We got in contact with local Minnesota media folks as well as some known Minnesota Twins’ bloggers to provide a list of possible internal/external ways of replacing pitcher Joe Nathan who is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.

They each provided a list for Minnesota Sports Zone (first being top choice):

Phil Mackey – KFAN Radio
1.) Rauch
2.) Mijares
3.) Neshek
4.) Guerrier
5.) Crain

Seth Kaplan – Executive Producer of Fox 9 Sports
1.) Guerrier
2.) Mijraes
3.) Rauch
4.) Crain
5.) I like Neshek (#5 on my list though), just don’t think he’s ready yet.

Darren Wolfson – 5 Eyewitness News Sports & Star Tribune Blogger
1.) Trade for Sherrill or Bell (maybe unrealistic)
2.) Guerrier
3.) Rauch … that’s it.
Darren had no other options.

Jesse Lund – Twinkie Town Blog
1.) Rauch
2.) Crain
3.) Guerrier
4.) Mijares
5.) Neshek

Josh Johnson – Josh’s Thoughts Blog
1.) Guerrier
2.) Neshek
3.) Slama
4.) Rauch
5.) Mijares

Andrew Kneeland – Twins’ Target Blog
1.) Closer-by-Committee
2.) External trade
3.) Rauch
4.) Mijares
5.) Neshek

Moving on….

Phil Rogers (Chicago Tribune) named four possible trade candidates the Minnesota Twins’ could/should pursue if they “explore trades seriously.”

If they do explore trades seriously, the guys they will inquire about are the Blue Jays; Jason Frasor, the Padres’ Heath Bell and the Indians’ Kerry Wood, in that order. The A’s Brad Ziegler, supplanted by Andrew Bailey in the closer’s role, is another possibility.

Minnesota Sports Zone’s Take:

Clearly the Twins have options, whether it is to use their current relief pitchers (or tap into minors for Slama) or trade for a stop-gap closer.

The loss of Nathan is heart-breaking, but the Twins will find the next person to step up just like they did when they anointed Nathan the closer when they simply just needed one.

Tags: Anthony Slama, Brad Ziegler, George Sherrill, Heath Bell, Jason Frasor, Jesse Crain, Joe Nathan, Jon Rauch, Jose Mijares, Kerry Wood, Matt Guerrier, Pat Neshek