Shoulder keeps Nathan from WBC

Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune

Joe Nathan

Last update: March 2, 2009 - 6:38 AM

Shoulder keeps Nathan from WBC

What Joe Nathan believed was normal offseason soreness has led to his exit from Team USA just days away from the start of the second World Baseball Classic because of a sore shoulder.

Nathan, who pitched in the inaugural WBC in 2006, was shut down for three days after pitching in the exhibition season opener on Wednesday. He was well enough Sunday to throw in the bullpen for about 10 minutes on Sunday and could be well enough to pitch on Wednesday when the Twins play host to the Netherlands.

Nathan said he felt discomfort during the offseason but thought it was normal after-season soreness.

"I look back and there was probably a mild case in the offseason but I never really paid attenton to it because you never feel really great during the offseason," he said. "I just assumed it was just something I'm going to work through and it would go away.

"Coming here doing stuff every day, it kind of just flared up a little bit. It's good that we got on it and we took some days off. After I threw in the game Wednesday, it has calmed down."

But it sounded as if Nathan tried to talk his way into pitching in the WBC before he realized it was the right thing to do.

"He balked," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He wanted to go play, but he's not going to be going. We have been holding him back from him throwing the ball. It's not an issue."

Nathan, in the end, agreed.

"I have to take a step back and get the big picture," he said. "I want my arm to be right on April 6, not March 5 or 7 or whenever."

Nathan, 34, has saved 199 games with the Twins in five seasons, emerging as one of baseball's top closers as he turned around a career that seemed to be in trouble because of shoulder surgery in 2000.

Given his age, this was probably his last chance to pitch in a WBC.

"It's tough," he said. "It's going to be hard to watch. I might be one of those guys to stay away and not watch it on TV just for that reason. It will be hard, knowing I had a chance to be there and how much I wanted to be there."

Other WBC news

Justin Morneau (Canada) and Nick Punto (Italy) left after Sunday's Twins-Red Sox game to join their respective World Baseball Classic teams.

Canada and Italy are in the same pool with the United States and Venezuela and are long shots to advance, especially Punto's Italian team.

"Nicky said, 'I'll see ya in a couple days,' and Morneau said, 'I'll see ya when I'll see ya,' " Gardenhire said.

Relievers Luis Ayala (Mexico) and Jesse Crain (Canada) and infielder Luke Hughes (Australia) have also left camp to play in the WBC.

Etc.

• Brendan Harris played one inning of Sunday's 2-1 loss. He replaced Brian Buscher at third for the top of the seventh but was plunked in the back while batting in the bottom of the inning and was replaced by Matt Macri. Harris felt well enough after the game to hit the gym for some weightlifting.

On deck

Today the first of four scheduled off days. Francisco Liriano will throw in the bullpen, but there is no workout scheduled for the rest of the team.

LA VELLE E. NEAL III

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