Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan is on the verge of playing catch for the first time since season-ending elbow surgery. Nathan said Friday he expects to pick up a ball this weekend for some soft tossing from about 45 feet. Those will be his first throws since he had the ligament replacement procedure in late March. The four-time All-Star says he's excited about measurable progress in his recovery. His goal is to be cleared to pitch by the start of the 2011 season. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5387482
