Major League Baseball

Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan shooting for normal spring training

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:15 p.m. ET

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When Joe Nathan learned last March he needed Tommy John surgery, he sought the counsel of players who had been through the common ligament-replacement surgery. All were encouraging, but the one who made him feel the best was Billy Wagner.

Wagner, a career closer with 422 career saves, underwent the procedure in September 2008 and was pitching -- and pitching well -- by the following August.

"Wagner's one of the guys I look to for confidence. He let me know it's possible to be back," Nathan said. "It took him 11 months, and I'll have more time than that."

Doctors repaired the ulnar collateral ligament in Nathan's right elbow on March 26, replacing it with a tendon from his left wrist. Nearly seven months into his rehabilitation -- and after missing the entire 2010 season -- the Twins' longtime closer said Tuesday he plans to compete for his old job when the team gathers in Fort Myers, Fla., in February.

"I plan on being healthy enough to not miss a beat in spring training," he said. "I'm sure the coaches will be cautious at first, but I hope to prove early in spring that I don't need to be babied or coddled in any way, and that I can go out and play baseball as normal."

Many of Nathan's teammates are having minor surgery this week. Right-hander Nick Blackburn had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow Monday, and Scott Baker is scheduled to have it today.

First baseman Michael Cuddyer had his knee cleaned out, and catcher Joe Mauer could be in for the same. Mauer plans to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test on the left knee that bothered him for most of the second half.

General manager Bill Smith downplayed the significance of the end-of-season procedures.

"I don't think there is anything here that will affect any of these players for next season," he said. "We wanted to get these done quickly, now, so they have plenty of time to recover and be 100 percent for spring training."

That's Nathan's goal, and the track record on Tommy John successes has made him feel even more confident as his rehabilitation progresses. After Thanksgiving, he'll likely start pitching off a mound before tapering off just before spring training.

"In mid-January, I'll start to get ready for spring training like I normally do with some catch and long toss, and then Feb. 1 I'll start working on bullpen sessions," he said.

If that sounds ambitious, Nathan agrees -- to some extent. Ultimately, he looks at what Wagner did and lets his optimism grow.

Wagner was 38 when he tore a tendon and ligament in his left elbow. He returned late the next season and compiled a 1.98 earned-run average in 17 games, and this season went 7-2 with 37 saves and a 1.43 ERA for NL wild-card winner Atlanta.

Nathan, the Twins' all-time saves leader with 247, turns 36 on Nov. 22.

"I think it takes more time, from what I've seen and history shows, for a starter to recover (from Tommy John)," Nathan said. "I remember what (Francisco) Liriano was going through when he came back a couple of years ago. He was lights out for three innings, then when he hit that 50-pitch mark, that's when he lost his release point and his control and it went downhill from there.

"I talked to other pitchers and they said the same thing, like Tim Hudson. He said he'd get into the fourth inning and it was like he had never pitched before in his life, when in the first three innings everything was where it needed to be.

"Wagner had the same doctor as I did, and what he said is that's a luxury we have as relievers; on a good day, we throw 12 to 15 pitches and we're out of there."

The Twins will need Nathan. Though they had a crowded and talented bullpen this season, many of those pitchers are free agents, among them Jon Rauch, Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier and Brian Fuentes.

It's possible that only Matt Capps, the closer the Twins acquired at the trade deadline, and left-hander Jose Mijares -- both under contract -- will return.

That, however, is a question for later. Right now, Nathan is careful not to get "too far ahead" of himself. He already has given in to the temptation to push himself too hard physically and soon regretted it, and he's trying not to do it mentally.

But it's hard.

"I'm excited for February, I'm not going to lie. I'm definitely looking forward to it," he said. "But I still have a long road ahead of me."

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