By TODD JACOBSON
WASHINGTON--The message, as manager Frank Robinson spoke to a shaken Chad Cordero three weeks ago in the ninth inning of a win over the Chicago Cubs was simple.
"He just asked me if I was the man for the job," Cordero recalled.
Cordero has spent the last three weeks answering his manager.
The once-untouchable closer slumped for the first six weeks of the season, but since that short conversation with Robinson--with two outs and the tying run on third base--he's been nearly perfect.
He saved that game against the Cubs, and has reeled off 11 straight scoreless innings, saving nine of the Nationals' last 15 wins.
"I think I kind of needed that," Cordero said. "I still thought that I was [the man] but my confidence was probably a little down a little bit compared to what it was last year. But right now it's right back to where it was last year."
Cordero had come off one of the worst performances of his career days before Robinson's visit, a five-run meltdown Cordero referred to yesterday simply as the "debacle."
Charged with preserving a two-run lead against the Atlanta Braves, Cordero gave up a solo homer to Brian McCann and a grand slam to Jeff Francoeur, leaving the mound dejected.
His season, to that point, hadn't gone as planned.
His spring training regimen was interrupted by a trip to the World Baseball Classic--where he pitched just 1 innings--and as Cordero rolled into May, the pinpoint control that helped him save a league-high 47 games last season still hadn't materialized.
By his own admission, Cordero hadn't felt comfortable for much of the season. Before May 18, he had just three saves and a 4.58 ERA. The game against Atlanta was simply the tipping point.
"It was the worst it could possibly get so after that, I just had to get better," Cordero said. "Luckily I have kind of hit a hot streak and everything so it feels great."
Robinson, who has renewed his confidence in his closer over the last three weeks, said the difference for Cordero is control. His go-to fastball has hovered in the low 90s all season, but because of his spring training layoff, he had trouble hitting his spots.
No more. His recent hot streak has helped him lower his ERA to 2.83 entering last night's game.
"I don't know if he'll ever look like last year's Cordero but he's pretty good," Robinson said. "He is back in a good groove and he is throwing the ball well, locating his pitches now."
The timing, too, has been perfect.
Today, the Nationals will give the first 15,000 fans that enter RFK Stadium a bobblehead doll bearing Cordero's likeness--complete with his trademark flat brim hat and two moles on his right cheek.
Jackson: 'My bad'
Utilityman Damian Jackson was not in the starting lineup a day after he was admonished by Robinson after his nonchalant approach to a single by Jimmy Rollins resulted in an error.
The ball hit off Jackson's glove, allowing Rollins to sprint to second base. He eventually scored.
"You guys know how Frank is. He just said, 'Pick it up.' I said, 'My bad,'" Jackson said. "It looked more boneheaded than it actually was. Jimmy Rollins just didn't stop. He made me look stupid."
Jackson made up for the error in the ninth inning with a spinning and leaping catch of a line drive by Aaron Rowand that helped preserve Washington's 5-2 win.
Guillen coming home
Right fielder Jose Guillen was 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and three RBIs during a doubleheader with Class-A Potomac yesterday.
He'll be evaluated by Robinson and team officials before today's game against the Phillies, and if his sore right hamstring is healthy, Guillen could be activated from the 15-day disabled list.
No TV
The Nationals' already-troubling TV situation gets even worse today, and don't blame Comcast or MASN. Fox had originally planned to televise the 1:20 p.m. game, but has backed out, meaning the game won't be seen by any fans. Fox still holds the rights for the time slot.
To reach TODD JACOBSON:
Email: tjacobson@freelancestar.com