2012 MLB Free Agents: Rangers Sign Joe Nathan
By Editorial Staff
Entering the offseason, it was known the Texas Rangers were in the market for pitching. Texas picked up a pitcher Monday, but it wasn’t a starter as many expected. Instead, the Rangers lured Joe Nathan away from the Minnesota Twins, signing the closer to a two-year deal. With Nathan in the fold, the Rangers have announced that they will move Neftali Feliz into their starting rotation in 2012.
Texas will pay Nathan at least $14.5 million over the next two seasons. Beyond 2012-13, Nathan’s deal includes a $9 million option for 2014.
With the market full of closer options, the Rangers went with one of the game’s most consistent finishers of the past decade. Nathan did miss 2010 due to Tommy John surgery and had some shaky moments during his return last season, but the Rangers are nonetheless excited to have the 37-year-old in the fold.
Nathan was traded to Minnesota in 2003, where he took over as the Twins closer. Over his seven years with the Twins, Nathan posted a 2.16 ERA, 0.956 WHIP and 260 saves.
Following Monday’s announcement, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told reporters that the club views the signing “as two acquisitions”. To Daniels, Texas is “getting a guy with big-time makeup, big-time pedigree and big-time stuff in Joe Nathan and also moving one of the best arms in professional baseball to the rotation”.
By one of the best arms in baseball, Daniels is referring to his closer-turned-starter Neftali Feliz. Feliz came up through the minors primarily as a starting pitcher, but the 23-year-old has yet to start a game in the majors. Instead, Feliz slid into the closer’s role for the Rangers, where he has saved 72 games for Texas over the past two regular seasons.
Daniels said the Nathan signing doesn’t necessarily take Texas out of the C.J. Wilson sweepstakes. While the Rangers “would love to have C.J. back”, Daniels noted that the starter “is going to have options” and Texas “wanted to have options as well”.
For more on the Rangers, be sure to check out Nolan Writin’.
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