Nationals GM Jim Bowden announced on the radio yesterday that he would not tender an offer to Chad Cordero this winter, meaning the injured closer will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
It's not a surprising decision -- in fact, Cordero admits he saw it coming -- but it's a little surprising that Bowden decided to announce to the news over AM radio waves before extending his player the courtesy of a simple phone call. From Chico Harlan of the Washington Post:
"My dad called me," Cordero said, explaining how he received the news. "He had received a phone call from a friend who heard on the radio. My dad got the call, and then he called me and told me. That's how I found out. Bowden never once made contact with myself or my agent before he announced it on the radio."
Part of the reason that Cordero is so upset is because he just underwent shoulder surgery two weeks ago -- he's barely had anytime to recover before hearing that his team plans to kick him to the curb. Granted, Bowden later revealed in an email to MLB.com that he hopes to re-sign Cordero this winter to a contract with "a low base salary with incentives," but how would Cordero know that? Again, a quick phone call five minutes before going on the air avoids all of his awkwardness.
