Detroit Tigers should make Joakim Soria team closer over Joe Nathan

The MLB season is still in its first week of play and the Detroit Tigers are already seeing their fair share of players heading to the DL. Before the season even started reliever Bruce Rondon was placed on the 15-day DL. Justin Verlander and Joe Nathan also find themselves on the DL just a few games into the season.

The team is trying its absolute best to repair the holes left by these injured players; Kyle Lobstein was called up from Toledo to take Verlander’s spot, while Joakim Soria will be taking over closing duties, according to Andrea Wakiji of Fox Sports Detroit:

Manager Brad Ausmus then stated that the team “does not expect Joe (Nathan) to be out of action for more than a couple of weeks.” Ausmus then reiterated that Nathan would become the closer when he returned from the DL. This is the wrong move. If the Tigers had any sort of common sense they would keep Soria in the closer’s role for the remainder of the season.

Soria struggled last season when he was traded to Detroit from the Texas Rangers, but many believe it was not because of declining ability, rather complete misuse of his talents. Soria is a natural closer, not a set-up man and certainly not a middle reliever. As a closer Soria has found tremendous amounts of success; he racked up 42 saves in 2008 and 43 saves in 2010, both while a member of the Kansas City Royals. After a few injury-plagued seasons Soria roared back in 2014 while with the Rangers, accumulating seventeen saves in just 35 appearances.

Nathan’s 2014, as we are all aware, was an absolute nightmare. He did rack up 35 saves, but did so with a 4.81 ERA and eight blown saves as well. Since he has gotten to Detroit he has been an absolute nightmare and everybody knows that. There is really no way to sugar coat it, Joe Nathan has got to go and now is the perfect opportunity.

The only plausible theory as to why Nathan continues to close in Detroit is his contract. The 40 year-old Texas native is making $10 million is 2015, Joakim Soria is making $7 million. The right move to make is to completely cut ties with Nathan and send him packing, but it seems as though the Detroit head honchos don’t want see the deal burst into flames. They usually tend to stand by their players even when it’s not the best decision.

Another problem with Nathan, and I believe we can all agree is that he is a gargantuan cancer, whether it be throwing his own teammates under the bus or talking smack about the fans, much like he did this past March. George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press quoted Nathan as saying this:

I don’t care, to be honest. You know, those guys, to be honest with you, aren’t even on my mind. Fans aren’t in my mind. Only people that really matter to me is my family and the people in this locker room. … Fans are going to be the way they are, and that’s the way it is. That doesn’t bother me. It’s not a part of my life. They’re not a part of my life. Period.”)

Get this man out of Detroit.

Soria is much younger, more durable, and has a proven track record as a closer. Fans dislike Joe Nathan so terribly they booed him during Spring Training. You know things are bad when a layer is booed at a game that does not matter whatsoever. Soria is better suited for the role and the decision to make Soria the closer in Detroit is what is best for this 2015 season.

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