NATIONALS NOTEBOOK
For Rauch, Being a Closer Is Just Timing
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Sunday, June 15, 2008
SEATTLE, June 14 -- For Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jon Rauch, a new role means a higher profile and a place among the National League leaders in saves. It means that some, including his manager, place him on a short list of choices to represent the team in the All-Star Game. It means, by most accounts, an existence weighted by heavier pressures and greater consequences.
But Rauch said Saturday, that he has transitioned without difficulty from a set-up man to a closer because he views the jobs as a difference in timing. Nothing more.
"Eighth and ninth? Not such a big difference. You're pitching 15 minutes later," Rauch said. He paused a moment, and added, smiling, "At least you try to look at it that way."
With Chad Cordero on the disabled list, Rauch has stabilized the Nationals' bullpen. Friday, after Seattle had slowly cut a 7-1 deficit to 7-6, Rauch came in for the ninth, pitched to four hitters, allowed one hit, and walked away with his 14th save in 17 opportunities. He made one bad pitch -- a hanging breaking ball to Adrián Beltre.
Beltre flied to deep left, and Rauch "thanked the baseball gods."
"One of those weird baseball things where, in that at-bat, I was trying to make real good pitches with the slider away," Rauch said. "And he kept fouling stuff away, fouling stuff away. Then I hung one, right over the plate. And that's how I get the out."
Pérez's Return Pushed Back
The Nationals found out Saturday that Odalis Pérez will not return from the disabled list as quickly as they had hoped -- for reasons unrelated to his health. Originally, he had been placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 4, a day after his most recent start. But with Tyler Clippard promoted from Class AAA Columbus for the second time this week to take Pérez's place in the rotation, the Nationals encountered a technicality.
A player can only be promoted for a second time in 10 days or less because of injury.
Therefore, Pérez's injury -- for DL purposes -- needs to have occurred since Clippard last pitched for Washington.
Pérez, battling tendinitis in his left shoulder, is eligible to return from the DL on June 26.
