A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the 2006 salary of Nationals' pitcher Tony Armas Jr.
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK
Ayala Regrets Pitching in The WBC
Sunday, July 30, 2006; Page E11
LOS ANGELES, July 29 -- When Luis Ayala wandered into Dodger Stadium this weekend, it only served to conjure up thoughts of what might have been. Ayala, who blew out his right elbow pitching for his native Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, made his first visit with his teammates Friday, and spoke about his injury for the first time Saturday. Asked if he regretted pitching in the WBC, he said, "Yes."
Ayala, who went 8-7 with a 2.66 ERA in 68 appearances for Washington last year, had minor elbow surgery in the offseason. Because of that, he was widely criticized by his teammates and club officials for deciding to pitch in the WBC anyway.
|
VIDEO | Nationals Spring Training ON THE FIELD Jesus Flores' two-run, ninth-inning double gives the Nationals a 4-3 win over the Marlins. Notebook: The Nationals trade left-handed reliever Ray King, the most veteran member of their pitching staff, to the Brewers for a player to be named. Boswell: The statistics show a return to normalcy in baseball and the end of the Steroid Era. Minor Leagues: Justin Maxwell has come out of the slump he was in after straining an oblique muscle by sneezing and is now hitting .423 with 24 homers. NATIONALS REPORTBy the Numbers89: Errors for the Nationals through Monday. Through 138 games a year ago, they had 113 errors. Personnel Dept.OF Ryan Langerhans hit his first homer of a 14-game stint with Class AAA Columbus on Monday, just before he was called up. "I felt a lot more comfortable," he said. "My approach was a lot better." Langerhans will be used primarily as a defensive replacement. ... The club activated LHP Micah Bowie, who hadn't pitched in the majors since June because of a hip injury. ... The club announced that Centerplate would replace Aramark as the concessionaire at the new ballpark in 2008. Quotable"He certainly was a good influence on our young pitchers, had a lot to do with some of their developments. Our clubhouse was a better place with Ray King a part of it." -- GM Jim Bowden NATIONALS JOURNALBarry Svrluga provides the latest news on the Nationals. MULTIMEDIA Podcasts: Postgame audio from Barry Svrluga and video from Washington Post Live. Slideshow: A crowd of 40,389 pack into RFK Stadium to open up the 2007 baseball season. Photos: Manny Acta returns home. Webcam: Check back daily and follow the progress of construction on the stadium. |
"I know myself," Ayala said. "So I don't care what somebody's thinking about what happened in the World Cup."
Ayala said, though, that pride in his country played a factor in his decision. "I can say Mexico, they wanted me to pitch in the World Cup," he said. "It's my country. "
Mets Eye Nats
The New York Mets continue to be the most likely suitors for two available Nationals' pitchers, right-handers Livan Hernandez and Tony Armas Jr. The Mets are one of the few teams that might not balk at Hernandez's $7 million salary for next season. Armas, who earns $2.1 million this year, will be a free agent in the offseason.
Both pitchers have struggled (Hernandez's ERA is 5.70, Armas's 4.79), but they each have a history with Mets GM Omar Minaya, for whom they played in Montreal.
Surgery for Drese
Right-hander Ryan Drese, attempting to come back from an elbow injury, will instead undergo ligament replacement surgery this week, the club said. Drese, who made three rehabilitation starts for Class AA Harrisburg since going on the disabled list in April, said the pain in his last bullpen session was "unbearable."
"I just need to get something done so I can go back to being myself," he said. Recovery will likely take at least a year. Drese made only two appearances for Washington this season.
