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Monday, April 4, 2011

Wagner gave Nathan advice on rehabbing


April 4, 2011 1:35 AM By JIM BAUMBACH jim.baumbach@newsday.com

Joe Nathan looks down at a fresh baseball
Photo credit: AP | Joe Nathan looks down at a fresh baseball after giving up a three-run home run to Philadelphia Phillies' Delwyn Young in the fifth inning of a spring training game in Fort Myers, Fla. (March 13, 2011)
Whenever Twins closer Joe Nathan had a question aboutrehabbing from Tommy John surgery last summer, he had several pitchers in the clubhouse to turn to. Carl Pavano and reliever Pat Neshek had the same procedure in 2008. Francisco Liriano had it done in 2006. Brian Duensing's elbow was operated on in 2004.
Nathan spoke with each of them as he rehabbed after surgery performed 13 months ago, but there still was one more Tommy John veteran in baseball Nathan really wanted to talk to. So when the Braves visited Minnesota for an interleague series, he made sure to request to speak with Billy Wagner, closer to closer.
Nathan, a product of Stony Brook University who returned to action Sunday with a save in Toronto, said he had no previous relationship with Wagner. That didn't stop Nathan from seeking him out, though. Not when Wagner had a perspective he thought could be invaluable to him.
"I thought he'd be a good one for me to talk to in the sense that everything was very similar," Nathan, 36, told Newsday in a telephone interview. "We're both closers. We had the same doctor do it and he did it around the same age as I did it."
There have been few major-leaguers in recent years as engaging and as open as Wagner, who retired last fall, and Nathan said he was very willing to share his experience with him. After they spoke for the first time last June, Wagner offered Nathan his cell phone number and told him to call anytime. Which Nathan has done.
"A lot of the things he's gone through, it was nice for me to hear from him so I could have some expectations on what's to come," Nathan said. "We still keep in contact. I still talk to him to see if he remembers where he was at each stage."
Wagner's success coming back from the surgery late in his career has bolstered Nathan's faith that he's going to regain his old form. After having the surgery at 37 in September 2008, Wagner returned after only 11 months to pitch effectively for the final six weeks of the 2009 season with the Mets and Red Sox.
Last year, Wagner looked better than he had in the years before the surgery, striking out 104 in 691/3 innings while posting a 1.43 ERA and .865 WHIP for the Braves. According to the website fangraphs.com, his fastball averaged 95.7 mph, his best velocity since 2006. "That's all real encouraging to me," Nathan said.
There is, however, one significant difference for Nathan as this season gets under way. Wagner was 18 months removed from surgery at the start of last season; Nathan is only 12 months removed. So he's not expecting to do what Wagner did last summer. At least not right away.
That's why, as the Twins visit the Yankees for a four-game series starting Monday, Nathan said hitters should expect a different look from him.
Nathan was primarily a fastball-slider pitcher before surgery, with his fastball topping out at 94. Now he plans to mix in different pitches, as he did Sunday against the Jays. He allowed two hits, two walks and a run in the ninth inning of the Twins' 4-3 win.
"My arm strength, it's going to get there," he said. "Right now I'd say 95 percent is probably about right, if we're going to put a number on it. I'm just concentrating on whatever else I can do to get guys off balance. I've definitely mixed in some new pitches I've gotten comfortable with, so I'm just trying to do whatever I can to make adjustments and get guys out until my arm strength gets to where it needs to be."
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