With Everyday Eddie, Nats' bullpen gets older, more rotund.

  

 (AP Photo. Eddie Guardado, above, seen sprinting to catch the early bird special following a Spring Training workout with the Rangers last March. If the Nationals bring back Livan Hernandez, look for Livo, Eddie, and Brian Bruney to be leading the charge to the post-game spread this season.)

It's official: Nationals beef up bullpen with Everyday Eddie Guardado

No prank here: It's a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training with the big club. And since you can't mention the name Everyday Eddie without uttering the term, "workhorse", he's a workhorse.

Here's the official release from the team, issued this morning, in case there's any question about the details:

NATIONALS AGREE TO TERMS WITH LEFTHANDER EDDIE GUARDADO ON MINOR-LEAGUE CONTRACT

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Eddie Guardado on a minor-league contract. Nationals Senior Vice President & General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Guardado went 1-2 with five holds and a 4.46 ERA in 48 relief appearances last season with the Texas Rangers. Over his 17-year big league career, he has recorded 46 wins, 122 holds, 187 saves and a 4.31 ERA in 908 contests with the Twins (1993-2003, ‘08), Mariners (2004-06), Reds (2006-07) and Rangers (2008-09). The 39-year-old has posted a .251 batting average against, including a stingy .227 mark against opposing left-handers.
Guardado led the American League with 45 saves in 2002 and tallied double-digit save totals in six straight seasons from 2001-06. He posted 165 saves during those seasons, 157 of which were posted in the American League. Over those years, only Mariano Rivera’s 248 saves ranked higher in the AL.
Guardado’s 187 career saves rank 10th among active pitchers (second among left-handers) and his 122 holds rank 15th (sixth among left-handers).
Given the nickname "Everyday Eddie," Guardado ranks fourth among active pitchers (tops among left-handers) with 908 career appearances. He has averaged 59 appearances per season during the last 15 years (1995-2009).
A two-time All-Star, Guardado represented the Twins in both the 2002 and ‘03 Mid-Summer Classics. He led the Twins to post-season appearances in both of his All-Star seasons (‘02-03).

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Comments

[L. Hernandez]

I like the move, so long as Eddie stays away from my Dippin' Dots.