Joe Nathan Agrees To Extension With Twins

2:07pm: LEN3 has details.  He says it's $11.25MM per year for 2008-11.  He's unsure of the amount of the 2012 option, but it has a $2MM buyout.  Since Nathan was set to earn just $6MM in '07, it seems that's been overwritten or increased. 

1:19pm: MLB.com reports the deal as done.  It's a three-year extension with a club option for a fourth.

MONDAY, 8:22am: La Velle E. Neal III says only minor details remain on Nathan's extension.  They still need to figure out what to do about a no-trade clause.  Buster Olney says the deal will have "significant no-trade provisions."

SATURDAY: ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider required) reveals in his blog that the Twins have all but re-signed Joe Nathan to a four-year deal, paying $11-12MM per.

Olney considers this a surprising move for a mid-market team. It's particularly unusual for the Twins, as they re-signed Justin Morneau earlier in the year (and Joe Mauer last year), but couldn't hold on to Torii Hunter or Johan Santana.

Alejandro Leal writes for umpbump.com. He can be reached here.

Comments

[wihargo]

well, at least their bullpen is still killer...

[twinstapir]

I've generally been averse to signing Nathan, but if he comes in at 4 and $45 without a NTC, I'm pretty OK with that.

[MillerTime]

The way I look at it is, Nathan has a very good chance of having 4 excellent years in him. Hunter probably has 2 good years left and wanted at least a 4 year deal. Same with Santana, he wanted 6+ years and with starting pitching theres no way to be sure on injuries or if the league has "figured him out" as some say. The Twins offered both of them the money they wanted, it was the years they didn't want to offer.

I was initially a little surprised but the big thing here is the the No-Trade clause. They've signed an elite closer to a league average contract considering Nathan's talent. If things don't pan out, they can trade him, which gives the Twins an out on his contract.

Another big factor is these next few years we have a lot of uncertains on our team. One thing they're trying to secure is if we have the lead in the Ninth were gonna do our best to keep it and get a win. I think its important to have a closer because I just don't think we have any young guys ready to step into that roll.

[BaseBallz]

Still think they could have got something really good for him, by way of the trade market, but oh well.

[drew]

The Twins are unbelievable racists, obviously.

[bjsguess]

Great signing. Hopefully this will drive K-Rod's price down. I doubt it though.

[BD]

I'm not sure why it's so surprising.

Neither Hunter nor Santana wanted to stay in Minnesota; Nathan does.

[DentalPlan]

He's already, what, 34? Didn't the last lights-out Twins closer fall apart after that age? Well, whatever. I think the closer label is overrated anyway and they're comparatively easy to find by digging through the trash. They look untouchable for a while and then they're not. Anyone remember how ordinary Putz looked up until 2006?

[nrmax88]

Yeah, I agree. This guy goes on to say Nathan has 4 good years left and Santana only has 2. Its silly. I dont like the move at all. Neshek could have bee comparable and done it for crumbs. Nathan could have netted them some nice pieces.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

Not sure how most Twins fans feel, but if I were one I would pretty pissed off with the Bill Smith regime so far.

[Joe]

This doesn't make sense for either side. The Twins are giving a megadeal to a closer that is easily replacable by Pat Neshek. They should have used the money elsewhere. They could have filled some needs by moving Nathan at the trade-deadline. It was probably Bill Smith looking to make-up for the Santana trade, and doing a desperate signing. For Nathan, he said that he wanted Rivera money and wouldn't take another discount to stay with the Twins. Staying with the Twins for 44 or 48 million when he could have probably gotten 60 million is definately taking a discount. It doesn't make any sense.

[coryjwilson]

Nathan is a fine closer at the moment, but it seems kind of ill-advised for ANY team to invest that kind of money in a pitcher that can be replaced fairly easily. Truth be told, there are only a handful of TRUE closers in the game. I'm guessing the Twins could have had someone else pick up those 3 run saves.

This Nathan deal seems to be more about sending out some positive PR to the Minnesota fan base after an offseason of facing reality front and center.

[bjsguess]

I think this is a great signing. Nathan is an elite closer. One of a handful of very dependable closers.

He took a significant discount to stay in Minnesota. And while I agree that Neshek has the potential to be a great closer he is far from proven in that role.

The money couldn't have been spent better elsewhere. This total contract would be a downpayment for Santana or Hunter.

And if Neshek is ready to close flip him and acquire more talent.

[twinstapir]

A significant discount? Strip away the doubletalk and this is a three-year, $41M extension, plain and simple. That's not below market.

[Joelcards]

i dont understand this signing at all. why would a bad team like the twins need an elite closer? elite closers are for good teams. as has been previously stated they have neshek who could definitely close. they also have a garbage rotation. its like the nationals having cordero. whats the point?

[BaseBallz]

First they took the Mets deal for Santana and now this ?

The Twins have obviously taken copious amounts of mesculin and have lost all concept of reality.

[scribbletone]

I'm not quite sure I see this signing either. Why would a 3rd place team (at best) want to hold onto its elite closer when they could potentially get a couple top prospects for him?

Especially when this team should be aiming to win in 2010 when the new ballpark opens, not in 2008 when the Tigers and Indians are downright terrifying. It seems like it would be more logical to have trade him for a young shortstop and/or third baseman, rather than sign him long term so they can win 77 games in 2008 instead of 74.

Its not like this deal is huge steal for Minnesota either. They're gonna be paying this guy top closer money, like a 7th of their payroll. And this is after they let go Hunter and Santana. If they were gonna rebuild to win in 2010 they shouldve completely committed to it and traded Nathan. This wouldn't even really be bad if he didnt have a no trade clause, because then they could still trade him at the deadline when they realize they arent gonna win. Now it appears they're stuck with his salary for the next 4 years, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm not quite sure this is whats best for the Twins overall when looking at the big picture.

So far It think most Twins fans shouldn't be terribly impressed with Bill Smith. But keep a close eye on Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez, because they may make you feel somewhat better.

[twinstapir]

Scribbletone, I've been more impressed by Phil Humber than I expected to be, as well.

At least Young and Gomez should be fun to watch.

[scribbletone]

I was ever sure why people soured on Humber so quickly. I mean, yeah he's already 25, but the guy had unbelievable stuff before the surgury. If he can recapture even a portion of that then he could be a very good back of the rotation starter, and hell if he ever gets that curve back to what it was then he could be a 2/3.

And the reports on Delmon Young have been dazzling so far, it looks like he may finally learn how to take a pitch and become a stud.