Joe Nathan opts for surgery

Twins closer Joe Nathan has opted for Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2010 season. Nathan decided to shut it down after playing catch with pitching coach Rick Anderson for ten minutes on Sunday. 

"It didn't go like we hoped," Nathan said. "We knew it was a long shot, but I think this will clear my head. There definitely was no gray area. It was definitely on the dark side. We know now that we're going to need to go in and have some surgery done and get this thing taken care of."

Nathan is very confident he will be ready for the start of the 2011 season. 

His decision to have surgery does make the Twins' bullpen situation clear: The Twins need to add a reliever, preferably a closer, to provide some needed stability in the later innings.  

Heath Bell is available and won't be a free agent until after the 2011 season. Bell we be a huge addition this season at closer who would then be the teams best set up man in front of Joe Nathan in '11. He is also projected to be a Type-A free agent.