July 7, 2008

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Former Stony Brook University baseball great and current closer for the Minnesota Twins, Joe Nathan `97, was named to the American League All-Star team for the third time, Major League Baseball announced on Sunday. The 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the last to be played in the current Yankee Stadium, will be televised nationally by FOX on July 15 at 8 p.m.

Nathan currently ranks third in the Major Leagues with 25 saves, posting a 1.25 ERA in 36.2 innings of work. Since taking over as Minnesota's closer in 2004, Nathan ranks second among all Major League closers with 184 saves -- trailing only the Padres' Trevor Hoffman.

He has a career record of 43-18 with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 595 batters in 585.1 innings of work. Nathan was a two-time Academic All-American in his time with the Seawolves and was also inducted into the Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame on Dec. 6, 2006 when he became the first former Stony Brook student-athlete to have his number retired.