Big-name players need to be big-game players

And Joe Nathan is the second biggest name the Twins have. You know what his post-season ERA is? 7.50. Six walks and eight strikeouts. That's before tonight's disaster. Until he shows he can get good hitters out in close games, he's not a good pitcher. He gave up the lead-off single to Tex-message-break-up (he looks like he would, doesn't he?), and Joe let it get to him. Instead of throwing a first pitch strike to A-Roid, he nibbled on the corners like a coward. He decided on a two-strike approach before the at-bat began, and then he decides to challenge the guy, in a hitters count, with a cookie so delicious Franciso Liriano immediately asked for the recipe. A-Hole did not miss, and then the "real" Nathan decided to show up to preserve the tie.

If it was possible to get worse, Nathan did in the next inning. He showed the type of nerves that closers typically feed on, with a pick-off throw that wouldn't have been close even if it had not sailed into the outfield to advance the runner (who, by the way, had very easily stolen second not too long before). No choice then but to walk Derek Cheater. Runners at the corners, one out, and Gardy pulls Joe Nathan for Jose Mijares to face the lefty hitter, Johnny Daemon. Jesus turned Satan sent the ball for what looked like the winning hit, but Orlando Cabrera was playing in, as well as towards second to make a double play. He got a different one than he was playing for, as the Yankee runner on third didn't wait for the ball to drop, and was easily picked off after O-Cab caught the line drive. Nathan got bailed out, just like he did in Tuesday's ninth inning, but by a different pitcher.

Joe Mauer led off immediately after with a double, and consecutive hits from Kubel and Cuddyer sent him home with what should have been the winning run. Delmon Young jumped on the first pitch, hitting it straight to Texas omelette, who also threw out Joe Mauer for the force at home on Go-Go-Out's unforgivably weak grounder. "Wait, Mauer already scored!" you say. I guess I left out the part where left field umpire Phil Cuzzi called Joe's double a foul ball. No, his view was not obstructed. No, he was standing twenty feet away from the ball as it landed fair after being touched by the left fielder in fair territory. Yes the umpire had a New York hair cut, was born in New Jersey, and bore a strong resemblance to the one-armed murderer from The Fugitive. Maybe the Twins would have blown a lead-off double opportunity instead of the bases-loaded-no-out opportunity instead, but I doubt it. The game should have at worst been tied on the shortest home-run ever, but Cuzzi killed the Twins' opportunity, and framed Young and Gomez.

It never should have come to the second paragraph though. Joe Nathan now has more blown saves than saves in the post-season. Granted the sample size is small, but the Twins are never going to be a perennial playoff team like the Yankees. It was all they could do to make it this year. Nathan needs to cash in on the opportunities he's given. If he doesn't, what's the point of keeping him around? Will he magically stop blowing saves if the Twins had a more complete team? No. So I'm going to say something I hope I don't regret: trade Joe Nathan. Even with tonight's game, his value is as high as it will ever be. Plenty of would-be contenders need closers (hello Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins). The Twins could get at least one really good hitting or pitching prospect from these clubs for Nathan. The key is to wait until after you sign Joe Mauer, because he'll never stay if Nathan is traded beforehand.

Blerg, I can't believe I just wrote that, but I'm sticking to it. Maybe Nathan will get another opportunity, but with the way this series has gone, and with Carl Pavano owing the Yankees for four years of paid vacation, there probably won't be another save situation in this series. My heart is broken, not by the Yankees, but by Nathan's lip roll. Maybe that's what he choked on.