For stoic Cordero, a case of lost control

MIAMI — Chad Cordero, as anyone who has watched the Washington Nationals’ closer for the last two years knows, rarely shows emotion on the mound. The right-hander’s nondescript stare has become legendary, evidence of his ability not to be fazed by anything that takes place while he’s in the game.

But that doesn’t mean Cordero never displays his emotions. He has been known to give up a home run or blow a save and keep his composure until he returns to the dugout, at which point he often lets out his frustrations.

And how does he do it?

“I’d really rather not say,” he said with a laugh. “Words, mostly words. I mean, I have slammed down my hat a few times, but I’m not going to go destroy the Gatorade cooler or anything like that.”

These days, Cordero is cutting loose regularly in the dugout with words his mother probably would prefer not to hear. Such is the case when his ERA is approaching 6.00, he has blown two of his three save opportunities and he has served up three towering home runs.

Of all the Nationals struggling to perform during the season’s first three weeks, perhaps Cordero is the biggest surprise. Certainly, he’s the most disappointing because if this club had one sure-fire thing entering the season, it was an established closer.

If only Cordero was living up to the billing. In nine appearances spanning 91/3 innings, he already has given up six earned runs and 15 hits, issued seven walks, thrown three wild pitches and allowed three homers. He has retired the side only once so far, and he has put at least three men on base in five of his nine full innings.

Those aren’t comforting numbers to Manny Acta.

“Obviously I’m concerned because he’s my closer,” the rookie manager said after Cordero blew a save Friday night against the Florida Marlins. “But that being said, it’s only [three] weeks, and he’s my closer. By no means am I going to give up on him.”

The Nationals believe Cordero’s struggles can be boiled down to two easy-to-fix problems: 1) He’s falling behind in the count to opposing hitters, and 2) he’s relying too much on his offspeed pitches and not enough on his fastball.

The facts don’t seem to dispute those theories. Cordero, whose best strength has always been his pinpoint command, has had a devil of a time throwing strike one when Acta has called upon him this season.

Cordero has faced a total of 50 hitters to date. Twenty-seven times he has thrown a first-pitch ball, with 12 of those hitters ultimately reaching base.

“You can’t pitch like that here,” Acta said. “That’s not how he pitches. He relies on his location and getting ahead of hitters.”

Why is Cordero falling behind in the count? Because, the Nationals say, he’s throwing too many sliders and change-ups instead of the fastball that has become his best pitch since making the major leagues four years ago.

“He’s a fastball pitcher,” pitching coach Randy St. Claire said. “He’s got a good fastball. It’s sneaky and deceptive and gets on hitters. And he locates it well.”

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