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| Nathan, left celebrates his recording setting 255th save as a Twin. |
After preserving a 5-2 lead with a perfect ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox, Nathan surpassed Rick Aguilera as the club's all-time saves leader. It was the 256th save of Nathan's career and his 255th as a Twin.
Aguilera played 11 of his 16 major league seasons with the Twins with his final save for the team coming in 1999 during his second stint in the Twin Cities. A three-time All-Star, Aguilera was hoping to be in attendance when Nathan passed his mark, but was unable to due to a prior commitment.
As for their current closer, Nathan is coming off a year where he missed the entire 2010 campaign, needing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pitching elbow. The Texas native started this season as the Twins closer, but had a shaky start and promptly removed himself from the role. Matt Capps, who filled in for Nathan most of 2010, resumed the role up until now.
It was apparent when the season started Nathan had rushed himself back and was not fully healthy. In the 10 April games he appeared in, Nathan posted a career-worst earned run average for a month at 10.00. His May was a little better lowering his ERA to 7.63 on the year, but then only pitched twice in June before resuming his closing duties in July.
The hard throwing right-hander tied Aguilera's franchise record of 254 on the 26th of July. Who knew when they traded for then-twenty-eight-year-old right-hander it would be the beginning of something special.
Nathan was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in a deal prior to the 2004 season, that is still one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history. The Twins shipped their veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski to the West Coast in return for Nathan, and two minor league pitchers. One of those being a young left-hander out of the Dominican Republic named Francisco Liriano.
In their first season with their respective clubs, it yielded very different results. Pierzynski, who was coming off a career-year in Minnesota after setting career-highs in batting average (.312), home runs (11), and RBIs (74), disappointed many in his only season by the bay.
The All-Star backstop saw his average drop to .272, forty points below the previous season. And while he matched his home run total and eclipsed his career-high in RBIs with 77 from the year before, it was his demeanor many didn't like, starting a reputation as one of the most disliked players around the majors.
Pierzynski also killed multiple rallies that season, leading the majors in grounding into double-plays with 27.
Pierzynski headed back to American League Central following the '04 season, signing with the Chicago White Sox. A place he is has been the last seven years, winning a World Series title his first year on the South Side.
On the other hand, Nathan and Liriano continued to develop into two the brightest young pitching stars in baseball.
Nathan has been making headlines of his own ever since the trade went down. In his first year as a full-time closer, Nathan recorded 44 saves in 47 opportunities, made his first All-Star appearance, finished twelfth in the AL MVP voting and fourth for the Cy Young Award.
Nathan is now a four-time All-Star and recorded 40 plus saves three of the seven season he has been closing for the Twins, including a career-high 47 the year before his injury.
Although Nathan has yet to show his dominance on baseball's biggest stage. In the eight games he has appeared in the postseason, Nathan as posted a 7.88 ERA, converting only 1 of the 3 save opportunities he has been given. Those statistics make the numbers of his piers, like Mariano Rivera, who owns every postseason pitching recording known to man, that much more impressive.
Meanwhile Liriano, burst onto the scene in 2006 with his unbelievable fastball and devastating slider, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting and was selected to his first All-Star game. Then in 2007 Liriano fell victim to Tommy John Surgery and was headed for the knife.
He missed the entire '07 season, but since has come back with a bang, throwing the first no-hitter of the '11 season earlier this year.
Now with Nathan back to form, we can look for the Twins to get back to their winning ways and compete for another division crown in 2012. Until then Nathan reminds us to remember the past while honoring the present.
Aguilera played 11 of his 16 major league seasons with the Twins with his final save for the team coming in 1999 during his second stint in the Twin Cities. A three-time All-Star, Aguilera was hoping to be in attendance when Nathan passed his mark, but was unable to due to a prior commitment.
As for their current closer, Nathan is coming off a year where he missed the entire 2010 campaign, needing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pitching elbow. The Texas native started this season as the Twins closer, but had a shaky start and promptly removed himself from the role. Matt Capps, who filled in for Nathan most of 2010, resumed the role up until now.
It was apparent when the season started Nathan had rushed himself back and was not fully healthy. In the 10 April games he appeared in, Nathan posted a career-worst earned run average for a month at 10.00. His May was a little better lowering his ERA to 7.63 on the year, but then only pitched twice in June before resuming his closing duties in July.
The hard throwing right-hander tied Aguilera's franchise record of 254 on the 26th of July. Who knew when they traded for then-twenty-eight-year-old right-hander it would be the beginning of something special.
Nathan was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in a deal prior to the 2004 season, that is still one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history. The Twins shipped their veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski to the West Coast in return for Nathan, and two minor league pitchers. One of those being a young left-hander out of the Dominican Republic named Francisco Liriano.
In their first season with their respective clubs, it yielded very different results. Pierzynski, who was coming off a career-year in Minnesota after setting career-highs in batting average (.312), home runs (11), and RBIs (74), disappointed many in his only season by the bay.
The All-Star backstop saw his average drop to .272, forty points below the previous season. And while he matched his home run total and eclipsed his career-high in RBIs with 77 from the year before, it was his demeanor many didn't like, starting a reputation as one of the most disliked players around the majors.
Pierzynski also killed multiple rallies that season, leading the majors in grounding into double-plays with 27.
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| Pierznyski only spent one season with the Giants. |
On the other hand, Nathan and Liriano continued to develop into two the brightest young pitching stars in baseball.
Nathan has been making headlines of his own ever since the trade went down. In his first year as a full-time closer, Nathan recorded 44 saves in 47 opportunities, made his first All-Star appearance, finished twelfth in the AL MVP voting and fourth for the Cy Young Award.
Nathan is now a four-time All-Star and recorded 40 plus saves three of the seven season he has been closing for the Twins, including a career-high 47 the year before his injury.
Although Nathan has yet to show his dominance on baseball's biggest stage. In the eight games he has appeared in the postseason, Nathan as posted a 7.88 ERA, converting only 1 of the 3 save opportunities he has been given. Those statistics make the numbers of his piers, like Mariano Rivera, who owns every postseason pitching recording known to man, that much more impressive.
Meanwhile Liriano, burst onto the scene in 2006 with his unbelievable fastball and devastating slider, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting and was selected to his first All-Star game. Then in 2007 Liriano fell victim to Tommy John Surgery and was headed for the knife.
He missed the entire '07 season, but since has come back with a bang, throwing the first no-hitter of the '11 season earlier this year.
Now with Nathan back to form, we can look for the Twins to get back to their winning ways and compete for another division crown in 2012. Until then Nathan reminds us to remember the past while honoring the present.
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