Rangers sign Nathan as closer; Feliz moves into starting rotation
The Texas Rangers agreed to a two-year, $14.5 million deal with free-agent reliever Joe Nathan to be its closer in 2012. At the same time, the Rangers announced that closer Neftali Feliz will move into the starting rotation next year.
The team will officially introduce Nathan today at 10 am news conference.
"We're looking at this as two acquisitions," general manager Jon Daniels said on Monday night. "We're 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. This is a move that we have thought about for last two years, but the timing had to be right, and we feel the timing is right now. We feel Neftali has a chance to be a big-time starter sooner than later."
While Feliz was a solid closer, it can not be ignored that he blew the biggest save of his young career during game six of the world series. All Rangers fans painfully remember that they were one strike away from winning the world series for the first time in franchise history, although the Rangers insist that Feliz's blown save in the ninth inning had nothing to do with the decision to move him into the rotation.
Neftali Feliz issued the following statement from his home in Azua, Dominican Republic, “Jon Daniels and Ron Washington called me a couple of days ago and told me about the team’s decision for me to be a starting pitcher next season. I was a starter for my whole career before I came to the major leagues. I am happy to know the team’s decision this early, and I have plenty of time to get ready. I have already started running."
Feliz is not new to trying to crack the starting lineup. He was a starter during last year's spring training, but ended up as the closer once again. This year will be different as there will not be that option. “I have time to work on my changeup and all my pitches. I know I have to work hard to be ready to help my team as a starter so we can get back to the playoffs", added Feliz.
It is unclear if this move proves to be the end of C.J. Wilson's time at Texas. Rangers already have their starters in Holland, Harrison, Lewis and Ogando. Add to that mix Feliz, Scott Feldman and Minor League prospects Martin Perez and Neil Ramirez. The Rangers are cetainly in a good position as far as pitching is concerned.
Nathan is coming off Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2010. Nathan returned to the Twins' bullpen in 2011 and had a 5.82 ERA with three saves in the first half. He missed more than two weeks in May and June while dealing with a strained elbow and split time with Matt Capps as the Twins' closer. He had a 3.91 ERA after the All-Star break while holding opponents to a .207 batting average and going 11-for-11 in save opportunities.
"I love it," Washington said. "I have always been an admirer of Joe Nathan. He has been in the fire before, and there's not anything at the end of a ballgame that he hasn't experienced before. This is a great move for the Texas Rangers."
