Cordero welcomes manager’s challenge

The debacle in Atlanta served as Chad Cordero’s wake-up call.

Since the Washington Nationals’ All-Star closer gave up Jeff Francoeur’s walk-off grand slam on May 13, Cordero has converted nine consecutive save opportunities and owns an 11-inning scoreless streak.

The Chief is back.

“I don’t know if he’ll ever look like last year’s Cordero, but he’s pretty good as he is this year,” Nationals manager Frank Robinson said. “He’s back in a good groove and he’s throwing the ball well and locating his pitches.”

Last season, Cordero was one of the best stories of the team’s first season in the District. Cordero led the majors and set a franchise record with 47 saves in just his second full season in the majors.

This season didn’t start out well for Cordero.

On May 18 in Chicago, he had three saves and three blown saves with a 4.59 ERA. After Cordero walked the Cubs’ Jacque Jones to put runners on the corners, Robinson walked out to the mound to talk to his closer.

“He just asked if I was the man, if I was the man for the job,” Cordero said that night after saving his fourth game of the season.

The Nationals’ 70-year-old manager had to lay it on the line. The strong language worked because Cordero entered last night tied for fifth in the National League with 12 saves.

“[Francoeur’s walk-off] was the worst it can possibly get,” Cordero said. “From after that it could only get better. Luckily, I’ve kind of hit a hot streak and everything feels great.”

It has gotten better, and today is Chad Cordero Bobblehead giveaway at RFK Stadium. Don’t laugh: It’s a collector’s item. Cordero becomes the first Nationals player to have a bobblehead doll made in his likeness.

Cordero, 24, said the bobblehead even resembles him.

“I have seen it,” Cordero said. “It looks about right. It has the flat hat and the flat bill and it has the two moles on my face. So, I liked it. It looked pretty good. To make a little figure of you, it’s a pretty cool thing.”

Cordero missed most of spring training to be a part of the U.S. team in the inaugural, 16-team World Baseball Classic. While it was a great opportunity for Cordero to represent his country, it cost him in preparation time for this season because he pitched only 11/3 innings in two games for the United States.

If Cordero would have declined the invitation to play in the event, he would have pitched at least 10 times more innings in spring training than he did at the WBC.

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