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Nationals place Cordero on bereavement list
By COLIN FLY, AP Sports Writer
May 8, 2007 - 7:48:50 PM

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MILWAUKEE -- Chad Cordero could not focus on baseball with his grandmother dying in California, so he asked Nationals manager Manny Acta for a leave of absence on Monday.

Family comes first, Acta agreed, and the Nationals placed the struggling reliever on the bereavement list Tuesday. They called up pitcher Winston Abreu to take Cordero's place.

"He came to me yesterday and said how it was affecting him mentally and how his mind wasn't on baseball right now and he needed a couple of days off," Acta said. "I figured you might as well do that because you give him a couple of days, it's just a matter of time before his grandmother passes away and then he is going to have to go to the funeral."

Cordero's grandmother, Josie Cordero, has brain cancer and Cordero said Sunday he wasn't sure if she'd live through the week. Acta said Tuesday she had not passed away yet.

According to league rules, players on the bereavement list must miss as least three games but no more than seven before returning to their club.

"I think it's a great rule," said Acta, who said he hoped to have Cordero soon, but conceded he'd probably take the full allotment of days.

Cordero has four saves and a 4.70 ERA in 15 appearances. The right-hander also has blown four save opportunities, including a 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. During his absence, Acta said setup man Jon Rauch will close.

Abreu, a 30-year-old right-hander, went 1-0 with one save and a 0.50 ERA in 10 games with Columbus, the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate.

The Nationals, who came into Tuesday night's game with the Milwaukee Brewers with the worst record in baseball at 9-23, also made two other roster moves in an attempt to shake things up in the midst of their second losing streak of six games already this season.

Washington called up right-handed pitcher Jason Simontacchi to start against the Brewers, as well as veteran third baseman Tony Batista.

The Nationals placed reliever Ryan Wagner on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 7, with right rotator cuff inflammation and designated infielder Josh Wilson for assignment.

Acta wasn't happy that the 24-year-old Wagner apparently had been hurting for several weeks without telling anyone.

"That's his decision. Obviously we want to know, but he never said anything until yesterday," Acta said. "If doesn't talk, I'm a manager, I can't read minds."

Wagner was 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA in 14 appearances for the Nationals. He's scheduled to have an MRI exam on the shoulder Thursday in Washington. Wilson hit .053 with three runs scored in 15 games.

The 33-year-old Batista has played in 1,229 big-league games for six teams in his 10-year career. He was hitting .290 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 30 games at Triple-A Columbus.

"He was playing very well over there, as he should," Acta said. "He's going to give us that experience swinging the bat off the bench."


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