Former Nats closer Cordero calls it quits

It was announced today by the St. Paul Saints that former Washington Nationals closer Chad Cordero has decided to retire from baseball. Cordero, known as “The Chief” is hanging up his cleats at the young age of 29 after getting roughed up in his last three outings for the Saints, an Independent league team. For Nats fans everywhere, this truly is a sad day. Cordero was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 2003 First Year Player Draft (20th overall) and made his major league debut less than three months later. After recording 14 saves the season after with the Expos, he became the full-time closer in 2005 with the move to Washington. With his signature flat-brimmed-cap and three-pitch mix, The Chief recorded 47 saves that year, a total amassed by only fourteen others at the time. He tied John Wetteland’s June 1996 record with 15 saves of his own that June and was a huge reason why the Nats were shockingly leading the NL East at the All-Star break. Cordero saved 68 m...