Already this offseason, two high-end closers have changed teams with Francisco "The Evil" Cordero leaving Milwaukee for Cincy and Jose Valverde traded from Arizona to Houston, but still Chad Cordero, after two seasons with his name in the papers, defiantly remains a National.
The Reds had to give Francisco Cordero 4-years and $46 million to lure the thirty-two year old closer away from the Brewers. Cordero didn't close a single game in the first three years of his MLB career, which started in Detroit in 1999, 5 years after the Tigers had drafted the right-hander, and it would be two more years, after a trade to Texas, before Cordero recorded his first Major League save.
Including that first one, Francisco Cordero has saved 177 games in his 9-year career with a 3.29 ERA as a pro. Last year for Milwaukee, Cordero posted a 2.98 ERA with 44 saves, and just 21 ER's and 4 HR's allowed all season. In his two seasons with the Brewers, Cordero was (3-5) with 60 saves overall.
The Reds had to give Francisco Cordero a contract, which is described by mlb.com's Mark Sheldon in his article, "Reds, Cordero agree to four-year deal" at milwaukee.brewers.com, as being, "In terms of guaranteed money... the largest ever for a reliever."
The Houston Astros had to give up a package of pitchers, twenty-eight year old reliever Chad Qualls and twenty-three year old starter Juan Gutierrez along with twenty-seven year old IF/OF Chris Burke to get their hands on the D-Backs twenty-seven year old closer Jose Valverde, who led the Majors with 47 saves last season, while posting a (1-4) record with a 2.66 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched over which he allowed just 19 ER's and 7 HR's.
Valverde had never saved more than 18 games in his four previous campaigns, and, in fact, Valverde almost bested his career total of 51 with his '07 output for 98 total saves in his career. In 260.0 total innings pitched since his 2003 debut, Valverde's got a 3.29 ERA with 331 K's vs 111 walks.
Chad Cordero?, who doesn't turn twenty-six until August of '08, has saved 128 games in his first five seasons as a pro, in a career that began after just 19 games in the Minors following the Nationals selection of the right-handed closer out of Cal State Fullerton in the 1st Round of the '03 Draft.
In five MLB seasons, two in Montreal and three in DC, Chad Cordero has put up a (20-14) record with a 2.79 ERA over 316.1 innings, during which he's K'd 287, walked 114, allowed 39? home runs and 98 earned ones, while posting totals of 47, 29, and 37 saves in the Nationals first three years of existence.
The Brewers signed David Riske, Eric Gagne and have the loose-cannon Derrick Turnbow to turn to if the free agent closer options don't work out. The D-Backs now have Chad Qualls to compete with Brandon Lyon and Tony Pena, according to Jim McLennan, the SB Nation's D-Backs blogger, in his post entitled, "Where Do We Go From Here?", at www. azsnakepit.com...
http://www.azsnakepit.com/story/2007/12/16/223313/76
That's four teams that are all set in the bullpen, and at least three-quarters of the other 30 MLB teams have closers already, so why not just keep Chad Cordero since no one has come up with an enticing offer in over two years?? The Flat-Brimmed Closer is already a DC institution and at twenty-six years young, Cordero wants to remain a National, as he told mlb.com's Bill Ladson recently in an article appropriately entitled, "Cordero wants to stay with Nats" at washington.nationals.mlb.com in which Cordero is quoted, stating:
"I want to end my career in D.C.," Cordero said. "I have a
good relationship with all the guys on the team. I've been
there my entire career. All these guys are great. I love
[manager] Manny [Acta], I love all the coaches, I love all
the guys in the bullpen because they are basically my
family."
Chad Cordero's recorded 128 saves for DC, now it's the Nationals turn to grant The Flat-Brimmed Closer and the DC Faithful their wish...
SAVE CHAD CORDERO!!!!
*CLOSER LINKS!!*
mlb.com's Mark Sheldon's article, "Reds, Cordero agree to four-year deal", at milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com:
Francisco Cordero's career stats at baseball-reference.com:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cordefr01.shtml
mlb.com's Steve Gilbert's article, "D-backs add Haren, deal Valverde" at arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com:
Jose Valverde's career stats at baseball-reference.com:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/v/valvejo01.shtml
mlb.com's Bill Ladson's article, "Cordero wants to stay with Nats" at washington.nationals.mlb.com:
Chad Cordero's career stats at baseball-reference.com:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cordech01.shtml
MLB Save Leaders from mlb.com: