 |
|
|
| |
« Nathan Extension May Be Close | Main | Orlando Cabrera Extension Talks May Carry Into Season »
Nationals Release John Patterson
6:58pm: Bart Hubbach of the New York Post says the Mets are not interested in Patterson. The Astros may take a look.
2:18pm: Today the Nationals released oft-injured starter John Patterson, who hasn't had a healthy season since his excellent 2005. Patterson says he's healthy, but wasn't progressing as quickly as the Nationals had hoped. His velocity has been down this spring. Based on his comments he seems like a good guy; I'm sure he'll find work with another club.
Patterson was drafted fifth overall by the Expos in '96, but jumped to Arizona as a $6MM loophole free agent after Montreal didn't offer him a contract within fifteen days. The D'Backs' top pitching prospect needed Tommy John surgery in May of 2000, before he reached the bigs.
He made his big league debut in July of '02 as an injury replacement for Rick Helling. He also received a September call-up to finish off that season. Patterson was named by Bob Brenly as the fourth starter heading into the '03 season, but a poor spring performance and a cut on his thumb caused Brenly to change his mind. Patterson bounced up and down between Triple A and the Majors that year.
Out of options in '04, the D'Backs delayed their decision on Patterson until late March and then shipped him to Montreal for nondescript reliever Randy Choate. Patterson opened the season as the Expos' fifth starter, but tore a groin muscle and didn't come back until July. His performance after that was erratic, but he excelled in the winter league after the season.
A Tony Armas injury helped Patterson snag a rotation spot to begin '05, and he was masterful in 31 starts that year (despite a DL stint for back spasms). With big expectations for '06, Patterson discovered forearm soreness in April. The injury didn't go away, and Patterson had exploratory nerve surgery in July.
That winter Patterson lost his arbitration case but entered the season a healthy pitcher (aside from dizzy spells in spring). Biceps and elbow soreness surfaced in May; his velocity was down all year. In June he went to Canada for an injection-based nerve treatment in his elbow. Though he deemed the procedure a success, Patterson went under the knife again in September to remove upper arm scar tissue and deal with more nerve problems. While the velocity has been down this spring, Patterson hasn't dealt with any injuries yet. After reviewing his history, I realized Patterson is a marvel of modern science. Still, it seems the man's body was just not meant to pitch every five days.
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515b9a69e200e551521b288834
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Nationals Release John Patterson:
Comments
Verify your Comment
Previewing your Comment
This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.
As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.
Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.
Top Stories
Search MLBTR
MLBTR Features
Recent Posts
Rumors By Team
Monthly Archives
Live Chats
Tuesdays at 2 p.m. CST
DET & LAA need help in the 'pen.
Posted by: maximumpotential | March 20, 2008 at 02:23 PM
Wow. That guy had #1 or #2 starter ability when he was healthy. Tell Frank Wren to get on the phone.
Posted by: Land-Man | March 20, 2008 at 02:30 PM
Do you think he would require a major league contract? If not the Red Sox would be a good fit because they seem to have excellant trainers.
Posted by: themfightnwords | March 20, 2008 at 02:34 PM
I'd love to see Omar pounce on Patterson. The Mets have no pitching depth whatsoever. Assuming El Duque is in the rotation...
Pelfrey
Sosa
Vargas? (hurt)
Niese?
Patterson would be a nice addition.
Posted by: stellar | March 20, 2008 at 02:35 PM
wouldn't be surprised to see the mets take a shot, if they think he can still pitch, omar did bring him into the expos organization. but he's lost a lot of velocity, pitching in the low-mid 80s instead of low-mid 90s. the nats could use the 2005 patterson, and don't have much beyond #4-5 starters, so you have to wonder if he's got anything left. otherwise why release him?
plus he can't pitch well (or at all) if there's anything at *all* wrong with him. he's very sensitive.
Posted by: greg | March 20, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Looks like the Marlins found their starter
Posted by: speedchaser9 | March 20, 2008 at 02:42 PM
This is a head-scratcher to me. As recently as yesterday's column, Bill Ladson, et al, was saying the team had him penciled in as the #2. JP was nasty in 2005 , especially the first 2/3.
The Nats have been known to discard pitchers prematurely (see 2005). I'd like to think he's got something left in the tank, but I don't know with that lingering forearm nerve issue. I'd love to see him catch on within the NL East and make Bowden eat crow. Good luck JP!
Posted by: mind_vs_body | March 20, 2008 at 02:47 PM
If you're interested in Patterson's history, check out the post again.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | March 20, 2008 at 02:47 PM
Nice job on the history Tim. And then there were 3 - Cordero, Rauch and Ayala are the only remaining Nats who saw Major League action with Montreal.
Posted by: mind_vs_body | March 20, 2008 at 02:57 PM
a "model of modern science" or a "model of classic hyperchondria" or a "classic lack of pain threshhold?"
i really enjoyed watching him in 2005, but man, with this guy, it's always something. every little ailment seems to derail him.
Posted by: greg | March 20, 2008 at 03:00 PM
The angels should give him a start or two through the first go round and play him in the bullpin if he has his stuff
Posted by: BK | March 20, 2008 at 03:01 PM
WHAT?
Honestly, Tim, if this weren't MLBTR I'd think this was a joke. (Consider that praise.) Patterson was terrific when healthy, Jim Bowden loves giving talented players chances to shine, and the Nationals' starting rotation lacks stability. This is sad news indeed.
I hope Bergmann, Lannan, Redding, Hill, Perez and Chico will be able to step up as much as Bowden apparently expects them to.
Posted by: brianrein | March 20, 2008 at 03:05 PM
Sounds like a poor man's Mark Prior.
Posted by: John Difford | March 20, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Just found this on the Washington Post. About a week ago this was posted to the blog:
"'I have not heard that Patterson was on the block,' said an assistant general manager for a team that has dealt with the Nats in the past. 'But if he is, please have Jim Bowden give me a call.'"
So they didn't even shop Patterson around for a trade before cutting him? Very very strange.
Posted by: brianrein | March 20, 2008 at 03:14 PM
My guess is that he's hiding an injury. Why else would they cut him without so much as offering him up for a middle reliever?
Posted by: FineHamAbounds | March 20, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Well let's see he's from Orange, TX and the Astros need pitching.
Posted by: Mike Simms | March 20, 2008 at 03:33 PM
management's response (from the nationals journal blog on the wash post)...
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2008/03/managements_side.html
Posted by: greg | March 20, 2008 at 03:54 PM
Thanks for sharing that link greg.
I dunno, this does seem strange. Sure, the velocity's down and his middle name is "lingering injury problem" (J.L.I.P.P. for short), but as numerous comments have pointed out, at least half the MLB comes to mind as organizations that would love to give Patterson a shot to see if he can get it back. You'd have to think he'd take a ml-minimum contract to try and catch on with a club with pitching holes.
Posted by: asm | March 20, 2008 at 04:45 PM
The Angels don't need Patterson. Please stop suggesting that they need a pitchers that are either (1) unemployed or (2) being cut from teams that are basement dwellers.
Posted by: bjsguess | March 20, 2008 at 05:31 PM
So Nats rotation appears to be:
Bergmann R
Redding R
Od. Perez L
Hill R (DL)
Lannan L /Chico L
Who here was predicting 86-76??
Posted by: mind_vs_body | March 20, 2008 at 06:07 PM
It would be nice to see the Twins make a play at the guy.
Posted by: aj58078 | March 20, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Hey mind vs body, sounds like my prediction was pretty memorable! I still stick with it though.
1. From May-Sept 07, Washington was .500
2. That starting rotation included Mike Bacsik and the abominable Levale Speigner
3. That lineup contained Nook Logan and Ryan Langerhans
This year's team, for all its weirdness, marks an improvement over any team with Levale Speigner, Nook Logan and Tony Batista as starters. With more run support from a decent lineup, pitchers like Chico stand a chance.
Posted by: brianrein | March 20, 2008 at 07:41 PM
from a quick glance, nick johnson and shawn hill both also made major league appearances as expos.
Posted by: MO Boiler | March 20, 2008 at 10:35 PM
"It would be nice to see the Twins make a play at the guy."
Didn't the Twins already fulfill this year's requirement for signing washed-up and/or injured vets to block their younger, higher-upside pitchers when they acquired Livan Hernandez?
Posted by: asm | March 21, 2008 at 04:05 PM