Rendon on 2B, H-Rod on getting DFA'd

Photo by USA Today

Called up on Tuesday as part of a significant overhaul of the Nationals’ roster, rookie Anthony Rendon is expected to play primarily at second base while up with the big-league club. He played some at the position in the team’s minor-league system and knows it could be his ticket to staying in the majors for good.

“I think I'll be all right,” he said. “Obviously the more reps you get at a position, the more comfortable you're going get. I think it just takes time to where I actually get it down to be my best.”

Rendon said second base was actually the first position he remembers manning as a young baseball player, at 5 or 6 years old.

“I feel comfortable there,” he said. “I grew up playing second base. That was actually my first position growing up, because I was always the small guy on the team so they just threw me at second base. I guess it kind of brings back memories of doing the same stuff over there. Brings me back to being a kid.”

Rendon was moved to shortstop when he was around 10 and became a third baseman in high school. He continued at third through college at Rice University and was drafted at the position.

Rendon was promoted to Class AAA Syracuse on Saturday with the idea he would focus on learning second base. Chiefs manager Tony Beasley was a former minor leaguer at the position and was able to tutor him.

But three days later, Rendon was headed to Washington to learn the ropes at the major-league level.

“It's pretty crazy how that works,” he said. “You really don't realize how much of a mess it could be until you're actually in the middle of it. It's been pretty quick, but it's for the best.”

Also a former second baseman, manager Davey Johnson thinks Rendon can pick the position up quickly.

“He did a crash course with me in the spring, and he said he played in Little League and he had a pretty good memory, because he had pretty good footwork around the bag and transitioned real well,” Johnson said. “He should be all right. I was real pleased in the spring with his footwork and his transition, so I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

Rendon is back with the Nats after going back to the minors on May 2. He was called up and made his major-league debut on April 25, playing in eight games with a .240 average before being sent back down. This time he could be up for much longer.

Rodriguez reacts to being DFA'd

The Nationals held out hope for relief pitcher Henry Rodriguez for nearly three years, waiting to see if the right-hander with triple-digit heat could figure out how to command the strike zone. Some days he would look dominant, but others he would find the backstop as often as he did the plate.

Washington traded Josh Willingham to the Oakland Athletics for Rodriguez in 2010, a decent price for the reliever even though they also got minor-league outfielder Corey Brown in return. Giving up what they did for Rodriguez may have been a reason for their continued patience over the last few years.

“He was a guy we traded for, we liked at the time to trade,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “We thought that we could make him an impact-type of reliever, and it just didn’t work out for us.”

Rodriguez pitched three seasons in Washington with a 4.22 ERA in 111 appearances and posted 11 saves. But his continued tendency to be wild made him a liability for the Nationals. On Saturday, he allowed a walk-off hit to the Atlanta Braves in the 10th inning. This after firing wild pitches and walking two batters.

“I tried to make it consistent. I didn’t want it to be inconsistent,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes I look at my videos, and I throw a strike and the umpire doesn’t call it. I get behind the hitter in the count.”

Rodriguez also had elbow surgery during the offseason, forcing him to sit out part of the winter.

“I had a long time off not pitching,” he said. “I started coming back and it started feeling good. I think I got a little bit bad luck. I worked every day and tried getting better. It’s hard to understand it.”

Rodriguez attributed some of his troubles to not playing winter ball.

“I used to do winter ball and I think it helped me," he said. "Staying working, practicing, working on my pitching. This is my first year not playing there and maybe that didn’t help me.”

Now Rodriguez has three days to pass through waivers. If he does, there will be a seven-day period in which he can either be traded, released or outrighted to the minor leagues.

“I feel good, and I am waiting for another team to give me an opportunity again,” he said. “I’m going to keep my head up.”