Texas Rangers Sign Joe Nathan

by Matthew on Nov 21, 2011 5:37 PM PST in Around Major League Baseball

I'm not a person that believes in observing a set period of mourning. Such matters are personal to each individual. I don't write this as an indication of moving on from the terrible news about Greg Halman's death. There will be more about it. Or maybe there won't be. I only want to write if I feel I can do justice to the matter and right now, I can't say anything better than Jeff and many others have already done. I welcome any and all to join in the already present threads or to create their own to share their feelings.

I wanted a momentary distraction though and the Rangers just filled it by inking former Twins closer Joe Nathan to a two-year contract with a third-year option on what looks like a deal worth $7M per year and another $500K guaranteed on the option. Coming off an injury and poor season totals and entering his age-37 season, that's more years than I thought he would get, but if Nathan rebounds to close to his pre-2011 self, the Rangers have themselves a fair deal.

Word also comes that Neftali Feliz is unofficially officially heading to the Rangers rotation. That move might in turn be done to fill the spot currently vacated by C.J. Wilson. How Nathan's contract is judged is probably going to rely initially on how much money Nathan is paid and then retroactively by how well Feliz does in the rotation. The second part should really have no bearing on the former, but my guess is that people will link the two regardless.

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Damn. I was hoping the Rangers would keep Feliz out of the rotation.

@Goose1701

by Goose on Nov 21, 2011 6:17 PM PST reply actions

I'm more curious to see if it's the Feliz we saw pre-2011.

Because Feliz pre-2011 was terrifying, 2011 Feliz was just bananers with his huge reverse platoon split and his walk rate rose as well.

"Why ask a failed romance to come see your successful one? You know, it's like inviting the Seattle Mariners to a World Series game. It's just weird for everyone."

by Slurvey on Nov 21, 2011 7:18 PM PST up reply actions

Well they certainly overpaid... so that's good.

by grips on Nov 21, 2011 6:25 PM PST reply actions

Looking forward to seeing how this goes.

by ThundaPC on Nov 21, 2011 6:36 PM PST reply actions

I hope this takes them out on bidding for Fielder

I don’t think I can take playing Fielder 16 times a year

by valencia on Nov 21, 2011 6:42 PM PST reply actions

Now that Feliz is in the rotation, will the Mariners finally get a hit off of him?

It’d be awfully depressing to watch him throw a no-hitter every time he faces them.

by EthanN on Nov 21, 2011 7:05 PM PST reply actions

Holy crap we don't have a hit against him. Unbelievable

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Nov 21, 2011 7:28 PM PST up reply actions

Unfortunately it's pretty believable!

And true…Mariners!

by TrashiDawa on Nov 21, 2011 7:43 PM PST up reply actions

The Mariners most certainly will. Because no (starter) can no-hit the Mariners.

by ThundaPC on Nov 21, 2011 11:57 PM PST up reply actions

Not sure why they don't use Adams as closer

by Poochie on Nov 21, 2011 8:22 PM PST reply actions

Proven Closer©

But yeah, Adams actually has no platoon split at all, a fairly devastating plus for a closer. Not that Nathan has a big one.

by Matthew on Nov 21, 2011 9:11 PM PST up reply actions

I assumed that was the whole reason they traded for him.

I also have my doubts about Feliz in the rotation. He never has worked a ton of innings in any given season and my guess is that he’d be Bedardzian in his pitch count efficiency. I guess if Nathan finds his old self it’s ok, but I find this move very puzzling.

by Poochie on Nov 21, 2011 9:32 PM PST up reply actions

Kind of a puzzling move, given the more sure things out there as far as closers

That’s a lot of money and years for a 37-year-old dude just off arm surgery who is missing a few ticks on his fastball. I realize no smart GM likes paying a premium for a closer, but if you’re the two-time league champion and look like a lock for the playoffs for the foreseeable future you think you’d splurge and get Madson or F-Rod or Heath Bell.

by _Hutch_ on Nov 22, 2011 12:09 AM PST reply actions

What will they do if Feliz looks terrible as a starter?

AAA to let him work at it or move him back to a deep and talented bullpen?

by Vegasexpat on Nov 22, 2011 1:29 AM PST reply actions

I am totally okay with this move

Nathan is getting old and there’s no way Feliz will be as dominant of a starter as he was a closer. I don’t see how the Rangers improve with this.

by Kyleo84 on Nov 22, 2011 6:11 AM PST reply actions

I imagine if Feliz is dominant as a starter and if Nathan returns to form the Rangers will be an improved team

by ungoreatstefan on Nov 22, 2011 7:16 AM PST up reply actions

Lets see...

Starters aren’t expected to be as dominant as relievers. Relievers just have better numbers overall due to being able to give each pitch more without pacing themselves and only facing each batter they face once.
But as a starter, Feliz will get more innings. So he will be held to a lower standard and pitch a lot of innings, thus generating more value (assuming he doesn’t have some flaw that prevents him from being a good starter, but that’s very unlikely at this point).

I don’t see any way Feliz going to the rotation looks for the Mariners at this point.

M's fan newly relocated to SF My homepage

by lailaihei on Nov 22, 2011 9:14 AM PST up reply actions

It's also possible they pitch the hell out of him and his arm falls off next year.

So there’s that.

I am convinced that Seattle sports teams exist to make me hate Seattle sports teams.

by the other side on Nov 22, 2011 9:32 AM PST up reply actions

You're making it sound

like the transition is guaranteed to be successful. I can see a number of ways this might not work out for the Rangers, and I can also see a number of ways it does.

by Aesop on Nov 22, 2011 9:40 AM PST via mobile up reply actions

Well, if you look at it that way, yeah

ignacio

by ignacio on Nov 22, 2011 10:02 AM PST up reply actions

Since it's the Rangers I have a bad feeling everything is just going to click and work out.

"Why ask a failed romance to come see your successful one? You know, it's like inviting the Seattle Mariners to a World Series game. It's just weird for everyone."

by Slurvey on Nov 22, 2011 10:19 AM PST up reply actions

Texas Rangers signed Brandon Webb and Rich Harden!

by ThundaPC on Nov 22, 2011 11:36 AM PST up reply actions

Feliz is a starter who was given time in the bullpen at the start of his minor league career.

This happens all the time. Yeah, maybe he was given more time in the bullpen than most, but he’s a starter moving back into his natural role.

M's fan newly relocated to SF My homepage

by lailaihei on Nov 22, 2011 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

I think it's more likely to not work out actually.

At least for 2011, I don’t see Feliz being an improvment in the rotation, maybe in the future this will be worth it for them.

First off, here are Feliz’s total innings pitches in his career:
2006: 29
2007: 42.1
2008: 127.1
2009: 108.1
2010: 69.1
2011: 63.1

There is no way they can expect Feliz to throw 200 innings. I think 150 innings is the absolute most they can expect out of him if they want to keep him healthy. This is a Brandon Morrow situation. In Morrow’s first year as a starter he only threw 146 innings. And he was more stretched out than Feliz currently is heading into the year.

Furthermore, even if he can handle a drastic increase in innings pitched, will he be able to improve his effectiveness? He wasn’t exactly dominant last year (1.8 K/BB ratio).

by niceguysfinishlast on Nov 22, 2011 7:53 PM PST up reply actions