Jeff, owners not as brilliant as you will overlook this piece of critical history re: Joe Nathan:<br><br>From espn: He struggled to start the season, posting a 7.63 ERA in 15 1/3 innings
with 15 strikeouts and nine walks in the first two months. He lost his
closer's job and landed on the disabled list with a flexor muscle strain
in his right elbow. But when he returned he had a 3.38 ERA in his final
31 games, holding opponents to a .193 batting average with five walks
and 28 strikeouts. He converted his final 11 save chances starting July
16.<br><br><br>Happy Thanksgiving. May Feliz not be a turkey.<br><br>Brad Lee <br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 11:22 AM, Jeffrey Winick <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jwinick@harriswinick.com">jwinick@harriswinick.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Mark,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">The answers to your questions are:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><span>1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Too late. He’s already trying.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><span>2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Too early. How can he lose what he doesn’t yet have.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">What you’re missing is that Brad is just trying to stay ahead of the impending disaster for his team. The Yanks and the Braves are in serious discussions to exchange Jair Jurjjens for Brad Lee’s golden boy Nick Swisher. If a little spinning about a 37 year old sore armed former closer makes Brad Lee feel better for the time being, I fully understand.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">That is all.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">TOeFuKi<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:announce-bounces@usml.net" target="_blank">announce-bounces@usml.net</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:announce-bounces@usml.net" target="_blank">announce-bounces@usml.net</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b><a href="mailto:springkerb@aol.com" target="_blank">springkerb@aol.com</a></span></p>
<div class="im"><br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 22, 2011 10:47 AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:announce@usml.net" target="_blank">announce@usml.net</a><br></div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [USML Announce] Hot Dog! Nathan Saves Riptorns' 2012 Season<u></u><u></u><p>
</p><div><div></div><div class="h5"><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">I like the "secure in the closer's role" part. Nice marketing. (Why worry about the 4.84 ERA?)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">So what's the over/under on the following?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> 1. Date Brad tries to move Nathan.<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> 2. Date Nathan loses the closer gig.<u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Just askin', <u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Mark<br><br><u></u><u></u></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">-----Original Message-----<br>From: Brad Jansen <<a href="mailto:bljansen@gmail.com" target="_blank">bljansen@gmail.com</a>><br>
To: USML Announcements <<a href="mailto:announce@usml.net" target="_blank">announce@usml.net</a>><br>Sent: Tue, Nov 22, 2011 9:57 am<br>Subject: [USML Announce] Hot Dog! Nathan Saves Riptorns' 2012 Season<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">ITEM: The <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/tex/texas-rangers" target="_blank">Texas Rangers</a> believe they bolstered their bullpen and starting rotation Monday by signing four-time All-Star reliever <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/4044/joe-nathan" target="_blank">Joe Nathan</a> to be the team's closer as hard-throwing <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/30149/neftali-feliz" target="_blank">Neftali Feliz</a> will make the move into the starting rotation.<br>
<br>WINNER: Riptorns' positive pennant hopes shine brighter with Joe Nathan secure in closer's role. Team can focus on categories other than saves in 2012.<br><br>LOSER: Feliz's post-season meltdown confirms Winick's fears that this youngster does not have the stones to close. The Question now is: does he have what it takes to start? ERA/WHIP soar in heat of Arlington Stadium. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
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