That's That

Joe Nathan tested his arm this morning and the result was clear:

Twins closer Joe Nathan said today that he will undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow with an eye toward returning for Opening Day in 2011.

Nathan played catch with pitching coach Rick Anderson this morning. It was Nathan's first throwing session since he suffered a significant tear of his ulnar collateral ligament on March 6.

"Didn’t go like we hoped," Nathan said. "We knew it was a long shot, but what this did do is clear my head. Definitely was no gray area. Definitely was on the black side, where it didn’t go as well as we like, and we know now we’re going to have to go in and get some surgery done, get this thing fixed up."

Not unexpected, but still a bummer. I hope the surgery and recovery goes well for you, Joe.

What the Twins will do is anyone's guess. It looks like trade possibilities are pretty thin and at this point there is no obvious replacement in camp. My guess is that the Twins will not have a single designated closer for a good chunk of the season. Who takes the mound in the ninth will be determined by the lineup they're up against and who is fresh. If we're lucky, someone will step up and into the role by the All-Star break.