NewsCabrera designated for assignment
Righty to become free agent; decision coming on MacDougal
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
05/27/09 12:35 AM ET
NEW YORK -- After Tuesday's 6-1 loss to the Mets, the Nationals designated right-hander Daniel Cabrera for assignment and recalled catcher Luke Montz from Double-A Harrisburg.Cabrera was 0-5 with a 5.85 ERA and led the National League in walks (35) and wild pitches (nine). Cabrera was taken out of the rotation last week because of his lack of command on the mound.
Cabrera last pitched on Monday against the Mets. He pitched two-thirds of an inning without giving up a run, but he walked three batters before being replaced by right-hander Jason Bergmann.
Acting general manager Mike Rizzo said lack of performance was the reason Cabrera was let go. The Nationals most likely will pay the rest of Cabrera's $2.6 million salary.
"We felt that we needed to change the dynamic of the bullpen -- we decided to designated him for assignment," Rizzo said. "You have to put the best 25 players on the roster to give you a chance to win. I looked beyond the contract. I looked at the execution of the performance and it wasn't up to par. I was tired of watching it. So I felt we had to make a decision there. The decision was to designate him for assignment and see if we could get a player who could performed better than him."
Cabrera, who was seen saying goodbye to his teammates, said he understood why the Nationals let him go. Once he clears waivers, Cabrera said he will become a free agent.
"I didn't do what they wanted me to do and I wasn't pitching well," Cabrera said.
Montz will be with the team for only a few days because catcher Josh Bard is going to Colorado to be with his wife, who is inducing labor. Montz, who has big league experience, is hitting a combined .161 with two home runs and seven RBIs.
In other news, Nationals right-hander Mike MacDougal has decided to leave Triple-A Syracuse.
He had an out clause in his Minor League contract that allowed him to leave the team. However, the Nationals have 48 hours to put him on the 25-man roster. If they don't, MacDougal will become a free agent.
MacDougal pitched in seven games and gave up one run in 7 1/3 innings for Syracuse.
"We have 48 hours to do something with him," Rizzo said. "So we are going to evaluate the situation and see what we are going to do about it."
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
