Twins closer Joe Nathan could miss 2010 with torn UCL

Joe Nathan (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

If Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan decides that it's necessary to have surgery on his torn ulnar collateral ligament, the AL Central "engine that could" will be without one of the best stoppers in the history of the game for at least the 2010 Major League Baseball season. The right elbow ligament tear could shut Joe Nathan down even if he doesn't opt for surgery, so the Twins' situation is indeed dire. They'd need some serious payday cash.

Think closers like Joe Nathan aren't important because they only pitch 70 innings per year?

You'd be wrong. Once upon a time in baseball (pre-Hoyt Wilhelm), a pitcher who only threw 70 innings was just a step away from being a garbage man. They were definitely only used in "garbage situations" where the game was well out of hand and the starter was injured. But Hoyt Wilhelm spearheaded the evolutionary shift toward some pitchers being used as late-inning relief specialists in the 1950s.

Today, relievers who pitch in 70 to 80 games per season, one inning per appearance, are common and paid handsomely for their talents. Joe Nathan just happens to be one of the best in the business, and a major reason why the mid-market Minnesota Twins remain competitive against big spenders like the division rival Detroit Tigers – not to mention AL East powerhouses like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Twins closer Joe Nathan could miss 2010 with torn UCL"