Notes: Guillen placed on DL

07/20/2006
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals placed right fielder Jose Guillen on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow soreness Thursday, a problem he has had for several weeks. The move was made retroactive to July 18.
Guillen will have his right elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. on Monday, and the team hopes he does not need elbow reconstruction. Guillen, who is likely the trade block, last played on Tuesday against the Marlins and left the game in the second inning after swelling occurred in the elbow.
Guillen, 30, was hitting .216 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 69 games with Washington this season.
It marks the second time Guillen has gone on the DL. He missed two weeks earlier because of a left hamstring strain.
The Nationals are expected to purchase the contract of utility infielder Melvin Dorta from Double-A Harrisburg. He was hitting .277 with four home runs and 24 RBIs.
The Nationals need a backup infielder after placing Damian Jackson on the DL because of esophageal spasms and with Jose Vidro suffering from a strained left hamstring.
Last weekend, manager Frank Robinson talked about how he couldn't make defensive switches because Jackson was not available. It became a worse situation after Vidro's injury.
Not as bad as they thought: Right-handed pitcher John Patterson had successful exploratory surgery on his right forearm Thursday. During the 75-minute procedure, Patterson's lacertus fibrosis was released and the median nerve was explored and decompressed. Several areas of constriction within the nerve were released, thus leaving the nerve healthy and free of compression.
Patterson, 28, will be in a splint for one week, at which time he will begin range-of-motion and strength exercises. He is expected to be out approximately four to six weeks.
General manager Jim Bowden was relieved to know that Patterson is not out for the season -- as was originally reported -- and that the injury is not as serious.
"He has a chance to come back," Bowden said. "The elbow was in good shape and the ligament was very strong. The decompression of the nerve helped him get the feeling back, and he can be what he was. For the long term, there's no reason why John Patterson can't become the 15- to 20-game winner he was supposed to be."
So long: The Nationals granted catcher/first baseman Matthew LeCroy his unconditional release. The club had designated LeCroy for assignment on Monday and had 10 days to trade, release or assign him to the Minor Leagues. But it decided to give LeCroy his walking papers earlier than expected because no other teams in the league were interested in him.
"There's no need to wait if there's no interest," Bowden said.
LeCroy, 30, batted .239 (16-for-77) with two home runs and nine RBIs in 39 games for the Nationals.
Stumbling block: According to The Washington Post, Major League Baseball sent city officials from The District of Columbia a letter stating they have not met several deadlines in the agreement for a new Nationals baseball stadium.
The Post obtained the letter, and MLB attorney Tom Ostertag said the city did meet certain provisions.
"[T]his letter constitutes formal written notice of the Commission's failure to specifically perform or comply with the enumerated provisions," Ostertag writes in the letter. "The team hereby demands that these failures be corrected."
The lease gives the city 30 days to respond to baseball's notice and resolve the issues, or MLB could pursue legal action.


Source: http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/