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Nationals Sign Cordero
Hammonds Agrees to Minor Leage Deal
Associated Press
Monday, December 13, 2004; 5:37 PM

First baseman Wil Cordero agreed on Monday to a one-year contract with Washington.

The Washington-bound team also agreed to terms with outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds on a minor league contract and selected outfielder Tyrell Godwin and third baseman Tony Blano in the Rule 5 draft.

The moves were minor developments compared to general manager Jim Bowden's goals entering the winter meetings in Anaheim, Calif., which ended Monday. Bowden was hoping to secure starting pitching, but his initial targets proved too expensive for the team's limited budget.

Cordero, 33, batted .197 with one home run and six RBIs in 27 games for Florida this year while hobbled by knee injuries. He had surgery on his left knee in May and his right knee in June.

Cordero is a career .275 hitter in 13 seasons with Montreal, Florida, Boston, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. He will be reunited with manager Frank Robinson, his manager in Montreal in 2002-03.

To make room for Cordero on the 40-man roster, the team designated outfielder Ron Calloway for assignment. Calloway, 28, batted .167 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 46 games for Montreal this year.

Hammonds, 33, hit .211 with three homers and six RBIs in 40 games for San Francisco last season. He was an All-Star in 2000 with Colorado, hitting .335 with 20 home runs and 106 RBIs.

Godwin, 25, was a 2001 third-round pick by Toronto out of North Carolina. He hit .253 with six home runs, 40 RBIs and 42 stolen bases for New Hampshire of the Double-A Eastern League this year.

Blanco, 23, was originally signed by Boston and then traded to Cincinnati. He played for Single-A Potomac and AA Chattanooga this year, hitting a combined .275 with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs.