• Having signed free agent reliever Joe Beimel to a one-year/$2 million dollar deal last March, DC GM Mike Rizzo described the then-31-year-old left-hander to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan as a pitcher who would provide the Nationals with, "...balance and experience in the bullpen," in an article on the signing entitled, "Nats Sever Ties With Hill, Sign Beimel to 1-Year Deal", where the then "Acting" DC GM explained why he'd signed the pitcher (as if he had to with the bullpen he inherited) coming off a (5-1) '08 campaign in which Beimel had posted a 2.02 ERA over 71 games and 49.0 IP, striking out 5.9 K/9 and allowing 3.9 BB/9 with LA's Dodgers :
"He pitched extremely well the last three or four years with the Dodgers, and with the Pirates. He was a guy that our scouts really liked -- his aggressiveness on the mound. He holds runners great. He fields his position well."
Beimel was (1-5) with a 3.40 ERA in 45 games and 39.2 IP with 5.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 for Washington last season before he was dealt to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for two minor league right-handers, Ryan Mattheus and Robinson Fabian. Beimel K'd 6.3 K/9 and walked 2.3 BB/9 in 26 games, going (0-1) in 15.2 IP for Colorado, but as Denver Post writer Troy E. Renck reported this morning in an article entitled, "Beimel looking for relief work, won't be back with Rox", "Beimel confirmed Tuesday he won't be back," with the Rockies in 2010.
Do the Nationals need another left-hander in the bullpen?
Washington added lefty Sean Burnett last season in a deal with the Pirates, and signed veteran left-handers Doug Slaten and Eddie Guardado this winter in addition to adding right-hander Brian Bruney in a trade with New York and drafting Drew Storen in the 1st Round of last year's draft. Jason Bergmann will most likely work out of the pen. Tyler Clippard pretty much guaranteed himself a role (barring a bad Spring) with his work last season...and some of the starters (J.D. Martin, Craig Stammen, Collin Balester) could be called upon to pitch out of the bullpen...Is there any room to bring Beimel back? The RZO can make Beimel the new Mike Stanton, the veteran lefty reliever who was signed traded, re-signed and traded in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006, bringing RHP's Rhys Taylor and Yader Peralta in return from Boston in 2005 and RHP Shairon Martis from San Francisco Giants in 2006.
Should the Nationals bring "Dirty" Joe Beimel back for another season (4 months) in DC?