VIERA, Fla. -- Veteran reliever Eddie Guardado was one of eight players cut from big-league camp this morning as the Nationals moved to reduce their roster count.
Guardado, who had been in camp as a non-roster invitee, was given his outright release. Fellow left-hander Shawn Estes also was released. Six players were re-assigned to minor-league camp: right-handers Logan Kensing, Ryan Speier and Joel Peralta, left-hander Victor Garate, catcher Derek Norris and outfielder Jerry Owens.
Guardado, 39, appeared in two games this spring, four runs and seven hits in two innings. He owns a career 4.31 ERA and 187 saves in 17 seasons with the Twins, Mariners, Reds and Rangers.
"We respect everything Eddie's done in the game," manager Jim Riggleman said. "But the more we looked at it, we just felt that we may not carry two left-handers in the bullpen, assuming [Sean] Burnett is one guy who we will carry. We may not carry two, but if we did carry two, there's a couple other guys we want to watch the remainder of spring training in that role. We just felt if Eddie's got a chance to get into another camp, better to do it now than later."
Ron Villone and Doug Slaten are the other left-handed relievers competing for a possible spot in the Opening Day bullpen.
Estes, 37, was trying to revive his career after making only nine major-league appearances in the last three years. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in his lone inning of work this spring.
Today's cuts leave the Nationals' spring roster at 53.
25 comments:
Sorry Eddie couldn't put it together well enough to stick. From what I've read is a great clubhouse guy, would have been a great mentor to the young guys.
Obviously Derek Norris wasn't going to make the 25 man this season. I just thought they would keep him around a little longer for a prolonged taste.
Good, this guy didn't have business still being a bullpen option. Glad to know sentimentality isn't a factor.
At this time last year Rizzo realized the team had major bullipen issues. Seems like old times to me...
So much for Rizzo not being worried....those cuts are several days early based on earlier schedules set out by Riggs.....I just wish this team would tell the fans the true once and a while....What Rizzo should be saying is he blew it this off seasons...brought in too many washed up vets and it has effect the team chemistry
Congrats on being first with the most! MLB Trade Rumors did post a tweet from Ladson about Estes and from CBS Sports about Guardado, but Kilgore and Goessling still don't have anything.
JayB how can you talk about moves effecting the team chemistry when there are over 60 people in camp right now? You can't have chemistry until the roster gets cut down to size.
I would say these cuts coming early is a good thing. Now the people who really should be in consideration for spots on the roster can actually get mroe work in.
I am glad for the quick hook. It sends a message (and I don't mean to Guardado about going into tirades about the Nats as he did in response to the practical joke in Texas). The pitchers who remain might have a bit better focus.
I am sorry to see Speier go so soon. He was gracious at the Winter Caravan stop at which I met him.
I will lose no sleep over Estes, but I hope Garate can improve soon.
I imagine Norris is just going over to minor league camp...is the same true for such a veteran like Guardado?
Are all of these guys released or just sent to minor league camp?????
I am surprised with the lack of depth at catcher that Norris was amongst the first cut, maybe this means they want him to focus on fundamentals with Boone and Nokes over in minor league camp??? Trying to look for a silver lining on this mysterious early reassignment.
Surprised Tylwer Walker was not the first cut!?
Why in the world is Alberto Gonzalez still in camp???!!!
Garate is interesting to watch, his minor league K9 of 11.5 with no pitch faster than 88mph is impressive
Guardado and Estes were released. The other six were re-assigned to minor-league camp. I've updated the original story with those details, plus a Riggleman quote.
Mark, any word on whether they can get in a game this afternoon? Some pretty heavy rain about.
Jim Webster: Tarp's on the field now and they're taking BP in the cages. They haven't said anything about the status of the game. Forecast does call for things to clear up for a while this afternoon before the rain returns again. I'm about to post the running gameday thread and will provide weather updates there.
Hey Mark, when will you be doing the "Special Reader Questions with Riggleman/Other-Player-Or-Front-Office-Person"? I've got mine cooking...will this be an audio or video thing? Are you going to post it for all of us to see or just email it to the special few who contributed at the specified level?
NatsGirl: Working on it. Patience, patience.
OK so Rizzo tells us the has these great new Front office types that have found these great vet pitchers that or not dumpster divers but rather great finds....he tells us he has seen them pitch and he has greatly improve the club on the cheap but even if they were not cheap these are the guys he wants.....then he cuts them after two outings....that really sucked....
Does this sound promising new Front Office to you Mark?
Or does this show some kind of bazaar backwards progress because Front Office is now smart enough to cut them after selling them all winter...you may be fine with that but what I expect from this New "super smart" front office is off season signings that pan out not wash out leaving only the taste of 8 straight loses and a new fresh wave of lower expectations for April.
I am so glad they made a swift decision on these guys. So refreshing.
"bizarre"
JayB,
Is it possible that coaches make informed decisions based on things they see throughout camp--bullpen sessions, physical shape, attitude, etc? Is it possible that the FO is working on both solid veteran contributors (Pudge, Capps) and adding inventory (Guardado, Estes, Duncan) hoping a couple of guys break through? There are a lot of issues in terms of the pitchers not getting batters out thus far, but how is the management of the ST roster the one you focus on to criticize? What on earth do you expect them to be doing?
(Also, I wouldn't normally react this way and would respond more to the point of your comments, but your tone is tired, tired, tired. Give all the rest of us a break, will you?)
NatinBeantown
JayB, shouldn't you be more concerned at this point that Rizzo did not erect a domed stadium in Viera so that the team could take 24/7 infield practice on days like today? What a squandering of his offseason opportunity to improve this team, right?
So you all are lapping up Rizzo' s spin that all is well with this team. Pitching is just where they want it and the signings over the winter are working out as planned? Eddie, Tyler, Estes, were never being counted on to help.....right! 0 - 8 Start with 12 ERA is a sign of a healthy Spring Training....Sure it is....
Rizzo made these cuts earlier than planned and will make more soon if he is smart. Maxwell, Alberto G. Balister, Tyler Walker all should have been moved out of camp today.
What is really going to hurt Rizzo is when Dukes proves he did not do the work he needed to do this winter and is not able to provide a solution for RF. Rizzo made another mistake not getting a real MLB ready RFer.
There is still time to get that MLB ready RFer in a trade if Dukes does in fact fail.
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