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Nats’ Zach Walters sent down, not happy about it

By Matt Fisher

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Mar 3, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA;Washington Nationals shortstop Zach Walters (4) rounds third base after a solo home run in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in a spring training exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA;Washington Nationals shortstop Zach Walters (4) rounds third base after a solo home run in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in a spring training exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports /

Another roster move that Matt Williams and the Washington Nationals made has a player unhappy about the decision.

Middle infielder Zach Walters, who has had a very strong spring, was part of the roster cuts on Thursday afternoon and sent down to minor league camp along with pitchers Ross Ohlendorf and Christian Garcia, and third-string catcher Jhonatan Solano. Bill Ladson of MLB.com says that the prospect didn’t exactly have a positive response to the demotion.

Walters, being sent to Triple-A Syracuse, put together a .379 average in fifteen games while with the big league club. He hit one homer, one triple, two doubles, and drove in five. The problem Walters faces is that there are too many options for the Nationals up the middle. The starting shortstop and second baseman are likely going to be Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon, respectively. The two primary utility candidates are Danny Espinosa and veteran Jamey Carroll.

Manager Matt Williams reportedly had nothing but good things to say about Walters’ performance while in camp, but, as MASN’S Dan Kolko says, was told to concentrate on his defense, as his bat is good enough to project at the big league level.

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