golden]

Who closes now? Mijares? Rauch? Guerrier? Can't be Mijares as he's the lefty specialist and there's nobody to replace him. That leaves Rauch or Guerrier and I don't like either option.

Maybe we can trade Wilson Ramos for a good young closer?

[GophersInIowa]

Maybe we can trade Wilson Ramos for a good young closer?

I would rather keep Ramos in case we need to move Mauer to another position in a few years.

[Costa Rican Gopher]

Liriano perhaps? Keeps his innings down and let's him, let 'er rip wihtout having to hold himself back.

[BleedGopher]

Liriano perhaps? Keeps his innings down and let's him, let 'er rip wihtout having to hold himself back.

I would definitely consider this if they think Liriano has the mental make-up for this role. Liriano seems to be most effective the first time through a batting order any way, and guys pick up on his form and pitches the second and third time through the order. He can also throw his stuff a bit harder if he's only throwing 10-20 pitches.

Not a fun thing to have to deal with right now.

Win Twins!!

[Schlic Daddy]

I would definitely consider this if they think Liriano has the mental make-up for this role. Liriano seems to be most effective the first time through a batting order any way, and guys pick up on his form and pitches the second and third time through the order. He can also throw his stuff a bit harder if he's only throwing 10-20 pitches.

Not a fun thing to have to deal with right now.

Win Twins!!

I'm totally against moving Liriano, but if he really is back to form, it'd be hard to put a guy who can give you 6-7 innings every 5 days in the bullpen.

[Breakin' The Plane]

I would rather keep Ramos in case we need to move Mauer to another position in a few years.What this guy said. If you're dealing prospects, the Twins are strong in the outfield. It's going to be tough to deal for a closer now, since most teams still think they have a shot. I'm sure they've already called the Padres about Heath Bell, but other than him, your options for an established closer are pretty limited. I wouldn't worry too much about a closer. With the potent Twins offense, there might have been 10 save opportunities for Nathan this season.

[Costa Rican Gopher]

I'm totally against moving Liriano, but if he really is back to form, it'd be hard to put a guy who can give you 6-7 innings every 5 days in the bullpen.

Even though he says he's 100% recovered, he still hasn't gone more than 5 innings in 3 years & the way he throws I doubt he ever will again with any frequency. I think he might be perfect physically (don't know about mentally?) as a closer.

[Schlic Daddy]

Even though he says he's 100% recovered, he still hasn't gone more than 5 innings in 3 years & the way he throws I doubt he ever will again with any frequency. I think he might be perfect physically (don't know about mentally?) as a closer.

Oops I meant to say "'not' totally against." I don't know for sure, but I know reports from this winter seemed to indicate his fastball and slider are back.

[GophersInIowa]

Even though he says he's 100% recovered, he still hasn't gone more than 5 innings in 3 years & the way he throws I doubt he ever will again with any frequency. I think he might be perfect physically (don't know about mentally?) as a closer.

He started 24 games last year and went more than 5 innings in 14 of them.

[Pewterschmidt]

Losing Nathan alone is a problem. It's hard to replace a pitcher with his ERA/WHIP/K/Save stats. However, it has ramifications if they solve the closer role internally. If Liriano is the guy, it forces Duensing into the rotation and depletes the depth in case someone gets injured. If Guerrier or Rauch end up in the role, it forces everyone in the pen up a spot. All of a sudden, Jesse Crain becomes a very important piece to the puzzle. In fact, one could argue that Jesse Crain could be the savior. If he can round into form and be the 7th/8th inning guy he once was, losing Nathan is less of an issue. Otherwise it will either deplete the rotation or the pen, not to mention we have someone closing that's very green.

That's why I'm for the Twins addressing the need externally. The best option I've heard is Heath Bell. He's financially cheap and could be had for a couple of prospects from the rebuilding Padres. Trading for him would keep the rotation and the rest of the pen intact. He's no Joe Nathan but he has experience. There are other options other than Bell but he makes the most sense.

[Costa Rican Gopher]

He started 24 games last year and went more than 5 innings in 14 of them.

I stand corrected.

[Gopher Gold]

Neshek anyone? If he comes back alright I would trust him out there more than say a Liriano or Rauch. What ever happens this really hurts the Twins.