It made sense for the Angels to let Brian Fuentes go in a waiver deal. They weren't going to bring him back in 2011 and they feel good about having Fernando Rodney step into the closer's role for now -- and for 2011. Plus, the Angels are in the closing weeks of a disappointing season and the post-trade quotes from their general manager about not giving up on this season have the scent of an ethanol plant on a bad-wind day. (The Angels are 10 1/2 games behind Texas and third in the AL West.)

With Rodney around, Fuentes took on the role of the quarterback who was less popular with the fans than the second-stringer sitting on the bench. (Of course, that's an affliction currently absent in Minnesota.)

Despite leading the majors in saves in 2009, Fuentes was a target of boos from many Angels fans. They were particularly unforgiving, apparently, because of the home run in gave up to A-Rod in the 11th inning of Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. The Angels had scored in the top of the 11th and A-Rod tied it off Fuentes in the bottom of the inning. The Yankees won in the 13th.

The Angels fell behind two games to none and went on to lose in six.

Yet, that pitch was enough for one Angels blogger to describe that situation as "that awful pitch to Alex Rodriguez in the playoffs that might have cost the Angels the ALCS."

Whatever.

After the trade, Fuentes was asked if he felt appreciated by Angels fans. His response, in the Los Angeles Times: "I don't know. I feel like I was pitching on the road quite a bit here. I came in to a lot of boos. But the fans here come out in droves, they're here to be entertained, and one way or another, they're going through my frustrations and my success."

This season, Fuentes went on the disabled list after an Opening Night save against the Twins (a back muscle strained while lifting weights) and struggled for a spell upon his return. In his first two months back, he had a 6.61 ERA and three blown saves. In his next 20 games, he gave up one earned run in 20 innings, a hot run that ended when he gave up three runs in a get-some-work inning against Tamba Bay on Tuesday.

He's been megatough on lefties -- who are batting .132/.209/.158 against him. That's five hits and 15 strikeouts in 44 plate appearances.

Fuentes' contract is guaranteed only through this season and it's improbable that he'll meet the condition -- 55 games finished -- for it to be automatically renewed in 2011.

But he's come to an interesting situation in Minnesota. There's the title race into which he's been thrust, plus the sorting-out process over the winter that will involve the bullpen in a big-time way with Joe Nathan's rehab, Matt Capps' presence, Jesse Crain's current dazzle and a host of other set-up guys.

That's an exercise for later.

For now, the new lefty's goal should be to get some love from Twins fans. That'll mean things are going well.