Thom Loverro has the report over at the Times blog.
In a surprising move, the Nationals included last year’s first-round draft choice, highly-touted left-hander Ross Detwiler, among their cuts from major-league camp this afternoon.
A start in the minors is more certain after the Nationals openly discussed starting him in the major league bullpen.
Surprising in its timing, but it does make sense for a playing time point of view. If the Nationals were not going to use him regularly, it makes more sense in the long run to get him to minor league camp where he will get regular turns in the rotation.
#1 by Mark - March 4th, 2008 at 21:51
I love how the media is reporting this as surprising, it is not at all, we would have been in dire shape if we took a proven reliever (our bullpen is a strength, right!?) and either cut them or sent them down to make room for Detwiler as a reliever. The kid is a starter, he should start and get as many innings as he can in this spring and minor league camp opens tomorrow so it makes perfect sense because they will need more pitchers over at the complex formerly known as Carl Barger as more players report.
#2 by hartmanbirge - March 5th, 2008 at 21:56
I was looking over the roster – bullpen specifically. There’s just no room for him. Perhaps he’ll eventually work his way up to the 24 man roster but I think we’d have to carry 13 pitchers. I just don’t see that happening with all of the position players added this year and with a starting staff that will purportedly be better and go deeper into games. Right off the bat I’d say that 7 of the 7 bullpen jobs are already locked up: Cordero, Rauch, Ayaly, Rivera, Schroeder, King, Colome. That’s a very good bullpen. And on top of those 7 there are a good few names pushing hard. Detwiler SHOULD have been sent down – certainly not surprising and I’d say a no brainer.