Nationals release Shawn Hill, Sign Joe Beimel

For the past three years, Shawn Hill has teased the Nationals. In 2007, he was fantastic, posting a 3.42 ERA in sixteen starts. Of course, he was injured a large part of the year, much like 2006. It looked like 2008 would be Hill's breakout year, except that he began the year on DL, made 12 starts (with a 5.83 ERA), and then spent the rest of the year on the disabled list.

This spring, the team claimed that they would not count on Hill being in the rotation; he would have to stay healthy and earn his spot. Naturally, after his first start, he said that he felt some tightness in his forearm and missed about a week or two. He returned Monday to pitch a scoreless inning against the Marlins.

Today, the team told him he had been released. The Nationals had had enough of the injuries and cut ties. Now, he will have to try to prove to the rest of baseball that he can stay healthy and pitch.

I have been a big fan of Shawn's for the past couple years. He's got some wicked stuff and is a poor man's Brandon Webb when he is on. He can be downright unhittable. That potential though, seems all but gone, and he cannot stay healthy. His story is similar to that of John Patterson: one fantastic year as a National, followed by injury problems and constant DL trips. The team cut Patterson before last season, and has now had enough of Hill. I wish nothing but the best to Shawn, but it does the team good to not have to worry about a player who may feel soreness after 45 pitches.

Coincided with the news of Hill's release was the announcement that the team had signed left-hander Joe Beimel to a one-year, $2 million contract. Beimel, who had spent the last three seasons with the Dodgers, will be the eighth-inning setup man to closer Joel Hanrahan. Last year, Beimel pitched in 71 games, posting a 2.02 ERA.

Beimel is a veteran lefty who will help stabilize a bullpen that has tons of question marks. Closer Joel Hanrahan is currently playing in the World Baseball Classic, but his job is safe. Saul Rivera will pitch the seventh, but he has also been pitching in the WBC. After that, Mike Hinckley, Garrett Mock, Gustavo Chacin, Steven Shell, Jason Bergmann, and rule-V pick Terrell Young are all competing for jobs. None of those pitchers has been steady so far in spring. Beimel adds a soft-tossing lefty to setup a hard-throwing righty in the 9th.

The Nationals cut ties with a pitcher who had frustrated both the team and fans for three years and signed a proven veteran to help out the biggest weakness - the bullpen. Not too shabby for acting GM Mike Rizzo's first real moves as GM (I'm not counting minor league signings such as Kip Wells or Julian Tavarez).